Engaging young students in an authentic writing process is an important part of their literacy development. Equally important is maintaining a developmentally appropriate classroom where young students explore, create, and play. In this article, the author shares her endeavors into implementing an illustration study during writer's workshop and how it supported the development of her kindergarten students' writing skills. Using an inquiry-based method of learning, the students explored mentor texts, charted their noticings, and created picture books with the support of teacher minilessons and conferences. At the end of the study, the students showed characteristics of quality writing in pictures and words, high motivation, and deliberate decision making.