Update June 24, 2024: My thinking about nonfiction classification has evolved since I wrote this post, but I’ve decided not to delete it because there’s value in looking back at my past ideas. For my current thinking, please see the book 5 Kinds of Nonfiction as well as information on my website.
Last week, I began discussing what I consider
to be the four main categories of children’s nonfiction literature (life stories, survey books, specialized
nonfiction books, and concept books) and took an up-close look at life
stories.
to be the four main categories of children’s nonfiction literature (life stories, survey books, specialized
nonfiction books, and concept books) and took an up-close look at life
stories.
Today, I’ll focus on survey books.
Survey books, sometimes called All-About books, are what we think of as
traditional nonfiction. They provide a broad overview of a topic. They
emphasize balance and breadth of coverage rather than depth.
traditional nonfiction. They provide a broad overview of a topic. They
emphasize balance and breadth of coverage rather than depth.
While students may decide to read a survey
book from cover to cover, they can also skip around, using the table of
contents, headings, and index to locate the subtopics that interest them most.
book from cover to cover, they can also skip around, using the table of
contents, headings, and index to locate the subtopics that interest them most.
Here are some popular survey books to read and
study:
study:
Eyewitness Books
The Horrible, Miserable Middle Ages by Kathy
Allen
Allen
Lightning by Seymour Simon
The Moon Book by Gail Gibbons
National Geographic
Readers
Readers
Spiders by Nic Bishop
Why’d They Wear That? by Sarah Albee
Over the next
couple of weeks, I will take look at the other major nonfiction categories—specialized nonfiction books and concept books.
couple of weeks, I will take look at the other major nonfiction categories—specialized nonfiction books and concept books.
Stay tuned.
Most Popular Posts
Resignation
37 Comments
Re-thinking “E” Is for Everyone
34 Comments
We Need Diverse Nonfiction
31 Comments
The 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
28 Comments
Behind the Books: Does Story Appeal to Everyone?
27 Comments
10 STEM Picture Books
25 Comments
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Melissa Stewart
22 Comments
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Deborah Heiligman
19 Comments
Is It Fiction or Nonfiction? A Twitterchat
19 Comments
5 Kinds of Nonfiction, Book Lists
18 Comments
Topics
Most Popular Posts
Resignation
37 Comments
Re-thinking “E” Is for Everyone
34 Comments
We Need Diverse Nonfiction
31 Comments
The 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
28 Comments
Behind the Books: Does Story Appeal to Everyone?
27 Comments
10 STEM Picture Books
25 Comments
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Melissa Stewart
22 Comments
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Deborah Heiligman
19 Comments
Is It Fiction or Nonfiction? A Twitterchat
19 Comments
5 Kinds of Nonfiction, Book Lists
18 Comments