Homeschool Fever

<strong>About this Genre:</strong> It involves the teaching of facts and information. Story lines may be used as a teaching tool, but the emphasis is on learning the facts involved. Nonfiction books can be found about any subject imaginable!

<strong>Importance:</strong> This genre fulfills the child’s desire to know things, gets them more emotionally involved in learning, and (when it’s a book they’ve chosen because of an interest) it helps the child retain the information easily.

<strong>Criteria to use when evaluating books from this genre:</strong>
<ul>
 <li>Facts are current and complete, with a balance of fact and theory; when appropriate, differing viewpoints are represented</li>
 <li>The scope is appropriate to the audience and the subject</li>
 <li>The author’s qualifications and resources are apparent</li>
 <li>Ideas are logically developed, presented in a clear sequence &amp; understandable fashion</li>
 <li>The author indicates interrelationships between facts and between facts and theories</li>
 <li>The format of the book is attractive, reader friendly, with appropriate illustrations that are
strategically placed</li>
 <li>Illustrations illuminate the facts and concepts</li>
 <li>Writing is interesting, revealing the author’s enthusiasm about the subject</li>
 <li>Terminology is appropriate; writer uses rich language that stimulates a reader’s curiosity</li>
</ul>
<strong>Major awards associated with this genre:
</strong>Bologna Ragazzi Award, The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Children’s Book Guild. Award for Nonfiction, Flora Stieglitz Award, Jefferson Cup, Orbis Pictus Award, Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, Society of School Librarians International

<strong>Fun Idea!</strong>
<em>Thematic Connection / Family History:</em> Have children interview family members and gather personal family facts, then use those facts to explore non-fiction books teaching about those areas – such as different areas the family lived (states, countries, etc) and time periods of certain family members; with this information, present a factual family history story either in writing or orally to the class.

Why this Genre is important:
Every child should be using books from this genre for the main reason that it promotes self-learning. A child is more likely to retain facts from a “cool book” he was interested in reading himself than in something that is forced on him. Non-fiction children’s books are also great material to read aloud during units on particular subjects.