A chapter book is a story book intended for intermediate readers, generally age 7-10.[1][2] Unlike picture books for younger readers, a chapter book tells the story primarily through prose, rather than pictures. Unlike books for older readers, chapter books contain plentiful illustrations. The name refers to the fact that the stories are usually divided into short chapters, which provide children with opportunities to stop and resume reading if their attention spans are not long enough to finish the book in one sitting. Chapter books are usually works of fiction of moderate length and complexity.
The New York Times Best Seller list of Children's Chapter Books has included books with intended audience age ranges from 6 to 14 and up.[3] This may reflect a straightforward interpretation of "chapter books" as those books directed at children that are long enough to include chapters. However, some publishers such as Scholastic Corporation and Harper Collins include the phrase "chapter book" in series titles aimed specifically at younger readers, including the I Can Read! series and the Magic School Bus series.