Children's and youth literature

Jigsaw artwork response to children's literature.

Children’s and young adult (YA) literature is rich and diverse, spanning multiple formats and genre. Increase your knowledge and understanding of the literature, and discover strategies to evaluate and promote it to engage students in reading.

Use our guides for exploring children's and YA literature

Contents

Books arranged by genre inside a school library with signage in te reo Māori and English.

Genres and forms in children's and young adult (YA) fiction

Find out about popular genres and forms for children's and young adult (YA) fiction. Use this page as a guide when choosing books for your students or yourself, or when requesting books through our lending service.
Photo showing non-fiction books, displayed on shelves, available through National Library's school lending service.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction is a vast genre of informational writing. Non-fiction books come in many forms and formats, and are relevant to learning across the curriculum.
Girls reading picture books.

Picture books

Learn what makes a good picture book and how to use them to engage students with reading.
A selection of early chapter books.

Early chapter books

Early chapter books (young fiction) help young readers transition from picture books to fiction. This stage of reading can span a number of years and a range of reading needs, from eager young readers to struggling older readers.
A young person enjoying a sophisticated picture book.

Sophisticated picture books

Sophisticated picture books weave words and pictures to tell a story, making them highly effective at engaging students with reading. Visual and literary features provide subtle subtexts and require readers to draw on existing knowledge.
2 tweens reading a book in the school library

Books for tweens

Capturing the imagination of your tween readers (aged about 9–12 years) requires a broad range of genres and formats — fiction and non-fiction with plenty of series fiction, humour, and mystery.
A selection of books about poetry from National Library's school lending service.

Poetry

Find out how poetry enhances wellbeing through self-expression and empathy, and engages children with reading and writing. Using wordplay, humour, and insights into the ordinary and extraordinary, poetry captures emotions and can confront serious issues.
A vibrant display of verse novels — available for schools to borrow through National Library's school lending service.

Verse novels

Verse novels are a form of poetry. Straightforward, shorter, and faster to read than a novel, they are appealing to a wide variety of readers.
Boys reading graphic novels

Graphic novels

Graphic novels are a long-form type of comic. Find out how to use them to engage readers and develop visual literacy skills.
A selection of books in multiple languages from the National Library's World Language collection, available through their school lending service.

Books in world languages

Books in world languages help reinforce a sense of identity. Having them for students to enjoy, allows you to build a culture of inclusion and acceptance. Read how to support a collection in your class or school library and use the books to engage readers.
School librarian or teacher searching through shelves for childrens's and young adult (YA) books

Books and Reads — for kids and teens

Use our Books and Reads tool to explore, find, and share children’s and young adult (YA) books and reviews, and find reading communities.
Reading engagement
Children's and youth literature