Understanding Children's Writing Genres
By Laura Backes, Publisher, Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's
Writers
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:
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.
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).
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.
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. •
More Writing
for Kids Articles
For more information about writing children's books, including
free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's
Book Insider's
home on the Web at write4kids.com.
Copyright 2001, Children's Book Insider, LLC.
10/30/04
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