How to Find a Great Children's Book

Last weekend, I received a beautiful collection of picture books at my baby shower. Reading the stories that resonated with my friends and that they thought Baby would enjoy was a special experience. It also got me thinking: How do you choose a good children’s book?

Books I was gifted at my baby shower.

For the past few years, I have been sharing book and graphic novel recommendations for kids and young adults in La Lettura delle Ragazze e dei Ragazzi, a Corriere della Sera newspaper supplement.

Without sounding too prim, writing these recommendations is a responsibility I do not take lightly. Young people are harsh critics, and as with school and the era of social media, there are few chances to reinvent yourself, especially if you say something stupid. I am still learning this. When I log in to Facebook, it haunts me with silly things I said 15 years ago (this is despite recently trying to delete my entire Facebook Wall). Some things from your past are indelible. 

I get a similar fear when it’s time to suggest a new book for La Lettura. My career as a writer and author isn’t that well-established. What if I make the wrong choice, and nobody wants to work with me again? These things keep me up at night, at least for now. 

To aid the anxiety, I have developed a quick checklist to help me decide on titles for La Lettura. I hope it will also help you select books for the young people in your life. 

1. Is the book a very popular choice?

If that is the case, I would probably say to keep searching.

Dav Pilkey, for example, has already achieved a god-like status in the cut-throat world of children’s publishing. Dog Man and Captain Underpants are front and centre of bestseller lists, bookstores, and library displays wherever you go. That is not to deride Dav’s writing or success, but just a guess that the kid you're buying for has likely devoured everything Dav has ever written (I’ve yet to meet a kid who doesn’t love his books)! I would say the same thing if you were considering gifting a modern classic. Growing up, my sister and I received no less than four copies of Sophie’s World from well-meaning friends and family. 

A safer alternative is to choose a new book by a lesser-known author that shares a similar writing style, story theme, or genre to the child's typical enjoyment. Additionally, selecting a book by an author from an underrepresented group can provide further value. Books that are ‘new takes’ on well-loved tales can be fun, too!

Two fantastic graphic novels I recently recommended in La Lettura. And look, there’s that Dav Pilkey again!

2. Are the characters relatable?

No need to be too on-the-nose with this. Kids love books with characters who live in the past or alternate universes. However, they need to see similarities with how the characters live, think, or make decisions to empathise with them and their journey. 

As Joan Aiken put it in The Way to Write for Children (an excellent book that was recommended to me by the author Davide Morosinotto), “Children need to get from the stories they read a sense of their own inner existence, and the archetypal links that connect them with the unexplored past” (p17).

Books that infantilise childhood or reinforce stereotypes about gender or race, for example, are probably not going to resonate with today’s readers, let alone promote diversity and inclusion or a broader worldview.

Unfortunately, many books you probably used to love as a youngster may have already passed their sell-by-date. How can you check? Goodreads.com can be a useful way to find newer reviews of older books (and recommended reading ages) if you don’t have the time to re-read the book yourself. Also, if the book was recently reprinted and given new cover art, it probably means it passed the critique of a ‘sensitivity reader.’ Ask the bookseller or the internet if you’re still unsure about the book in question.

3. Is there a plot?

Adults are more likely to put up with books that put less emphasis on the plot, whereas kids tend to get bored more quickly. My personal opinion is that stories devoid of plot are likely to be lazy, navel-gazing bullshit, and there is not enough time to get through them. 

When reading a book’s back cover, I look for the bit in the blurb that clearly expresses that something life-changing will happen. If you read of that moment within the first few pages of the opening chapter, you know the writer has prioritised the plot. Similarly, I always include that quick ‘hook’ when writing book recommendations for La Lettura and my own stories. 

4. Does the art look good?

Eye-catching covers and easy-to-follow illustrations will significantly influence whether the book you are giving gets a deeper glance. Even more so for picture books and graphic novels, where imagery drives the story. If you can’t follow the story from the imagery inside a book, the art is bad. It takes a lot of people to put together a graphic novel or picture book, and there is no excuse for a poor job!

As much as I still love and treasure the moody, retro quality of my Judy Blume and Baby-sitters Club book covers, they are only sentimental to me and other readers my age. This kind of imagery, while intricately drawn and painted (often with oils!), is not fashionable anymore, especially for kids today, who tend to have a more ‘grown-up’ sense of style.  

Ten years ago I attended a Judy Blume Q&A for her book, In the Unlikely Event. I took along a bundle of books for her to sign, which she very kindly did (this never, quite rightly, seems to be allowed at signings these days. I’m sorry if I ruined it for everyone). Anyway. I remember Judy and the event manager smiling at my kitsch collection. Judy even remarked how happy she was that those book covers had been given a makeover. When I asked why, the event manager looked at me quizzically and simply uttered, “Sales.” 

So, don’t doubt yourself too much when you reach for that children’s book with digital illustrations and highly saturated colours. The bookstore is now full of them. 

Judy Blume book editions published in 1994, 1998, and 2012. All signed by the legend! :)

5. Would you read it? 

While children’s books are for children, a good book is a good book. There should be no shame in reading something for which you are not the primary target if it’s enjoyable. This feels especially important given the rather sobering news that the age of deep reading is over. If you still read for pleasure and can inspire others to do so through a simple gift, you are helping to enrich that young person’s potential for learning and imagination. That can only be a good thing.

… And, if you’re still stuck on which book to buy, you can always call their family and ask them if they have read any Dav Pilkey. If not, get the kid a book token. Even better, take them to a bookstore and see what grabs their attention.

If you feel inclined, please report back on what they choose!