LARL Youth Classifications

Do you ever wonder what the following letters represent in the catalog or on the spine of a book?

“E”            “Easy Reader”            “J”            “Y”

E or Easy materials, also known as picture books, are books with comparatively few words and at least one picture on each two-page spread.  This is a great resource for adults to read to children. They are available in both fiction and nonfiction.

Board Books are sturdy books, which are easy for babies and toddlers to handle.

EXAMPLES: E M (Fiction) or E 573.8 Jen (Nonfiction)

Easy Readers materials are fiction and nonfiction books geared towards children learning to read.  They usually have a picture on each page with large text and few words.

EXAMPLES: Easy Reader E H (Fiction) or Easy Reader E 428.1 CLE (Nonfiction)

J or Juvenile materials are for elementary/middle school students.   These materials are available in both fiction and nonfiction.  Many J-level Fiction materials are a part of a series, which is very appealing to this age group.  Many of the J-level nonfiction items are helpful to adults who are interested in particular topics.

EXAMPLES: J Fun (Fiction) or J 641.5 LAG (Nonfiction)

Y or Young Adult materials are geared towards junior/senior high school and above.  Depending on a customer’s reading level some preteens are ready for Y materials, while others may not be ready for the mature content, which often separates Y from J.  Y materials are only available in fiction.

EXAMPLES: Y Mar (Fiction Only)