1. Jessica Williams, Alyse Cortez

3. A feature of nonfiction books that has changed in recent years is the increased reliance on visuals, especially photography Technological improvements in making and reproducing pictures have made it possible to satisfy the demand for color, close-ups, and novel perspectives

4. A related trend in nonfiction books today is enthusiasm for unconventional approaches, including experimental formats and combinations of fact and fiction

5. More nonfiction books have been published about highly specialized topics. There have always been specialized books, but today more and more books reflect very specific interests

6. In 1990 the National Council of Teachers of English established the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children In 2000 the Association of Library Services to Children established the Robert F. Silbert Informational Book Award. This award is meant to honor an author whose work of nonfiction has made a significant contribution to the field of children’s literature in a given year The Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards have included a nonfiction category for many years

7. Accuracy and Authenticity Author’s Qualifications- nonfiction books are written by people who are authorities in their fields or they are written by writers who study a subject, interview specialists, and compile the data Factual Accuracy- science books are more likely to be challenged by experts than are those about history or other topics in the humanities Up-to-Dateness- books that focus on the past are less likely to be rapidly outdated, although new discoveries in archaeology or new theories in history and anthropology call for a reevaluation of these materials also. It is also difficult, but important, to provide children with current information about other countries where national governments are emerging or where future political developments are uncertain Inclusion of all the significant facts- a book cannot be totally accurate if it omits significant facts Human reproduction and sexuality have so often been distorted by omissions that books with accurate terminology and explicit information are particularly welcome Changing You! By Dr. Gail Saltz

8. Accuracy and Authenticity cont. Avoidance of Stereotypes- one very common sort of stereotyping is by omission. If we never see women or minorities in science books, for instance, we are left with the incorrect impression that all scientists must be white males Use of facts to support generalizations- To be distinguished from stereotype or simple opinion, a proper generalization needs facts for support Distinction between fact and theory- Careful writers like these make careful distinctions between fact and theory; but even so, children need guidance in learning to recognize the difference Avoidance of Anthropomorphism- this is assigning human feelings and behavior to animals, plants, or inanimate objects

9. Content Perspective Purpose- identifying the scope of the book lets one know what they can reasonably expect Intended Audience- vocabulary, sentence length, size of type, and the book’s organization are factors to be considered Adequacy of Coverage- authors who fail to acknowledge more than one viewpoint or theory fail to help children learn to examine issues Demonstration of the Scientific Method- because we are concerned about how well as what children learn, it is important to note what kind of thinking a book encourages, as well as the body of facts it presents Interrelationships and implications- nonfiction books should be expected to put facts into some sort of perspective

10. Style Clarity and Directness- the use of precise language and specific detail is one important factor Level of Difficulty- books for primary-grade children need not be restricted to a narrow list of words. In some cases, authors provide pronunciation guides in parentheses for daunting words Reader Involvement- authors use many different techniques to engage their readers’ attention and help them stay involved with a book’s subject matter Vividness of Language- the writer of nonfiction books uses the same techniques as the writer of fiction to bring a book to life, although the words must be accurate as well as attractive

11. Organization Structure- every author must choose a structure, or organizing principle, as a basis for presenting facts, such as, question-and-answer, chronological, or survey Reference Aids- with the exception of certain simple and special types, factual books should offer help at both front and back for the reader who needs to locate information quickly Other helpful additions to a book are glossaries, bibliographies, suggestions for further reading, and non- fiction appendixes. Picture glossaries are on the increase with the growing number of nonfiction picturebooks

12. Illustrations and Format Clarifications and Extension of text- the more abstract the topic, the more important it is that pictures help children “see” explanations Paul Facklam’s illustrations for Margery Facklam’s The Big Bug Book show the actual size of really big bugs and then place them with familiar objects to help children visualize just how large they really are Suitability of Media-both illustrations and photographs can be clear and accurate, but one medium might be more suitable than another for a given purpose. Photography has become more popular because they help establish credibility for real-life stories Captions- children need to be able to look at an illustration and know what they are seeing, and that requires a wide use of captions and labels Format- the total look of a book is its format, involving type size, leading, margins, placement of text and pictures, and arrangement of front and back matter- these include title and copyright pages in the front and indexes, bibliographies, and other aids at the back

13. Concept Books Concept books explore the characteristics of a class of objects or of an abstract idea. Most of the nonfiction books intended for very young children are of this type. Typically they cover such concepts as size, color, shape, spatial relationships, self, and family For school-age children, concept books begin with what is already familiar and move toward the unfamiliar, some by showing new ways to consider well-known materials, others by furnishing new and different examples or perspectives Peter Spier’s People This book celebrates the possibilities for variation among the several billion human beings who live on Earth.

14. Nonfiction Picturebooks More and more nonfiction books are lavishly illustrated or published in picturebook format Pale Male, written by Janet Schulman and illustrated by Mielo So, is a story of a community effort to allow red-tailed hawks to build their nests on top of Fifth Avenue buildings

15. Photographic Essays With the increased use of photography in children’s books today, the photo essay is an increasingly popular form A sensitive and vital photo essay can contribute to children’s appreciation of cultural and religious diversity George Ancona This book illuminates Latino life and traditions

16. Identification Books Identification books is a naming book, and this may well be the first sort of book that a very young child sees. by Gail Gibbons In this book Gail shows simple drawings of common tools in bright colors, with appropriate labels.

17. Life-Cycle Books There is always an audience for factual books that describe how animals live, with an emphasis on the inherent story element by Laurence Pringle

18. Experiment and Activity Books Experiment books take the activities themselves as content Many experiment books for older children also focus on one subject or one material by Joe Rhatigan

19. Documents and Journals An important contribution to literature for children in recent years has been the publication of books based on sketchbooks, journals, and original documents The authors use primary sources, period photographs, and reproductions of lists and documents My Season with Penguins: An Antarctic Journal by Sophie Webb focuses on her stays in these remote areas, and her first-person narratives are illustrated with her paintings, sketches, and hand- written notes

20. Survey Books The purpose of a survey book is to give an overall view of a substantial topic and to furnish a representative sampling of facts, principles, or issues Such a book emphasizes balance and breadth of coverage, rather than depth Historical surveys today are more likely to adopt a particular perspective, an “angle” on history that makes wide-ranging content more manageable

21. Specialized Books Specialized books are designed to give specific information about a relatively limited topic These books satisfy particular interests: they are more likely to be used intensively than extensively, on a one-time bases rather than as a frequent reference Many specialized books extend content areas that are frequently part of the elementary social studies curriculum By James Giblin

22. Craft and How-To Books Craft and activity books give directions for making and doing Directions are usually clearer if appropriately illustrated The Children’s Book of Yoga by Thia Luby provides clear photographs demonstrating various yoga positions and includes pictures of animals, plants, and objects that children can imitate in their poses by Maxine Anderson This book provides directions for 19 inventions including walk on water shoes.