With a lot of books aimed at more mature audiences, you only have to worry about illustrating the cover or perhaps a few visual aids in the case of epic fantasies. However, children’s books are very different. Illustrations are an absolute must to ensure that the child is engaged, and for very young readers who are still learning to read fluently, they are crucial to getting the message across.
As such, you need to hire a competent illustration service whenever you write a children’s book. The illustrations need to be appealing to children, appropriate, and of course, reflective of what’s happening to help guide them through the reading process.
Here are the 3 best children’s book illustration services we know of in case you’re trying to publish a children’s book.
1: MindStir
MindStir is easily our most recommended illustration service. It’s essentially the perfect “jack of all trades” with plenty of high-quality services at great prices. One branch of MindStir is entirely dedicated to providing children’s book authors with the perfect illustrations to make their work stand out and fit in with the general aesthetic that people have come to know and love with children’s books. This dedication to a children’s book aesthetic is huge. Most illustrators might be able to “dumb down” their existing styles to create something suitable, but that can create inconsistent results.
Another big reason MindStir is so highly recommended is its financial backing and size which add to its credibility. It’s financially backed by MindStir Media; which is partnered with Shark Tank’s Kevin Harrington and Mariel Hemingway. They’re two of the most recognizable investors in the world.
2: IUniverse
IUniverse is a great middle-of-the-road service with a distinct art style. You get to choose from 5 different styles, and while you can tell that they all have trademark features of the brand, they do stand out enough to make working with a multitude of genres plausible.
A big benefit of iUniverse is that all of its artistic talents are in-house. That means iUniverse hires its own artists who work on all of their projects; they don’t outsource the work and hope for the best. This ensures consistency, and it can make turnarounds a little faster.
The primary issue with iUniverse is, despite it having a fairly limited art style selection, it costs $389 per item. That’s a reasonable price, but it’s still toward the top of the price spectrum.
3: Tami Boyce
If you’re looking to support a small business, and you really want a doodle-style illustration, Tami Boyce is the illustrator for you.
Tami Boyce offers prints, illustrations, and more in a doodle-style format that is perfect for the whimsical nature of a children’s book. The prices are also incredibly reasonable for a small business that doesn’t rely on massive investor partnerships.
However, this comes in our number-3 slot because one person can only do much. This is a service you’ll have to wait longer for. The limited art style on offer might also make it unsuitable for some books.
Cameron Dickerson is a seasoned journalist with nearly 10 years experience. While studying journalism at the University of Missouri, Cameron found a passion for finding engaging stories. As a contributor to Kev’s Best, Cameron mostly covers state and national developments.