genre - Children's...or not?

[Pale Moon Rider]

Advice please:
My book is similar to The Never Ending Story in that it has a few human characters and mythical or fantasy animal characters that talk. Shrek is another story that is similar in that way.
My question is: Is this a Children's Book? The main human character is a boy of about eleven years, but the book, like Shrek and The Never Ending Story, has a wider appeal, including adults.
I say this because every adult that has read it has really enjoyed it and when it was read by Care Providers in Day Care Centers, the kids loved it and so did the adults reading it.
But is this a children's book?

[Inspired]

It sounds like a children's story to me. Mid-grade. It's a good thing for the adults to enjoy reading it, but that doesn't mean it's written primarily for adults. I LOVE reading mid-grade books. There are so many well-written stories that kids and adults can read. Think about how many adults are addicted to Harry Potter, or how many have read The Chronicles of Narnia. They're fantasy books for kids and adults, but they're catagorized as children's literature.

[Pale Moon Rider]

Thanks for answering. It certainly helps to get information from someone that sounds as thought they know about these things!
Ok, Children's Books it is. What ages are mid-grade? Is that like "pre-teen?"

Also, I fully agree with you that many children's books are great for adults too! Since you mentioned "Harry Potter"...is that considered to be of the Children's Books genre?

[Torgo]

It depends mainly on the content and the reading level. If you've written Madame Bovary, except with balrogs, in the style of Will Self, it isn't going to sell to children. If you've written a rip-roaring adventure story which kids will get through without too many trips to the dictionary or the child psychologist, it's a children's book.

[Pale Moon Rider]

It's "Children's" then. The child goes on an adventure with a fantasy animal he meets in the forest and the two of them meet other animals along the way. There are no "big" words to be found.
Thanks very much to both of you...this clears it up for me.

[watcher]

Mid-grade readers are usually 9-12 years old, give or take a year on either side depending on the child.

[mdmkay]

Yes, Harry Potter was originally written for a middle grader although the it was way over max. word count. To be truthful when she was writing the books I don't think she was actually aiming for any specific age or group she just wrote the stories and then they got picked up. She already had all of the books either written and/or outlined. Just think she is worth (I have no clue..but it's a lot)...she was on welfare and it was just a stroke of luck that she was actually read by the (assist) editor. Thank the Lord for lengthy plane trips I guess

[Honey Nut Loop]

Sounds like a children's book to me. Hello you :hi: and welcome to the mad house.

[alisonbruce]

It depends mainly on the content and the reading level. If you've written Madame Bovary, except with balrogs, in the style of Will Self, it isn't going to sell to children. If you've written a rip-roaring adventure story which kids will get through without too many trips to the dictionary or the child psychologist, it's a children's book.

Thank you. I hope this is a definition that editors generally hold to because it works for me.

I too have been having trouble figuring out whether what I am writing should be classed as adult, YA or children's fantasy. That is, I have a novel which is either YA or adult and a series of stories that is either YA or children's. Neither require too many trips to the dictionary or psychologist. The novel is an adventure (ripping and roaring when it isn't dealing with the incipient angst and miscommunication common to young adults). The shorter "chapter" stories are twisted fairy tales.