Are you Writing a Middle Grade or Chapter Book?

Sometimes when I tell people I write middle grade, they nod knowingly and say “Cool. Like a chapter book, then?”

Then I respond, “Well, no, not really. I mean, yes, middle grade books in fact do contain chapters. Lots of them, usually. But middle grade books are different from chapter books.”

The conversation usually stops because pizza delivery guy doesn’t usually care why or how middle grade books are different from chapter books.

But if you’re reading this, I suspect that you do.

A chapter book:

• Has a main character who is between the ages of 7-10, and can be anthropomorphic (e.g., a talking dog).
• Is illustrated, sometimes on every page, usually in black and white.
• Sticks to a word count of between 5,000 and 20,000 words (an average of 45-60 pages)
• Is action-focused, with minimal internal character development.
• Aims for readers aged 7-10.

 Examples of chapter books are The Magic Treehouse, Flat Stanley, or Amelia Bedelia series.

A middle grade book:

• Has a main character who is between the ages of 10-13.
• Contains few illustrations.
• Has a word count of between 25,000 – 40,000 words (an average of 150-200 pages)
• Features both a well-developed character journey and motive-driven plot.
• Aims for readers aged 8-12.

Examples of middle grade books are here, here, and here

If you write middle grade, you know how important it is to make sure your work is relevant to your reader. Understanding the distinctions between chapter books and middle grade is a great first step.

Happy Writing!

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.