Genres
Natalie Babbitt has written fiction books in a number of different genres. Most of which are appropriate for children or young teenagers. She has written picture books such as Ouch! A Tale from Grimm and Elsie Times Eight. Babbitt has written mostly chapter books, the most famous of all being Tuck Everlasting. Other popular chapter books are The Eyes of Amaryllis, Goody Hall, and Kneeknock Rise. One aspect of writing that sets Babbitt apart is her short stories. She has written and/or collaborated on several short story compilations such as The Devil's Storybook series. She also wrote and/or co-wrote the Small Poems books.
Style
When Natalie Babbitt writes her stories, she does not attempt to "talk down" to children. In an interview, she said children are smarter than most adults give them credit for. No matter the genre, she uses a lot of imagery. She goes into detail describing the settings her characters are in and she also uses imagery to establish a mood or tone for the reader. Babbitt also uses figurative language to give her words an extra dimension of meaning. See the following excerpt from Tuck Everlasting:
"The road that led to Treegap had been trod out long before by a herd of cows who were, to say the least, relaxed...It widened and seemed to pause, suggesting tranquil bovine picnics: slow chewing and thoughtful contemplation of the infinite...But on reaching the shadows of the first trees, it veered sharply, swung out in a wide arc as if, for the first time, it had reason to think where it was going, and passed around." --Tuck Everlasting
"The road that led to Treegap had been trod out long before by a herd of cows who were, to say the least, relaxed...It widened and seemed to pause, suggesting tranquil bovine picnics: slow chewing and thoughtful contemplation of the infinite...But on reaching the shadows of the first trees, it veered sharply, swung out in a wide arc as if, for the first time, it had reason to think where it was going, and passed around." --Tuck Everlasting