When kids are young, their parents are often reading to them and are familiar with the kinds of books their kids like and what they’re interested in reading again…and again and again. But when kids get older and start reading on their own, it gets harder to pick new books for your growing reader!
Even in a small library, the children’s section can be overwhelming – there are a lot of different types of books, and a lot of different genres on those shelves. What’s available in a chapter book format could be intended for a seven year old or a twelve year old – so how are you supposed to know which book to pick for your child?!
One quick trick is to check the age of the main character in the book. The book jacket will usually state their age in the first sentence or two, and it’s usually a good rule of thumb to roughly match the character’s age to the age of your reader. A book about a twelve year old is probably going to deal with problems a seven year old can’t relate to, but it could be a great match for a ten or thirteen year old.
When authors write for kids, publishers will ask them to fit it into a clear age category so it’s easy to market and promote. These categories can also be helpful for parents to get a sense of what to expect with each age bracket:
Junior Chapter Books (we keep these in our Early Readers section in the Children’s Library): these are intended for kids newly ready to read on their own, but they’re also great read-aloud books for kids who want longer stories at bedtime. We’d recommend these for kids in the 6-8 age range. Examples: The Magic Tree House, Dragon Masters, Heartwood Hotel
Lower Middle Grade (we keep these in our Chapter Books section): these books will still use animals as main characters, but they’re getting into more complex problems and there may be some real danger. These are intended for readers in the 7-10 age range. Examples: Charlotte’s Web, The Tale of Despereaux.
Middle Grade (we keep these in our Chapter Books section): these books still use out-of-the-ordinary elements but we start to see issues being addressed that could be real life problems for the kids reading these books. These are intended for ages 8-12. Examples: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Impossible Creatures.
Upper Middle Grade (we keep these on our Tween Shelf in the Children’s Library): these books have main characters that are around the tween ages, about 11-14. These characters are still going on magical adventures or encountering hilarious hijinks, but they see the world with more maturity. We’d recommend these for ages 11-14. Examples: Starfish, The Crossover, Roll for Initiative.
Bonus Tip: You can ask library staff to choose books for your child based on their age and interests, anytime!