Nonfiction

When it comes to reading, there is one genre that is quite often overlooked. Some may think nonfiction is boring but, on the contrary, children find it fascinating to learn how the real world operates and eager to participate in these activities. There are many benefits that this genre offers including the following: it is good for later schooling, important in larger society, answers question that children have, builds knowledge of natural and social worlds, and contains important text features. Some considerations for nonfiction are the following: maintains children’s preference, text accuracy, and multicultural understanding in the selection and use of children’s literature.

            As far as a classroom setting, nonfiction can be a reliable source. The level of interest from the children allows the teacher to be able to incorporate it into the classroom where the students are excited and learn a great deal in simple activity. Some ways to incorporate this into the classroom are the following: textbooks are non-fiction so increase access and time to read informational texts, and literal comprehension incorporated which is retelling, synthesizing, visualizing, summarizing, recognizing the main idea and locating details, understanding text structure, and figuring out new vocabulary, and, lastly, helps to foster interest in subject areas.

Some examples of nonfiction that could be useful are the following: 

How Many Baby Pandas? by Sandra Markle (grades 1-2)

Sandra Markle reveals the lives of eight panda pairs as they grow from birth to the time they climb trees. These pairs were born during a baby boom at China's Woolong Giant Panda Breeding. Markle employs basic counting skills and panda facts in this book connecting children to the real world and enjoying it.

Letters to a Soldier  by David Falvey (grades 3-4)

        This book connects the classroom to the real life of a soldier. Mrs. Julie Hutt's fourth-grade class from Roslyn, New York wrote letters to a soldier in Iraq. They wrote to thank him for his service and asked about what a real U.S. soldier's everyday life is like. What did he do? How he spend his spare time? Doesn't he miss home? These students received an answer to their questions from David Falvey. This book is the compilation of their real letters. 

Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (grades 5-6)

        This diary of Anne Frank reminds us of the horrors of the Holocaust in 1942 when the Nazis invaded Holland. Frank's family went into hiding in Amsterdam. It has the records of Anne Frank in her last two years of life when they were in hiding in the attic of an old office building. Her diary held vivid impressions of her experiences in that time period. She was an optimistic girl full of life whose promise of life was cut short.