MARCH MONTHLY MEETING: Age Isn’t Just a Number: Exploring Age Categories in Kidlit

When it comes to kidlit, age is more than just a number. Our readers span the developmental stages from first steps to leaving the nest (with countless important moments in between) and our writing must keep pace. Understanding age categories is a vital part of our writing and illustrating practice, especially in the current climate of book banning. In this session, we’ll discuss the key differences of kidlit age categories, from board book to young adult, and why these distinctions matter now more than ever. Then, we’ll explore relevant examples and do hands-on exercises to practice what we’ve learned.

Anna Lindsey writes books for children and young adults. She has a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Texas and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. She is an active member of the Austin SCBWI Chapter, where she serves as the social media volunteer and was a finalist for the 2024 Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award. By day, Anna teaches strategic communications at Penn State University. Her communications career experience runs the gamut from being part of the communications team for a tech unicorn’s successful IPO and ghostwriting bylines for publications like Forbes to wrangling media for headlining shows like Mötley Crüe and Aerosmith.