Sort the books on a table or counter. Divide them into fiction and non-fiction groups.
Stack the hardcover books by subject. Put similar books together. For example, stack mystery books together, car books together, nature books and animal books. Continue sorting by fiction genre and non-fiction topic through all the books.
Divide large groups of books. If there are a number of dog books, stack them separately from the other animal books.
Organize the books in bins with the covers facing forward. This keeps the books neat and makes it convenient for the children to browse the books.
Create labels for the book bins in various colors. Get the kids involved in drawing pictures or making borders around the labels.
Arrange the bins on bookcases or wall shelves by type of book. For example, put fiction by author on one shelf, fiction by genre on another shelf.
Group bins of books in similar genres and topic together. Place mysteries, adventure books, and international fiction side by side. Place all the nature books on plants, astronomy, minerals, birds, wildlife, ecology, the oceans and other topics about the earth and solar system side by side. Place geography and travel books near nature books and add books about cultures, history, people and occupations to the non-fiction shelf.
Place reference books such as dictionaries, encyclopedias and other homework helper books together in a prominent location. It helps to have these shelved on a table so children can open the book on the table to use it.