Choosing Books by Genre
Keep reading or download the PDF guide here:
Know Your Genres:
Narrative (Fiction, or True Story)
a. There is a beginning, middle, and end.
b. The Characters experience a change.
Poetry
a. True expression of the soul
b. Playful use of language.
Concept Book — ABC’s, Counting, Shapes, Coloring, Books with toys, Playsets, etc.
Non-Fiction — The real world explained, Information.
Why Does Genre Matter?
Certainly you can sit down and read, sing, and play with any book you pull from your shelf without bothering to understand the genre. But when you are ready to begin talking with your child about the book you are reading, to begin thinking about the characters and the story, or to think about the poetry and colors, then knowing what kind of work you have in your hands is helpful.
The first thing to note, is that the true genre is not always obvious. Poems don’t always rhyme or have rhythm. Books with people aren’t always narratives. And alphabet or counting books can tell stories through the illustration that are not included in the text.
So many times I want to talk to my son about the characters in the book we are reading, but realize mid-way through the conversation that the characters do not change or grow at all. Either the book is poorly written (a common problem), or I have the genre all wrong, and the book is more of a poem or song. We can still talk about the characters, but the questions will be different.
So let’s jump in and see what each genre looks like. I’ll try and use examples from books that are reasonably well known and you may have read, or books that I feel are worth looking up.
Stories and Narratives
A Beginning, Middle and an End — this may sound very elementary and very obvious, but in his work titled Poetics, Aristotle thought it was worth exploring.
A Beginning is an event that is not necessarily preceded by anything, but after which things must happen. For example in “Llama llama red pajama,” we read on the second page that “Mama Llama goes downstairs.” Nothing necessarily precedes this. Whether he has dinner or not, or had his bath or not, or even whether or not they had read that book, Mama can still go downstairs. This event, however, does require something to follow. Baby Llama will face the room alone and must decide how he feels about this.
The Middle is necessarily preceded by some event that has caused it, and by necessity, some other event follows. Because Mama Llama has gone downstairs, Baby Llama “feels alone without his mama.” He could not feel alone if Mama had not left, and the very fact that he feels alone necessitates that something else must follow: either he overcomes his fear and goes to sleep, or his mother must come back.
The End is preceded by some event, by necessity, but nothing necessarily follows. Mama Llama must come upstairs to rescue Baby Llama from his fears, but giving him a kiss resolves the central tension and nothing more must be said. The story has ended.
The Characters change from the beginning to the end. This is another crucial element of narrative. Have you ever read a book or watched a film in which the surprise ending reveals that it had all been a dream? I always feel shocked and upset when this happens, like I have been tricked. I wasted my time investing in this story, rooting for the characters to be successful in whatever journey they were on, only to realize that none of it mattered after all. The poor protagonist was just as poor as at the start. The villain was still a jerk. The whole thing was meaningless. Why tell that story? Why read it?
The characters must experience some real change for us to say that a narrative has actually occurred. In children’s books, the frequent addition of illustrations makes this change easy to identify. If we look at the cover art of Llama Llama Red Pajama, we see a very concerned looking Llama. If we flip to the last page, however, we see him sleeping peacefully. What events have occurred to affect this change in him? He has faced his fears, and receiving a loving reminder of his mothers love, he is able to put his fears aside and sleep in peace. He is a braver, calmer, stronger Llama at the end.
Questions for Talking about Stories
Here is a preview of the questions we will talk about in the Main Character and Story Structure Guides. Check out those guides for activities to explore these ideas with your kids.
What happens at the beginning?
What is wrong?
Then what happens?
How do they feel now?
Do they have a problem?
What happens at the end?
Did they solve the problem?
How do they feel now?
How does the character look in the pictures at the beginning?
How does the character look in the pictures at the end? What changed?
In Anne Dewdney’s classic bedtime tale, Baby Llama is very anxious about being alone in bed. The illustrations in the beginning show a concerned llama. The colors grow darker as Baby Llama’s fears increase. Once the problem is resolved however, Baby Llama is changed. He is calmer, wiser, and able to sleep. Notice how bright and light the colors are on the last page, even though it is night and he is, presumably, still in a dark room.
The Take Away
Books to Gravitate towards: Look for books with strong main characters who experience problems, desires, and needs. Look for books that show happy, or confident, or wise (essentially changed) people at the end. Look for narratives that show cause and effect situations. We want our kids to see how one event leads to another.
Books to Avoid: Try to avoid books that seem more flashy than substantive. This is a subjective thing, and you will get a better sense of the book if you have time to skim through it before bringing it home. I usually try to avoid picture books based on films or TV shows, as I find that they are often just summaries of plot points, and fail to show cause and effect relationships or character growth.
Poetry and Songs
A True Expression of the Soul
What is poetry? I have a Master’s degree in poetry, and yet I am not sure I can give a clear answer. It’s one of those questions that professors love to beset on their students and then challenge and refute every answer they attempt.
Is Poetry about rhythm? No, modern free-verse poetry doesn’t use rhythm anymore.
Is Poetry about beauty? No. Consider poetry that tells of horrible wars or the ugly emptiness inside.
And so the conversation goes.
I have always liked a description of Lyric Poetry from the critic Northrop Frye, and I think for our purposes here it suits well. Frye says that poetry is the “utterance that is overheard.” It is a true expression of the soul. I have always imagined the poet, like King David in the Bible, standing on the mountain top and talking to God. Or to himself. Or to both together. Frye suggests that a poem is a bit like prayer. It is a true expression of the soul, breathed out in words. Others may listen when we pray, and even agree with us, but our words are not for them.
In this way, poetry is also like song. Others will listen and may sing along, but they will very soon call us a fake if our music does not sound like the true expression of the soul.
So whether in rhythm and rhyme or free verse, a poem should use language that captivates, enchants, delights, and tells truth.
Playful Use of Language
Another trait of all poetry is concise and poignant language. This trait comes to the forefront in many poems for children which are playful and silly. These types of poems serve a very important developmental role as children are learning to hear and manipulate the sounds of their mother tongue.
Rhyme and rhythm are very commonly used both in poetry and narratives for children because of the child’s developing linguistic brain is so captivated by these structures.
“It’s a dark dark, cold cold night. Mama rocks the cradle. The cradle rocks baby. Baby softly sleeps.” — Oilvier Dunea
At first glance, Olivier Dunrea’s It’s Snowing feels like a narrative. There are characters, actions, and it isn’t written in rhyme or meter. But the baby who sleeps peacefully at the beginning is still sleeping peacefully at the end. There is no character change. There is, however, music. A moment is given to us in rich language that is captivating and lulling. This book is a beautiful poem about a mother and her baby on a snowy night.
In books like this, chat with your child about emotions. Imagine how the baby feels playing in the snow. How would your child feel?
Questions for Talking about Poetry
How does this book make you feel?
Someone is speaking the words of this book. What are they speaking about? How does this speaker feel?
What colors do you see in this book? How do these colors make you feel?
What words do you like the best? Can you hear some words that rhyme?
These words feel funny in my mouth! Do you want to try and say them too?
A Book Worth Looking Up
The Take Away
Books to Gravitate Towards: Look for books with language and themes that delight your children. Choose books that you enjoy reading, because you will be more eager to share them with your little ones. Listen for the “music” of the soul. Look for poignant, true moments.
Books to Avoid: Avoid books with rhyme that feels forced or cliche. A lot of writers use meter and rhyme because they think children’s books are supposed to be that way, but cringe-worthy poetry rarely feels genuine. Flip to the Poetry Guide for more about what makes good poetry.
Choosing Concept Books by Age
“Concept Book” is the publishing industry term that includes books often labeled as “Early Learning,” as well as books with toys, games, or activities attached. These books can include narratives, but generally explore concepts like letters, numbers, shapes, colors, etc. They may have pattern matching activities, little cars that run on tracks across the page, or simply present the alphabet with some engaging artwork.
Concept books can be a lot of fun when the book aligns with a child’s developmental level and interest, but there are a lot of options on the shelf, so finding that perfect match can take some work.
Because concept books often aim to teach a child something (the alphabet, for instance), it is helpful to understand a little bit about your child’s developmental stage in order to know what concepts they are ready for.
0 - 12
months
Babies are listening to language all the time. This is what their brains are hardwired to do. When I am choosing a book for my 9 month old I consider, first and foremost, what sorts of language structures she will be exposed to. I can actually read to her adult level literature (Jane Austin, for example), and know that she is hearing and internalizing complex structures and syntax.
In children’s books, I like to choose books with well-crafted poetry so she can hear a variety of rhythms.
Babies are also learning about the book as an object. It is made of cardboard and paper. It opens and closes. Sometimes it has cute little holes that a finger can fit through, or something soft to touch. Lift-the-Flap books appeal to a baby’s discovery of object permanence, the idea that an object can still exist even when out of sight. In addition to early sensory experiences, these books give babies an age-appropriate welcome into the world of books and develop an early interest in those things on the shelf.
I like to choose books that have things to touch, or little spaces for little fingers.
A Place On Our Shelf
Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault’s Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has become a classic because children at each developmental stage are able to benefit from different aspects of the work. When I read this to my nine month old, she hears rich rhythm and rhyme that excites her language-acquisition skills. My older son, at two and a half, is still not ready for learning his letter sounds, but he is completely captivated by the narrative of climbing up a tree and watching it crash down again. A child who is learning letters, will be able to practice letter recognition, and his vocabulary skills will be strengthened by working out more complex phrases like “skinned-knee” and “stubbed-toe.” Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has the ability to grow with a child and so earns a continual place on the shelf.
1 - 2
years
Toddlers experience a boom in understanding and speaking new words. Exposing children to books on a variety of topics (shapes, trucks, jungle animals, etc.) gives them an opportunity to learn the names for the objects depicted. At the same time, children are learning to identify and categorize objects. In books with vibrant and busy illustrations, we play I-Spy games and point to, pet, (or even kiss) our favorite animals and objects. I might say “Can you kiss the kitty?” Or “Let’s pet the Llama.” When my little one can carry out these commands correctly, I know that he both knows which thing is a Llama, and can pick it out of a busy scene. Once he is speaking more, I can also turn the activity around,. In this variation I do the pointing and ask him to tell me the name of the object. These kinds of games improve vocabulary and visual acuity.
I look for books that provide an opportunity for my little ones to identify objects and hear new words.
Children in this age group benefit from books with real photos or realistic art. You and I have seen more zoo animals in real life than we can even recall. Seeing a cartoonish giraffe with a squashed neck (to make it fit on the page) doesn’t phase us. We have seen enough giraffes to get the gist and mentally fill in the rest. But for our little ones who may not have yet seen very many giraffes, the squashed inky one will be a bit confusing. Realistic images help children to make connections between what they see in the book and in the real world. In the same way, photographs of children are extremely beneficial. To see real children with complex facial expressions gives a young reader practice at understanding emotions and relationships.
I look for books with high-quality photographs of animals and children’s faces.
3 +
years
Preschoolers are often ready for more intentional learning and lessons. The educational content of the concept book becomes the main focus rather than just the language or art. There are many methods and philosophies for teaching each curriculum area. Consider whether the presentation of material coincides with your educational philosophy. Some parents want their children to learn math by manipulating real world objects, for example, so a Star Wars math work book may present concepts in a way that is different from what your child is learning. You might still buy the Star Wars book if your kiddo asks for it, but it is something to consider before the book lands in the cart.
Thoughts on Alphabet Books and Early Readers:
When children are first learning to read, many programs teach the short vowel sounds before the long vowel sounds. “I” says “ih” as in icky, igloo, and iguana. “A” says “ah” as in apple, alligator, and astronaut. They will, of course, have to learn the long sounds eventually as well, but if you have chosen to teach the short sounds first, it is very frustrating when your new alphabet books shows an angel or an acorn for letter “A,” since that is not the sound your child has been learning.
Look for books that present the letter sounds your child is actually learning.
Letter X, in the English language, makes a sound like “ks.” This letter is rarely used at the beginning of the word, and when it is, it does not make its true sound. Presenting a Xylophone for letter “X” in an alphabet book is confusing for children.
Look for books that show the X in its more common ending position, as in the word “Fox.”
I recently bought my son a set of early readers that was themed around one of his favorite TV shows. The set of books boasted a sequential introduction to letter sounds, but as I read through it with my son, I found that the TV character names did not follow the sequence of letter introductions. Each book did contain the letter sounds it claimed to have, but it also had words with irregular spellings that muddled the lesson. I regretted spending $14 on this boxed set without reading through it ahead of time.
Look for books that prioritize actually teaching phonics rather than trying to garner sales with flashy themes.
Questions for You to consider when selecting Concept Books
Is the concept presented here something my child is ready to learn?
If so, it is presented in a way that is helpful for him?
If not, is there something else (art, language, visual skills) that he would gain by reading this book now?
Will this book grow with my child? Will he learn one thing now, and another thing when he’s a little older?
When your little one asks you a question about penguins or volcanos, usually you are going to be heading to the library for a non-fiction book. A non-fiction book is a book of informational facts given in a didactic (teaching) style. These books are often easy to identify because they will be categorized in a separate section of the library or book store that is (often) labeled “Non-Fiction.”
There are so many beautiful, rich Non-fiction books on the market, and the genre’s popularity is growing. Look for books with realistic illustrations or photographs rather than cartoony pictures. Your child is craving real information, and realistic illustrations can help them understand complex concepts.
There is a hybrid genre called Narrative-Non-fiction that you many want to be aware of. This is a style of writing in which true information is given in a narrative style. This is often used for biographies or descriptions of historical events. Many new Narrative Non-fiction picture books are coming out to teach kids about famous and influential people. When reading these books, you can talk about your child about the impact of the real person or events, as well as use our question lists to think about characters, conflict, and structure.
The Take Away
Books to Gravitate Towards: Look for books that connect with your child’s interests or will expose him to a new age-appropriate concept. Look for realistic illustrations.
Bibliography
Children’s Books
Chin, Jason. Redwoods. Square Fish, 2015.
Dewdney, Anna. Llama Llama Red Pajama. Viking Books, 2015.
Dunrea, Olivier. It’s Snowing! Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002.
Martin, Bill. Chica Chica Boom Boom. Scholastic, 1991.
Scholarly Books
Aristotle, Poetics and Rhetoric. Translated by S.H. Butcher and W. Rhys Roberts. Barns and Noble Classics, 2005.
Frye, Northrop. Anatomy of Criticism. Princeton University Press, 1957. 249-250.
An Author Worth Looking Up
I have become a fan of the author/illustrator Jason Chin. He uses beautifully rich illustrations and a conversational tone that takes the reader on a journey to the fantastic worlds around us. He has titles including Redwoods, Island, The Grand Canyon, The Universe Inside You, Coral Reefs, and Gravity, among others.
