Project: Art Direction and Book Design for Children's Mystery Series

I'm seeking an awesome and productive copywriter/graphic designer to elevate a 10-book children's mystery series targeting ages 7-9. The series follows Rosie (a detective puppy) and Lily (a methodical horse) solving mysteries in their community.

Our goal is to create a more sophisticated design aesthetic that appeals to readers transitioning from picture books to chapter books.

While we are starting with a 10 book series (and book 1 is complete), I'd like to create many different versions of the series, so the work should be done with an understanding that the design work must scale (for instance, the book we created is based on Alameda, California, I'd like to do a version for Oakland, California, Laredo Texas, etc.).

I need a person (or two), that can work on a project basis to help me get this done. I am available during U.S. hours to collaborate, and I can give instructions, show what I know, and then you take it on and work independently, with regular check -ins.

Key Work in the Project:

Character Design & Illustration Direction

Develop consistent character design guidelines suitable for AI image generation
Create style guides ensuring character consistency across books
Direct AI image generation to maintain quality and series aesthetic
Design character expressions and poses that convey personality and emotion - that follow the story
Ensure illustrations feel "mature" rather than "cute" to appeal to target age group

Activity & Interactive Elements

Redesign educational activities to feel more sophisticated
Create engaging investigation-related interactive elements
Develop visually appealing case files and detective notes
Design decoder puzzles and mystery-solving elements
Integrate activities naturally into story flow

Story Enhancement & Layout

Review manuscript for opportunities to improve narrative engagement
Suggest strategic placement of illustrations and activities
Create dynamic page layouts optimized for KDP publishing
Design chapter breaks and section transitions
Develop templated layouts that can be efficiently adapted for different city versions

Story Writing

We have the first two books written, and we have outlines for the next books. We need someone that can work with AI to write books following the storyline. This is a little bit tricky, as you need to keep the AI on track, and remembering the past characters, etc.

Book Production Layout

Prepare print-ready files for KDP platform (can be PDF output)
Create reusable templates for series consistency
Establish efficient workflows for city-specific versions
Ensure all technical specifications meet KDP requirements
Maintain style guide for future books
Compelling and Creative Front and Back Cover Art

Design Marketing Materiel

For each book, and the series, design posters (11'x17'), and digital marketing collateral.

PAID TRIAL

I have found that after reviewing applications, it really helps to conduct a paid trail. For the trial project (which will be due in 3 days from the time I send the detailed instructions), I will provide the existing book in PDF and Word format, and ask you to redesign 2 chapters and associated activities. This will include working with AI for image generation, making the style more mature, making the activity sheets more compelling, and laying out the chapters for print production. I will pay $25 via EasyPay/Payoneer/Paypal for this trial project.

Please let me know that you understand there will be a paid trial. After I provide the detailed instructions, if you choose to decline the project, that's okay.
Please include in your response:
1. Relevant portfolio examples
2. Experience with AI image generation
3. Experience with KDP publishing (if any - it's okay if you don't have, just let me know)
4. Approach to creating "mature" rather than "cute" designs for this age group
5. Ideas for making the series visually competitive with popular titles like Dog Man and Wings of Fire
6. Willingness to participate in the paid trial