From: Rita Auerbach <RitaAuerbach>
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000 00:39:08 -0500

One of the difficulties I see with this discussion is the premise that a book can neatly fit into one category or another - fiction or nonfiction. Often the decision of how to categorize a book must be a pragmatic one. Splendid books for younger readers such as those cited in earlier postings may be fictionalized, but they serve primarily an informational function and should be readily available to readers seeking information on their subjects, so libraries may choose to categorize them as nonfiction.

Like a number of people who have written earlier, I've often been frustrated by the assumption that fictionized elements will make information more attractive to children. In the past several years, however, there has developed a great interest in encouraging children to write their own lively nonfiction and to appreciate that information can come in a variety of formats. Enlightened educators are exploring with children a wider variety of informational books. The key here is that the author care deeply about the subject, have first-hand experience with the subject, and that the poetic or narrative aspects of the book stem from an interest in looking at the subject from an interesting perspective, rather than the misguided notion that children need their information to be sweetened by gratuitous fictional elements.

Rita Auerbach, Librarian, Manorhaven School, Port Washington, NY
Received on Fri 01 Dec 2000 11:39:08 PM CST