Skip to content

How to Create a Children’s Book Series Like the Oxford Reading Tree (Using AI Tools!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alHRFKHTFS8

As parents, we’re always looking for fresh, engaging ways to introduce books to our kids. I’m a mom to two little girls, and my older one is a kindergartner who recently started her first set of Oxford Reading Tree books. I’ve been fascinated by how simple yet powerful these books are — they use repetition, predictable text, and relatable characters to help children memorize sight words and eventually read whole sentences.

That got me thinking: What if I could create a book series like this myself?

Years ago, this would have required a writer, an illustrator, and a publisher. But today, with AI tools, a mom like me can create something similar — right from a laptop at home. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to create your own children’s reading series, step by step, from planning characters to generating illustrations, stitching story scenes together, and formatting for Amazon KDP.

Let’s dive in!

Step 1: Laying the Foundation with ChatGPT

The first step in creating a book series is planning — and this is where ChatGPT comes in handy. Think of it as your brainstorming partner, story architect, and even your writing coach.

I started by asking ChatGPT if it was familiar with the Oxford Reading Tree. To my surprise, it gave me a full breakdown of the reading stages and teaching goals. From there, I asked it to help me create a roadmap for my own series.

Here’s what ChatGPT provided:

  • Consistent Characters – a small set of characters that appear throughout the series.
  • Stage-Wise Breakdown of Goals –
    • Stage 1: focus on sight words, CVC words, repetition, and predictability.
    • Stage 2 and beyond: gradually introduce new vocabulary and sentence structures.
  • Sample Stories & Settings – simple stories set in everyday environments (like a living room, garden, or school).

This gave me a strong foundation to start designing characters and drafting the first story.

Link to the chatgpt prompts: https://chatgpt.com/share/68c403af-e5ac-8002-95c4-e9e4e2792062

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Example of ChatGPT prompt + response for book roadmap]

Step 2: Creating Characters with AI

For a children’s book series, characters are the heart of the story. They need to stay consistent across all books so children can recognize and connect with them.

I asked ChatGPT to:

  1. Draft 3–4 characters for my series.
  2. Write a simple Stage 1 story using these characters.
  3. Provide visual descriptions of each character (so I could later generate their illustrations).

My character set included:

  • A little boy
  • A little girl
  • A turtle
  • A grandmother

With these descriptions in hand, I moved on to creating the actual illustrations.

Step 3: Generating Illustrations in MidJourney

Here’s where the fun begins! To bring our characters to life, I used MidJourney, an AI image-generation tool.

👉 Cost: Basic membership is about $8–10 per month, which lets you create over 200 images — plenty for a book project.

Using Style References

Since I wanted my art to resemble the Oxford Reading Tree style, I used a style reference. MidJourney allows you to upload an image (like a scanned page from an Oxford Reading Tree book) so it can mimic that style in your generated images.

Steps to Generate a Character Sheet in MidJourney:

  1. Upload a style reference image.
  2. Type your character prompt (e.g., “a little boy with brown hair, red t-shirt, and jeans — character sheet with different poses and angles”).
  3. Generate the results.

This gives you 3–5 versions of the same character in different poses and expressions — perfect for building story scenes later.

Midjourney Prompts:

For the boy: A 5 year old boy, short black hair cut in a neat fringe, warm light brown skin tone, red tshirt with blue shorts and sneakers, character sheet with different poses and angles, oxford reading tree style illustration style

For the girl: A 6 year old girl, shoulder length dark brown hair tied back in a pony tail and headband, light brown skin tone, pink tunic with denim blue leggings and ballet flats, character sheet with different poses and angles, oxford reading tree style illustration style

For the grandma: old grandmother, warm skin tone, different poses charactersheet, full body, grey hair with scarf, oxford reading tree style illustration

For the turtle: A small round bodied pet turtle with smooth green shells and bold patterns, pale green skin, big expressive eyes, pet character sheet with different poses and angles, oxford reading tree style illustration style

For the Backgrounds: a kitchen, oxford reading tree style illustration –ar 2:1
A cozy living room, wooden floor, soft rug with toys scattered, couch against the wall, a big window with light streaming in, a plant in the corner, oxford reading tree style illustration –ar 2:1

Step 4: Isolating Character Images in Photopea

Once you’ve generated your character sheets in MidJourney, you’ll notice that each sheet contains multiple poses of the same character. To actually use them in your storybook, you need to separate each pose into its own image file.

For this, we’ll use Photopea — a free, browser-based alternative to Photoshop. It’s perfect for isolating images, cleaning backgrounds, and stitching scenes together.

👉 Open Photopea in your browser and follow these steps:

  1. Create a New Project
    • Go to File → New Project.
    • Select the Print option and choose A4 size.
      📌 This gives you a blank artboard to paste your characters onto.
  2. Import Your Character Sheet
    • Drag and drop your character sheet (e.g., the little boy) into Photopea.
  3. Select a Pose
    • From the left toolbar, choose the Rectangular Selection Tool.
    • Left-click, hold, and drag to select one pose.
  4. Copy & Paste to the Blank Artboard
    • Press CTRL + C (copy) and then go back to your A4 artboard.
    • Press CTRL + V (paste).
  5. Remove the Background
    • From the toolbar, right-click on the eraser tool and select Magic Eraser.
    • Click on the yellow (or colored) background to remove it.
    • Use the eraser to clean up any rough edges.
  6. Export the Isolated Pose
    • Go to File → Export As → PNG or JPEG.
    • Save it as LittleBoy_Pose1.png.

Repeat this process for each pose in your character sheet and for every character in your series. By the end, you’ll have a folder full of clean, background-free character images, ready to be used in scenes.

Step 5: Planning Story Scenes with ChatGPT

Before we start stitching scenes, it’s helpful to know what each page should look like.

I went back to ChatGPT and asked it to:

  • Provide visual descriptions for each page of the story.
  • Suggest character actions, expressions, and settings.

For example, the first page of my story read:

Text: “I see a box.”
Visual Description: A living room scene with a cardboard box in the center. The little boy stands nearby, pointing at the box. The little girl is hiding inside, with just the top of her head peeking out.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Example of ChatGPT’s page-by-page visual description output]

This step is crucial because it makes your illustration process much more precise. Instead of guessing what to generate in MidJourney, you already have a blueprint for each scene.

Step 6: Stitching Scenes Together in Photopea

Now comes the creative part — building your book’s actual pages!

Let’s walk through the first scene, step by step.

  1. Set Up Your Artboard
    • Go to File → New Project.
    • Enter the dimensions: 17.25 x 8.5 inches.
      📌 This format works perfectly for Amazon KDP picture books.
  2. Add the Background
    • Drag in your living room illustration (generated with MidJourney).
    • Resize and position it to fit the artboard.
  3. Add the Box & Little Girl
    • Open the image of the little girl inside the cardboard box.
    • Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to trace around the girl and the box.
    • Press CTRL + C (copy) → switch back to the living room background → CTRL + V (paste).
    • Resize and adjust the box so it blends naturally into the scene.
    👉 To refine the box edges or fill in empty spaces:
    • Use the Clone Tool. Hold ALT while clicking an area you want to copy, then click again where you want to apply it.
  4. Hide Part of the Girl’s Head
    • If you want her to look like she’s peeking out:
      • Select just her head with the Polygonal Lasso Tool.
      • Move it downward slightly.
      • Use the eraser to blend edges so only the top of her head is visible.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Scene assembly in Photopea showing living room + box + girl]

  1. Add the Little Boy
    • Use the Omni Reference feature in MidJourney to generate a consistent pose of the little boy pointing.
    • Import the image into Photopea.
    • Remove the background using the Magic Eraser.
    • Place him at a slight distance from the box.
  2. Add Text
    • Draw a rectangular text box at the bottom of the page.
    • Use a simple, rounded font (I chose Balsamiq Sans).
    • Type: “I see a box.”

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Final assembled scene with text overlay]

And just like that, you’ve created your very first storybook page!

Step 7: Enhancing Scenes with Hailuo AI Animations

Sometimes, no matter how carefully you set up your prompts in MidJourney, the results aren’t quite right. Characters may look inconsistent, poses may not align, or the scene just doesn’t capture the emotion you need. That’s where Hailuo AI comes in.

Hailuo is primarily an AI animation tool, but here’s the trick: you can generate short animations, then take still frames from those animations to use as storybook illustrations. This keeps characters consistent while giving you access to unique poses and natural interactions.

👉 Cost: You get 100 free credits when you sign up. After that, the cheapest plan starts at $8 per month for up to 83 videos — more than enough for a book project.

How to Use Hailuo AI for Still Images

  1. Open HailuoAI.video
    • Go to the website and click on “Video” to start.
  2. Upload Your Base Image
    • For example, I uploaded the scene I created in Photopea: the little boy pointing at the box with the little girl inside.
  3. Add a Prompt
    • Use the visual description from ChatGPT.
    • Example: “Boy climbs into the cardboard box, both children are now squeezed inside, laughing.”
  4. Choose a Model
    • Hailuo 01 Lyve: simple and effective for most animations.
    • Hailuo 02: their advanced model with extra options (camera movements, start and end frames, etc.).
  5. Adjust Settings
    • Resolution: 720p (good balance of quality and speed).
    • Duration: 6 seconds.
  6. Generate the Animation
    • Click Generate and wait for the result.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Hailuo AI dashboard showing prompt + uploaded base image]

Extracting a Still Frame

Once your animation is ready:

  • Play the short clip.
  • Pause at the frame you like best (e.g., both children laughing in the box).
  • Take a screenshot or download the frame.
  • Import this still back into Photopea.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Paused Hailuo AI animation with ideal frame highlighted]

Why This Works Better Than MidJourney Alone

For certain tricky prompts — like “a turtle sleeping on the boy’s head” or “two kids laughing together inside a box” — MidJourney may give inconsistent or awkward results. But Hailuo AI keeps your characters true to the original design while adding natural movement.

For example:

  • I used Hailuo to animate a turtle napping on the boy’s head. The AI handled it smoothly while keeping both characters intact.
  • I also animated Grandma telling the children it’s dinner time. Using Hailuo 02, I was able to make her point toward the kids while they smiled back — no distortions to the character designs.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Comparison — MidJourney fail vs Hailuo still frame success]

Adding the Stills Back Into Your Storybook

Once you have the perfect stills:

  1. Open Photopea.
  2. Import the still frame.
  3. Clean up any unwanted text or details (use the eraser or clone tool).
  4. Add your own story text at the bottom using the Text Tool.

And just like that, you’ve got another page for your storybook — built with AI, but polished by you.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Finished storybook page using Hailuo still frame + added text]

✅ At this point, you should have a combination of MidJourney-generated illustrations and Hailuo AI-enhanced stills that give your book variety while maintaining consistent characters.Step 8: Formatting Your Book for Amazon KDP

Illustrations alone won’t make a publish-ready book. You’ll need to format your pages so they fit Amazon’s print requirements. Canva is a free and beginner-friendly tool that makes this process simple.

Step 8.1: Setting Up Canva for KDP Dimensions

Amazon KDP has very specific size requirements. For children’s picture books, a square format (8.5″ x 8.5″) is one of the most popular options.

  1. Go to Canva.
  2. Click “Custom Size”.
  3. Enter dimensions:
    • Width: 8.625 inches
    • Height: 8.75 inches

👉 Why slightly larger? These dimensions include bleed (extra space around the edges to prevent white borders after trimming).

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva “Create Design” window with custom size set to 8.625 x 8.75 inches]

Step 8.2: Structuring the Book Pages

Children’s books usually follow a standard structure. Here’s the sequence I recommend for a Stage 1 beginner reader:

  1. Page 1: Title Page
    • Add your book title and author name.
    • Keep it simple and clear.
  2. Page 2: Blank
    • Traditionally left blank.
  3. Page 3: “Goals of this Book”
    • Outline the key learning goals (e.g., sight words, repetition, CVC words).
  4. Page 4: Reading Guidance Page
    • Add a short guide for parents/teachers on how to read the book with the child.
    • Example: “Point to each word as you read aloud. Encourage the child to repeat simple words.”
  5. Pages 5–28: Story Pages
    • Upload each finished story scene (from Photopea/Hailuo).
    • Add them across spreads for a professional look.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva project showing title page, goals page, and guidance page layout]

Step 8.3: Inserting Story Pages as Spreads

To make your book look polished, you’ll want each illustration to span across two facing pages (a left + right spread).

Here’s how to do it:

  1. Upload a finished story page (e.g., the living room scene with the box).
  2. Place it on Page 6 of Canva.
    • Drag the image so that only the right half shows on the page.
  3. Duplicate the page to create Page 7.
    • This time, drag the same image so only the left half shows.

Together, pages 6 and 7 form one seamless illustration.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva spread setup with one story page split across two pages]

Repeat this process for every story scene until you have around 28–29 pages in total. This keeps your book within KDP’s minimum page count while maintaining flow.

Step 8.4: Exporting Your Interior File

When you’re done:

  1. Click Share → Download.
  2. Select PDF Print.
  3. Check “Crop Marks and Bleed” (important for KDP).
  4. Save the file — this will be your book’s interior PDF for upload.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva download options with PDF Print + bleed enabled]

✅ Now your storybook interior is fully formatted and ready for Amazon KDP!

Step 9: Designing Your Book Cover for KDP

Unlike the interior, which is mostly about formatting, the cover requires precise dimensions because Amazon prints it as a single wrap-around file (front cover + spine + back cover).

Step 9.1: Using the KDP Cover Calculator

Amazon provides a free tool to help you calculate the exact size your cover needs to be.

  1. Go to the KDP Cover Calculator.
  2. Fill out the form:
    • Binding Type: Paperback
    • Interior Type: Color
    • Paper Color: White (best for children’s books)
    • Page Turn Direction: Left to Right
    • Measurement Units: Inches
    • Interior Trim Size: 8.5″ x 8.5″ (same as your interior)
    • Page Count: (e.g., 28 pages interior + front + back = 30 total)
  3. Click Calculate Dimensions.
  4. Download the cover template PDF.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: KDP Cover Calculator with trim size and page count entered]

Step 9.2: Importing the Template into Canva

  1. Open Canva → Create a custom size design using the width/height provided by the calculator.
  2. Upload the KDP template PDF.
  3. Place the template as your background layer and reduce its transparency (so you can design over it without covering the guides).

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva project showing KDP template as faint background]

Step 9.3: Designing the Front Cover

This is the most critical part of your design. Keep in mind:

  • Bold, Large Title → Make it easy to read at thumbnail size.
  • Bright Colors + Cute Illustration → Attract kids and parents.
  • Consistent Font Style → Use playful but legible fonts (avoid cursive).
  • Author Name → Add it clearly but smaller than the title.

👉 Tip: Reuse one of your book’s key illustrations (like Toto popping out of the box) for instant recognition.

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva front cover with bold title and main character illustration]

Step 9.4: Designing the Spine and Back Cover

  • Spine:
    • For 28–32 pages, the spine will be very thin. Keep it a solid color with the book title in a vertical orientation if space allows.
  • Back Cover:
    • Add a short blurb (“A fun first reader book that helps children learn sight words through a playful adventure with Toto!”).
    • Optionally, include an author bio or logo.
    • Leave space for the KDP barcode (bottom-right).

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: Canva back cover with blurb and empty barcode space]

Step 9.5: Exporting Your Cover File

When you’re happy with your design:

  1. Click Share → Download.
  2. Choose PDF Print.
  3. Make sure to check “Crop Marks and Bleed.”
  4. Save this file separately from your interior.

This will be your cover PDF for upload.

✅ You now have both the interior PDF and the cover PDF ready for Amazon KDP.

Step 10: Uploading & Publishing on Amazon KDP

Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform is free to use and handles printing and distribution for you.

Step 10.1: Setting Up Your KDP Account

  1. Go to KDP.
  2. Sign in with your Amazon account (or create one).
  3. Fill out your author/publisher information, including:
    • Tax details
    • Bank account for royalty payments

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: KDP dashboard with “Create” button visible]

Step 10.2: Starting a New Paperback

  1. From your KDP dashboard, click “Create → Paperback.”
  2. Fill in the Book Details:
    • Book Title & Subtitle: Make sure it’s keyword-rich (e.g., “Toto in the Box: A Fun First Reader Children’s Book”).
    • Series/Edition: Optional.
    • Author Name: Your publishing name or pen name.
    • Description: Write a parent-friendly summary. Focus on benefits like early reading skills, sight words, and fun illustrations.
    • Keywords: Add 5–7 keywords parents might search for (e.g., “sight words book,” “first reader for kids,” “learn to read ages 4–6”).
    • Categories: Choose “Juvenile Fiction → Readers → Beginner” or “Juvenile Fiction → Concepts → Words.”

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: KDP book details page with title and keywords filled in]

Step 10.3: Uploading Your Manuscript & Cover

On the Paperback Content tab:

  1. ISBN: Choose a free KDP ISBN (unless you already bought your own).
  2. Print Options:
    • Interior: Premium Color
    • Paper Color: White
    • Trim Size: 8.5” x 8.5”
    • Bleed Settings: Bleed
    • Cover Finish: Matte (or glossy, depending on preference).
  3. Manuscript Upload: Upload your interior PDF (from Canva).
  4. Cover Upload: Upload your cover PDF (with the KDP template).
  5. Launch the KDP Previewer to check:
    • Text is readable
    • Illustrations align correctly
    • No elements are outside safe zones

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: KDP Previewer with open book preview]

Step 10.4: Setting Pricing & Distribution

  1. In the Paperback Rights & Pricing tab:
    • Select All Territories (Worldwide Rights).
    • Set your primary Amazon marketplace (e.g., Amazon.com).
  2. Pricing Strategy:
    • Typical children’s paperback: $6.99–$9.99
    • KDP will show your printing cost (e.g., $2.65).
    • Price your book so you still make a profit (at least $2 royalty per book is a good target).
  3. Amazon will automatically convert your price for other regions (UK, Canada, Germany, etc.).

📌 [Screenshot Placeholder: KDP pricing page with cost breakdown]

Step 10.5: Publishing Your Book

  1. Review all details one last time.
  2. Click Publish Your Paperback Book.
  3. Amazon will review your file (usually 24–72 hours).

Once approved, your book will be live on Amazon for parents, teachers, and kids to purchase! 🎉

✅ Congratulations — you’ve successfully gone from AI-generated illustrations to a published children’s book on Amazon KDP.

Final Thoughts: From Idea to Published Book 📚✨

We just walked through the entire journey of creating a children’s book — from brainstorming your first story idea, generating character art with AI, editing illustrations in Photopea, building story scenes, formatting in Canva, designing a professional cover, and finally publishing on Amazon KDP.

The amazing thing? You don’t need a traditional publisher, a big budget, or advanced design skills. With today’s AI tools and free platforms, anyone can bring a story to life and share it with the world.

So if you’ve ever thought “I’d love to make a children’s book, but I don’t know where to start” — this is your sign to go for it. Start small, experiment, and remember: every published book is one step closer to building your own creative brand.

What’s Next for You

✅ Try this process yourself — even if it’s just a 5–10 page story to begin with.
✅ Share your progress on social media — tag me so I can see your journey!
✅ Subscribe to my YouTube channel [Sara’s Canva Studio] where I share step-by-step tutorials on self-publishing, AI tools, and building creative income streams.

👉 Your first children’s book might feel like a big leap, but trust me — once you publish that first one, the possibilities open up. Imagine seeing your name on Amazon, your story in kids’ hands, and even earning passive income from your creativity.

Now it’s your turn — what story will you bring to life? 🌟

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *