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Notable Non-Fiction
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From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:51:23 -0500
Susan Kuklin asked, "What I'd like to know is what kinds of nonfiction excite you most? And why?"
And I think that's a great question, because I imagine the answer is going to be different for each one of us, and the same, of course, will be true of children and teens, who, like all of us adults, have widely ranging interests.
A well-written biography, for example, is a little bit of literary heaven for me. However, while I'm certainly drawn to some specific books because I am already interested in the subject matter, the non-fiction that really excites me most--regardless of what it's about--are the books that captivate me with their writing or presentation of information and, in the end, make me say, "Wow" or "I had no idea" or "who knew?" about a person or place or a thing.
Sally Derby already shared one of my long-time favorite examples of this: April Pulley Sayre's "The Stars Beneath Your Bed." Two more recent examples are from Houghton Mifflin's "Scientist in the Field" series. Loree Griffin Burns's "The Hive Detectives" had me ready to raise bees by the time I finished reading it (and I'm only joking a little here). Sy Montgomery's "Kakapo Rescue" had me ready to volunteer to go to Codfish Island, off the coast of New Zealand, to help in the preservation of these extraordinary birds. (I'd have to get in line.)
Deborah Heiligman's "Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith" gave me incredible insight into the character of both of these individuals, and helped me understand n a new way not only just how radical Darwin's theory was but also how extraordinary he was for a man of his time in other ways.
When I think about it, I realize that I don't really differentiate my appreciation for fiction and non-fiction. A book I enjoy is a book I enjoy, whether it's a terrific novel or a book by Steve Jenkins that invites me to see and consider creatures of the natural world in a new way.
Great non-fiction books for children and teens can disrupt and realign, or enlighten, or inform my understanding of the world--past, present, future--in the same way that a fine work of fiction can.
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Tue 12 Oct 2010 02:51:23 PM CDT
Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:51:23 -0500
Susan Kuklin asked, "What I'd like to know is what kinds of nonfiction excite you most? And why?"
And I think that's a great question, because I imagine the answer is going to be different for each one of us, and the same, of course, will be true of children and teens, who, like all of us adults, have widely ranging interests.
A well-written biography, for example, is a little bit of literary heaven for me. However, while I'm certainly drawn to some specific books because I am already interested in the subject matter, the non-fiction that really excites me most--regardless of what it's about--are the books that captivate me with their writing or presentation of information and, in the end, make me say, "Wow" or "I had no idea" or "who knew?" about a person or place or a thing.
Sally Derby already shared one of my long-time favorite examples of this: April Pulley Sayre's "The Stars Beneath Your Bed." Two more recent examples are from Houghton Mifflin's "Scientist in the Field" series. Loree Griffin Burns's "The Hive Detectives" had me ready to raise bees by the time I finished reading it (and I'm only joking a little here). Sy Montgomery's "Kakapo Rescue" had me ready to volunteer to go to Codfish Island, off the coast of New Zealand, to help in the preservation of these extraordinary birds. (I'd have to get in line.)
Deborah Heiligman's "Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith" gave me incredible insight into the character of both of these individuals, and helped me understand n a new way not only just how radical Darwin's theory was but also how extraordinary he was for a man of his time in other ways.
When I think about it, I realize that I don't really differentiate my appreciation for fiction and non-fiction. A book I enjoy is a book I enjoy, whether it's a terrific novel or a book by Steve Jenkins that invites me to see and consider creatures of the natural world in a new way.
Great non-fiction books for children and teens can disrupt and realign, or enlighten, or inform my understanding of the world--past, present, future--in the same way that a fine work of fiction can.
Megan
-- Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison 600 N. Park Street, Room 4290 Madison, WI 53706
608/262-9503 schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Tue 12 Oct 2010 02:51:23 PM CDT
