AI Children's Book Publishing Checklist

Amazon KDP and IngramSpark have meaningfully different AI-disclosure rules and page-count minimums, a standard 32-page hardcover picture book cannot publish on KDP at all (it requires 75-76 pages minimum), so picking the wrong platform for your page count or AI-use case can get a finished book rejected or delisted.

Platform policies change. This checklist reflects publicly documented requirements as of September 4, 2026. Always verify current requirements directly with KDP, IngramSpark, and the US Copyright Office before publishing.

32-item checklist, 4 sections

AI Content Disclosure

  • I know KDP's AI-Generated vs. AI-Assisted distinction and answered Title Setup accordingly
  • I understand KDP's AI disclosure is internal metadata, not a public label on my book
  • If publishing to IngramSpark, I have provable human creative or editorial contribution
  • I know IngramSpark enforces this through preflight checks and catalog sweeps, not a questionnaire
  • If using Draft2Digital, I've done extensive human editing of any AI-generated content
  • I checked Apple Books' and Google Play's IP indemnification clauses before uploading AI content
  • I'm within KDP's weekly new-title submission cap if publishing multiple AI-illustrated books
  • I did not skip AI disclosure to avoid the extra step

Copyright Registration

  • I understand the US Copyright Office does not recognize AI as an author
  • I only consider AI art copyrightable where I made genuinely creative, expressive changes to it
  • I know my own written text is fully copyrightable regardless of any AI-generated art
  • I know the compilation and layout of my book is separately copyrightable
  • On Form TX, I claim only my human contributions ("Text", "Compilation and Layout")
  • I explicitly disclaimed AI-generated art under Limitation of Claim
  • I did not file a blanket copyright claim that includes undisclaimed AI art

Pre-Publish Technical Checklist

  • I exported interior and cover art at 300 DPI minimum, at final trim size
  • I added 0.125 inch bleed on all outer edges
  • I kept key content 0.25 to 0.375 inch inside the trim line (safe zone)
  • I left roughly 0.5 inch inside margin at the gutter
  • I converted to CMYK for IngramSpark (required, not optional)
  • I exported interior and cover as separate single-page PDFs, not spreads
  • I chose a standard trim size for my format
  • I confirmed my page count clears my binding's minimum
  • I decided my ISBN strategy before publishing
  • I set an accurate age range and BISAC codes
  • I ordered a physical print proof before releasing

Common Pitfalls

  • I disclosed manually-edited AI content as AI-generated, not AI-assisted
  • I calculated my actual bleed-inclusive page size in inches, not my AI tool's canvas pixel size
  • I kept faces and key details out of the two-page spread gutter
  • I checked my neon or oversaturated AI art against CMYK before sending it to print
  • I confirmed my page count clears my platform's minimum before finalizing my manuscript
  • I limited my Form TX claim to human-authored elements and disclaimed the AI art

Full interactive checklist (with checkboxes, progress tracking, and PDF export) loads with JavaScript enabled.

Last updated: September 4, 2026. Sources: Amazon KDP Help (Content Guidelines / AI Content); IngramSpark Catalog Integrity Guidelines; Draft2Digital Content Guidelines; US Copyright Office (copyright.gov), 88 Fed. Reg. 16190 (March 16, 2023), reaffirmed through 2024-2025.

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