Choosing Books for Kids
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Popular Characters
- Barbie
- Barney
- Batman
- Beauty and the Beast
- Berenstain Bears
- Bob the Builder
- Calliou
- Captain Underpants
- Dora the Explorer
- Disney characters
- Finding Nemo
- Garfield
- Hannah Montana
- Henry and Mudge
- Mickey Mouse
- Pokemon
- Raggedy Ann and Andy
- Spider-Man
- Spongebob Squarepants
- Star Wars
- Superman
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- Winnie-the-Pooh
- Yu-Gi-Oh
Born to Read
Prepare your child for the world of reading by developing their early literacy skills.
Not sure where to start? Check out the book suggestions below, or find out more about our Born to Read initiative.
Note to Parents
Helping your child find appropriate reading material requires your guidance and continued support. When choosing books for your child, take into consideration the following:
- Pick up a book and have your child flip through the first few pages. Oftentimes, your child can tell you if there is too much text or if the words are too big.
- Consider your child's two or three favorite books. Compare other books by this standard. Feel free to pick up a few that are slightly easier and slightly harder than their favorite titles!
- Be sure that the subject matter is appropriate for your child's age and/or maturity level. Are they ready to learn about concepts such as manners, math, war or sexuality?
- Be sure to choose books that will keep your child's interest. Are they bored by trucks and fascinated by dinosaurs? Try to choose materials that will make your child excited to read!
Reading Levels & Ratings
Many publishers and independent companies organize books based on different reading level concepts, such as text difficulty, curriculum standards, reading comprehension, etc.
Since there is no reading level or ratings standard for books (unlike movies, music, or video games), the library does not organize books based on reading levels. Instead, we organize titles based on general age groups, author and/or subject matter. To find out more about how books are organized at the library, please see the box below.
For information about Accelerated Reader, Lexile codes or for information about popular books and their age-appropriateness, please take a look at the list of websites provided below.
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Library Terms Demystified
- Board Books For infants and toddlers. The content ranges from basic concepts to simple stories. Board books are made out of hard cardboard, a durable choice for babies who like to rip pages out of books.
- Picture Books
For two to six years old. Picture books are typically 32 pages long with illustrations that are integral to the story. These are often meant to be read aloud while the listener pores over the pictures. This collection includes alphabet and counting books. - Readers For kindergartners through 2nd graders. These are books with limited vocabulary and scattered illustrations, designed to be friendly for those learning to read on their own.
- Juvenile Fiction For 2nd graders to 5th/6th graders. This is a collection of novels for children, often called chapter books. There are books at several levels here, from the Magic Tree House and Junie B. Jones to Harry Potter.
- Juvenile Non-Fiction & Biographies For toddlers to teens. There is something for everyone in non-fiction! Be sure to flip through these books to gauge difficulty, and let your child pick out subjects that sound interesting. This collection includes fairy tales, folklore & poetry.
- Juvenile Magazines For toddlers through ‘tweens. Magazines are a great way to get reluctant readers on board! Subjects range from nature to popular culture to sports and humor.
- Juvenile Audiobooks Audiobooks are also a good alternative for reluctant readers. These titles usually mirror titles found within the juvenile fiction, juvenile non-fiction and teen sections. And don't forget about Playaways!
- Teen Fiction & Non-Fiction For 6th to 12th graders. This is mostly a popular collection, including comics and manga. The main difference between juvenile fiction and teen fiction is subject matter, not reading difficulty.
- Teen Magazines For 5th graders and up. Topics include popular culture and high interest titles such as Transworld Skateboarding, MAD and Seventeen.
Books in Other Languages
For More Assistance
Need more guidance on choosing books?
Check out our Parent/Teacher collection (located behind the Youth Services desk) for books about books, including the ones linked below.
- Books about Books: Children's Books & Reading Includes titles such as Book Crush, Books to Grow With & 100 Best Books for Children.
- Early Literacy & Early Childhood Development Information Find out what you can do to help your child learn to read.
- Websites about Early Literacy Check out these websites for more tips on how to get your child engaged in reading.
Suggested Books
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The Classics
eResources
Get out your library card for this one; you're going to need it!
- Novelist Plus Find lists of award winners, recommended reads, grab-and-go book lists, ratings for age-appropriateness, Lexile codes and much more!
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