How to Choose a Book by Age
Here are a few basics tips that will help you evaluate whether a book is suitable for your young reader’s age group.
Long before children speak, they are collecting words. Reading stories, singing lullabies, and reciting nursery rhymes to babies helps build a rich foundation for language. Illustrations in books help babies to recognize simple objects in their world, and the intimacy and warmth of shared reading is a joy for both baby and parent. Here’s what to look for in books for babies and toddlers:
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Books with repetition of sounds and words.
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Books that deliver their message with simple language.
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Books that illustrate the primary objects and features in your child’s life.
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Books that are designed for small hands.
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Books of nursery rhymes, lullabies, and songs.
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Sturdy books that will stand up to being chewed, smashed, or covered in mushed banana.
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Books with simple, uncluttered illustrations of familiar shapes.
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Books that use physical “tricks” like finger holes, opening doors, and peek holes to encourage interaction and involvement.
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Wordless books that stimulate babies and toddlers visually and mentally. Visual books encourage young readers to create their own stories.
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Books in various formats such as board books, cloth books, small chunky books, and plastic “bath” books.
Here are some activities to bring books and babies together:
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Visit your local public library regularly. Your child will soon learn that books are an important and fun part of life.
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Encourage family members and friends to buy books as presents for your baby, toddler, and all your children.
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Share books with your baby or toddler at a time of day when they’re most alert and full of curiosity. Let them explore books in their own way—grabbing, patting, poking, and literally eating them up.
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Babies love the rhymes, repetition, and rhythms of nursery rhymes. Make them a part of your daily life. While dressing recite “One, two, buckle my shoe”; in the kitchen say “mix and stir and pat in the pan”; or when you go for a walk, sing “Humpty-Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty-Dumpty had a great fall.”
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Keep books visible in different places around the house—not just confined to bookshelves.
In the years between ages 2 and 6, children are ready for stories. They are able to follow a simple narrative with characters, conflict, and resolution. Children rapidly develop language skills during these years and gain confidence about the world around them. It is a time when imagination and curiosity blossom—the perfect time to read picture books and stories aloud. When choosing books for this age, look for slightly more complex texts with good rhythm and word repetition. It’s also important to look at the illustrations in picture books since they play a central role in the storytelling. Here’s what to look for in books for children ages 2 to 6:
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Books that reflect the everyday world familiar to children, like playing with friends, visiting family, and going to sleep.
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Books that encourage children to play with words and phrases.
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Books that both you and your child can enjoy.
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Books with simple, repetitive text that encourages children to read aloud.
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Books that present both extraordinary and ordinary situations.
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Books that will stretch a child’s attention span and build vocabulary.
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Books that confirm and expand a child’s view of the world.
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Books of poetry and verse.
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Theme-related reading to enhance a child’s experiences and events.
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Large-format books for reading to groups of children.
At this stage, selecting books can be as much fun as reading them. If you find your child returning to an old favourite again and again at the library, perhaps it’s time for a trip to your local bookstore to make that special book part of your child’s own library.
And remember: you’re not just teaching your child how to read, you’re also nurturing a love of books and reading. Your child looks at the pictures, listens to your voice, and enjoys your attention and closeness. A positive experience with books in these formative years will set the stage for strong reading skills in the future.
Here are some activities to grow a love of reading in children ages 2 to 6:
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Make regular visits to the library a part of your routine. Get library cards for your children and let them check out their own books. You can help your children choose books, but it is important to respect their choices.
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What better way to introduce your child to an appreciation of art than through the books they love? Read a picture book, and then have your kids design their own cover for the book.
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Combine a favourite book with an activity. After reading My New Shirt by Cary Fagan and illustrated by Dušan Petričić, go shopping for new clothes. Visit the park and look for the animals your children find in In My Backyard by Margriet Ruurs and illustrated by Ron Broda. Or make your own optical illusions after you share The Painted Circus: P.T. Vermin Presents a Mesmerizing Menagerie of Trickery and Illusion Guaranteed to Beguile and Bamboozle the Beholder by Wallace Edwards.
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You can introduce your children to authors and illustrators without ever leaving your home. After you read a book with your children, you can listen to the audiobook version or often find an online reading of the book. For example, visit Bibliovideo, the CCBC's YouTube channel, for story time videos and read-alongs of quality Canadian children's books.
While there are certain mechanics to the process of learning to read, the moment when individual letters morph into meaningful words is pure magic. Suddenly, a child holds the key which unlocks a whole world of adventures. Choosing appropriate books for the beginning reader will help to reinforce this excitement and sense of accomplishment. Here’s what to look for in books for children ages 5 to 8:
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Repetition in language to help reinforce reading skills.
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Books and stories that appeal to the unique interests and personality of the young reader.
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Language appropriate to the reading ability of the reader.
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Language that will stretch and challenge the reader.
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A wide variety of books and reading materials, including fiction, non-fiction, magazines, chapter books, graphic novels, comics, folk and fairy tales, and joke and riddle books.
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Simple stories with strong storylines. If a narrative is too complex, it will slow down and frustrate a beginning reader.
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Material that is presented simply and clearly, with brief and succinct text.
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Engaging stories with enough illustration to ease a reader into full pages of text.
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Books the reader has already enjoyed. Reading familiar, simpler stories helps strengthen reading skills.
At this stage, the role of the adult begins to shift from selecting books for a child to guiding a child to appropriate books. Let the interests of the child lead the way.
As you watch your new reader take off with confidence, remember: reading can be exhilarating, but it’s also hard work. Reading novels one chapter at a time will help to build your child’s vocabulary and comprehension without frustration or fatigue. It is also important to remember that children learn to read at different ages, so be patient, offer encouragement, and let your child find his or her own way.
Here are some activities to help children ages 5 to 8 become passionate readers:
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Create a quiet reading space where a child can enjoy long periods of uninterrupted reading.
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Encourage children to make their own pictures for their favourite stories. Kids can draw pictures using chalk pastels, just like illustrator Georgia Graham does in Wanda and the Frogs, written by Barbara Azore.
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Plan activities that relate to the child’s current book. Go to a museum after you read Breakout Dinosaurs: Canada’s Coolest and Scariest Ancient Creatures Return! by Hugh Brewster, illustrated by Alan Barnard. Go to an open field at night to stargaze after you’ve read Dot to Dot in the Sky: Stories of the Zodiac by Joan Marie Galat, illustrated by Lorna Bennett. Or take a trip to the candy shop after reading Sweet! The Delicious Story of Candy by Ann Love and Jane Drake, illustrated by Claudia Dávila.
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Let children share their own scary stories after reading Don’t Open The Door! by Veronika Martenova Charles, illustrated by David Parkins. Or, learn how the human body works in The Amazing Human Body by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone, illustrated by Steve Harpster.
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Encourage your school, library, or local community centre to host an author, illustrator or storyteller visit during Canadian Children's Book Week. Young readers love to meet the creators behind their favourite books, and these events can inspire a child’s own creativity.
As children grow their reading skills, they plunge into the world of books with new-found confidence. They can now handle books with more complex storylines, understand narratives told from multiple points of view, and empathize with characters. With encouragement and direction, the middle reader will grow into more sophisticated books. Stories with more complexity can provide a solid base from which to explore the world around them. Here’s what to look for in books for children ages 7 to 10:
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A diverse mix of fiction and non-fiction. Middle readers are exploring, tasting and testing everything, so try not to put limits on what they read.
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Books with short episodic chapters, illustrations, and an approachable format.
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Books that are a part of a series. Readers often love to follow the same group of characters through many books and adventures.
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Complex stories with longer chapters, which demand a bit more of a reader.
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Stories linked by theme or genre.
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Books for a slightly older age, which provide the reader with something to “grow into.”
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Sports trivia, horror books, and joke books, which can offer a nice change of pace from a strict diet of fiction.
As children get older, their days are often packed with activities. Still, it’s important to continue to set aside time for family reading.
Here are some activities to help build confidence in children ages 7 to 10:
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Encourage young readers to keep a diary or journal, just like Sally Cohen in Not a Nickel to Spare: The Great Depression Diary of Sally Cohen by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch.
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Find out more about your children’s favourite Canadian authors and illustrators. You’ll find interesting facts and great tips for young creators on authors’ and illustrators’ websites.
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Let your young reader learn more about the world around (and beyond) them with Cynthia Pratt Nicolson and Paulette Bourgeois’s The Jumbo Book of Space, illustrated by Bill Slavin. If they love the environment, take a look at The Eco-Diary of Kiran Singer written by Sue Ann Alderson and illustrated by Millie Balance.
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Have your children write poems of their own after reading Shoe Shakes by Loris Lesynski, illustrated by Michael Martchenko, or Lickety-Split by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by Dušan Petričić.
During these intense years of physical and emotional growth, books can provide a quiet place to explore new ideas and feelings. They give young readers the opportunity to meet characters who struggle with shared concerns and an escape into worlds of fantasy and imagination. Books can guide the reader through struggles with self-identity and help build self-confidence—and they can be fun! Here’s what to look for in books for young readers ages 10 and up:
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High-quality writing that provides a good model on how to communicate through text.
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Novels that tackle mature subjects with nuance and care.
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Books with topics and ideas that reflect the events in the reader’s world.
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Books tailored to the reader’s own experiences.
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Time-proven classics for a reliable reading experience.
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Books that give insights into the reader’s life, identity, and relationships.
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Books that engage with the reader on a wide range of subjects, and at a deep emotional level.
Competent readers still need the help of adults to guide them to their next great book. It’s also important to keep reading aloud to teens. People of all ages love to be read to, and the years spent sharing and enjoying books together shouldn’t end when your children reach adolescence.
Here are some activities to keep young readers ages 10 and up interested in books:
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Read Snitch by Allison van Diepen, Into the Ravine by Richard Scrimger, The End of the World As We Know It by Lesley Choyce or In the Garage by Alma Fullerton. Then, discuss the social and political issues that the authors deal with in these books.
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Take a trip through Canada’s history with books like Sir Charles Tupper: The Bully Who Battled for Canada by Johanna Bertin, illustrated by Gabriel Morrissette, and At Vimy Ridge: Canada’s Greatest World War I Victory by Hugh Brewster.
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Put on a production of Silverwing: The Play by Kim Selody, illustrated by Denis Gougeon, based on the novel by Kenneth Oppel, Two Steps from the Stars by Jean Rock Gaudreault, or one of Dennis Foon’s plays — War or New Canadian Kid and Invisible Kids. You can also let the reader use their creativity and have them adapt their favourite Canadian novel for stage or screen.
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Be sure to encourage the teens in your life to read books on a variety of topics. For example: The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations by Alootook Ipellie and David MacDonald, The Big Book of Pop Culture: A How-to Guide for Young Artists by Hal Niedzviecki and Marc Ngui, and SOS: Stories of Survival by Ed Butts.