TECHNICAL TASK (TT)
For writing a series of children's popular science books
for children aged 3-7 years
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
| Parameter | Value |
|---|
| Project type | Writing a series of children's popular science books |
| Target audience | Children aged 3-7 years |
| Number of books in the series | 5-10 (to be discussed, starting with 3) |
| Volume of one book | 20-30 pages / 1500-2500 words |
| Language of the text | Ukrainian (literary, adapted for children) |
| Deadline | 2-4 weeks for one book |
| Submission format | Google Docs / MS Word + final version in PDF |
2. PROJECT CONCEPT
2.1 What the series of books is about
A series of popular science books for the youngest, where animal characters simply and joyfully explain scientific phenomena around us.
Analogues in style and approach:
Kubokot (Ukrainian popular science format)
Fixies (explanations through stories and characters)
“Chomuchka” (answers to children's questions)
SciShow Kids (English-language analogue)
2.2 Temperament and communication style
Askayka: curious, a bit restless, asks many questions
Mentors: calm, wise, with a good sense of humor
Dialogues: lively, natural, without excessive moralizing
Explanations: through simple comparisons and real-life examples
3. STRUCTURE OF ONE BOOK
3.1 Mandatory elements
| Element | Volume | Description |
|---|
| Title | 5-10 words | The question that the book answers |
| Introduction (situation) | 200-300 words | Askayka encounters a phenomenon |
| Dialogue-explanation | 800-1200 words | The mentor explains the essence |
| Simple experiment | 100-200 words | What the child can do at home |
| Glossary (2-3 terms) | 50-100 words | Key words in simple terms |
| Questions for reflection | 50-100 words | 2-3 questions for the child |
| Task | 1 page | Observe, draw, repeat |
3.2 Example structure (book “Why does it rain?”)
Situation: Askayka is sad by the window — it’s raining outside, can’t go for a walk. He is angry at the uncle on the radio who “cast” the rain.
Dialogue: Fox Acorn explains what a weather forecast is, where clouds come from, how water travels.
Experiment: “Make a cloud in a jar” — a glass with hot water, ice on the lid.
Glossary: forecast, precipitation, evaporation.
Questions: “Where do you think puddles go after the rain?”
Task: For a week, draw the weather every day.
4. LANGUAGE AND STYLE REQUIREMENTS
4.1 Language requirements
Language: literary Ukrainian (without surzhyk)
Complexity: the text is read by an adult to a child, so sentences are short (5-12 words)
Dialogues: lively, natural, with emotions
Humor: light, kind, without sarcasm
Repetitions: key ideas are repeated 2-3 times for memorization
4.2 What to avoid
❌ Complex terms without explanation
❌ Too long sentences
❌ Moralizing (“remember”, “you should know”)
❌ Scary or frightening examples
❌ Dry scientific definitions
4.3 Example of desired style
Bad: “An atmospheric front causes the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere.”
Good: “Imagine that a cloud is a huge wet sponge. When the sponge gets heavy, water drips from it. That’s how rain falls from a cloud.”
5. REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIQUENESS (IMPORTANT!)
5.1 Plagiarism check
This is a mandatory condition! Each text undergoes a check for copying from other sources (plagiarism) and for the use of artificial intelligence (AI generation).
5.2 Acceptable indicators
| Parameter | Acceptable value |
|---|
| Text uniqueness | ≥ 95% |
5.3 What to do if the text does not pass the check
If uniqueness is below 95% — the client returns the text for revision, the performer corrects the problematic areas. The check is conducted again.
6. WORK STAGES
| Stage | Content | Duration |
|---|
| 1. Pilot chapter | Writing one book (at the author's choice) for style approval | 2 weeks |
| 2. Approval | The client checks the style, language, approach | 3-5 days |
| 3. Series | Writing the remaining books according to the approved style | 2-4 weeks per book |
| 4. Final check | Checking uniqueness, grammar | 1 week |
7. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PERFORMER
7.1 Mandatory competencies
Experience in writing children's literature (portfolio is mandatory)
Excellent command of Ukrainian language
Understanding of child psychology (3-7 years)
Ability to explain complex things in simple words
Willingness to work with revisions
7.2 Desired competencies
Experience in the genre of popular science literature
Knowledge of pedagogical methods for preschoolers
Understanding of the principles of STEM education for children
8. FORMAT OF WORK SUBMISSION
Each book is submitted as a separate file in the format:
text
Book_Title_Author_Last_Name.docx
The file must contain:
Title page (title, author-performer, date)
Main text divided into sections
Glossary of terms
Experiment / task
Final questions
9. ESTIMATED BUDGET
| Position | Price |
|---|
| Pilot book (test) | $50-150 |
| Each subsequent book | $50-100 |
| Full series (10 books) | $500-1000 |
Prices are approximate, to be discussed with the performer.
10. CRITERIA FOR ACCEPTING WORK
The work is considered completed if:
✅ The text is written in literary Ukrainian
✅ Text uniqueness ≥ 95%
✅ No grammatical and stylistic errors
✅ The structure of the book is followed (see p. 3)
✅ The language is adapted for children aged 3-7 years
✅ Glossary, experiment, and task are included
✅ The text is suitable for reading aloud by an adult
11. ADDITIONAL WISHES
The author can propose their own topics for books (if they are interesting and scientifically justified)
Creative comparisons and metaphors for explanations are welcome
Short poems about the scientific phenomenon can be added (not mandatory)
The use of repetitions for better memorization is encouraged
12. TERMS OF COOPERATION AND TRANSFER OF RIGHTS (IMPORTANT!)
12.1 Agreement on the transfer of intellectual property
The publishing house works exclusively with ghostwriters (invisible authors) who sign a contract for the transfer of intellectual property.
What this means:
The performer (ghostwriter) transfers to the publishing house all property rights to the created text
The publishing house becomes the sole legal owner of the text
The name of the ghostwriter is not indicated on the book cover (or is indicated by separate agreement)
The performer has no right to publish the created text independently or transfer it to third parties
The contract is concluded before the start of work and is signed by both parties electronically.
12.2 Prospects for further cooperation
If we work well on this series, the performer will have:
We are looking for a permanent partner-ghostwriter, not a one-time performer.