Monthly Meeting: March 2026 – Author Anna Lindsey

The March Monthly Meeting introduced author Anna Lindsey, who discussed how understanding kidlit age categories is vital for every children’s book author and illustrator, especially in the current climate of book banning. Anna presented the key differences between each kidlit age category, from board book to young adult, and why these distinctions matter. In addition, relevant examples were explored and hands-on exercises were conducted to practice what was learned.

Anna writes books for children and young adults and is currently unpublished. She is an instructor for Penn State University's College of Communications and holds a B.S. in Public Relations from the University of Texas along with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University.

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Board Books:

• Ages 0-3
• Two types: written as board books; adapted into board books
• Board book publishing cons: expensive and challenging to print; thick and heavy; take up extra shelf space; difficult to ship; cannot be printed on demand; publishers do not make much money on board books, so they need proper motivation to want to risk printing them
• Often considered the first modern board book: PAT THE BUNNY (1940)

Picture Books:

•  Ages 3-8

•  Authors and illustrators should study the stages of child development to inform all writing and illustrating 

• Picture books can span a wide range of ages

• Written mainly for adults to read to kids, picture books may include advanced topics about the world around us, which can help create more compelling stories

Early Reader:

• Ages 4-7

• Carefully written to teach kids how to read (ie. “I Can Read” series)

• Uses repetition to help teach 

•Categories: boxed sets; character series

Confident Reader Sub-category:

• Narrative arc: story has beginning, middle and end

• Protagonists with agency and who change

•Stories with immediacy: characters and perspectives match the ages of the readers

Chapter Books:

• Ages 7-10

Middle Grade:

• Ages 8-12

Young Adult:

• Ages: 13-18

Four Factors of Differentiation between Middle Grade and Young Adult: 

1. Physical Age
2. Emotional Age
3. Content/Subject Matter
4. Prose Level and Style

• MG vs. YA = ability vs. identity; outward vs. inward; home vs. independence

For Example:

• Middle Grade: By learning to play the French horn, the main character makes friends and returns home

• Young Adult: By learning to play the French horn, the main character explores personal discovery and themes of fitting in, including how learning an instrument and participating in an orchestra affects personal feelings, varying factors of life, overcoming obstacles, and future goals of independence

Exercise:

Test your knowledge of writing for kidlit categories by using the prompt “love” (or a prompt of your choosing) to write a few sentences for each category: Board Book (0-3); Picture Book (3-8); Early Reader (4-7); Chapter Book (7-10); Middle Grade (8-12); Young Adult (13-18) — Illustrators can do the same exercise by creating sketches applicable to each category

Caveat: 

•  Most often, kids read at or above their level, but not below their level

Resources:

• Wordcount Dracula—use Accelerated Reader to find word counts of most books
• Authors Against Book Bans
• Texas Freedom to Read