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 Katy S. Duffield.
Thank you, Katy.
When
I was a growing up, I loved reading nonfiction science books loaded with quirky,
little-known facts—and if those books included information about animals of any
kind, I was IN! I could pore over the pages and study the photos, art, and
diagrams for hours at a time.
Additionally,
I was always an “outdoors” kid—catching crawfish with a string, a paper clip,
and a piece of raw bacon; throwing a white-sock-covered tennis ball in the air
to attract bats; studying bugs with a magnifying glass; turning over rocks to
see what I could find. That was more fun than anything I could do indoors.
And
now, as an adult, not much has changed. I still love being outside—hiking; running my fingers over an interesting tree bark
texture; checking out fungi on fallen logs; spying on squirrels, indigo
buntings, and baby foxes with my binoculars; and exploring new trails to see
where they take me. Nature is everywhere! There’s so much to see, smell, hear,
and do out there! And I don’t want a single child to miss out on it. That’s why
I want to share nature. And that’s why I write expository nonfiction.
For
many science and nature topics, the facts, rather than complete
narrative stories (with their distinct beginnings, middles, and ends), take
center stage. Because some readers view this type of nonfiction as “just the
facts and nothing but the facts,” the term “expository nonfiction” can
sometimes be misunderstood as dry and boring reading—but it’s far from it. As
expository nonfiction writers, it’s our job to figure out how to best present
facts in a way that’s interesting, engaging, fun, important, heartfelt, and
more. This is far from an easy task, but it’s what young readers (what all
readers!) deserve.
When
I lived in Florida, I read an article about underpasses that were being built
to try to save and protect Florida panthers that had been perishing on local
highways. The underpasses gave the panthers a safe way to get to the other side
of these roads, so they could travel freely to breed and find food without having
to face the dangers that vehicles posed. This was the first I’d heard of such
“crossings” and the animal-lover in me had to know more. I began researching
and discovered many different kinds of wildlife crossings for many kinds of
animals exist throughout the world, and I immediately knew I wanted to write
about them.
While
I could have chosen a more narrative approach by writing the story of one
particular animal using a specific crossing, such as Meeg Pincus did with her
book Cougar Crossing (illus. Alexander Vidal, S&S/Beach Lane 2021),
I knew I wanted to feature all the different kinds of wildlife crossings, so I
found expository nonfiction to be the perfect fit.
Once
I’d decided on the crossings I wanted to include, I had my facts, but I knew I
needed something more to fully draw in readers. I needed a fresh approach, a
beating heart.
I
began thinking about how I could show the animals in motion, using the
crossings. That’s when I came up with the idea of a lyrical voice that uses the
repetition “Over. Under. Across. Through” to tie the facts (and the crossings)
together in a memorable way.
To
include heart, I highlighted the people who opened “their minds and their hearts”
to create the crossings. This showed readers that by focusing on what we love,
we can make a difference.
Since
the main text is spare, each spread includes a second layer of text with
additional information. A map in the back matter shares details about where the animals live.
I
enjoy writing many different kinds of nonfiction, but expository nonfiction
holds a special place in my heart. Expository nonfiction is not “just the
facts.” It’s a meaningful combination of ideas and information, often presented
in multiple layers, that engages a wide range of young readers.
So,
for this “outdoors” kid, it’s expository nonfiction for the win!
Katy S. Duffield is the award-winning
author of more than 40 children’s books including Crossings: Extraordinary
Structures for Extraordinary Animals, (illus. Mike Orodán, S&S/Beach
Lane), Aliens Get the Sniffles, Too (illus. K.G. Campbell, Candlewick), Loud
Lula (illus. Mike Boldt, Two Lions), Farmer McPeepers and his Missing
Milk Cows (illus. Steve Gray, Rising Moon), and the forthcoming House
Finds a Home (illus. Jen Corace, Viking, 2022).
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6 Responses
I'm with you, Katy, and I LOVE Crossings!! Such a wonderful and touching book about how we can co-exist with our wild neighbors!
Great post! I always look forward to (what I now think of as) my "Monday morning nf class". Thanks Katy and Melissa.
FABULOUS post, Katy! I adore your books and how they came to be…and your explanation of expository nonfiction is awesome! Crossings is such a beautiful book!
Thanks so much, Maria!
Thanks for reading, Sue!
You are too kind, Vivian. Thank you!