A study compared children's literature which was both popular with children and had received literary awards to those works which achieved only literary awards. Seventeen works of fiction were analyzed and categorized for themes, style, and structure. One adult and one child were interviewed for each work and asked questions about their opinion concerning how the work should be analyzed and categorized. Results indicated that significant differences do exist between books of literary merit children like and those they do not like. These differences were more readily apparent in characteristics of style and structure than for themes. In addition, children liked predictable qualities, an optimistic tone, a lively pace, action-oriented structure and complete resolution. They disliked unresolved endings with tragic tones and introspective plots with a slow pace. Three tables of data are included; and 44 references, a list of the works analyzed, and the interview questions for young readers are attached. (RS)