Chapter 10 Nonfiction: Biographies and Informational Books

After reading this chapter I realized that I subscribed too many of the myths people associate with Non Fiction text. Specifically I believed that children would rather read fiction than non-fiction. I was happy to see that this is not the case. I admit non-fiction books are not on the top of my list when I am searching for something to read, that is, unless I am researching a particular subject. Most of my nonfiction reading is limited to magazines and online searches. I would dare say that many adults feel this way as we tend to view reading as an extracurricular activity used for enjoyment unless of course we are looking for particular information.

Children however are still learning about the world and how it works. Per this chapter one of the many benefits of non-fiction text is that it addresses children’s interest and questions. Much of this chapter focuses on the use of Biographies. Biographies are a wonderful way for students to learn about people, be it a sports figure, musician, actor/actress or a historical figure. The book categorizes biographies as authentic, fictionalized an autobiographies or memoirs. I was surprised to see fictional listed in this category although I recently read a book that although based on a fictional character the story was based on fact. The book: My Name is America- The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty, United States Marine Corps, Khe Sanh Vietnam, by Ellen Emerson White, is the journal of a fictional character. My Name Is America is a series of historical novels that was written for older boys and published by Scholastic Press. Each book is written in the form of a journal of a fictional young man's life during an important event or time period in American history. Although I didn’t consider this book to be non-fiction, I learned quite about the Vietnam War and the events surrounding it.

Nonfiction text has a variety of formats designed to inform the reader. Fiction may touch on a subject that children want to further explore leading them to nonfiction text in order to do so. Whether or not nonfiction is a child’s preferred form of reading it is important for them to learn how to read and interpret nonfiction text. After reading this chapter, I will be sure to include a variety of non-fiction books when I build my classroom library.