What Makes a Children’s Book Good !

“Like a piece of art, a good children's book is greater than the sum of its parts. It is honest, has a sense of wonder, and shows respect for the young child. The text and illustrations are integrated to raise the quality of the book.” quoted from the New York Times

Characteristics of a Good children’s Book

For example A simple, easy-to-follow, and interesting plot.

• Likeable and identifiable central characters.

• A clear distinction between “good” and “bad”

• Interesting and engaging language.

• Captivating and high-quality illustrations.

• A teachable lesson.

• Relatable to a wide range of children.

The children’s author Laura Amy Schlitz , in her 2007 Newbery Medal acceptance speech, explained “I must remind myself that ‘good’ is an approximate term.”

A second-grader once asked me for ‘a really, really good book’ and I asked him, as librarians do, what he considered a good book.  He eyed me with thinly veiled impatience and replied, “Medium-long with poisonous snakes.”