As a kid lit literary agent, I read hundreds—if not thousands—of picture book submissions every year. And one thing I keep noticing in manuscripts that may be holding authors back from landing representation is this—the writing feels too classic.

Now, don’t get me wrong. Classics like The Velveteen Rabbit and The Tale of Peter Rabbit are beloved for a reason. Their reflective narration, gentle pacing, and adult storyteller voice have stood the test of time. Kids and adults still read and love books like these.

But here’s the important distinction—publishers generally aren’t buying stories written in that style today.

I was in Barnes & Noble recently, and while classics were certainly displayed, the newer front-facing picture books had a very different feel. They were fast-paced, voice-driven, emotionally immediate, and deeply rooted in how kids experience the world today.

So, if you’re getting passes from literary agents on your picture books, it may be worth asking yourself whether the manuscript is reading too classic for today’s contemporary market.

Here are five quick ways to spot that classic feel—and how to shift the story into a more contemporary voice.

1. Watch for the “adult storyteller” voice

If the story feels like an adult telling a child a story instead of a child (or child-like main character) actively living the story, it can risk reading as a classic.

Instead, try putting the main character firmly in the driver’s seat. Let readers experience the story through the child’s (or child-like main character’s) perspective in real time.

2. Rethink formal openings and endings

Phrases like “once upon a time,” “long ago,” or “they lived happily ever after” instantly signal fairy tale or classic structure.

Instead, drop readers directly into the action. Let the story begin with the main character wanting something (goal), making mistakes (character flaw), or reacting to a problem (often as a misbelief).

3. Give modern kids modern stakes

Stories that feel classic often lean on broad morals like “be kind” or “believe in yourself” without grounding them in a specific emotional experience.

Today’s picture books tend to connect themes to things kids are actively navigating—friendship struggles, identity, neurodiversity, fairness, anxiety, school dynamics, environmental worries, technology, belonging, and more.

4. Be careful with overly nostalgic settings

Settings like “a cozy cottage in a faraway village” or “a horse farm in a sleepy town” can sometimes create emotional distance for modern readers.

Instead, lean into sensory filled settings modern kids recognize: a sticky cafeteria table, a musty school library, a cracked playground slide, the backseat of a car during pickup line, a packed playground, etc.

5. Cut back on narration and explanation

Classic-feeling manuscripts often explain emotions or summarize events instead of letting readers experience them.

Instead, rely more on action, dialogue, interruptions, reactions, and visual moments. Let kids infer emotions rather than naming every feeling for them.

If you’re getting passes, try asking yourself:

• Who is telling this story—an adult narrator or a child (or child-like main character)?
• Could I cut 20–30% of the explanation (telling)?
• Is the story unfolding in the moment? (or is it reading like a reflection?)
• Does this sound like something a child today would actually think, say, do, or notice?

If the answer is no, the solution may be: get closer to the character, make the voice messier and more immediate, and let the child (or child-like main character)—not an adult narrator—tell the story.

Disclaimer: This reflects the perspective of one literary agent. There are always exceptions. Some picture books with a more classic feel are still being acquired in today’s market. If that voice feels essential to your story, trust your instincts and stay true to it.