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RE: Notable Non-Fiction
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From: CARPENTER, JEFFREY J <CARPENTERJEFFR_at_aasd.k12.wi.us>
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:06:04 -0500
Non-fiction is the most popular area in the library, especially the easier to read variety published by Capstone. Unfortunately, the professional rev iews often review these books negatively for over simplifying the informati on, which can be true. As librarians we have to know our patrons and what they are looking for. My reading teacher just thanked me for ordering easi er non-fiction books as we have a 4th grade student reading way below grade level, and the Barracuda was something he was really excited by and could relate to.
Jeff
From: Chelsea Couillard
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 12:00 PM To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu Subject: Re:
Notable Non-Fiction
The nonfiction question comes up a lot in the public library where I work. Parents are often surprised to discover our nonfiction section since their children's assignments most often require fiction books. It never really oc curs to them to look elsewhere, and often when a parent tells me that their child doesn't really like reading, nonfiction is the first place I go. Sin ce I started working in public libraries, I've been pleasantly surprised to see how much nonfiction still circulates, whether it's craft books, cook b ooks, animal books, or biographies.
I often come back to something that one of the presenters at last year's No rthwoods Children's Book Conference shared. In a discussion about nonfictio n, she pointed out that something like 75% of adult reading (maybe even mor e, I can't recall) is nonfiction reading - contracts, news updates, directi ons, work emails, etc. But most of the reading that our kids do in school i s fiction reading, and there really is a difference between the two. As an English major, I'm a huge proponent of fiction, but I think it's important to teach our kids how to read nonfiction as well. And it does seem, like ot hers have pointed out, that the nonfiction reading that goes on in school i s textbook-based and geared solely towards pulling information out for repo rts or tests. The emphasis is mainly on the content. It would be great to s ee more English classes reading nonfiction in the same way that they read f iction (by focusing on things like language and perspective rather than jus t facts). I'm sure that there are tea chers out there who are already doing this, so kudos to them!
-Chelsea Couillard Youth Services Librarian Baraboo Public Library
Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:06:04 -0500
Non-fiction is the most popular area in the library, especially the easier to read variety published by Capstone. Unfortunately, the professional rev iews often review these books negatively for over simplifying the informati on, which can be true. As librarians we have to know our patrons and what they are looking for. My reading teacher just thanked me for ordering easi er non-fiction books as we have a 4th grade student reading way below grade level, and the Barracuda was something he was really excited by and could relate to.
Jeff
From: Chelsea Couillard
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 12:00 PM To: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu Subject: Re:
Notable Non-Fiction
The nonfiction question comes up a lot in the public library where I work. Parents are often surprised to discover our nonfiction section since their children's assignments most often require fiction books. It never really oc curs to them to look elsewhere, and often when a parent tells me that their child doesn't really like reading, nonfiction is the first place I go. Sin ce I started working in public libraries, I've been pleasantly surprised to see how much nonfiction still circulates, whether it's craft books, cook b ooks, animal books, or biographies.
I often come back to something that one of the presenters at last year's No rthwoods Children's Book Conference shared. In a discussion about nonfictio n, she pointed out that something like 75% of adult reading (maybe even mor e, I can't recall) is nonfiction reading - contracts, news updates, directi ons, work emails, etc. But most of the reading that our kids do in school i s fiction reading, and there really is a difference between the two. As an English major, I'm a huge proponent of fiction, but I think it's important to teach our kids how to read nonfiction as well. And it does seem, like ot hers have pointed out, that the nonfiction reading that goes on in school i s textbook-based and geared solely towards pulling information out for repo rts or tests. The emphasis is mainly on the content. It would be great to s ee more English classes reading nonfiction in the same way that they read f iction (by focusing on things like language and perspective rather than jus t facts). I'm sure that there are tea chers out there who are already doing this, so kudos to them!
-Chelsea Couillard Youth Services Librarian Baraboo Public Library
---Received on Mon 11 Oct 2010 12:06:04 PM CDT
