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Exploring the Joy of Nonfiction Reading and Writing

TCRWP Handout: The Power of Voice in Nonfiction Writing

Nonfiction voice options
span a continuum, from lively to lyrical. Your topic and the approach you take
to it will dictate the best voice choice for a particular manuscript.

What’s the difference between voice and tone? Check out this blog post.

 

Some Characteristics of a Lively Nonfiction
Voice

  • Second person point of view
  • Figurative language, including alliteration/assonance, similes and
    metaphors, onomatopoeia
  • Sensory details
  • Strong, surprising verbs
  • Irresistible facts
Some Characteristics of a Lyrical Nonfiction
Voice

  • Figurative language, including alliteration/assonance, opposition,
    similes and metaphors
  • Repetition
  • Internal rhyme
  • Strong, surprising verbs

Great Books with a Lively Voice

Works well for
expository surveys and some picture-book biographies

Animal Grossapedia by
Melissa Stewart

Army Ant Parade by April Pulley Sayre

A Black Hole Is Not a Hole
by
Carolyn Cinami DeCristofano

Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons by Sarah Levine

 

Bugged: How Insects Changed
the World by Sarah Albee

Deadliest Animals by Melissa Stewart

It’s
Spit-acular by
Melissa Stewart

Look
Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate

Now Hear This by Melissa Stewart

Pink Is for Blobfish by Jess Keating 

 

See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman

 

What to Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley

What to Expect When You’re Expecting Larvae:
A Guide for Insect Parents (and Curious Kids) by Bridget Heos

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson

 

Great Books with a Lyrical Voice

Works well for
nature-themed picture books and some biographies

Ballet for Martha by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan

Beneath the Sun by Melissa Stewart

Coyote
Moon by Maria Gianferari

 

Dave
the Potter by Laban Carrick Hill

 

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston Hutts

Feathers: Not Just for Flying by
Melissa Stewart

Frog Song by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Lightship by Brian Floca

 

Planting
the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by
Claire A. Nivola

The Secret World of Walter
Anderson by Hester Bass

Step Gently Out by Helen Frost

Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan

When Rain Falls by Melissa Stewart

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre

Great
Books with a Neutral Voice

Eye to
Eye by
Steve Jenkins

 

Frogs by Nic Bishop

Move by Steve Jenkins
& Robin Page

My
First Day by
Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Neo
Leo by
Gene Barretta

Now
& Ben
by Gene Barretta

Redwoods
by
Jason Chin

Timeless
Thomas
by Gene Baretta

2 Responses

  1. Great post on voice, Melissa! Thanks again for including Coyote Moon here among all of these great titles :)!!

    I also love Bridget Heos's I, Fly for lively voice–it's very funny.

    And Cloth Lullaby, a PB bio of Louise Bourgeois by Amy Novetsky is lovely and lyrical. I was captivated by the first page. It sings!

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