Type of Book Characteristic 1
Biography
Subjects should be
interesting to
children
Characteristic 2
Facts should be accurate
without idealization of the
subject
Characteristic 3
Diverse subjects (male and
female as well as
backgrounds and
achievements)
Multicultural
Authentic depiction
of the cultural
experience from the
perspective of that
group
The challenge is
persuading readers
to open themselves
to believing that
which is contrary to
reality, strange,
whimsical, or
magical, yet has an
internal logic and
consistency.
Must tell an
engaging story
Accuracy of cultural
details in text and
illustrations
Positive images of minority
characters
Sometimes books begin in
a familiar setting then
move to the fantasy
world.
Others begin in the fantasy
world, but use welldescribed settings and
consistent well-rounded
characters to make it
believable.
Child must be able to
suspend disbelief and
accept the
unbelievable.
Should have rounded
complex characters with
whom children can
identify
Impart a universal theme
that is worth and thought
provoking without being
didactic.
Must present
historical facts with
as much accuracy and
objectivity as books of
history
Sufficient detail as to
provide an authentic
sense of that time and
that place without
overwhelming the
story.
Ideas should be
original or presented
in an original way
Should be on topics that
children enjoy and find
interesting. (Avoid books
that show a sense of
nostalgia for childhood,
those types are for adults.)
Language and writing style
should be rich and varied
by not so complicated as to
be incomprehensible.
Should feature new or
unusual vocabulary within
the context of interesting
situations and
Illustrations should
be appropriate in
complexity to the age
of the intended
audience.
Children prefer color,
but color is not
essential. Consider if
color or black and
white is appropriate
to the story.
Fantasy
Historical
Fiction
Picture
Characteristic 4
Depth of coverage
should be at an
appropriate level for
the intended
audience
Balance between
historic and
contemporary views
of groups
Characteristic 5
Documentation
should be
unobtrusive
Characteristic 6
Types: authentic vs.
fictionalized
Characteristic 7
Other types:
complete,
partial, collected,
series
Adequate
representation of any
group
Hair and clothing
styles, home
architecture and
furnishings, food and
food preparation,
modes of
transportation,
traditions and norms
of the times, language
and dialogue
Books meant to be
read aloud should
offer something to
both the listener and
the reader to promote
interactive discussion.
Look for layers of
meaning.
Generally the
longer the text
on each page the
older the
intended reader.
Type of Book Characteristic 1
Characteristic 2
Characteristic 3
complementary
illustrations.
Poem is appropriate to the
experiences of children and
does not preach to them
Poetry and
Plays
Ideas and feelings
are worthy, fresh,
and imaginative
Expression of the ideas is
unique, often causing the
reader to perceive
ordinary things in new
ways
Realistic
Even stories that
portray adverse and
discouraging social
situations should
permit some cause
for optimism.
Children need to
trust that problems
can be overcome.
Themes in realistic stories
often convey moral
values, such as the
rewards of kindness and
generosity. These moral
values must not be the
main reason for the story.
The moral must not
overwhelm the story but
may be its logical
outcome.
Must be believable, and the
events must be possible,
even though all aspects
may not be probable.
(Sometimes the author goes
closer to the edge of the
believable range to produce
a more exciting story.)
Traditional
Should preserve
the narrative, or
storytelling, style,
and should sound
as though it is
being told.
Should preserve the
flavor of the culture or
country of its origin
through the use of
colloquialisms, unusual
speech patterns, a few
easily understood
foreign terms, or proper
names that are common
to the culture.
Illustrated versions must
be of high quality, and
illustrations much match
the tone of the txt and
help to capture the
essence of the culture of
origin.
Characteristic 4
Characteristic 5
Characteristic 6
Characteristic 7
Poem represents the
world through a
child’s perspective
and focuses on
children’s lives and
activities as well as on
activities to which
people of all ages can
relate
Students appreciate
humor which is often
found in realistic
fiction. These feature
characters caught up
in silly situations or
involved in funny
escapades.
Poetry collections
should be judged on
the quality of the
poetry choices first
and illustrations and
appearance of the
book second.
Children prefer
narrative poems.
Children may
prefer certain
poets, but
should be
exposed to a
variety of
authors.
Should employ a
rich literary style.
Children are
fascinated by the
chants, stylistic
flourishes, and
colorful vocabulary
that are
characteristic of
masterful
storytelling.
For collections,
consider the
number and variety
of tales in the
collection and the
quality of reference
aids, such as tables
of contents and
indexes.
Mystery stories fall
into the realistic
category.
Lynch-Brown, Carol and Carl M. Tomlinson. Essentials of Children’s Literature. 6th ed. New York: Pearson, 2008. Print.