: Re: A children's book that takes 25 minutes to read out loud - is it too long? I've written a 3rd grade level (8-9 years old) children's book that takes about 25 minutes to read out loud.

@Connie138

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I agree that you're fine. Longer would be fine too. I will add that generally it is word count that gives you the length ranges for each age category (not that they're strict but that publishers will generally want books within the ranges).

I've done a fair bit of reading out loud. To my own daughter and her friends, at different ages, to other kids I know, to students I've had or borrowed, and to other adults.

How fast I read depends on a lot of factors. My audience, their temperament that particular hour, how many pictures there are and how long it takes to show everyone the pictures and/or talk about them, if the child has heard the book before, if the child/children interject, and my mood as well (am I enjoying myself volunteering in a classroom with no real time limits or am I trying to get my kid to fall asleep so I can go check Facebook?).

Take different people and you get a whole new set of speeds.

I'd go with word count. Here's a good summary. www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/word-count-for-novels-and-childrens-books-the-definitive-post

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