Last spring, I wrote
a post about Sarah Brannen, the illustrator of my upcoming book FEATHERS (Charlesbridge,
2014) for the I.N.K. (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids) blog. But I didn’t say
too much about the book itself.
Over the summer, I
realized it might be interesting to compare it to my book BIRDS (Children’s
Press, 2001). Nonfiction for kids has changed a lot during the last decade and
these two books are perfect examples of what worked then versus what works now.
Here’s a passage from
BIRDS that discusses feathers:
A bird’s most special
feature is its feathers. Feathers are made of the same material as your hair
and fingernails. They grow out of little tubes in a bird’s skin. Feathers help
a bird fly, stay warm and dry, hide from enemies, and attract mates.
There are two kinds of
feathers—down feathers and contour feathers. Down feathers are like thermal
underwear under a coat of contour feathers. Short, fluffy down feathers trap
warm air close to a bird’s skin. Contour feathers cover a bird’s body, wings,
and tail. They give a bird its shape and color.
And here’s a bit of
text from FEATHERS:
Feathers can warm
like a blanket . . .
On cold, damp days a blue jay stays warm by fluffing up its feathers and
trapping a layer of warm air next to its skin.
. . . or cushion likea pillow.
A female wood duck lines her nest with feathers she has plucked from her own
body. These feathers cushion the duck’s eggs and keep them warm.
These two pieces of
writing are worlds apart. The first one is a straightforward compilation of
facts. And back in 1999 when this book was contracted, that’s what teachers,
librarians, and kids wanted and expected.
But then the Internet
entered our lives in full force. All the information in the book is now available
at our fingertips and free of charge. If authors and publishers wanted to keep
on selling books, they had to create something new and different. And they did.
Today’s nonfiction
for kids must offer something that the Internet doesn’t. FEATHERS focuses on
all the amazing ways birds use their feathers. Feathers are for more than just
flight.
But the topic isn’t
the only innovative thing about this new book. It has two layers of text. The
main text explains how birds use feathers through a series of comparisons. By
comparing feathers to familiar objects, kids gain a more solid understanding of
the unfamiliar. The secondary text provides more detailed information.
And that’s still not
the end of the novelty of this book. As I mentioned in last spring’s blog post,
Sarah’s art brings the book to a whole new level.
Here are a couple of sketches
to whet your appetite:
I started working on
FEATHERS in 2005, so I’m really looking forward to holding the final product in
my hand. Right now 2014 seems soooooooo far away.
Most Popular Posts
Resignation
Re-thinking “E” Is for Everyone
We Need Diverse Nonfiction
The 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
Behind the Books: Does Story Appeal to Everyone?
10 STEM Picture Books
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Melissa Stewart
Nonfiction Authors Dig Deep by Deborah Heiligman
Is It Fiction or Nonfiction? A Twitterchat
5 Kinds of Nonfiction, Book Lists
Topics
4 Responses
Thanks for doing that contrast & compare – it really is neat to see how books have evolved.
Melissa, after seeing the sketches in your workshop, I am so looking forward to this book too. It is just the type of book my almost-six-year-old adores (along with every DK encyclopedia). Also, I just used my colored pens to edit a couple of manuscripts. They are going out next week. Thanks again for being such a wonderful teacher.
Sue, I'm glad you like it. I look forward to seeing you in November.
Kirsten, Hooray for pretty colors! Good luck with your manuscript.