Children's Literature - Classification

Classification

Children's literature can be divided a number ways. Two useful divisions are genre and intended age of the reader.

Children's literature by genre

A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by technique, tone, content, or length. Anderson lists six categories of children's literature, with some significant subgenres:

• Picture books, including board books, concept books (teaching an alphabet or counting for example), pattern books, and wordless books.
• Traditional literature, including folktales, which convey the legends, customs, superstitions, and beliefs of people in past times. This genre can be further broken down into myths, fables, legends, and fairy tales.
• Fiction, including fantasy, realistic fiction, and historical fiction.
• Non-fiction.
• Biography and autobiography.
• Poetry and verse.

Children's literature by age category

The criteria for these divisions are vague and books near a borderline may be classified either way. Books for younger children tend to be written in very simple language, use large print, and have many illustrations. Books for older children use increasingly complex language, normal print, and fewer, if any, illustrations.

• Picture books appropriate for pre-readers or ages 0–5.
• Early Reader Books appropriate for children age 5–7. These books are often designed to help a child build his or her reading skills.
• Chapter book appropriate for children ages 7–12.
  • Short chapter books, appropriate for children ages 7–9.
  • Longer chapter books, appropriate for children ages 9–12.
• Young-adult fiction appropriate for children age 12–18.