5 Things to Know Before Buying Kids with Books
"Children's books are not going anywhere. They're going to be a very secure category in the marketplace," said former Association of Booksellers for Children executive director Kristen McLean during a presentation at the ABA's Winter Institute with Kelly Gallagher, v-p of publishers services at Bowker/PubTrack. That, coupled with the fact that bookstores continue to play a key role as a driver of sales, were among the highlights of a joint consumer study with Bowker and ABC (now a part of the ABA), which was also presented at Digital Book World last week.
Sponsored by Random House, Macmillan, Penguin, Scholastic, and Little, Brown, the survey, which is available from Bowker, examines consumer attitudes toward purchasing children's books in three categories: adults buying for children ages 0–6, adults buying for children ages 7–12, and teen consumers ages 13–17.
While some of the news came as no surprise—women buy nearly 70% of kids' books and most purchasers fit solidly in the middle class both in terms of income and education—other findings were more startling. For example, books ranked number one over all other media for the youngest ages. (See chart #1.) Even for teens, books outweigh other media by 57% when it comes to having fun.
While some of the news came as no surprise—women buy nearly 70% of kids' books and most purchasers fit solidly in the middle class both in terms of income and education—other findings were more startling. For example, books ranked number one over all other media for the youngest ages. (See chart #1.) Even for teens, books outweigh other media by 57% when it comes to having fun.
Parents and those close to children are more influential than ever, McLean noted. The study found a bull's-eye pattern of influence, with Web site advertising and mass media occupying the outermost ring. For children under seven, friends and family are most likely to determine what they read, followed by browsing in bookstores, teachers, online research, and book fairs. Moms, teachers, and dads, in that order, affect book selection for 7–12-year-olds. Teens overwhelmingly turned to parents, teachers, and close friends for book suggestions. Librarians affected 24% of YA reading decisions, bookstores not so much.
Still, bookstores and libraries continue to play a significant role in helping younger children discover books, with 75% of children's books being purchased in a physical store. Bookstores are the primary place that parents of children 0–6 turn to in order to find out about particular titles, followed by "the child tells me" and public libraries. School fairs were further down the list, at 24%, followed by Amazon at 19%. Bookstores also play a key role for children ages 7–12, although they are second to a child's interest in the book. Teachers, school fairs, and public libraries are also important, and Amazon's share drops to 17%.
Still, bookstores and libraries continue to play a significant role in helping younger children discover books, with 75% of children's books being purchased in a physical store. Bookstores are the primary place that parents of children 0–6 turn to in order to find out about particular titles, followed by "the child tells me" and public libraries. School fairs were further down the list, at 24%, followed by Amazon at 19%. Bookstores also play a key role for children ages 7–12, although they are second to a child's interest in the book. Teachers, school fairs, and public libraries are also important, and Amazon's share drops to 17%.
However, when it comes to buying books to read for fun, bookstores tumbled to the bottom of the chart, with independents slightly edging out Target/Costco. (See chart #2.) School libraries and public libraries topped the list, with Barnes & Noble being the favorite bookstore, followed by Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Borders, which are separated by only a few percentage points. In the survey, independents captured a smaller share of the market, 6%, than they do for bookselling overall. The skewed results may reflect the fact that respondents made multiple selections.
In her presentation, McLean encouraged independent booksellers to take heart. "It's not as bad as you think," she said. "Seeing a book matters. They don't come in to buy a book. They're buying a book they see." Added Gallagher: "A lot of purchasing habits are common across the board." Close to 80% of book purchases are not planned, and of those, 40% are pure impulse—double that for adult titles. (See chart #3.)
In her presentation, McLean encouraged independent booksellers to take heart. "It's not as bad as you think," she said. "Seeing a book matters. They don't come in to buy a book. They're buying a book they see." Added Gallagher: "A lot of purchasing habits are common across the board." Close to 80% of book purchases are not planned, and of those, 40% are pure impulse—double that for adult titles. (See chart #3.)
Children also have a different set of criteria for choosing what to read next. While price is a factor for children ages 7–12, the primary one is a familiar character or series, followed by "child asked for it in store" and front cover image. That the book was written by an author whom the parent knows or trusts, or that it was recommended by a friend, also counts a lot when it comes to making a purchase.
For teen readers, celebrity endorsements, cover and flap blurbs, and awards have little influence on picking a book. (See chart #4.) Sequels are the most popular factor, followed by familiarity with author, and back and flap copy. The whole package counts, with the title and cover each affecting nearly one third of selections.
The old paradigm of screen versus book no longer applies, said McLean, who called kids "omnivorous consumers of media." Over half of children ages 0–6 went online 57% of the time, just one percentage point less than they read a book for school or for fun. Only 9% read an e-book. In the next category, one third of children 7–12 go online a moderate amount, 43% at least a little bit, and 12% are frequent Internet users.
Teens, too, are heavy online users. But while favorite activities center around screens—text-ing and visiting Facebook—39% read books for fun. That's print books, not electronic ones. As tech-savvy as this segment of the population is, over 80% of teens don't read e-books, with only 5% saying that they do so frequently.
Teens, too, are heavy online users. But while favorite activities center around screens—text-ing and visiting Facebook—39% read books for fun. That's print books, not electronic ones. As tech-savvy as this segment of the population is, over 80% of teens don't read e-books, with only 5% saying that they do so frequently.
For McLean, the fact that teens are early adopters of social technology means that they don’t see e-books as social. In regards to children’s online book search habits, the study found that 42% of all children don’t go to Web sites to find out about other books in a series; 40% haven’t visited a fan site; and 41% haven’t visited the book’s or author’s site.
As McLean emphasized, there is much good news for bookstores embedded in the study. It points toward the importance of display for attracting the attention of impulse shoppers. But it also highlights a significant gap between where consumers find books and where they buy. "The real challenge," said Gallagher, "is how to make that conversion."
And the study could be the best indicator available of future consumer behavior across the board. "What we are seeing right now is not just the addition of new technologies to old patterns of working," said McLean. "It is a fundamentally new way of organizing ourselves in the world. What better way to gaze ahead than by looking at future adults whose ideas about books and reading are being developed right now?"
Charts reproduced with permission of Bowker.
Choosing the right book for your child can be difficult – especially if you’re not sure what makes a good children’s book. There are thousands and thousands of children’s books available. But, don’t be fooled, not all kids’ books are created equal. To provide your child with quality reading materials, and help them improve their reading skills, it’s important to know what to look for.
Luckily, there are several key qualities of a good children’s book that are easy to spot. To help you choose the best book for your child, we’ve put together a list of the most important characteristics to look for.
Ready to learn what makes a good children’s book? Let’s go!
Why It’s Important to Know What Makes a Good Children’s Book
You might be asking yourself – why are quality children’s books important?
When you provide your child with quality reading materials, you aid their cognitive development, encourage independent thought, and help them learn about the world in a fun and interesting way. Good books also help young readers gain confidence. As a result of this confidence, children often discover joy and excitement in reading. Thus, a self-motivated reader emerges.
You can promote all of these developmental benefits (and more) simply by knowing what makes a good children’s book. So, let’s take a look at the most important characteristics that you should look for.
10 Characteristics of a Good Children’s Book
When searching for a good book for your child, keep these 10 important characteristics in mind.
1. The Book Reflects Your Child’s Interests
The interests of a child are key to what makes a good children’s book. By choosing a book that your child will find interesting, you can help promote a love of reading. A captivating book will also increase your child’s engagement, helping to develop their reading skills further.
What makes a book appealing to children? Children often enjoy books that reflect the world around them. This includes books that tell a story they can connect to. When children can relate to a story, they are more likely to remember it and comprehend what they are reading.
Want to find books your child will love? Check out Booka! The Booka App allows you and your child to select books based on interests. For example, explore books about nature, animals, shapes and colors, professions, places, science, sports and outdoors, and more!
2. A Good Children’s Book Has Meaningful Illustrations
Illustrations are an important aspect of what makes a good children’s book – especially for young readers. Illustrations help to draw a child in and capture their attention. In addition to helping engage young readers, illustrations can also support the development of reading comprehension.
Look for books that include illustrations that are detailed, colorful, and connect to the story. You might ask yourself, do the illustrations tell the story? If the answer is yes, the book will help your young reader improve their reading comprehension and vocabulary.
Some great examples of children’s books with beautiful and meaningful illustrations include:
Lula’s Brew by Elizabeth Dulemba
Slumber My Darling by Stephen Foster
The Fable of the Bully Dragon by Jeff Dinardo
How To Hug A Cactus by Emily S Smith
3. Interesting and Varied Language is Used Throughout
A good children’s book uses rich and interesting vocabulary. Providing your child with books that offer varied language is essential because these books help to capture their attention. Exposure to new, increasingly sophisticated words and grammatical structures is also beneficial, as it provides an opportunity for valuable learning.
What makes a good children’s book in terms of language and vocabulary? Most importantly, the language in a book should support the flow of the story. In other words, the language should make the storyline easy to follow. It is also important that the language is relatable for your child, but with an element of challenge.
Looking for books for your child that use interesting and varied language? Check out these books written by Ellliot Kreloff:
Worth the Wait
Please Don’t Make Me Fly
4. The Story Includes Relatable Characters
Good children’s books have relatable characters. When a child reads a book with relatable characters, they become more invested and engaged. This leads to greater enjoyment and promotes a love of reading. In addition, relatable characters promote feelings of empowerment and encourage children to create change in the world around them.
When assessing a book for your child, look for characters who encounter real world problems and emotions. For example, loss, failure, success, sadness, fear, joy, and anger.
Here are some examples of great children’s books that include relatable characters:
Stella…Almost by Wiley Blevins
The On-Again, Off-Again Friend by Wiley Blevins
The Sad Sad Monster by Dolores Costello
5. A Good Children’s Book is Developmentally Appropriate
Developmentally appropriate books are important because they allow your child to succeed when reading. These feelings of success will further motivate them to read, creating a positive learning cycle. Therefore, like knowing what makes a good children’s book, it is important to understand what makes a book a “good fit” for your child.
So, what makes a book developmentally appropriate? To find a suitable book, there are several elements to consider.
First, evaluate the story’s content. That is, what is the story about, and what message is the author portraying? As mentioned earlier, children are drawn to books that they can relate to and that provide a window into the world around them.
Second, consider the difficulty of the language and vocabulary used in the book. It is important that your child can read most of the words in the story so that they can experience feelings of accomplishment. That said, some challenging language is also important to support your child’s continued development as a reader.
Finally, you want to ensure that your child is comprehending what they are reading. Evaluate comprehension by checking in with your child and asking them questions about the story as they (or you) are reading it.
Discover thousands of developmentally appropriate children’s books on the Booka app, including:
Middle Me by Jeff Dinardo
The Not-So-Right Day by Wiley Blevins
6. Important and Teachable Lessons Are Presented
Books provide an opportunity for children to learn and expand their understanding of the world around them. Through books, parents can expose children to life lessons that help them engage with other people, develop ideas, and build new skills. Best of all, presenting these lessons through fun and engaging stories has a much more significant impact than discussing them directly.
What makes a good children’s book lesson? Here are some common and essential lessons to look for.
- Social Emotional Learning such as kindness, teamwork, problem-solving, acceptance, inclusion, and friendship.
- Exploring one’s identity, including interests, talents, passions, and family.
- Exploring academic topics such as mathematics, literacy, art, music, history, and other subjects.
Looking for stories that include important and teachable lessons? Check out these top children’s books:
My Shadow Is Pink by Scott Stuart
Ice Queen by Jamie Tablason
Sheep in the Closet by Mattia Cerato
7. The Plot is Captivating
Like any great book, a good children’s book should have a captivating plot that grabs the reader’s attention. An engaging plot will increase a young reader’s interest in the story. As a result, they will be more likely to learn a lesson from the book and develop their skills as a reader.
Not sure how to identify a captivating plot? Look for books that will make your child laugh or have them on the edge of their seat. For example, stories with comical situations, unexpected problems that must be solved, and/or surprising reactions from characters.
"Ick and Crud" is one of the very best children’s book series that includes captivating and engaging plots. Check out the Ick and Crud series on Booka.
8. The Story Has a Beginning, Middle, and End
Books that are structured with a clear beginning, middle, and end allow children to follow and engage with a story more easily. This type of structure also helps children develop the ability to retell stories and build on their reading comprehension skills.
Typically, a good children’s book begins with an introduction to the characters and setting. Then, in the middle, a problem develops that the characters must solve. Finally, the end shares how the characters overcame the problem they were facing.
By exposing children to this easy-to-follow structure, parents can also provide an example of how they can be authors too!
Check out the Problem Solved! series on the Booka app for great stories with clear, easy-to-follow structures.
9. The Setting is Intriguing
A story’s setting, or where it takes place, is an important part of what makes a good children’s book. Using descriptive language, an author can bring young readers into the world of the characters. A story that provides a detailed description of the setting, through both pictures and words, helps a child visualize the story as it takes place. This is an important skill and will help your child develop an understanding of what they are reading.
When selecting a book for or with your child, look for a familiar setting. Alternatively, look for books that use descriptive language to provide a window into the setting with the help of a little imagination!
Looking for books with a captivating setting? Check out these favorites:
Milo’s Little Secret by Rebecca Ralfe
Now Appearing Stud by Dhana Fox
10. Adults Can Enjoy a Good Children’s Book Too!
Reading and exploring books with your child is an extremely valuable and important part of literacy and language development. Finding a book that you enjoy will allow you to be more engaged and to find satisfaction in sharing and experiencing the story with your child.
When choosing a book, ensure that the story captures your attention. Look for beautiful illustrations, lessons that support your morals and beliefs, and characters that you can relate to.
If you’re looking for a book that you will enjoy just as much as your child, check out the “How It Works” section of the Booka app. Here you’ll find fascinating stories about how things work – from technology and weather to the human body and more!
Now that you know what makes a good children’s book, the question is – where can you find great books for kids? Luckily, Booka makes this easy.
Booka – Where Parents Go to Find Good Children’s Books
At Booka, we know what makes a good children’s book. To help you find books your kids will love, we have created an easy-to-use app with an amazing collection of books for kids of all ages.
Booka offers numerous benefits for children and parents engaging in at-home reading. When you choose Booka, you gain access to exclusive and unique features, including:
- A simplified, easy-to-use reading app for kids ages 0 – 10.
- Catalog of children’s books with thousands of options all in one place.
- Ability to quickly select books based on interest, lessons, age range, and more.
- Numerous types of books, including educational, non-fiction, picture e-books, audio fairy tales, scientific literature, early learning books, and much more.
- ‘Read to me’ feature. This option promotes word recognition and story comprehension and helps to support different learning styles.
- Ability to mark your child’s favorite books. This feature promotes repeated readings which is extremely beneficial for new readers.
- Multi-lingual library (including books in English, Spanish, and other languages).
- Ability to create a profile based on age and interest for personalized book suggestions.
Not only does Booka offer the countless benefits above, but it also incorporates learning through technology – making it the ultimate tool for parents with young readers. Technology is engaging and motivating for children. Therefore, reading apps like Booka encourage an interest in reading.
Want to spend less time searching for a good children’s book and more time reading with your child?