The Skinny on Writing Children’s Chapter Books

Because I’ve had some decent success writing for children, I often get asked about various aspects of writing for that demographic. It’s a fun demographic. I love seeing younger people excited to read. As a writer, I always try to envision my reader when I’m writing, and it fills me with joy thinking about a reader opening one of my books, excited to delve into my characters and stories.

One of the most frequent questions I get is about the specs for writing chapter books for kids. The answer is straightforward, and I’ll hit the points here quickly.

Chapter books are typically aimed at children between the ages of six and nine. The word count usually runs from 3,000 to 10,000 words depending upon the age of the child (ranging from 3,000 for the six-year-old and 10,000 for the nine-year-old). These are fun to write, and I sort of think of them as short stories divided into short, manageable chapters separated by cliffhangers. Young people, like adults, love cliffhangers!

Children’s chapter books serve as a bridge between early readers (children aged four to eight broken down as pre-readers [ages four to five], emergent readers [ages five to six], and developing readers [ages six to eight]) and middle-grade literature (ages eight to twelve years old).

The stories often focus on children’s everyday experiences. Being a parent, I’ve made notes on both my kid’s crazy antics as they’ve grown up and I rely on those journals for creating novel stories. Experiences vary, so note that when you visualize what age group you’re writing for. There’s a significant difference between boys and girls and between six- and nine-year-olds. Again, visualize your reader. This is not a time when you can shotgun approach it. You need to be focused on who you are writing for.

The plots of children's chapter books are simple and straightforward, not too complex. They do need to be engaging, though. You are dealing with short attention spans, with many things in the world competing for their attention. As writers, we are responsible for making reading a fun experiment for children so they don’t avoid the dreaded task but instead are encouraged through our stellar writing to become lifelong readers. Remember, the simplicity of the plot is not a limitation, but a strength that allows you to engage your young readers effectively.

Thinking again specifically of your reader for this book, you’ll need to be aware of your use of vocabulary words. For whatever age you are writing, look online, and you’ll find a list of recommended and expected vocabulary words for that age group. Use those, but then, as a bonus, look at words for the next age group and add a few of those words as well. Part of what we are doing with chapter books is building vocabulary and using words in context (which makes them easier to remember). When you write, focus on that target reader (usually exemplified by the age of your protagonist, who is probably the same age or a year older than your reader).

Illustrations are yes and no. These are children’s chapter books, so the focus is on chapters. Illustrations are sometimes included at the start of each chapter, sometimes interspersed, but they are certainly less prominent than they are for early readers.

When you start writing a children’s chapter book, think about a main character that you like, enjoy, find humorous, or empathetic. Children’s chapter books are known for series and recurring characters. Children, like adults, love familiar recurring characters, and as writers, if we can stumble upon a character that takes off, we have a built-in audience for a collection of books rather than simply one.

Lastly, I’ve found that the most successful children’s chapter books share humor, adventure, and relatable characters. Children love to laugh, and I love to hear them. They love silliness because they are silly. They love adventures and have fantastic imaginations. Their favorite thing is, let’s pretend. Characters who have adventures play easily into that natural state. Children can’t quite visualize people who are notably different from them. Keep your characters like other children and adults that the child might find in their daily surroundings. Incorporating humor, adventure, and relatable characters is a triple-win for writing for this age group. Remember, the key to a successful children's chapter book is creating characters that your young readers can relate to and see themselves in.

In future posts, we’ll talk about choosing an idea and how to structure the story, but for now, consider writing children’s chapter books if you have never entertained that thought. Speaking to school groups is one of the greatest thrills you’ll have. I love kids. You show up, and they treat you like a rock star. They make your day. Once they catch on to your books, you have an audience that won’t stop.