臺灣的各種兒童圖書館常收藏豐富的知識性讀物,卻一直缺乏評鑑這類作品的標準,本文即試圖彌補這方面的空隙。中文兒童文學的論述,少關注這方面,但英文的著作,卻不乏相關的討論。本文嘗試檢視蒐集到的英文論述,比較、分析後,發現學者論知識性讀物評鑑標準,並不因為讀者是兒童或少年而有差異。甚至幼兒與少年,年齡雖有明顯分野,評鑑標準仍然是大同小異。而各種意見,雖然繽紛繁多,大要仍可歸納為四個方面,即:準確與真實、組織、文體風格、版面設計與插圖。同時,文中舉出中外知識性作品中,出色和遜色的實例,幫助具體說明。此外,亦指出英語學者論評鑑標準的意見之中,有待商榷之處。
There is lack of research on the criteria of children's informational books in Chinese, although there is a great deal of informational books in children's libraries. In this article I reviewed criteria from different professional books in English on children's and young adult's informational books. I discovered that most scholars apply similar criteria to judge the children's and young adult's informational books, even though children and young adult are different in age. From scholars' works, I concluded four major criteria for evaluating the children's and young adult's informational books as followings, 1.accuracy and authenticity 2.organization 3.writing style 4.design and illustration. I also support examples for the discussion of above criteria. Besides, I argue that some of criteria might be not suitable.