Children's literature differs from that of adults in that the content is limited by children's experience and understanding. Children's books are centered on children; intrinsic personal values are fundamental to children's literature. Among other values, books provide enjoyment, give vicarious experiences, and develop insight into human behavior. Books also offer educational values such as language development and the development of a sense of story. Thoughtful evaluation of children's literature requires an understanding of criteria for many genres of books. In this chapter, we focus on evaluating the literary elements of plot, setting, theme, characterization, style, point of view, illustration, and format. We also discuss the numerous awards for children's literature; in the United States, the most prestigious prizes are the Newbery and Caldecott Awards.

Recent trends show that the children's book industry is a major economic venture. There have been an increased number of mergers between publishing houses and large conglomerates. Hardcover fiction, especially fantasy, is currently prominent. There is an increased emphasis on the visual, especially in the rise of graphic novels, interactive picture books, and toy books. Series books remain popular and movie tie-ins are on the rise. Celebrity authors are appearing on the best-seller lists. Many changes are taking place in writing and illustrating styles. Multimodal books with shifting points of view cross conventional genre lines. Technology advances have also encouraged experimentation with new tools for picture making. The Internet and the World Wide Web have had great impact on the world of children's books. Books are available on-line in digital form, and many authors have their own web sites. Children can enter chat rooms to discuss books with other readers from around the world. Today's youth are multiliterate.