The Self-Published Picture Book Blueprint

Bringing a 1956 Family Legacy to Life: A Children’s Book Case Study

by Alena Karabach

A girl dancing in the rain by a pond with a yellow duckling, from Little Waddles

My client Cynthia came to me with a story her mother wrote in 1956, as a student at Hanover College, and a handful of old family photos. Together we turned it into Little Waddles.

Case study: bringing a 1956 story to life, with a mock-up of the book Little Waddles

The brief

The three main characters came from real life: Farmer Bill, based on Cynthia’s grandfather; Brenda, based on her mother; and a little duck called Waddles. Cynthia asked for a soft, warm, vintage pastel look.

A duck family swimming past water lilies: two white ducks and three yellow ducklings

How we worked

  • A test page first. I illustrated the opening page to settle the characters and the watercolour style. Cynthia loved it straight away.
  • Then the whole book, over about two months, working closely together.
A little girl looking up at her grandfather, who holds a pitchfork by a cornfield

What she got

  • 14 full-page illustrations
  • The cover
  • Typesetting, with everything print-ready
  • Total cost: $1,462.50
A yellow duckling floating among orange flowers and dragonflies

The result

Watching black-and-white family memories become a colourful, comforting picture book was unforgettable. Cynthia’s mother is now 90, and in Cynthia’s words: “These illustrations are just perfect for my Mom’s book!”

Cynthia Frazier’s five-star review of the illustrations
Cynthia’s review.

Do you have a family story, an old manuscript or a special memory you’d like to see as a picture book? I’d love to help you tell it.

Little Waddles on Amazon

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