Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the nonfiction section
at the local library. My passions varied. Sometimes it was Indian lore and how
to make a teepee (mine never stayed up), horses, kitchen science, or true ghost
stories at Halloween. Basically I preferred
the real world over a fictional one. I
still do. That’s probably why I write nonfiction for kids today.
I’m proud to be part of a cadre of writers who are
constantly coming up with amazing true stories and innovative ways to tell
them. There is narrative nonfiction written with a story arc, books with two
tiers of text to hook children reading at different levels, and books that dig
deep into subjects kids care about. Here
are just a few of my favorites:
Rah, Rah Radishes! A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley
Sayre is a rollicking rhyme through a farmer’s market. A great read-aloud for little ones (and
teenage grocery clerks who don’t know bok choy from broccoli).
Seeing Symmetry by Loreen Leedy will catch a young
reader’s eye with the tiger on the cover. And the clear text and bright artwork
inside will have your child checking out the symmetry in your face, your food, your
furniture….
Older students will enjoy Those Rebels, John & Tom.
Author Barbara Kerley turns stone-faced historical figures John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson into real people who worked together and argued to create a nation.
Edwin Fotheringham’s humorous art perfectly
captures Kerley’s take on these two amazing men.

Need to explain the Big Bang? Then grab Older than the
Stars by Karen C. Fox. The main text written in the style of The House That
Jack Built can be read by young readers, but those interested in the science
behind the “puffs” and “bangs” can read the side text about atoms of helium and
hydrogen, gravity and galaxies.

So, if your child gravitates to the nonfiction section of
the library – Celebrate their passions! Together you can learn about lizards, or lasers, or (like one kid in my
neighborhood) Liberace (and hope the fad fades fast).
For more award-winning nonfiction ideas checkout http://inkthinktank.com/.
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