My part resembles Alice. I have to figure out what the heck the Caterpillar's talking about and pass that on to you. I am a published author about to embark on my first children's book. It is, I envision, for early elementary age children, not just a picture book but a good story with lots of accompanying illustrations. I presume a large part of this is the vocabulary, but I'm not quite certain how to most successfuly accomplish this.
Most publishers categorize their books by age group.
The Book Trust also provides an excellent index describing all reading levels from babies through teenagers, including dyslexic and reluctant readers. Examples of recommended books are offered for each age level. The best way to understand the age group you're writing for is to read recommended books in your category. Winning Children's Books. As you become familiar with the books for different age levels, you will be better prepared to write your story for your target age group.