If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that I frequently discuss
the importance of sharing a diverse array of expository and narrative nonfiction
with young readers. While most educators tend to connect strongly to narratives,
a growing body of research shows that as many as 42 percent of elementary
students prefer expository nonfiction.
But what I probably haven’t stressed enough is the content-area
disconnect related to nonfiction writing style.
Fact 1: A person’s life and a historical event have a built-in
timeline.
Fact 2: Nearly all narrative nonfiction has a chronological
sequence structure.
These two facts make biographies and event-centered social studies/history
books ideally suited for a narrative writing style. As a result, it’s hard to
find the books for info-kids who love learning about the past.
I hope publishers will start acquiring more expository literature social
studies titles soon. But because lots of kids want these books right now, let’s
take a look at the few exceptional titles that already exist.
One author to be on the lookout for is history lover Sarah Albee. She has written a number of books that
look at world history through intriguing lenses, including sanitation (Poop
Happens! A History of the World from the Bottom Up), disease-causing
insects (Bugged! How Insects Changed History), fashion (Why’d They Wear
That?), poison (POISON: Deadly Deeds,
Perilous Professions, and Murderous Medicines), and I bet there are more great titles on the way.
humorous voice that her middle-grade audience can’t resist. What’s the secret
to her success? Expert use of such language devices as puns, rhyme, alliteration, and surprising phrasing, which makes her
work perfect as mentor texts for writing workshop.
Gene Barretta has created some
wonderful nonfiction picture books that blend expository writing with a clever
compare and contrast text structure and fun, cartoony art to share the ideas
and inspiration of three famous inventors (Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of
Leonard DaVinci, Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin
Franklin, and Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed Our Lives) and
two well-known presidents (Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare).
For example in Lincoln and Kennedy, each left-hand page
presents facts about Abraham Lincoln, while the facing right-hand page offers corresponding
information about John F. Kennedy. As a result, readers notice fun patterns as
well as startling similarities between the two men’s lives. The book’s ending
forges a connection with readers by introducing the term “legacy” and asking
children to think about how they plan to exist in the world. I hope Gene has more great expository social
studies titles in the works.
of America’s Presidents by Kate Messner. Perfect for an
election year, this book pairs an expository writing style and a clever, innovative sequence text structure to highlight that, at any given time in U.S. history, there is one president running the country and many future presidents preparing for their role—even though they don’t know it. And in fact, right now—today!—there are at least ten future presidents alive in America. They might be playing
basketball or drawing a picture, solving math problems or even a reading
book—like this one. What a wonderful way to empower kids!
that make use of an expository writing style? If so, please share them in the
comments below.
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