Play is an integral component in the creation of picture books. Not only can picture books facilitate the ability of adults to communicate with children and join them in play, but the activity of creating a picture book is closely related inform and content to children's imaginative play. A picture book can be regarded as a record of the author-illustrator's play state captured in words and images.

An account of the development of one of my picture books, Earthdance (1999), provides a specific example of the use of the play state to produce a work of art. It will also demonstrate how an adult may continue to link fantasy to real objects in play, and highlights the requirement that the author-illustrator move into and out of a play state, alternating play and work to produce a picture book.