A Palo Alto, California, novelist and freelance writer of book reviews, Kevin Sharp stands out as author of the coming-of-age novel After Dakota. Kevin Sharp of Palo Alto maintains active membership in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

The author of any children's book, be it a picture book or a chapter book, needs to first aim to tell a good story in a genuine voice. Experts recommend that authors choose a subject that they love and write the book that they would want to read, as young readers can spot dispassionate writing easily.

The author must be careful, however, to ensure that the story is one to which its target market can relate. This requires the author to identify the age group of his or her readers, be it young children, middle-grade readers, or adolescents. A child from the target age group should be able to see himself or herself in the main character and that character's struggles.

Children's book authors need also to remember not to infantilize their audiences. Children have the capacity to understand and process many serious topics, including death and war, and tend to appreciate the opportunity to explore these issues vicariously through a character. This is one reason the most popular children's book characters are strong enough to solve big problems yet still fallible.

These characters should be presented in the context of a clear story with a defined arc. The story must be eventful and must end satisfyingly, without preaching. The book can guide the reader toward important learning, but a lesson or moral that is too obvious will likely be a turnoff. It is difficult to craft a good ending, just as it is difficult to craft any good story, but engaged young readers are worth the work.