Non-Fiction Texts

Biographies and informational books- also known as non-fiction literature- have never been too appealing to me. I am a rather weird person with a crazy imagination, so naturally I am more attracted to wacky, make-believe stories. Recently though, my eyes have been opened to the realization that children of all ages have a great appreciation for non-fiction books. In fact, according to much research and study, if given the choice, children would prefer to read this genre over fiction, time and time again. As a result of this finding, I decided to tackle my distaste for non-fiction works and explore its redeeming qualities, as well as applications for my future classroom.

According to The Joy of Children's Literature, nonfiction books should be included in classroom reading instruction for these reasons:
1. It offers a key to success in later schooling
2. It is ubiquitous in the larger society
3. It is the preferred reading material for some children
4. It builds knowledge of the natural and social world
5. It addresses children's interests and questions
6. It includes many important text features
(Johnson, 268).

Nonfiction literature teaches children information about many topics including nature, people and cultures, history, discoveries, hobbies, crafts, art, sports, and recreation. It mirrors and provides practice in the type of reading which adults partake in on a regular basis. And it also has the opportunity to spark literacy interest in students who are typically considered non-readers. With all of these things considered, it would be foolish of me to ignore such an important genre of literature.