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Blog postAfter reading this recent article on PLOS SciComm, veteran astronomy instructor and author Meg Thacher responded on Facebook, admitting that she had once harbored a bias against nonfiction for kids—thinking of fiction as “real reading” and nonfiction “as research.” What changed her mind? Read on to find out. When I was a kid, I loved fiction. Speculative, historical, contemporary, mystery—I didn’t care what it was. I got lost in other worlds and other characters. Nonfiction books were b
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Michelle Cusolito. Thank you, Michelle. I slide the regulator into my mouth and slip beneath the waves. I breathe slowly though my mouth as I follow my scuba diving instructor away from shore and deeper into the ocean.
Soon we’re 10 meters down, and I’ve found neutral buoyancy—I’m neither floating nor sinking. I kick my le
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Blog postRecently, high school media specialist and author Kerry O’Malley Cerra let me know about some of the exciting changes happening in her Florida library. Thanks to her efforts, nonfiction circulation has doubled! How did she do it? Here’s the story in her own words. Thank you, Kerry! When I started my current job as a high school media specialist, someone commented that the nonfiction section “is where books go to die.” I was horrified.
As a former social studies teacher, I -
Blog postA few weeks ago, librarian Kimbra Power posted some wonderful book-themed “food sculptures” on Twitter.
I loved seeing the joy on students’ faces as they posed with their creations, so I asked Kimbra if she’d write a short explanation of her school’s Books to Eat event and share some of the photos here.
Look at all the creative ways students are representing some of their favorite books. Thank you, Kimbra, for supporting young readers in this way!
In 2013, ins -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Heather L. Montgomery. Thank you, Heather. I’m a science nerd. I write about awesome animals. Catching crayfish, dissecting deer, or pulling a rare rat from a scientist’s trap—that’s my kind of research!
Historical research is not my thing; normally I don’t even read biographies. But editors kept hinting that I should write a pictu -
Blog postRecently, International K-12 librarian Laura Wylie de Fiallos sent an email to let me know that after changing her approach to nonfiction, circulation of the “E Everybody" (K-3) nonfiction books in her collection had risen approximately 380%. Wow! I invited Laura to write the following blog post explaining how she did it. Thanks, Laura, for sharing your story.
For the past several years I have been thinking about nonfiction’s place in our school library (both litera
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Meeg Pincus. Thank you, Meeg. In writing my nonfiction picture books—both narrative and expository—I tap into two parts of myself: the trained academic/journalist who researches deeply, and the sensitive/creative soul who writes from the heart. (It may surprise some folks that I write my expository book
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Mary Kay Carson. Thank you, Mary Kay. When kids ask how I research my books, I usually tell amusing anecdotes from field trips with scientists: So many bats live in the cave that poop and pee rained down on us…. We drove through a half foot of hail piled on the road while chasing the tornado.
When writers ask the same question, I often d -
Blog postIn February, two professors of literacy sent a letter signed by more than 500 educators to The New York Times asking the paper to add three children’s nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the current lists, which focus on fiction. The letter was also published on more than 20 blogs that serve the children’s literature community and amplified on social media as part of the #KidsLoveNonfiction campaign.
A few weeks later, The New York Times respond -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Anika Aldamuy Denise. Thank you, Anika. Author-illustrator Kelly Light once said, “Picture books are like an IMAX movie to a little kid. Think about it. Picture books fill their field of vision. . . literary cinemascope they can hold in their hands.”
I’ve always loved that analogy. Taking it a -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Don Tate. Thank you, Don. Growing up, I was a skinny kid. When my dad noticed my anxiety about it, he gave me a copy of The Bodybuilder’s Nutrition Guide by bodybuilder Dr. Franco Colombu. That book inspired a lifetime of exercise, physical fitness, and nutrition with me.
Years later, I went on to compete in natural, drug-free bodybuildi -
Blog postPlease see my post on PLOS SciComm today. It's a blog dedicated to science communication, sponsored by the Public Library of Science.
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Deanna F. Cook. Thank you, Deanna. When I was a child, my favorite books were nonfiction, and I especially liked cookbooks and craft books and nature sticker books. I was a doer, and the idea of sitting down to read fiction wasn’t my idea of fun. I liked to stay busy, to play soccer, bake cakes, wander in the wo
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Pamela S. Turner. Thank you, Pamela. No matter what subject I’m writing about, I always feel an urge to flee the keyboard and do something related to my project, whether it’s travelling around Japan or raising orphaned baby crows and ravens. But when I decided to write How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps I was stumped. I couldn’t e
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Blog postIn February, two professors of literacy sent a letter signed by more than 500 educators to The New York Times asking the paper to add three children’s nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the current lists, which focus on fiction. The letter was also published on more than 20 blogs that serve the children’s literature community and amplified on social media as part of the #KidsLoveNonfiction campaign.
A few weeks later, The New York Times re -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Lori Alexander. Thank you, Lori. Narrative nonfiction can bring young readers the best of two worlds: an engaging, fast-paced story that is 100% verifiable and true. These vibrant stories can quickly draw students (and adults!) into a science or history subject they previously knew little about.
As the a -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Jennifer Ward. Thank you, Jen. My most recent nonfiction picture book, Just You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the Wild, illustrated by Alexander Vidal (Simon &Schuster/Beach Lane Books), hit bookshelves in September 2021. Years in the making, finally out in the world!
With a starred review from School Library Journal, Just You -
Blog postIn February, two professors of literacy sent a letter signed by more than 500 educators to The New York Times asking the paper to add three children’s nonfiction bestseller lists to parallel the current lists, which focus on fiction. The letter was also published on more than 20 blogs that serve the children’s literature community and amplified on social media as part of the #KidsLoveNonfiction campaign.
A few weeks later, The New York Timesresponded, saying they weren’t interes -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Anita Sanchez. Thank you, Anita. A food chain is simple: little fish are eaten by big fish, which are eaten by bigger fish, and so forth. An ecosystem is far more complex. It includes all the living things in an area, from the hugest predators to the tiniest speck of bacteria, as well as the non-living parts of
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Patricia Newman. Thank you, Patricia. I love writing nonfiction. I tell real stories, I meet scientists on the cutting edge of discovery, and I share their process with readers. Despite my love of writing, part of me wonders if I write for the challenge of research.
Research allows me to question, follow leads, gather information, and re -
Blog postBack in January, teacher-librarian Meredith Inkeles wrote a terrific post about her experience with the Book Match Survey Marlene Correia created to accompany our book 5 Kinds of Nonfiction. Today Meredith is back to share some of the wonderful nonfiction book reviews her fifth and sixth graders wrote, using Activity 8.8 in 5 Kinds of Nonfiction as a guide. Thanks so much for these insights, Meredith!
This school year’s goal to share nonfiction with my stud -
Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors disscuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Laurie Wallmark. Thank you, Laurie! I’ve loved math and science, ever since I was a little girl. I’d check books out from the library that were way above my level to comprehend, but I didn’t care. I plowed through them the best I could. Bit by bit, reading these books increased my knowledge base in these subjec
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of the research process with an essay by Leah Henderson. Thank you, Leah.
When I was young, my family often travelled to sights around the world, learning the history of a place and its people. Especially the stories of Black and brown people. I always remember asking, almost like a broken record, “how come this stuff isn’t in my history books?” And more times than not, one of my -
Blog postIn the past, I've written a #SibertSmackdown Wrap-up post with tidbits from some of the classes and schools who participated. But this year, I decided to invite teachers to share a reflection of their class's experience. It was a great decision. It's exciting to find out exactly how educators integrated the activity into their curriculum and how they modified my suggestions to meet the specific needs of their students. Today's post comes from fourth grade teacher Patti Francis
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Blog postToday we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Sara Levine. Thank you, Sara. Whether the topic is germs, poop, or the functional anatomy of bird beaks, my books for children usually fall into the category of expository nonfiction. Expository nonfiction aims to present ideas and information in a clear and accessible fashion.
This type of writing suit
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