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I LOVED your
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biographical, They
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I would love to post your article (for
my) course for seniors entitled Autobiography and Journaling ... and
let them read your article as a good example of what I call the
reader's writer, clearly expressed and easy to read. (Howell)
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UNDERSTANDING
CHILDREN'S BOOK GENRES
by Laura Backes
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:
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* 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.
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* 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.
Laura Backes is the publisher of Children’s
Book Insider - the newsletter for children’s writers - and the founder of The
CBI Collection, the first-ever catalog just for children’s writers. The
CBI Collection includes exclusive books, disks and writers tools for every level
of children’s writing, from complete beginners to experienced pros. There’s
even a complete beginning children’s writing course available for under $20.
For a free copy of The CBI Collection, write to Children’s Book Insider, 901
Columbia Road, Fort Collins, CO 80525, call 1-970-495-0056 or e-mail children@mailback.com.
Also, visit the Children’s Writing Resource Center on the World Wide Web -- http://www.write4kids.com
(©1999, Children's Book Insider, LLC
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