gh-jamesrochabrun-skills/skills/kids-book-writer/references/age_guidelines.md

Age-Appropriate Guidelines for Children's Books

Comprehensive guide to developmentally appropriate content for ages 2-9, covering vocabulary, themes, attention spans, and reading levels.

Quick Reference Chart

Age	Reading Stage	Word Count	Vocabulary	Sentences	Concepts	Attention Span
2-3	Emergent Pre-reader	50-200	50-100 unique	3-6 words	Concrete, familiar	5-10 min
3-4	Emergent/Early	200-400	100-200 unique	5-10 words	Simple, visual	10-15 min
4-5	Early Reader	300-600	200-400 unique	6-12 words	Expanded familiar	15-20 min
5-6	Beginning Reader	400-1000	300-600 unique	8-15 words	Abstract concepts	20-25 min
6-7	Beginning Reader	800-1500	400-800 unique	10-18 words	Cause/effect	25-30 min
7-8	Transitional	1500-3000	600-1200 unique	12-20 words	Complex ideas	30-40 min
8-9	Transitional/Fluent	3000-8000	800-2000 unique	15-25 words	Nuanced themes	40-60 min

Ages 2-3: Emergent Pre-Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Recognize familiar objects and people
• Understand simple cause and effect
• Follow 2-3 step directions
• Beginning to understand emotions (happy, sad, mad)
• Love repetition and predictability
• Starting to use imagination

What They Can't Do:

• Abstract thinking
• Complex sequencing
• Understanding time concepts (yesterday, tomorrow)
• Following complex plots
• Sustained attention for long periods

Language Development

Receptive Language (Understanding):

• Vocabulary: 500-1000 words
• Understand simple questions
• Follow simple stories
• Recognize names of familiar objects

Expressive Language (Speaking):

• Using 2-3 word sentences
• Asking simple questions ("What's that?")
• Using some pronouns (I, me, you)
• Can recite familiar lines

Book Specifications

Format:

• Board books (durable)
• 12-24 pages
• One sentence per page (or less)
• Large, clear illustrations
• High contrast colors

Word Count: 50-200 words total

Vocabulary:

• Concrete nouns (dog, ball, mama, car)
• Simple verbs (run, jump, eat, sleep)
• Basic adjectives (big, small, red, blue)
• Familiar concepts only
• 50-100 unique words maximum

Sentence Structure:

"The cat jumps."
"Bunny goes hop, hop, hop!"
"Where is the ball? There it is!"

Themes:

• Daily routines (eating, sleeping, bathing)
• Family and pets
• Simple emotions
• Counting 1-5
• Colors and shapes
• Animal sounds
• Body parts

What to AVOID:

• Scary content
• Complex emotions (jealousy, embarrassment)
• Abstract concepts
• Anything requiring sustained attention
• Small details in illustrations
• Multiple characters to track

Example Books for This Age:

• "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" by Bill Martin Jr.
• "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown
• "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle
• "Where Is Baby's Belly Button?" by Karen Katz

Sample Text (Ages 2-3):

"Time for Bed, Little Cub"

The sun goes down.
The stars come out.
Time for bed, Little Cub.

"Goodnight, Mama."
"Goodnight, Papa."
"Goodnight, Moon."

Little Cub yawns.
Little Cub cuddles.
Little Cub sleeps.

Goodnight, Little Cub.

Analysis:

• Word count: 35 words
• Unique words: 16
• Simple sentences: 1-4 words each
• Repetition: "Little Cub," "Goodnight"
• Familiar concept: bedtime routine
• Soothing, calm tone

Ages 3-4: Emergent Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Longer attention span (10-15 minutes)
• Understand simple stories with beginning, middle, end
• Grasp cause and effect better
• Enjoy pretend play and imagination
• Ask lots of "why?" questions
• Recognize some letters/numbers

What They're Learning:

• Sharing and taking turns
• Following rules
• Basic problem-solving
• More complex emotions
• Simple time concepts (before, after, soon)

Language Development

Receptive: 1000-1500 words Expressive: 4-6 word sentences

Can understand:

• Past and future tense (simple)
• "What," "where," "why" questions
• Comparative concepts (bigger, smaller)
• Basic prepositions (in, on, under)

Book Specifications

Format:

• Picture books
• 24-32 pages
• 1-3 sentences per page
• Illustrations essential to story
• Interactive elements welcome

Word Count: 200-400 words

Vocabulary:

• Expanding beyond immediate environment
• Simple descriptive words
• Action verbs
• Basic emotions (scared, excited, proud)
• 100-200 unique words

Sentence Structure:

"The little red hen found some seeds."
"'Who will help me plant them?' she asked."
"'Not I,' said the cat, the dog, and the pig."

Themes:

• Friendship
• First experiences (school, doctor, haircut)
• Simple problem-solving
• Feelings and emotions
• Being helpful
• Learning new skills
• Nature and animals

Interactive Elements:

• Counting
• Finding objects in pictures
• Repeating phrases
• Call-and-response
• Lift-the-flap
• Touch-and-feel

Example Books for This Age:

• "Llama Llama Red Pajama" by Anna Dewdney
• "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!" by Mo Willems
• "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson
• "Press Here" by Hervé Tullet (interactive)

Sample Text (Ages 3-4):

"Ruby's Rainbow Day"

Ruby loved colors.
Red like apples.
Blue like the sky.
Yellow like the sun!

One rainy morning, Ruby looked outside.
Everything was gray.
"Where are all my colors?" she asked.

She put on her red rain boots—SPLASH!
She opened her yellow umbrella—SWOOSH!
She jumped in puddles—SPLASH, SPLASH, SPLASH!

Then the rain stopped.
The sun peeked out.
And there, in the sky...

A RAINBOW!

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple!
"All my colors!" Ruby laughed.

Every rainy day can have a rainbow.

Analysis:

• Word count: ~100 words
• Unique words: ~70
• Clear beginning, middle, end
• Simple problem (no colors) and solution (rainbow)
• Repetition: Colors, "splash"
• Onomatopoeia: SPLASH, SWOOSH
• Teaches: Colors, optimism, cause-effect (rain → rainbow)

Ages 4-5: Early Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Follow multi-step stories
• Understand consequences
• Grasp basic time concepts
• Enjoy humor and silly situations
• Understand make-believe vs. real
• Beginning letter/sound correspondence

Social-Emotional:

• Developing empathy
• Understanding others' feelings
• Learning cooperation
• Experiencing pride in accomplishments
• May have fears (dark, monsters, separation)

Language Development

Receptive: 1500-2500 words Expressive: Full sentences, some complex grammar

Can understand:

• Past, present, future
• Conditional statements ("If...then")
• Complex questions
• Multiple-meaning words
• Beginning phonics

Book Specifications

Format:

• Picture books (standard 32 pages)
• 1-5 sentences per page
• Illustrations support but don't tell whole story
• Beginning sight words

Word Count: 300-600 words

Vocabulary:

• Pre-K sight words (the, and, is, to, can, see, I, a, in, it)
• CVC words (cat, dog, run, sit)
• Descriptive language
• Emotion words
• 200-400 unique words

Sentence Structure:

"Max loved to build towers with his blocks.
Every day after school, he would stack them higher and higher.
His tallest tower reached all the way to his knee!"

Themes:

• Starting school
• Making friends
• Overcoming fears
• Being yourself
• Trying new things
• Family dynamics
• Simple conflicts and resolutions
• Growing independence

Story Elements:

• Clear problem and solution
• Relatable main character
• 3-part structure (try, try, succeed)
• Emotional growth
• Humor

Example Books for This Age:

• "Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes
• "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt
• "Dragons Love Tacos" by Adam Rubin
• "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae

Sample Text (Ages 4-5):

"Finn's First Day"

Finn was starting school today.
His new backpack felt big and heavy.
His new shoes felt stiff and squeaky.
Everything felt... new.

"What if nobody likes me?" Finn whispered to his mom.

"What if YOU don't like THEM?" Mom winked.

Finn hadn't thought of that.

At school, Finn sat at a table with three other kids.
A girl with pigtails smiled at him.
"I'm Emma. I like your dinosaur shirt!"

"I'm Finn. I like your butterfly clips!" he said.

A boy with glasses pointed to Finn's lunch box.
"Is that a spaceship?"

"Yeah! Do you like space?" Finn asked.

"I LOVE space! I'm Oliver."

By lunch time, Finn had made two new friends.
By home time, he had made five.

"How was school?" Mom asked.

Finn grinned. "I liked them. And they liked me!"

Sometimes new things are actually great things.

Analysis:

• Word count: ~160 words
• Appropriate for being read TO 4-5 year olds
• Addresses common fear (first day of school)
• Shows problem-solving (talking to kids)
• Positive role models (friendly children)
• Reassuring message
• Dialogue moves story forward
• Character growth (worried → confident)

Ages 5-6: Beginning Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Understand complex stories
• Make predictions
• Distinguish fantasy from reality (mostly)
• Understand rules and fairness
• Beginning to read simple words
• Can retell stories in order

Academic Skills:

• Recognizing letters
• Letter-sound correspondence
• Blending sounds
• Sight word recognition
• Writing own name
• Counting to 20+

Language Development

Receptive: 2500-5000 words Expressive: Complex sentences, some grammar errors

Reading Skills:

• Kindergarten sight words (40-50 words)
• CVC words
• Simple phonics patterns
• Following text left-to-right

Book Specifications

Format:

• Picture books OR early readers (Level 1)
• Picture books: 32 pages, more text per page
• Early readers: 32-48 pages, 1-3 sentences per page
• Larger font for independent reading

Word Count:

• Read-aloud picture books: 400-1000 words
• Early readers: 200-500 words (simple, decodable)

Vocabulary:

• Kindergarten sight words
• Simple phonics patterns
• More sophisticated concepts
• Beginning idioms explained through context
• 300-600 unique words

Sentence Structure:

Picture books: "The enormous elephant was worried. She was so big that
she couldn't fit through the door of the party!"

Early readers: "Sam can run. Sam can jump. Can Sam swim? Yes, Sam can swim!"

Themes:

• Growing responsibility
• Self-confidence
• Honesty and integrity
• Perseverance
• Kindness
• Being unique
• Simple moral lessons

Example Books for This Age:

• "Elephant & Piggie" series by Mo Willems (early readers)
• "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak (read-aloud)
• "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn
• "Bob Books" series (decodable readers)

Sample Text for Independent Reading (Ages 5-6):

"The Big Swim"

It was hot.
Sam went to the pool.

Sam could not swim.
All his pals could swim.

"Jump in!" said Jess.
Sam said, "No, thank you."

"It is fun!" said Lin.
Sam said, "Not yet."

Dad said, "I will help you."
Dad got in the pool.

Sam sat on the step.
The step was wet.
The step was not deep.

"This is good," said Sam.

The next day, Sam sat on the step again.
The next day, Sam went to the next step.

Every day, Sam went a bit deeper.

Then one day...
SPLASH!
Sam could swim!

"I did it!" yelled Sam.

Analysis:

• Decodable for beginning readers
• Short vowel CVC words (hot, Sam, can, not, sit, bit)
• Sight words (was, the, said, you, day)
• 1-2 sentences per "page"
• Repetitive structure
• Clear problem (can't swim) and solution (practice)
• Growth mindset message

Sample Text for Read-Aloud (Ages 5-6):

"When Monsters Get Scared"

Everyone thinks monsters are scary.
But you know what?
Sometimes monsters get scared too.

When thunder booms and lightning cracks,
Monster Murray hides under his bed.
(Which is pretty hard when you're eight feet tall.)

When shadows creep across his wall,
Monster Maurice needs a night light.
(A really, REALLY bright one.)

And when there's a strange noise in the closet?
Monster Millie calls for her mom.
(Even though SHE'S the one who usually lives in closets.)

"What are you scared of?" Murray asked Millie one night.

"Butterflies," Millie whispered.

"BUTTERFLIES? They're beautiful!" said Maurice.

"They have too many legs!" Millie shivered.

"I'm scared of birds," said Maurice.

"But you can FLY!" Murray exclaimed.

"Exactly. Birds do it better," Maurice sighed.

"I'm scared of the dark," Murray admitted.

"But you're MADE of darkness!" Millie giggled.

They all laughed.

Everyone is scared of something.
Even monsters.
(Especially butterflies.)

Analysis:

• Word count: ~160 words
• Humor throughout
• Addresses fear (relatable)
• Subverts expectations (monsters scared!)
• Dialogue-driven
• Teaches: Everyone has fears, it's okay
• Sophisticated vocabulary (creep, exclaimed)
• Parenthetical asides add humor

Ages 6-7: Beginning to Transitional Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Read simple books independently
• Understand character motivations
• Make inferences
• Understand metaphors (simple)
• Grasp multiple story threads
• Think logically

Academic Skills:

• Reading CVC words, blends, digraphs
• 100+ sight words
• Basic punctuation
• Simple addition/subtraction
• Writing simple sentences

Language Development

Receptive: 5000-8000 words Expressive: Sophisticated sentences, storytelling

Reading Skills:

• First grade sight words
• Phonics patterns (magic e, vowel teams)
• Reading fluency developing
• Comprehension strategies

Book Specifications

Format:

• Longer picture books OR
• Chapter books (3-10 short chapters)
• More text, fewer illustrations
• 48-64 pages for early chapter books

Word Count:

• Picture books: 800-1500 words
• Chapter books: 1500-5000 words

Vocabulary:

• 1st grade sight words
• Phonics patterns
• More challenging concepts
• Context clues for new words
• 400-800 unique words

Sentence Structure:

"Maya's stomach did a flip-flop as she walked into the cafeteria.
Yesterday, she'd spilled juice all over herself at lunch.
In front of everyone.
Her face still felt hot when she thought about it."

Themes:

• Friendship challenges
• School situations
• Mistakes and redemption
• Being different/fitting in
• Bravery in everyday situations
• Sibling relationships
• Simple mysteries

Example Books for This Age:

• "Junie B. Jones" series by Barbara Park
• "Ivy and Bean" series by Annie Barrows
• "Frog and Toad" series by Arnold Lobel
• "The Magic Tree House" series (later age 6-7)

Sample Text (Ages 6-7):

Chapter 1: The Worst Day Ever (Probably)

I'm Lily, and today was the worst day of my entire second-grade life.

Okay, maybe not the ENTIRE worst. That would be the day I
accidentally called my teacher "Mom." But this was definitely in
the top three.

It started this morning when I couldn't find my lucky pencil.
The purple one with the unicorn eraser.
I NEEDED that pencil for our spelling test.

"Lily, any pencil will work," Mom said.

But that's where she was wrong. My lucky pencil helped me spell
big words like "because" and "they."

Without it? I might spell "because" like "bekuz." And then everyone
would know I didn't have my lucky pencil, and then they'd know I
was bad at spelling without it.

See? Disaster.

Then, at recess, something even worse happened...

Analysis:

• First-person voice (relatable)
• Chapter format (manageable chunks)
• Humor from kid logic
• Age-appropriate concerns (tests, being embarrassed)
• Cliffhanger ending (hook for next chapter)
• Vocabulary: entire, accidentally, disaster
• Shows internal thoughts

Ages 7-8: Transitional Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Read independently for pleasure
• Understand complex plots
• Empathize with characters
• Think critically
• Understand multiple perspectives
• Handle nuanced emotions

Academic Skills:

• Reading fluency
• 200+ sight words
• Multi-syllable words
• Reading comprehension strategies
• Writing paragraphs

Book Specifications

Format:

• Chapter books (8-15 chapters)
• Fewer illustrations (maybe chapter headers)
• 100-150 pages

Word Count: 1500-8000 words (up to 20,000 for robust readers)

Vocabulary:

• 2nd grade level and beyond
• Context clues for new words
• More sophisticated language
• Figurative language
• 600-1200 unique words

Themes:

• Complex friendship dynamics
• Family changes
• Identity and belonging
• Standing up for what's right
• Loss and change (age-appropriate)
• Different cultures and perspectives
• Solving mysteries

Example Books for This Age:

• "Ramona" series by Beverly Cleary
• "Clementine" series by Sara Pennypacker
• "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate
• "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White (higher end)

Ages 8-9: Fluent Readers

Cognitive Development

What They Can Do:

• Read complex chapter books
• Understand abstract concepts
• Analyze character motivations
• Identify themes
• Compare and contrast
• Think hypothetically

Book Specifications

Format:

• Chapter books OR middle-grade novels
• 15-25 chapters
• 150-250 pages

Word Count: 3000-40,000 words

Vocabulary:

• 3rd-4th grade level
• Sophisticated vocabulary
• Figurative language
• Multiple meaning words
• 800-2000 unique words

Themes:

• Complex social issues (age-appropriate)
• Character transformation
• Moral complexity
• Adventure and mystery
• Historical events (simplified)
• Science and nature
• Social justice (introductory)

Example Books for This Age:

• "Wonder" by R.J. Palacio
• "Percy Jackson" series by Rick Riordan
• "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
• "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown

Content Appropriateness by Age

What's Too Scary?

Ages 2-4: ❌ Monsters that aren't silly ❌ Parent leaving/death ❌ Realistic danger ❌ Darkness without comfort

Ages 5-7: ✅ Silly monsters ✅ Temporary separation (school) ✅ Mild suspense with happy ending ❌ Death of main character ❌ Realistic violence

Ages 8-9: ✅ More complex fears ✅ Loss (handled sensitively) ✅ Suspenseful situations ✅ Historical challenges ❌ Graphic violence ❌ Complex trauma

Emotional Complexity

Ages 2-4: Happy, sad, mad, scared (basic) Ages 5-6: Add proud, excited, worried, shy Ages 7-8: Add jealous, embarrassed, frustrated, disappointed Ages 9: Add conflicted, guilty, anxious, determined

Summary Checklist

Before writing, ask:

• Is vocabulary appropriate for age?
• Is sentence length suitable?
• Are concepts concrete enough (for younger) or complex enough (for older)?
• Is emotional content developmentally appropriate?
• Does word count match attention span?
• Are themes relatable to this age group?
• Is reading level matched to skill?

"Meet children where they are, then invite them one step forward."