Often a picture book uses double-page spreads, with one illustration running across two pages. These are my favourite because I can really give the story some width... or height if the story feels it.

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There might also be smaller spot illustrations, often used to depict a passage of time. Pages with very little artwork at all, sometimes used to slow the pace of the story or spreads where the illustration changes dramatically from one page to the next.

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The important thing is not hitting a particular number of pictures. It's making the visual pacing work.

Think of the book as a sequence of moments. This is why my favoured way of working is to not commit to 14 spreads but let the story dictate what it wants illustrating and how.

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Where does the story begin? Where does something change? Where should the reader pause? Where can you give them a big visual moment? Where should you leave enough space for the text? All things that can be elevated with the right kind of illustration.

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This is why I prefer to rough out the visual plan of the whole book before committing to the finished artwork. Small low resolution sketches with very little detail can serve as a road map for the story and highlight potential problems to address.