There are many different forms that nonfiction takes, the term nonfiction is an all-encompassing term that covers anything that is not classified as fiction. Nonfiction can be expository as well as narrative but there are specific characteristics we look for within nonfiction that aren’t required in fiction. Different styles, forms and genres and included within nonfiction. Dr. Bob Small says that a nonfiction book is the only book we defined as what it is not.
We need to use guidelines and resources that help us find the best nonfiction books and authors. The quality of nonfiction books vary with the expertise and talent contributed to the book. A wonderful resource to help in understanding nonfiction for young adult and finding books of substance is Delight to Wisdom by Better Carter and Richard Abrahamson.
Criteria for Evaluating Nonfiction for Children
1. What are the qualifications of the author?
Is the book well researched? Look for author’s notes, acknowledgements and sources to qualifications of the author and the material they are presenting.
Nonfiction authors that are well-known, good qualification/sources and produced excellent nonfiction books.
Kathleen Kruell – she has written many nonfiction books including a series called Women who Broke the Rules.
James Cross Giblin – former editor and writes narrative nonfiction.
Don Brown – has authored many nonfiction work including more recently Drowned City and several other graphic novels.
Loree Griffin Burns
Seymor Simon – well know, excellent writer with impeccable qualifications. He has written a series Scientists in the Field among his work.
2. Are the facts accurate?
How do we find out the right information? We rely on authors but we should have a working knowledge of those that stand out in this field. Reviewers often do not have the credentials to critique the facts of the books. We can look to resources of the Book Council – Outstanding Science Trade Books and Notable Trade Books in Social Studies. Another way to evaluate books is to have the students evaluate them against similar books and with the research of the topic. The activity helps students not only research, fact check but discover no one really know everything, we learn from each other. We should investigate to come to the best decision on what we books we buy.
3. What is the purpose and scope of the book?
Purpose and scope helps us discover the reason why the book was created, what ages. We utilize this information to evaluate if the book follows the purpose and scope intended. It also guides us if we something broad or narrow in focus, many times it is both.
Example: A lion be included in the purpose or scope of a book about domestic dogs.
4. How does the organization of the book assist readers in locating information?
How are the table of contents, index laid out? How is the book organized? How a book is organized helps with when researching and ease of reading.
5. What role do visuals play?
Visuals break up the text with smaller parts of information. Visuals include real photos, color, text, art, chart, archival photos and maps. Visuals creates breaks in the text to help the reader with bite-size pieces to assimilate and process.
Questions to Ask Students about Nonfiction (Carter and Abrahamson)
• Tell how this book would be different if it had been written 50 years earlier or 50 years later.
• Describe your favorite illustrations. Which illustration do you wish you had done yourself? Why?
• Would this book make a good documentary? Why?
• Explain what you think the author did to research and write this book.
• How would this book be different if it had been written for an adult? For a
kindergarten student?
• What kind of teacher do you think the author would make?
• If you had a chance to interview the authors of this book, what would you
ask them?
• Describe three facts, theories, or incidents that you found particularly
interesting. Tell why.
• Examine the title and jacket of this book. Do they present a fair representation of the contents of the book?
• Select the book you think was the most well written. Pretend a book company is considering publishing this book and you must defend this book. Describe what you would say to persuade them of its value in learning.
The push to genrify school libraries has become a trend within my district. The section about nonfiction and genres is valid as most books are in “genre” that are really categories. It is surprising that librarians have not made more of a distinction. As we teach the various aspects or forms of nonfiction our students and staff will understand it clearer.
I have used this chapter in the textbook when I was researching and ordering books for my library. My campus was 2-4 grades, so some of the authors mention write a higher level. I found myself going over the guidelines from the textbook when ordering looking for the visuals when I could view the books. As mentioned in the textbook, we must research and not rely on the reviews. It was harder to find reviews on nonfiction and for a qualified expert on the subject.
In my library, fiction books were checked out 3 times as much as nonfiction. Boys tended to check out nonfiction more than girls. I highlighted nonfiction and its forms but the checkout statistics did not vary much more. I would like to develop more ways to create an excitement about nonfiction, I believe part of it is by having a current collection. In my experience, I have noticed that libraries do not weed their nonfiction as well. Maybe it stems from the faulty viewpoint that nonfiction is science and that “doesn’t change much”. Students like new books and become more enthusiastic with new material.
Also, I think that the classroom teacher makes a difference, I had one teacher that wanted her students to check out one fiction and nonfiction each time. Most teachers just want the student to check out a book and usually that is fiction. A exception within nonfiction checkouts are graphic novels, which my district put under 741, graphic novels are checked out every time. I have waiting list for graphic novels. It does provide more traffic to the nonfiction area but teachers tend not to want the student to “just” check out a graphic novel.
The questions to ask student about nonfiction is excellent and I will use in my classroom next year and future library. It would nice at the district level they would use something this succinct when ordering textbooks, curriculum and books. Classroom evaluation of nonfiction books is also an excellent tool to use with students and I will incorporate that this year.
Action steps I will take with nonfiction:
*I will share with my students during my library classes on how to evaluate nonfiction books.
*I will create a lesson plan using the evaluation and questions shared via the textbook.
*I will go more indepth with my library classes on how to locate the books they are interested in the nonfiction section.
*I will develop several lesson plans on nonfiction and read from nonfiction as well as fiction during reading time.
* I will include nonfiction books as part of my book talk series.
* I will connect with all the teachers on my campus about the resources we have in our nonfiction library collection.
*I will collaborate with the first year teachers on how to teach nonfiction.
*I will volunteer to go in the classroom and help teach nonfiction with superior examples of nonfiction books.
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