From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:41:49 -0500

The issue of what constitutes non-fiction is one that librarians and teachers grapple with regularly. I want to encourage you to frame your comments in the context of our discussion, which has now moved to the issue of non-fiction and sources, rather than getting into a debate or discussion about how Dewey classifies and libraries shelve folklore, poetry, and graphic novels. (That is a discussion we can look at pursuing in greater detail at another time, but I don't want to derail the discussion we are having on excellence in non-fiction, and the issue of sources and documentation.)

Here's a question I have: what to make of a book that doesn't source every quote? I struggled with this recently in a picture book biography. Several longer quotes were sourced at the end of the book, but a couple of short quotes were not. Do I assume these were manufactured quotes? If so, what do I make of this work as a book of non-fiction? I think it's an engaging introduction to and treatment of the individual's life but am not wholly comfortable recommending it. Do I recommend it with a qualifier saying that it doesn't hold up to standards of non-fiction? What are those standards you look for and expect in documenting sources?

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 19 Oct 2010 10:41:49 AM CDT