Children's vs Junior vs YA - I'm Confused

Meira · Feb 5, 2008

Forgive me if these are dumb questions and they have been asked before. I cannot find a thread if there is one.

Our library has three categories of non-adult literature

Children's - anywhere from board books to early readers

Junior
(an interesting variety)
Matilda by Dahl
Harry Potter (I would have pegged YA)
Nancy Drew
Junie B Jones
Magic Tree House

YA
Artemis Fowl
Princess Diaries
Bartimaeus Trilogy
The Great Tree of Avalon

First, I am trying to understand the pattern if there is one. I would say HP would be YA. Perhaps because it was first marketed to eleven-year-olds and that is how the series was originally categorized? But if HP is Junior then why isn't Artemis Fowl?

Second, some of the junior books are clearly short chapter books (Junie B Jones and Magic Tree House, maybe 10,000 words?) Others are longer. Do we call them full-length junior books? (Nancy Drew, Matilda, HP.) What is "fair" for a full-length junior book? 60,000? Less?

And I guess the final question is: Are these real distinctions or is my library district just messing around?

Thanks for your help.

PattiTheWicked · Feb 5, 2008

From a reading level standpoint, there are typically FOUR categories. The first is picture books -- this is where you'll have everything from Eric Carle to Dr. Seuss to Jan Brett and Rosemary Wells.

Next, there are what's commonly called "chapter books" or "beginning readers", which is essentially aimed at ages 7 - 11, or elementary school ages. These are for the kids who have moved beyond picture books but arent' quite ready to tackle Harry Potter or Roald Dahl. This category is where you'll find Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, the American Girl books, Nancy Drew, etc.

After this, you've got "middle grade" or "junior readers", which is pretty much anything aimed at middle school kids -- and often this isnt' determined so much by the length but the content matter. Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, the Bartimaeus books, etc, are all in here.

Finally, there's "teen" or "young adult". This is the stuff where the content simply isn't age-appropriate for the younger kids. It's Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series, Lois Duncan, Sharon Draper, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, etc.

I won't let my eight year olds read teen books, but they're tackling some of the stuff in the "junior readers" section because I have a pair of second graders who read at a 5th grade level. My daughter is almost done with Harry Potter (the first book) and she just turned 8.

Now, this the "bookstore method" of shelving stuff, and how you'll find books arranged at most of the Big Box Chain Bookstores. However, my library is like yours -- it's divided into three sections. We have "picture books", "juvenile" and "teens". It's pretty much a judgment call on the part of the library whether something goes in juvenile or teens.

Does that kind of make sense?

bethany · Feb 5, 2008

Yes, Patti said exactly what I would have said, and probably better.

Sometimes people classify the later HP books as YA, because of complexity and darkness. But the first ones are firmly MG.

Meira · Feb 5, 2008

Thank you Patti and Bethany.

The bookstore system makes sense. And it sounds like the libraries have a little wiggling room. My library has Artemis Fowl in YA and Nancy Drew in Junior. It seemed sort of haphazard to me. Maybe someone who has never read the books, categorizes them. :tongue

Now I get it.

So, another question. If you are querying for middle grade/junior fiction, which is the most popular way to say it? Middle grade?

Thanks again.

Lisa F · Feb 5, 2008

The first Harry Potter is junior (or middle grade). It's on a fourth / fifth grade reading level. After the first book, the reading level goes up significantly as well as the complexity of the plot, and the issues in the books. The rest of the books are YAs. (Harry does get older.) There are really more than four categories of reading levels. There is emergent reading, beginner, begin to read chapters, early chapter books, chapter books, middle grade books, and then YA. Picture books tend to fall in reading levels ranges from first grade all the way up to 8th grade. Some picture books are complex in theme and subject matter as well as vocabulary. Picture books are often meant to be read aloud. It is standard to read aloud two years above a child's reading level.

MsJudy · Feb 5, 2008

I haven't heard "junior" used as a label in a while--for querying, I would use "middle grade." Or even be more specific and give an age range. Middle grade is becoming very, very complicated... Precocious young kids tackle the 400-page books, but need innocent content. Older kids who struggle with reading look for shorter books, but want more mature content... So if your book is particularly suited to one end of the span or the other, I'd be specific in the query.

Meira · Feb 6, 2008

Lisa
I agree about HP. The books sort of grow up with the characters. By the time we get to Goblet of Fire, the content is YA.

JudScotKev said:
. . .Or even be more specific and give an age range. Middle grade is becoming very, very complicated...

JudScotKev
This is actually a very helpful suggestion. Thank you.

Thanks, everyone!

stace001 · Feb 28, 2008

PattiTheWicked said:
From a reading level standpoint, there are typically FOUR categories. The first is picture books -- this is where you'll have everything from Eric Carle to Dr. Seuss to Jan Brett and Rosemary Wells.

Next, there are what's commonly called "chapter books" or "beginning readers", which is essentially aimed at ages 7 - 11, or elementary school ages. These are for the kids who have moved beyond picture books but arent' quite ready to tackle Harry Potter or Roald Dahl. This category is where you'll find Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, the American Girl books, Nancy Drew, etc.

After this, you've got "middle grade" or "junior readers", which is pretty much anything aimed at middle school kids -- and often this isnt' determined so much by the length but the content matter. Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, the Bartimaeus books, etc, are all in here.

Finally, there's "teen" or "young adult". This is the stuff where the content simply isn't age-appropriate for the younger kids. It's Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series, Lois Duncan, Sharon Draper, Meg Cabot, Scott Westerfeld, etc.

I won't let my eight year olds read teen books, but they're tackling some of the stuff in the "junior readers" section because I have a pair of second graders who read at a 5th grade level. My daughter is almost done with Harry Potter (the first book) and she just turned 8.

Now, this the "bookstore method" of shelving stuff, and how you'll find books arranged at most of the Big Box Chain Bookstores. However, my library is like yours -- it's divided into three sections. We have "picture books", "juvenile" and "teens". It's pretty much a judgment call on the part of the library whether something goes in juvenile or teens.

Does that kind of make sense?

Thanks so much for this excellent response Patti. I've been doing my head in over my current children's book, trying to figure out which "pigeon hole" to stick it in. This makes it very simple. Thanks again.

Gina_Marie · Feb 28, 2008

Meira said:
Thank you Patti and Bethany.

The bookstore system makes sense. And it sounds like the libraries have a little wiggling room. My library has Artemis Fowl in YA and Nancy Drew in Junior. It seemed sort of haphazard to me. Maybe someone who has never read the books, categorizes them. Now I get it.

So, another question. If you are querying for middle grade/junior fiction, which is the most popular way to say it? Middle grade?

Thanks again.

As a librarian we choose where things should be. So just because it can be in one section of one library doesnt mean it will be in the same section at another. Sometimes it depends on how the library is set up. Sometimes it depends on the librarian's personal view. Some dont have a problem mixing teen books with middle school books.

I would also put Nancy Drew in Junior. Fowl is a hard choice, but I would put it with YA too.

Eternalman · Mar 4, 2008

Thanks guys,
This has been very instructive for me. I also want a sure grasp of my target age group for the two chapter books I have. You've been very helpful.

Children's vs Junior vs YA - I'm Confused

Meira

Informant X03981

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

bethany

:)

Meira

Informant X03981

Lisa F

MsJudy

Meira

Informant X03981

stace001

Look into my eyes

Gina_Marie

Eternalman