Midjourney Prompts for Children’s Book Illustrations
I’ve been creating children’s book illustrations using Midjourney for the past few months, and it’s been both fun and challenging. As someone who can barely draw a stick figure, I was amazed at how AI could help bring my story ideas to life.
Children’s book illustrations need to do more than just look pretty – they need to capture attention, tell stories, and spark imagination. When I was little, I spent hours staring at the pictures in my favorite books, finding new details each time. Now as a creator, I want to make illustrations that give kids that same magical feeling.
Midjourney has become my go-to tool for this. Yes, it’s AI, but it feels more like having a really talented artist friend who understands exactly what you want – if you know how to explain it properly. The key is in writing clear, detailed prompts that capture both the scene you want and the feeling you’re trying to create.
In this post, I’ll share what I’ve learned about writing effective Midjourney prompts specifically for children’s book illustrations. I’ll break down the structure I use, show you some of my favorite examples, and give you practical tips to improve your own prompts.
Base Midjourney Prompt
I’ve found a base prompt structure that works really well for children’s book illustrations. Here it is:
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of [main characters] [action or activity] in [setting], featuring [specific details or elements], in a [art style]
Let me break this down piece by piece:
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration
I always start with these words because they set the right tone. “Whimsical” gives that playful, magical quality kids love, while “vibrant” ensures bright, engaging colors. Together, they tell Midjourney this isn’t just any illustration – it’s specifically for children.
[main characters]
This is where you define who’s in your scene. I’ve found that being specific helps – instead of just “a bear,” try “a clumsy young bear” or “a gentle mama bear.” The more personality you give your characters, the better.
[action or activity]
What are your characters doing? Active scenes work better than static ones. “Reading a storybook” or “building a sandcastle” gives Midjourney more to work with than just “sitting” or “standing.”
[setting]
This is your story’s where. The setting can be realistic (“in a busy park”) or fantastic (“in a floating cloud kingdom”). Just make sure it matches your story’s tone.
[specific details or elements]
These details make your illustration special. Think about props, weather, time of day, or small background elements. They add depth and interest to your scene.
[art style]
I mostly use either “watercolor” or “cartoonish” because they work so well for kids’ books. Watercolor gives a soft, dreamy feel, while cartoonish is great for fun, energetic scenes.
21 Example Prompts
Storytime in the Woods
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a wise owl reading a storybook to a group of woodland animals, featuring a glowing lantern, cozy seating, and attentive listeners, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
Fishing Lessons
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a little boy teaching a bear to fish in a calm lake, featuring rippling water, dangling worms, and playful splashes, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Friendly Ghost in the Attic
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of two children meeting a friendly ghost in a haunted attic, featuring floating candles, cobweb-covered furniture, and a glowing smile, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
The Magical Mushroom Village
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a curious dragonfly exploring a mushroom village in a magical forest, featuring glowing mushrooms, tiny doors, and a friendly fairy guide, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
The Woodland Bakery
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a rabbit learning to bake cookies in a cozy woodland bakery, featuring rolling dough, jars of sprinkles, and a warm oven, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
Kites with a Dragon
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a dragon and a little boy learning to fly kites in a windy meadow, featuring colorful kites, swirling clouds, and joyful expressions, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Berry Picking Day
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a family of hedgehogs picking berries in a sunny glade, featuring baskets overflowing with fruit, colorful berries, and buzzing bees, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
The Candy Tree
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a magical tree that grows candy in a fantasy forest, featuring lollipop branches, candy cane roots, and kids in awe, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Chess in the Meadow
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a fox and a turtle playing chess in a sunny meadow, featuring a rustic chessboard, a flower-filled field, and a buzzing bee referee, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
Underwater Hide and Seek
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a dolphin and a seahorse playing hide and seek in a coral reef, featuring vibrant coral, tiny bubbles, and colorful fish darting around, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
The Jungle Artists
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a lion cub and an elephant calf painting a mural in a jungle clearing, featuring bright paint splashes, a vivid sunrise, and curious monkeys watching, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
The Young Wizard’s Workshop
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a young wizard and his cat mixing potions in a cozy tower, featuring bubbling cauldrons, glowing jars, and a starry window view, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Penguin Snowman Party
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a group of penguins building a snowman in a snowy wonderland, featuring bright scarves, carrot noses, and glittering snowflakes, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
The Great Race
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a turtle and a rabbit racing on skateboards in a bustling animal town, featuring cheering spectators, colorful banners, and dynamic motion, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Monkey in Candy Land
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a mischievous monkey swinging through a candy forest in a fantastical world, featuring gumdrop trees, licorice vines, and candy cane bridges, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
The Future Garden
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a friendly robot and a child planting flowers in a futuristic garden, featuring metallic flowers, glowing soil, and a rainbow sun, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
Lily Pad Adventures
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a pair of frogs riding lily pads down a river in a lush jungle, featuring colorful frogs, buzzing dragonflies, and cascading waterfalls, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Underwater Friends
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a little girl meeting a talking turtle in a magical underwater world, featuring glowing coral, playful fish, and sparkling bubbles, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
Tea Time at the Igloo
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a panda and a penguin having a tea party in an icy igloo, featuring steaming teacups, a cozy fire, and fish-shaped cookies, in a watercolor art style. –v 6.1
The Castle Garden
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of a little boy befriending a dragon in a castle garden, featuring lush greenery, blooming roses, and a bubbling fountain, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Prehistoric Playtime
A whimsical and vibrant children’s book illustration of two young dinosaurs sharing an ice cream cone in a prehistoric playground, featuring rock slides, palm trees, and giggling baby pterodactyls, in a cartoonish art style. –v 6.1
Making children’s book illustrations with Midjourney has changed how I approach storytelling. What started as simple experiments has turned into a reliable way to bring my story ideas to life.
The base prompt structure works because it’s clear and flexible. You can adapt it for any scene while keeping that essential child-friendly quality. The 21 prompts I’ve shared show just a small sample of what’s possible – from cozy woodland scenes to magical adventures.
The real fun starts when you play with these prompts and make them your own. Try different combinations and add your own special details.
I’d love to see what you create with these prompts. Each illustration is a new chance to make something special for young readers.
