Are you really a children's author?

Looking at the lists of new children's books coming out, you can't help but notice how many authors who have written books for adults are now turning to the children's market. This trend has been apparent for quite a few years, and may be growing stronger. Why do they do it? Some of them, like many other adults, think writing for children must be easier than writing for adults, but that isn't true. Money also plays a role, as children's publishing has become more lucrative and advances to children's authors are higher than they have ever been. Children's books last longer in the market than most books for adults. Librarians reorder copies of popular books year after year and a successful title brings the author royalties for eight to ten years rather than the two or three year limit on most books for adults. Parents who recognize the name of a popular author is more likely to buy her book than a book by someone who has written only children's books over the years. But the question remains--do the adult authors bring new vision and creativity to their children's books? Some do, others try to slide by with watered down versions of their adult-book plots and characters. It's up to librarians and parents to look carefully at a children's book and not to buy it just because the author happens to be a best-selling writer of thrillers. You can't judge a book by its cover, and often not even by its author. It's the words on the page that count.