Nicole Chase-Iverson IST 612
Summer 2011
GENRE STUDY: INFORMATIONAL BOOKS
NONFICTION OR INFORMATIONAL TEXT - WHICH IS IT?There seems to be little consensus when it comes in the terminology used to describe books that deal in facts about real things, real people, real issues, or real places. Some prefer the term nonfiction, while others prefer the term informational . There are still others that argue that informational text is actually a sub-genre within the larger nonfiction genre.
The phrase “Informational Books” was coined and first used by Zena Sutherland in the early 1970’s. At the time the phrase originated, “nonfiction” was the
predominantly accepted term used to describe those texts or books that dealt in fact rather than in the imagined or make believe land of fiction. Fountas (2001) advises that
nonfiction is intended to provide factual information through text and visual images. Furthermore, nonfiction texts must be documented, with the information provided being verifiable through other sources (p. 399). Sutherland and others, like Pulitzer Prize-winning Historian Barbara Tuchman, felt that the term “nonfiction” had a negative connotation in that the type of literature it represented was by definition not something. According to Coleman (2007), Tuchman called the term nonfiction “despicable” and wrote, “I do not feel like a Non-something; I feel quite specific (p. 258). She went on to lament the need to come up with a better term in place of nonfiction – a term that more accurately defined “the sphere that writers of nonfiction deal in: the real estate of human conduct” (Coleman, 2007, p. 258). In the absence of other choices, information and informational became the terminology of choice for many when
describing books that dealt in facts rather than fiction. According to author Penny Coleman (2007), the terms informational or information have become prevalent in many articles dealing with children’s literature and are used to label specific children’s sections in public and school libraries. The American Library Association’s 2001 endorsement of the term is evidenced, according to Coleman (2007), in its creation of the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award (p. 258).
In her article entitled A New Way to Look at Literature: A Visual Model for Analyzing Fiction and Nonfiction Texts, Penny Coleman asserts that the term
informational is problematic because it “limits people’s understanding of the complexity, richness, and literary nature of nonfiction” (2007, p. 258). She argues that the term information or informational conjures up visions of and encyclopedias and textbooks, rather than triggering “associations with the variety of nonfiction books - biographies, history, true adventures, science, sports, photographic essays, memoirs, etc. - that are available and accessible for children and young adults and that can be just as compelling, engaging, and beautifully written as good fiction.” (2007, p. 258). Although Tuchman favored the term informational and Coleman favors a return to the original term nonfiction, it is clear that they felt that these two terms were interchangeable and that both could be applied to the same body of materials.
NONFICTION IS EVERYWHERE - SO WHY THE BIAS AGAINST IT? In promoting the importance of the the use of nonfiction in the classroom and Library Media Center, author Penny Coleman describes nonfiction text as “the crucible within which readers can gain the knowledge and skills that enable them to reach sound decisions in all arenas of life, avoid gullability born of ignorance, and participate in an informed and active citizenry. (2007, p. 257). She goes on,
Nonfiction is the currency with which public policies and legislation are enacted, societal
needs are discussed, cultural aesthetics are defined, life lessons are conveyed, scientific findings and historical narratives are transmitted, and matters of war and peace are decided. Nonfiction is everywhere! It is the stuff of everyday life - the infinite list of activities and duties and decisions and feelings and fears and happiness. Nonfiction is there and here and everywhere (2007, p. 257).
Despite its abundance in the world around us, Coleman maintains that there is an ongoing (though sometimes unrecognized) bias against using nonfiction text in the classroom, especially in primary grades. She cites five main reasons that fiction has come to dominate in both classrooms and curricula (2007, pgs. 257-259):
1. Powerful fiction lovers (readers, writers, editors, publishers, etc.) wield a heavy influence and are better advocates for their favorite authors and titles. Fiction is more heavily promoted and often better featured than nonficiton.
2. As stated above, the term informational is still is use (though is in decline,
according to Huck) and misrepresents the richness of all that the nonfiction genre has to offer (2010, p. 239).
3. Nonfiction is more expensive to write and publish. It requires thorough fact-checking, careful editing and indexing, and demands more attention to detail when it comes to photography, illustrations, and photo placement.
4. Fiction is perceived as “safer” than nonfiction because students can remain distant and detached from troubling situations, settings, characters, or problems.
5. Nonfiction is plagued by many misconceptions and myths that students and educators often accept without question. Nonfiction is sometimes labeled as boring, irrelevant, and non-aesthetic. Many people believe nonfiction only appeals to boys and may be too hard for children to understand. Their is also a misconception that nonfiction texts only contain facts and information, and are therefore not conducive to “reading” as one would read “real literature.” Most unfortunately of all, there are many who believe that children can not improve their writing skills or learn to love reading through exposure to nonfiction. NONFICTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE CLASSROOM
Despite the many myths surrounding nonfiction, classroom educators are starting to grasp the importance of using nonfiction with children. There are a number of
challenges that come with teaching students to read and synthesize nonfiction texts, and these require careful attention by educators who wish to incorporate more nonfiction reading into their classrooms. According to Huck, “For some children reading nonfiction may be difficult as it requires a different repertoire of skills, or a mastery of a different set of reading strategies, than those needed to read fiction” (2010, p. 259). Students need to
be familiar with the structure of nonfiction text, and need to be taught how to use it to further their own learning. Studying charts, diagrams, graphs, captions, and the specialized vocabulary that is often present in nonfiction texts will demand more time from the student, and teachers will need to provide them ample opportunity to read, review, and digest new materials. Even with these challenges, there are a number of reasons that support using nonfiction with children. Huck enumerates these important reasons in her textbook, Children’s Literature: A Brief Guide (2010, p. 260):
1. Nonfiction is instrumental to success in later schooling - exposure to more
nonfiction texts in early primary grades puts students in a better position to handle more demanding informational texts in later grades.
2. Nonfiction reading in school prepares students for the great majority of informational reading and writing that dominates “real life.”
3. Nonfiction appeals to readers’ preferences - students who prefer informational reading will learn to enjoy reading more if they have the opportunity to read what they like in the classroom.
4. Nonfiction addresses students curiosities, interests, and questions - when students are allowed to read about a topic of interest to them they will have a more
enjoyable reading experience and will come away with a better motivation for reading.
5. Nonfiction builds a better knowledge of the world - as students’ background knowledge increases, their comprehension and ability to understand subsequent texts improves.
6. Nonfiction boosts vocabulary and other types of literacy knowledge - nonfiction texts often focus on more vocabulary, which builds a student’s word
knowledge. Reading graphs, charts, captions, etc. promote visual literacy. Using nonfiction in the classroom has multiple advantages - it can promote a love of reading, it improves and develops many different types of literacy, and it prepares students to read and write in the expository world in which they live. Furthermore, because the breadth of nonfiction writing is limitless, nonfiction reading and writing can be incorporated into all the content areas. Regardless of whether one chooses to call it informational text or nonfiction text, it is clear that student success in school (and beyond) is largely dependent on the incorporation of nonfiction into classroom
curriculum on an ongoing and regular basis. As Huck states, “Today’s children have an immense capacity to analyze, critique, and challenge the realities of their daily
lives. Using nonfiction can be just one tool to help facilitate increasing the knowledge base as children continue to make sense of the world” (2010, p. 260).
SUGGESTED LIBRARY ACTIVITIES INFORMATIONAL/NONFICTION GENRE
MIDDLE SCHOOL “Breaking News – Species Survival Depends on You!!”
Audience: 6th Grade
Brief Description: Science teacher and SLMS will collaborate on a unit. The unit
explores endangered or threatened animal species and what “we” (people) can do to help preserve wildlife in their natural habitat. Students will research an endangered or
threatened animal and learn some basic facts about the animal, some facts about why it is endangered or threatened, and what “we” can do to help save it from future extinction. Students will prepare a presentation for the class - they may choose the format for their presentation.
This lesson supports the Science and ELA curriculum.
Learning Goal: Students will become experts on an endangered/threatened animal of their choice, and will gain an understanding of actions people can take to minimize the threats to animal species.
Motivation: Students choice - students get to choose the animal they will research and the format in which they will present their findings.
The Roaming Gnome - Vacation Planning! Audience: 8th Grade
Brief Description: Social Studies teacher and SLMS will collaborate on a lesson whereby students will research a foreign destination of their choice. They will prepare a vacation guide for their destination, including all necessary information a traveler would require (weather, currency, population, interesting places to visit, possible dangers, etc.) This lesson supports the Social Studies and ELA curriculum.
Learning Goal: Students will learn about a destination of choice and view it from the point of view of a consumer who would want to travel there. They will siphon out needed information from extraneous information and prepare an appealing presentation regarding their travel destination.
Motivation: Student Choice - students may choose their travel destination and format of presentation.
Biographical Expressions: What _____________ Is Made Of. Audience: 7th Grade
Brief Description: This is a collaborative lesson between the SLMS and the Art
Athletes Are Made Of and What Presidents Are Made Of, will create an artistic representation of the character traits of that person.
Learning Goal: Students will gain an understanding of the research process, and will be able to synthesize information about a particular person into a list of character
traits. Students will use art media to represent those traits in an expressive manner. Motivation: Student choice and the opportunity to artistically express their learning.
ANNOTATIONS
Armstrong, J. (1998). Shipwreck at the bottom of the world: the extraordinary true story of the
shackleton and the endurance. New York: Crown Publishers.
A vivid account of one of the most riveting adventure stories in history. This book tells the story
of Ernest Shackleton and twenty-seven men who sailed from England on the “Endurance” in
August 1894. Their quest? To become the first team of explorers to cross Antarctica. When
navigate uncharted
seas and camp on dangerous ice floes in order to reach a rescue ship. Includes diagrams of the
ship, a list of crew members and archival photographs.
Arnosky, J. (2011). Thunderbirds: nature’s flying predators. New York: Sterling. An exploratory and photographic study of more than sixty winged predators by an acclaimed naturalist. Fold-out, life-size, and realistic paintings, along with facts
and details about each bird make this an ideal jumping-off point for students interested in further investigating predatory birds.
David, L. (2007). The down-to-earth guide to global warming. New York: Scholastic. An appealing and easy-to-understand look at the problem of global warming. This book does not delve into the controversy surrounding the notion as to whether global
warming exists, but rather treats the issue as an identified environmental problem. This
book talks about the whys, the impacts, and what students can do to alleviate the continuing
problem. Includes illustrations, photographs, and suggestions.
Dingle, A. (2007). The periodic table: elements with style. New York: Kingfisher. A colorful and amusing look at all the elements in the periodic table. Includes a brief
history of the periodic table - the creator, the reason it was created, and its evolution.
This book takes an individual look at each element, parsing out information in bite-size
chunks that may be easier to manage than regular textbook fare. Information includes:
periodic table symbols, atomic numbers and weights, colors, standard states for each element,
classifications, and dates of discovery.
Hakim, J. (1993). A history of us: war, terrible war. New York: Oxford University Press. A portrait of the U.S. through the years of the Civil War. This comprehensive book
takes readers through the causes, the characters, the battles, the heroes, and the casualties.
“terrible war.” It
profiles both the Confederate and Union side, and includes archival photos, illustrations, and
maps.
Kendall, M. (2008). The erie canal. Washington D.C.: National Geographic.
The story of the Erie Canal, from the earliest proposals to build it, the problems that came with
building it, and finally to the developments in technology that, along with the determination and
creativity of many, led to the completion of the canal that transformed America. Includes
illustrations, maps, and archival photographs.
Kurlansky, M. (2011). World without fish. New York: Workman Publishers.
The true story of what is happening to fish, the oceans, and the environment (according to
Kurlansky). In a colorful and appealing format the book introduces readers to the problem of overfishing and environmental pollution, and what might happen in the future if
nothing is done to curb the problem. It also delves into the history of the fishing industry
and tells tales of already extinct species. It also covers the politics of the fishing business
and discusses possible solutions. Includes illustrations, data, and photographs. Swanson, J. (2009). Chasing lincoln’s killer. New York: Scholastic Press.
Using original sources, Swanson relays the dramatic events of the chase and capture of John
Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Lincoln in April 1865. This edition, based
on the adult nonfiction bestseller, Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase For Lincoln’s Killer, was
written especially for a younger audience. It includes an account of the twelve days that Booth
eluded capture, and also includes details on the life of Lincoln and how his death affected the
nation and those closest to him. .
Walker, S. (2009). Written in bone: buried lives of jamestown and colonial maryland. Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books.
and
historians clues into the lives and cultures of people who lived long ago. In this story,
Walker follows along and details the series of events that unfold as scientists uncover
the bones of early settlers who lived in 17th and 18th century Virginia and Maryland, including
the settlement of Jamestown. Includes real photographs of uncovered remains and artifacts.
Also includes diagrams of dig sites and information about evaluating evidence left in bone.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Coleman, P. (2007). A new way to look at literature: a visual model for analyzing fiction and
nonfiction texts. Language Arts, Vol. 84, No. 3. pgs. 257-268.
Fountas, I. C & Pinnell G. S. (2001). Guiding readers and writers grades 3-6: teaching comprehension, genre, and content literacy. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
Huck, C. (2010). Children’s literature: a brief guide. Boston: McGraw Hill.