What editors, agents, and kids look for in a killer title.
Picture book writers spend countless hours perfecting their plots, sculpting their characters, and polishing every word of their manuscripts. But sometimes the single most powerful string of words in your entire project — your title — gets slapped on as an afterthought.
Big mistake.
Your title is your story’s handshake, your billboard, your first impression in the publishing world. It’s what catches an editor’s eye in a submissions pile. It’s what makes a kid yank a book off the shelf. And it’s what lodges in a reader’s brain long after storytime ends.
Let’s dig into what makes a picture book title truly mighty — and how you can craft one that demands attention.
What Makes a Picture Book Title Irresistible?
The best titles do at least one (and often more!) of these five things:
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Promise a feeling or experience.
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Offer clarity with a twist.
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Evoke curiosity or surprise.
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Showcase voice or humor.
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Sound unforgettable out loud.
Let’s look at three recent picture books (all published after 2020) that absolutely nail their titles — and unpack what they teach us.
That’s Not My Name! by Anoosha Syed
→ Why this title works:
Simple. Relatable. Emotional punch. This title delivers clarity and curiosity at once. Whose name? What’s happening to it? Readers immediately feel a connection to the universal experience of wanting your name respected.
→ Steal this strategy:
Ask yourself: What universal childhood moment or feeling does my book capture? Can my title call that feeling out directly?
Big Truck Little Island by Chris Van Dusen
→ Why this title works:
It’s visually compelling and immediately intriguing. The size contrast sparks curiosity: How big? How little? What happens when they meet? Will the truck even fit on the island?Plus, it’s rhythmic and fun to say aloud.
→ Steal this strategy:
Play with opposites, contrasts, or unexpected pairings. Titles with visual tension naturally hook both kids and adults.
Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends by Kaz Windness
→ Why this title works:
Though it’s an early reader, I chose this because it is so deceptively simple. It’s just about bursting with potential drama. It sets up a classic friendship story with an inevitable problem: we know that caterpillar isn’t going to stay a caterpillar. It plants a seed of curiosity about what will happen to their friendship when change comes.
→ Steal this strategy:
Use your title to hint at tension, transformation, or stakes — even if it reads like a calm statement on the surface.
Quick Tricks for Leveling Up Your Picture Book Title
1. Read it out loud. A lot.
If it’s clunky or hard to say, keep revising. Great titles sound like music or punchlines. Alliteration, rhythm, or internal rhyme can help — but only if it feels effortless.
2. Look for unexpected word mashups.
Some of the best titles feel familiar but have a small, surprising twist:
Challenge yourself to combine two words or ideas that don’t usually go together.
3. Ask: Would a kid yell this across a room?
Would a child or librarian want to shout your title at story time? If not, consider making it shorter, snappier, or more fun to say.
4. Tap into universal kid experiences.
First days, lost teeth, bedtime fears, bossy siblings, big feelings — these are gold mines. Try capturing a moment every kid has lived through, but phrase it in a way only you can.
5. Keep a Title Graveyard.
As you brainstorm, don’t delete your cast-offs. Keep a running list of title ideas, even if they don’t fit your current project. They might spark new manuscripts down the line.
Final Takeaway: Tiny Words, Huge Impact
Titles may be short, but they carry big weight in the kidlit world. A killer picture book title is part poetry, part marketing hook, and part promise to the reader. When done right, it lingers in a child’s head — or an editor’s inbox — long after the story ends.
So next time you finish a draft, don’t settle for your placeholder title. Tinker. Play. Test it out loud. Try something weird. Try something bold.
Remember: The best picture book titles don’t just label a story — they sell the experience of reading it.
