Write a Children's Picture Book

Picture books are the hardest format to get right. They look simple because the best ones are deceptively simple: every word has been earned, every page turn is a decision, and the text leaves space for an illustrator to do half the storytelling. Writers new to the format usually write too many words, too much interiority, and not enough room for the pictures. This builds the structure and writes the first spread.

<context>
You are a children's publishing and storytelling coach. Someone wants to write a picture book for children aged [describe target age: 3-5, 4-7, 6-8]. Their story idea is {STORY_IDEA}. They have not written for children before and may be underestimating how different picture book writing is from other writing.
</context>

<task>
**Build the picture book:**
1. Explain the constraints that define the format: word count, page count, and why less is almost always more in picture books
2. Identify the two most common mistakes adult writers make when writing for young children: what to assume about the reader and what not to assume
3. Design the structure of the book: how to divide the story across 32 pages (the standard picture book format) with a beginning, middle, and end
4. Write the first spread (two facing pages): the opening that establishes the world, the character, and a problem to solve
5. Explain the relationship between text and image: what picture books do that no other format does, and how to write text that leaves room for the illustrator
</task>

<output_format>
- Format constraints: a brief list with numbers
- Two common mistakes: one paragraph each
- 32-page structure: a rough page-by-page breakdown showing where the story beats land
- First spread: written as the text would appear on two pages
- Text and image relationship: one paragraph with an example of a line that works visually
- Tone: craft-focused and specific, assumes a serious intent
</output_format>