We asked our senior commissioning editor how long a children's book should be. Here's what she had to say...

We receive countless submissions from authors who are eager to see their work in print. It's a noble aim, and I love reading through them - usually with a nice cup of tea and a biscuit or two. If something stands out to me, I take it to the rest of the team and we discuss its potential as an Emira Press title. 

One of the most commonly asked questions - and indeed one of the biggest turn-offs for commissioning editors - relates to the number of words submitted. Sometimes manuscripts are too short, and we feel they need more meat on their bones before we can snap them up. More commonly, they are way too long and we need to grab the pruning shears to hack them back. 

The latter is definitely my preferred scenario. It's much easier to refine a long text than try to pad out a piece that's too short. But given that there seems to be a lack of clarity among children's book authors, I thought I'd offer up some helpful guidelines.

Picture books - around 600 words across 32 pages

Typically for readers aged 0 to 5 (though some have an older readership), picture books should be short and sweet. The aim is to draw young readers in with beautiful, engaging illustrations, delivering a gentle story that an adult can read aloud without the child getting bored and wandering away. For babies, 200 words or under may be enough, and for those at the higher end of the age scale, 1,000 may be appropriate. Anything over that would immediately turn little readers (and me) off. Have fun with interesting sounds, and consider incorporating rhyme or repeated phrases that young children can latch on to and try out for themselves.

Early readers - between 1,000 and 2,000 words across 32 to 64 pages

Aimed at children aged between 5 and 8, early readers should be simple enough for adults to read aloud to kids at the lower end of the scale, and for children at the higher end of the scale to read themselves. We're typically looking for something in the region of 1,000 to 2,000 words - maximum 2,500 for older readers. Language should be simple and engaging, with plenty of repetition and memorable characters. Illustrations should be used tactically to break up the text without causing new readers to lose momentum. A mixture of full-page pictures and vignettes can work really well for early reader books.

Middle-grade books - between 20,000 and 50,000 words across 80 to 304 pages

Middle-grade or chapter books can be a fair bit longer - closer to 20,000 for 8-year-olds and 50,000 for 12-year-olds. By this stage we're looking for more complexity in theme, character and language, while remaining mindful of the distinction between middle-grade and young adult books. If your manuscript is way above the word count and deals with controversial themes, you may want to consider an older target market. Chapters in a middle-grade title should be short and suspenseful, encouraging the reader to skip on to the next chapter. Illustrations are optional, but are usually black-and-white for this age bracket, and may be limited to funky chapter openers or a handy map. We love to include text-related activities at the end of our books to reinforce learning and give parents/teachers unique ways to keep their kids happily occupied.

If you've written or are in the process of writing a children's book, we'd love to connect with you. Let us know about your latest WiP on Facebook and Twitter. Why not check out our books and read our submissions guidelines, too?

Susanna x