UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN'S BOOK GENRES by Laura Backes, Children's Book Insider
I just received a letter from a writer who said, "Alas,
I find myself adrift in a sea of unexplained and/or contradictory
publishing terms." It's true -- you can read three different
books on writing and find three different definitions of
"picture book." So, to make your life easier, here's
what I hope is a definitive glossary of children's publishing
genres:
* Picture books -- In its broadest definition, a picture book
is a book in which the illustrations play a significant role in
telling the story. Under this umbrella are several types of
books:
1. Baby Books -- For infants and young toddlers, these books
are generally lullabies, nursery rhymes, fingerplays, or wordless
books. The length and format varies with the content.
2. Toddler books -- Very simple stories for ages 1-3 (under
300 words) familiar to a child's everyday life, or concept books
(teaching colors, numbers, shapes, etc.) Books are short (12
pages is average) and the format can be board books (sturdy
paper-over board construction), pop-ups, lift-the flaps or
novelty books (books that make sounds, have different textures,
etc.) See the "Max" series of board books by Rosemary
Wells (Dial).
3. Picture books -- Traditionally, picture books (also called
"picture story books") are 32-page books for ages 4-8
(this age may vary slightly by publisher). Manuscripts are up to
1500 words, with 1000 words being the average length. Plots are
simple (no sub-plots or complicated twists) with one main
character who embodies the child's emotions, concerns and
viewpoint. The illustrations (on every page or every other page)
play as great a role as the text in telling the story.
Occasionally a picture book will exceed 1500 words; this is
usually geared toward the upper end of the age spectrum. Picture
books cover a wide range of topics and styles. The list of
Caldecott Medal winners, available from your library, is a good
place to start your research. Nonfiction in the picture book
format can go up to age 10, 48 pages in length, or up to about
2000 words of text.
4. Early picture books -- A term for picture books geared
toward the lower end of the 4-8 age range. These stories are
simple and contain under 1000 words. Many early picture books
have been reprinted in the board book format, thus widening the
audience. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (Philomel) is
an example.
* Easy readers -- Also called "easy-to-read", these
books are for children just starting to read on their own (age
6-8). They have color illustrations on every page like a picture
book, but the format is more "grown-up" -- smaller trim
size, sometimes broken into short chapters. The length varies
greatly by publisher; the books can be 32-64 pages long, with
200-1500 words of text, occasionally going up to 2000 words. The
stories are told mainly through action and dialogue, in
grammatically simple sentences (one idea per sentence). Books
average 2-5 sentences per page. See the "Amelia
Bedelia" books by Peggy Parish or other "I Can
Read" books published by Harper Trophy.
* Transition books -- Sometimes called "early chapter
books" for ages 6-9, they bridge the gap between easy
readers and chapter books. Written like easy readers in style,
transition books are longer (manuscripts are about 30 pages long,
broken into 2-3 page chapters), books have a smaller trim size
with black-and-white illustrations every few pages. See "The
Kids of the Polk Street School" series by Patricia Reilly
Giff (Dell) or the "Stepping Stone Books" published by
Random House.
* Chapter books -- For ages 7-10, these books are 45-60
manuscript pages long, broken into 3-4 page chapters. Stories are
meatier than transition books, though still contain a lot of
action. The sentences can be a bit more complex, but paragraphs
are still short (2-4 sentences is average). Chapters often end in
the middle of a scene to keep the reader turning the pages. Look
at the "Herbie Jones" books by Suzy Kline (Puffin) and
the "Ramona" books by Beverly Cleary (Morrow).
* Middle grade -- This is the golden age of reading for many
children, ages 8-12. Manuscripts suddenly get longer (100-150
pages), stories more complex (sub-plots involving secondary
characters are woven through the story) and themes more
sophisticated. Kids get hooked on characters at this age, which
explains the popularity of series with 20 or more books involving
the same cast. Fiction genres range from contemporary to
historical to science fiction/fantasy; nonfiction includes
biographies, science, history and multicultural topics. Check out
some middle grade novels from the list of Newbery Medal winners
at your library to get you started.
* Young adult -- For ages 12 and up, these manuscripts are
130 to about 200 pages long. Plots can be complex with several
major characters, though one character should emerge as the focus
of the book. Themes should be relevant to the problems and
struggles of today's teenagers, regardless of the genre. The
Outsiders by S.E. Hinton defined young adult when it was first
published in 1967; the Newbery Medal award list also contains
many worthy titles. A new age category (10-14) is emerging,
especially with young adult nonfiction. These books are slightly
shorter than the 12 and up category, and topics (both fiction and
nonfiction) are appropriate for children who have outgrown middle
grade but aren't yet ready for the themes (fiction) or who aren't
studying the subjects (nonfiction) of high school readers.
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