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
quickly draw students (and adults!) into a science or history subject they
previously knew little about.
As
the author of several STEM narrative nonfiction titles, my writing journey typically
begins with me stumbling upon a tidbit that sounds too unlikely to be true.
Here are a few examples:
All in a
Drop: How Antony Van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World
—A
Dutch fabric shop owner was the first person to discover bacteria when he
scraped goop from his teeth and viewed it under a microscope of his own design
—No
one believed what Antony found because he had never taken a science class
A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games
—Until
the 1940s, most people with a spinal injury were considered incurable
—The
root of today’s Paralympics began in 1948 on a hospital lawn outside of London;
sixteen patients competed in one sport—archery
What’s a
Germ, Joseph Lister? How One Surgeon Forever Changed the Way We Heal (forthcoming)
—In
the 1800s, hospitals were so crowded, dirty, and dangerous, people called them
“houses of death”
—When
Joseph Lister first discovered that germs were to blame for the widespread
deaths, doctors didn’t believe him because they couldn’t see germs with their
own eyes (some thought the best solution was to tear down hospitals and build
new ones!)
When
I come across these fascinating finds, my mind swirls with questions. Namely,
are these tidbits true? I dive into books, scientific journals, websites, and audio
files. I email experts and make travel plans. I want to learn everything I can
about these lesser-known historical figures.
Like
many students, my research typically begins with Wikipedia. This is a nice
starting point, providing me a general overview of my subject. But “facts”
gathered here should always be verified by additional sources.
When
researching Antony van Leeuwenhoek, Wikipedia led me to an interesting snippet
about the Royal Society’s response to Antony’s groundbreaking discovery:
microscopic life in rainwater. The Royal Society wrote to Anthony saying they
found much merriment in his description of these tiny swimming animals. They went
on to question whether he had been drinking this “rainwater” and might it actually
contain distilled spirits?
I
thought—wow! Kids will love to hear that Antony was initially dismissed by the
top scientists of the day. Alas, when I dug deeper for a copy of the actual correspondence,
I could not find the letter or mention of it in any other book. Without a
second source, I did not feel comfortable including this specific detail in my
manuscript. Luckily, I found other letters that demonstrated a similar
disbelief in Antony’s findings (although none that accused him of drinking on
the job!).
Once
I have the facts straight, I begin to weave a narrative with all of the
conflict, twists, and turns of a fictional adventure. Just like in fiction,
deeper themes develop. The doctors/scientists I’ve written about were
passionate and meticulous about their research. They were highly curious about
the natural world and sought to make a difference in others’ lives. Most
importantly, they persisted even when their ideas were not initially accepted. Valuable
take-aways to share with young readers.
To
keep the text lively, I include plenty of direct quotes. These are not invented
thoughts or made-up dialog. Every quote can be traced back to an audio
recording, interview, journal, or letter—each directly spoken or written by the
historical figure. You can check the back matter of each book for source notes.
I
love writing narrative nonfiction (and reading it, too!) because these stories
take you on a journey. When readers can relate to the people behind the
events—experience their failures and their successes—history and science are
brought to life.
Narrative
nonfiction builds an emotional connection to the material, which can be more memorable
than the facts alone. It’s my hope that this connection fuels students to read
further. Explore more. And maybe one day, make some history of their own.
Lori Alexander is the
author of board books, picture books, and nonfiction for young readers. All in a Drop received a 2020 Sibert
Honor. A Sporting Chance received
multiple starred reviews and was a Kirkus Best Book of 2020. What’s a
Germ Joseph Lister? (Clarion, 2023) tells the story of the nineteenth-century
surgeon whose work with antiseptics revolutionized medical care. Lori resides
in sunny Tucson, Arizona, with her scientist husband and two book-loving kids.
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5 Responses
Thank you! I like how you mention Wikipedia. From a research perspective, we are often told to avoid it. But Wikipedia can make a very handy starting point, as long as we start, rather than end, there. It can point to very helpful sources that are more reliable. Even sourced "facts" on Wikipedia are often wrong – when I actually do the work to check the original source, the supposed fact is often not there at all. But even if you can't find the fact you are hoping for, you might learn something else valuable for your research.
I'm such a fan of Lori's books and I appreciate reading about her process! (And yeah, it's a total bummer when you can't include a cute anecdote because it can't be verified.)
Right back at you, Teresa! Yay, nonfiction!
I completely agree, Matt! I usually wind my way through every source on my historical figure's Wiki page to see where they take me. You never know where you might find an extra nugget of fascinating information!
Thanks for sharing your process! How a tidbit becomes a fully researched book is fascinating!