Text Scaffolding in Student Nonfiction Writing
Marlene Correia and I included a section about how text scaffolding can help young readers in Chapter 5 of 5 Kind of Nonfiction: Enriching Reading and Writing Instruction with Children’s Books. But last summer, I had a conversation with literacy educator Xenia Hadjioannou that has led me to think more deeply about it in terms of […]
Thank You, Moon: Making It Personal
Once I had a plan for how to organize the animal examples in Thank You, Moon, I needed a beginning and an ending. In early drafts, I started by contrasting bright nights and dark ones, but I kept looking back at my original brainstorming sheet. I loved the phrase “constant companion in space” and I wanted […]
Thank You, Moon: Finding a Hook
Today is the official release date for Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature’s Night Light, and I couldn’t be more excited. The story behind this book traces back to February 2020. Editor Katherine Harrison tagged me on Twitter, alerting me to a conversation about how animals respond to the Moon’s cycle, and asked “Is this something you’d potentially be […]
A Mega-fun Mentor Text for Opinion Writing
In most states, the ELA standards expect students to create opinion pieces, or persuasive writing. A quick google search can provide lists of fictional mentor texts, but since the pieces students create will be nonfiction, wouldn’t an informational book make a better mentor? Your school’s librarian or literacy coach can probably create a list of persuasive nonfiction […]
Whale Fall: Behind the Book
Today is the official release date for Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-floor Ecosystem, and I couldn’t be more excited. The story behind this book traces back to 2019. While writing Ick! Delightfully, Disgusting Animals Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses, I stumbled upon an article about zombie worms, aka bone-eating snot flower worms. Of course, I included them in […]
Why I Write Expository Nonfiction by Deanna F. Cook
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Deanna F. Cook. Thank you, Deanna. When I was a child, my favorite books were nonfiction, and I especially liked cookbooks and craft books and nature sticker books. I was […]
Why I Write Narrative Nonfiction by Lori Alexander
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Lori Alexander. Thank you, Lori. Narrative nonfiction can bring young readers the best of two worlds: an engaging, fast-paced story that is 100% verifiable and true. These vibrant stories can […]
Why I Write Expository Nonfiction by Anita Sanchez
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Anita Sanchez. Thank you, Anita. A food chain is simple: little fish are eaten by big fish, which are eaten by bigger fish, and so forth. An ecosystem is far […]
Why I Write Narrative Nonfiction by Laurie Wallmark
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors disscuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Laurie Wallmark. Thank you, Laurie! I’ve loved math and science, ever since I was a little girl. I’d check books out from the library that were way above my level […]
Why I Write Expository Nonfiction by Sara Levine
Today we continue the series in which award-winning nonfiction authors discuss the joys and challenges of writing narrative nonfiction and expository nonfiction with an essay by Sara Levine. Thank you, Sara. Whether the topic is germs, poop, or the functional anatomy of bird beaks, my books for children usually fall into the category of expository nonfiction. […]