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Lesson 02: Nonfiction as Literature: Part One

What is Nonfiction?

As a starting point, let’s consider the traditional division of fiction (imaginative and entertaining) and nonfiction or non-fiction (factual and informative). With this traditional bifurcation, nonfiction is understood in terms of not being fiction, and it invites connotations (not entertaining, dry) that do not represent the rich literary and aesthetic experiences available through reading nonfiction. As we can see in Freedman’s words, “good” nonfiction is so engaging that it draws a reader into the real-world experiences it portrays.

Sometimes the terms “nonfiction” and “informational” are considered equivalent, but nonfiction can be considered more of an umbrella term that includes informational texts. We have selected the phrase “Nonfiction Literature” for the title of this course to represent the broader term “nonfiction” that includes nonfiction narrative, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs, as well as informational texts.

For those of you interested in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), “informational text” is the primary category, and there are four types identified: literary nonfiction, expository texts, argument or persuasion texts, and procedural texts. For further reading, Booklist Online has a “Classroom Connections: Informational Texts and the Common Core” essay by Terrell A. Young and Barbara A. Ward that provides descriptions of each type of informational text as defined by the CCSS.

It is not always a clear division between nonfiction and other kinds of literature. For example, some nonfiction books for young readers are also picturebooks with poetry, blending nonfiction text with the visual art of illustrations or photography and the verbal art of poetry. Later in the course, we’ll explore hybrid texts. We’ll also consider creative nonfiction, which is sometimes referred to as narrative nonfiction or literary nonfiction.

In these discussions about definitions, it is important to keep in mind contexts and purposes. Our focus in this course is not so much categorizing books, but naming and discussing what we see at work in a given nonfiction text, and how this text can provide informative, engaging, and enjoyable reading experiences.

Next, let’s take a look at some basic go-to resources for locating nonfiction literature for children and adolescents.


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