Book Genres

We aim to make book browsing easy and enjoyable for our youngest patrons. One of the ways we help is by sorting our picture books and beginning chapter books into genres. This means that a selection of books that are similar in theme have been grouped together. When browsing these various genres, you will find books alphabetized by the author’s last name.

Picture Books

To help young patrons and their grown-ups easily identify these genres, colored stickers have been placed on the top of the book. We have collected books for the following genres.

Big Beasts– Books about dinosaurs, dragons, monsters, alligators, sharks and all things beast like

On the Move- Books featuring planes, trains, boats, cars, trucks, and construction vehicles

Favorite Pets– Books all about dogs, cats, fish, and other pets

Building Blocks– Books featuring colors, numbers, shapes, and nursery rhymes

Once Upon a Time– Books about princesses, classic fairytales and fairytale retellings

Favorite Friends– Books with beloved popular characters such as Curious George, Pete the Cat, Fancy Nancy, and Berenstain Bears

On the Farm- Books with farm animals, harvest, farm vehicles and living on the farm

The remainder of our picture book collection featuring additional themes is alphabetized by author last name next to the genre section. 


Beginning Chapter Books

The chapter book collection targeted for independent readers has been grouped by genre as well. The first three letters of the call number on the book’s spine label tell you which genre a book belongs to.

JCR– Creepy books such as haunted libraries, cemeteries, the creepy puppet series, ghost stories, and haunting tales to spook readers- but not too much

JAD– Adventurous books featuring epic travels, long journeys and discovering new worlds for the reader who longs to travel

JSP– Sports themed books with athletes from hockey, dance, cheer, football, baseball, track and other sports for athletic minded readers

JFS– Fantasy books including stories with dragons, fairytales, magic, and pretend for the readers who like make-believe

JHR– Stories full of giggles, silly antics, and funny characters sure to entertain and make readers laugh out loud

JMY– Books with mysteries to solve and clues to find for problem-solving readers

JRL– Books featuring real life situations like friendship, school, and life for the readers who want realistic stories

JAN­– Books with animal main characters for the readers who love horses, dogs, cats, and animal antics of all kinds

JGN– Graphic novel books with stories told in pictures and words for the reader who loves a good visual to go along with the story

JSH­– Superhero books that feature heroes who save the day for the reader who wants high flying action or capes