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Lucy Scribner Library

Children's Literature

How do I find children's literature?

To find children's literature on a particular topic, use the Library Catalog. You can search for a title or author by just typing either or both in the search boxes. 

If you are searching by subject, in one of your search boxes type the term "juvenile" and limit that box to "Subject." You can then type other terms in the additional boxes. 

Catalog search with the word "juvenile" typed in the first box and limited to Subject and the word "mummies" in the secodn search box.

How do I find children's literature in different languages?

  • To find children's literature in a language other than English, use the Advanced Catalog Search.
  • Type the word "juvenile" in the search box and limit that search to the subject field.
  • Select the language you're searching for under the "Language" dropdown menu. 

Where's the children's literature?

The Children's room is located on the 3rd floor of the library and contains a variety of children's material including fiction and nonfiction picture books and novels. 
Fiction books are organized in alphabetical order by the author. Nonfiction books and poetry are organized by the Dewey Decimal system.  If you're searching for a particular book, check the catalog. 

Dewey Decimal System

000 - Generalities 500 - Natural Sciences & Math
100 - Philosophy & Psychology 600 - Technology (Applied Sciences)
200 - Religion 700 - The Arts
300 - Social Sciences 800 - Literature
400 - Language 900 - Geography, History, & Biography

New Books

Award Winners

Our collection includes the winners of the following children's book awards as well as some of the honoree books for each award. Consult the library catalog for call number locations.

Popular Topics Search Terms

When searching popular topics, there are certain search terms that may work better than others. Here are some popular topics with their preferred search terms.

  • Bedtime - Search Terms: Bedtime and Sleep
  • Disabilities & Special Needs - Search Terms: Disabilities, Blind, Deaf, Autism, etc.
  • Environment & Nature - Search Terms: Nature, Ocean, Forest, Marine, Pollution, etc.
  • Fear & Anxiety - Search Terms: Anxiety and Fear
  • Feelings - Search Terms: Emotions, Sadness, Happiness, and Anger
  • Friendship - Search Terms: Friendship and Best Friends 
  • Grief / Loss - Search Terms: Grief, Death, Bereavement, and Loss
  • Identity & Self-Esteem - Search Terms: Identity, Self-Esteem, Self-Confidence, Individuality
  • Migration - Search Terms: Refugees, Emigration, Immigration, and Immigrants
  • Racism - Search Terms for Racism: Racism, Race relations, and Prejudices
  • Slavery -Search Terms for Slavery: Slavery, Slaves, and Underground Railroad

Books to Read Aloud

Early Chapter Books, Novels, & Graphic Novels

There is both an early chapter book and novels section in the collection. 

  • Early chapter books are targeted for readers just moving beyond picture books while novels are targeted for elementary and middle school readers.
  • Middle Grade novels are geared toward young readers, usually ages 8-12. They tend to be longer than chapter books, and may feature more complex characters, plot lines, and themes.
  • Graphic Novels are integrated into the Novels collection with a few in the Picture Books.
  • YA novels (grades 9-12) are now located in our circulating collection with call numbers beginning with PZ.