NYT Will Now Distinguish Between Middle Grade & YA on Bestseller Lists

The New York Times’ bestseller lists for Children’s Fiction will now be separated into Middle Grade and YA, editor Pamela Paul announced on Twitter Wednesday. The distinction is important because juvenile fiction is among the few divisions seeing growth in the traditional publishing industry. The decision to divide the lists reflects increased attention to the category, and will specifically allow for increased recognition of titles/authors that cater to children aged eight to 12. Middle grade fiction author Nathan Brunsford blogged of the news, “When I say I write children’s books, even children’s novels, people’s minds go straight to picture books. So, needless to say, it was with great interest that I saw the NY Times’ announcement.” The lists will incorporate e-book titles.