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Carolina Sanchez
Instructor: Scott Kneece
Writing 2
9 June 2016
Childrens Books vs. Novels

As a beginner to writing, sometimes it can be difficult to understand how different genres

are developed. When we start to familiarize ourselves with different genres, we begin to notice
the different features that distinguishes the genres from each other. As we continue to read
different genres we also increase our knowledge and therefore are able to describe the
conventions of each genre more thoroughly. As I began to analyze childrens books and novels I
was able to see the differences and similarities within them such as the audience, purpose,
context and many other conventions that I could use to help me compare and contrast these two
genres.
When we look at childrens books it is clear that the language is simple and
straightforward. Many of these books have a very basic sentence structure in order to make it
easy for children to understand. These books have a rhyming pattern that is entertaining and fun
to children. These rhyming pattern can be catchy and therefor appealing to children. For
example, the title itself for the book, The Cat in the Hat, rhymes making it easy for children to
remember. In general, the storyline of a childrens book is short and contains maybe about two
to three characters in order for children to be able to keep up with the storyline. These characters
usually go on an adventure that is exciting. Many of these adventures are real life situations that
help children learn what is right or wrong. In the book Curious George Goes Camping, the

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book contains short sentences, and a couple of characters that go on an adventure. In this book
the main character, Curious George, learns how to camp and the safety procedures someone
should take while camping. The purpose of this book is to entertain and capture a childs
attention, but at the same time educate or teach them lessons and morals. Its brevity keeps
children interested and its short and simple storyline makes it easy for young kids to keep
reading. It is clear that the goal of a childrens book is to create a story that can be easily
understood, but at the same time also explain a life lesson. In order to achieve this goal, the genre
must meet certain expectations. Children dont want to read something that is intended for adults
or teenagers because to them it might be boring or confusing. In order to develop something that
children will want to read, the author must think of ways that will be appealing to children.
In order to grab the attention of a child, a childrens book is designed with simple
vocabulary, imagery, rhyming patterns, short sentences, and pictures. When you begin to read a
childrens book it usually starts off by painting a picture of its surroundings. Every page in a
childrens book tends to have a picture that supports what the short passage is saying. Childrens
books use bright colors, familiar objects to children, and often exaggerate certain parts of the
picture. In The Cat in the Hat, the book starts by saying, The sun did not shine. It was too wet
to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold, wet day. This passage is supported by a
picture of two kids inside of their home looking out the window. Due to the heavy rain they are
not able to go outside and play like they would like. As we can clearly see the passage is
emphasized by using a visual that will bring the passage to life since pictures in childrens books
are usually the main focus. Some children may not know how to read or understand the language
that is used so with a picture they can form an idea in their head of what is happening throughout
the story. In childrens books, pictures are meant to be simple, but also well-developed in order

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to describe what is being read. These pictures are supported by passages from the book that are
commonly written in a poetry style.
The passages in a childrens book tend to be very short and instead of a paragraph style
they use a poetry format. This poetry format may consist of repetition, imagery, personification,
rhyme, short sentences etc. From the example in the book The Cat in the Hat, we notice that
the sentences are very short and the last word of every other sentence rhyme with each other. The
brevity of the passages is designed to be easy for children to read on their own, the rhyming of
words makes it fun and captures the attention of children. In a children's book you don't want to
use long or complicated words because children might not know the meaning of certain words.
During the age that children read these books they are still in the process of learning how to read.
Childrens books are not only entertaining and easy for children to read but they can also help
children learn how to read and comprehend. Unlike a novel where the reader is already capable
of reader at a higher level and is able to understand more complicated story plots.
In comparison, a novel is long, has complex vocabulary and sentences, longer storyline
and is intended for a different audience. Novels have a different audience so they tend to have a
different structure. Novels are usually directed towards teenagers or adults. At this age the
readers are able to understand more complex and descriptive language. The author no longer has
to use simple grammar and therefore, the author is able to experiment with the way they structure
their writing. A novel uses paragraphs instead of using short passages because in a novel you
want to be as descriptive as possible in order to keep the reader interested. To keep the reader
interested you want to give them background information and build up the storyline as the reader
moves along the novel. Novels are often written in the first person; as a reader you begin to put
yourself in the place of the person narrating the novel. The purpose of writing a novel in the first

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person is to make it possible for the readers to feel connected to the book and therefore want to
keep reading until the end. In the beginning the author makes sure to grab the reader's attention
by setting up a scenario that seems very realistic and relatable.
A novel usually begins by telling you whats happening in the present day or it
reminisces on past events that will later be important to the novel as a whole. In the book The
Fault in our Stars, it starts off by saying, Late in the winter of my seventeenth year, this is
different from the beginning of the book, Curious George Goes Camping. In this book the
author starts off by saying, This is George. He was a good monkey The beginnings are
different because the author has different intentions for the audience. In a childrens book you
want the reader to understand what is being said in the simplest way possible. In a novel, the
author wants to grab the readers attention in order to keep them entertained.
The purpose of both of these genres is to entertain the reader, but this purpose is fulfilled
differently in each genre. In a novel you dont want to use pictures throughout the book, but
rather you want to use very descriptive language that will help the reader paint a picture in their
head. On the other hand, in a children's book you want to use as many pictures as possible to
keep the reader entertained and allow them to easily understand the what they are reading.
Although, the purpose of each genre is fulfilled differently, the context can be similar, but there
are still some subtle differences. You might read a childrens book before bed time, or during
school. A novel is also intended to be a recreational activity. Novels can be read during free time
such as, during a bus ride home, after school, or while on a road trip. Novels can also be intended
for the classroom just like childrens books, the only difference is that novels tend to be read over
a long period of time so the author divides them into chapters so it gives the adult reader a
chance to pick back up the novel at different times in case the reader decides to take a break from

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the novel, For example, a novel can be assigned to be read in a college creative writing class or
in a high school English class over a long period of time to allow the students to analyze
different parts of the novel at different times.
In order to know the difference between a novel and a childrens book and the context
they should be used you must have some background information on both of those genres. If a
reader had no clue about the different conventions that make up a childrens book and novel, they
might see these two genres as just books. Realizing that these two genres are not just books is
important because it helps the reader understand the purpose behind creating the two genres
differently. Kerry Dirk states in her essay, I hope to give you an awareness of how genres
function by taking what is often quite theoretical in the field of rhetoric and composition and
making it a bit more tangible (Navigating Genres, 250). Genres are more than just mysteries,
romance, comics, sports, action, etc. (Dirk, 250). Genres have conventions that make each one of
them unique.
In conclusion, there are many different conventions for a childrens book and a novel.
The point of a childrens book is to be short, simple and to the point. The audience is young and
therefore the books should be relatively easy to read and understand. On the other hand, a novel
should be more formal, highly detailed, and with a longer storyline. Although the audience and
context are different for childrens books and novels, the purpose is the same. The purpose for
both of these genres is to entertain the reader and keep them wanting to read more. The different
conventions between these two genres is what allows us to be able to distinguish them from each
other. If we didnt have these conventions there would be no way for us to know the difference
between a novel and a childrens book.

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Works Cited
Dirk, Kerry. "Navigating Genres." Ed. Pavel Zemliansky. Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing.
Ed. Charles Lowe. Vol. 1. West Lafayette, IN: Parlor, 2010. 249-62. Print.
Green, John. The Fault in Our Stars. New York: Dutton Juvenile, 2012. Print.
Rey, Margret, and Alan J. Shalleck. Curious George Goes Camping. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,
1990. Print.
Seuss. The Cat in the Hat. New York: Random House, 1985. Print.