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Nonfiction and Intent
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From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:23:50 -0500
"Might we be talking about different kinds of nonfiction here? I look at Pat's helpful list of what her kids want, and it seems to me that much of the list is exactly the kinds of things that one can, in fact, look up quickly and effectively on Google. Want to do origami? There are undoubtedly thousands of youtube videos that are more useful than most books could possibly be these days (ignoring the ipad). Ditto sports and entertainment figures, world records, the latest on dinosaurs, etc.:"
I agree with what Leda is stating. I think publishing for children and teens has plenty of serviceable non-fiction that provides facts that might be just as easily found online (provided kids have access to reliable online resources).
And I think what we are talking about--what we want--in terms of great non-fiction is books that set out to be engaging, and even transformative, and succeed in that intent.
When we know of a child who has an interest, or a passion, we want don't want to just give them the facts, we want to set their imaginations on fire. If kids want facts about dinosaurs, they can find reliable information on the web, or in a run-of-the-mill book of facts. But a terrific book of non-fiction can take that interest in dinosaurs and engage a child in a whole new way. Lita Judge's "Born to Be Giants," for example, carefully distinguishes fact from theory as it invites children to consider dinosaur's beginnings as babies, sometimes no larger than a golf ball or a loaf of French bread. Judge uses comparisons—such as the way dinosaurs lived in herds like modern-day caribou—to help readers understand the behavior of dinosaurs in ways that a book of basic facts just can't do.
The same can be said about terrific non-fiction on any topic. Yes, the topic can matter--it's often the first point of engagement for readers--what gets them to pick the book up. But whether they will keep reading, or what they think about when the book is done, has everything to do with treatment.
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 Wed 13 Oct 2010 10:23:50 AM CDT
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:23:50 -0500
"Might we be talking about different kinds of nonfiction here? I look at Pat's helpful list of what her kids want, and it seems to me that much of the list is exactly the kinds of things that one can, in fact, look up quickly and effectively on Google. Want to do origami? There are undoubtedly thousands of youtube videos that are more useful than most books could possibly be these days (ignoring the ipad). Ditto sports and entertainment figures, world records, the latest on dinosaurs, etc.:"
I agree with what Leda is stating. I think publishing for children and teens has plenty of serviceable non-fiction that provides facts that might be just as easily found online (provided kids have access to reliable online resources).
And I think what we are talking about--what we want--in terms of great non-fiction is books that set out to be engaging, and even transformative, and succeed in that intent.
When we know of a child who has an interest, or a passion, we want don't want to just give them the facts, we want to set their imaginations on fire. If kids want facts about dinosaurs, they can find reliable information on the web, or in a run-of-the-mill book of facts. But a terrific book of non-fiction can take that interest in dinosaurs and engage a child in a whole new way. Lita Judge's "Born to Be Giants," for example, carefully distinguishes fact from theory as it invites children to consider dinosaur's beginnings as babies, sometimes no larger than a golf ball or a loaf of French bread. Judge uses comparisons—such as the way dinosaurs lived in herds like modern-day caribou—to help readers understand the behavior of dinosaurs in ways that a book of basic facts just can't do.
The same can be said about terrific non-fiction on any topic. Yes, the topic can matter--it's often the first point of engagement for readers--what gets them to pick the book up. But whether they will keep reading, or what they think about when the book is done, has everything to do with treatment.
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 Wed 13 Oct 2010 10:23:50 AM CDT
