Non-fiction: Teacher-Recommended

Just the other day, I had the chance to listen to a couple of outstanding, local kindergarten teachers talk about important concepts to work on with young children to better prepare them for success in kindergarten. One of the things that the teachers mentioned was to encourage reading more non-fiction books. They said that even though some kids do a great job retelling stories and can tell you all kinds of details about what they heard after they’ve been read a fictional story, many of their students struggle to provide any kind of information about what they’ve learned after listening to a non-fiction book.

I’m always encouraging parents to read factual books about topics that interest their children because of all of the new vocabulary words presented in non-fiction books and the general knowledge that these books provide about the world around them. Hearing that these teachers see a need is just one more reason to expose kids to non-fiction from an early age.

Using the book Elephants (from one of my favorite non-fiction series for young readers, Seedlings) as an example, here are some strategies to help your child with critical thinking and comprehension:

-After reading, ask him to tell you something new that he learned: “What is one thing you learned from this book?”

-If he struggles to come up with something on his own, ask him a question that’s a little less broad: “Do remember anything about how elephants eat?”

-If necessary, guide him even more: “Do elephants use hands to get food into their mouths?”

-If he still can’t come up with anything, you can answer your question: “The book said that elephants use their trunks to get food into their mouths! Can you imagine picking up food with your nose?! Let’s read that part again!”

-Another great approach is to talk about what you hope to learn before you read the book: “I want to know what elephants eat. What do you want to learn? Let’s see if we can find out the answers while we’re reading!”

Are you already in the habit of reading non-fiction with your little ones? If so, what are some ways in which you assist with and check for comprehension and retention?

Weird & Wild Animal Facts

Did you know that a penny is heavier than a hummingbird? Were you aware that an adult giraffe’s kick is powerful enough to decapitate a lion? How about the fact that naked mole rats can run backward and forward equally fast? These are all fun facts (Ok, maybe the giraffe one isn’t fun, but it sure is interesting!) that can be found in our new book, Weird & Wild Animal Facts by Jessica Loy.

Reading books like this one, with incredible photographs and fascinating information, is a great way to get your kids excited about reading non-fiction books, which are great vocabulary-boosters and curiosity-builders. Some non-fiction books, like this one, help to pique kids’ interests about certain subjects. For instance, if there’s one particular animal fact that they find really interesting, they might want to check out other, more in-depth books about that animal. From there, they might find a particular series of animal books or author that they love and then branch out even further into non-fiction.

If you want to start reading some non-fiction with your kids and don’t know where to start, we’re always happy to help steer you in the right direction; just ask!

Chickens Don't Fly: and Other Fun Facts

Non-fiction books are great to read to kids; not only are they often filled with rich vocabulary, but they’re also a great way to help your kids develop general knowledge about the world around them. One of my new favorite non-fiction books looks more like a picture book than a typical non-fiction title because of its cute, amusing illustrations, but it has all kinds of interesting information inside.

Chickens Don’t Fly: and Other Fun Facts, by Laura Lyn DiSiena and Hannah Eliot, is filled with fun animal facts that will keep you and your child entertained (I know that I was!). Not only are these animal facts incredibly interesting (Did you know that elephants have such a good sense of smell that they can detect a water source from 12 miles away?!), but there are so many new vocabulary words to introduce to your children. Amphibians, nocturnal, predators, and camouflage are just a few of the book’s many vocabulary-building words.

So, if your children tend to be drawn more towards picture books than non-fiction ones, this is a great book to introduce them to non-fiction. I hope you like it as much as I did!

Sports Illustrated Kids Rookie Books

For all of the mini-athletes out there (or children of sports-loving parents), we’ve got some new non-fiction books that are part of the Sports Illustrated Kids Rookie Books series by Mark Weakland. And, I must say, they’re pretty fun. The first one, Football ABC, goes through all of the letters of the alphabet using football terms. Not only does each letter represent a football word—action, ball, coin toss, and so on—but with each word comes a description that is really helpful in learning about the sport and building vocabulary. For instance, the F page says: “F is for fumble. Uh-oh! When a player drops the ball, it’s a fumble.”

Hockey Counting is set up similarly. In this one, it follows the numbers 1 through 12 and provides hockey lessons and photograph descriptions on each page. For number 6, it says: “Each hockey team is allowed six players on the ice at a time. Five skaters and one goalie wait patiently for the game to begin.”

And if all that wasn’t enough to sell you on these books, there’s more; they both include a glossary, an index, a list of other suggested titles about football and hockey, and information about a website that has links to other sites (researched by the SI staff) related to the books. Not too shabby, eh? And apparently if you spend too much time with that hockey book, you start speaking like a Canadian… J

Non-fiction? Non-problem!

Reading non-fiction books with your child is a great way to help him develop background knowledge and critical thinking skills, and it really boosts his vocabulary and sparks his curiosity. Plus, considering the latest push to read more non-fiction in schools, it’s certainly not a bad idea to expose your child to these books at an early age. If you think of non-fiction books as simply tools for writing research papers, they certainly don’t seem too exciting. You might be surprised, though, at how fascinated your child might be if you find some about topics that are of interest to him. We have tons of non-fiction books that cover a wide range of topics. So, whether your child is interested in dump trucks, dogs, planets, or dinosaurs, we have books he’s sure to love. Remember, we’re always happy to help you find books on a specific topic or ones that are age-appropriate—just ask!

Adding Books to Your Adventures!

 

Over the summer I live vicariously through you and your children. It’s true; while I’m here at the library, I get to listen to stories about all of your amazing summer adventures. From vacations, to camps, to trips to the zoo and amusement parks--you all certainly sound like you’ve been busy having fun!

One thing that you can do to enrich your summer adventures is to read about them. It’s an easy thing to do and can make a huge impact on your child’s learning. For instance, if you’re going on a trip to the zoo, read a few zoo books--The Zoo, Out and About at the Zoo, or Zoo Ah-choo--before you go. This will allow you to prepare your little one for what he’s going to see there. When you’re there, he’s likely to be extra excited about seeing animals that he’s just read about in the books. Then, after your trip, these books will take on a whole new meaning and will be fun to reread, pointing out familiar things from your own experience as you read. If he had a favorite animal at the zoo, he may even want to get more books, specifically on that animal.

Reading picture books about your adventure is great, but it’s important to read some non-fiction ones, too. Since reading non-fiction books is a great way to build vocabulary and gain background knowledge, it’s incredibly important for your child to read them often. Starting with non-fiction books at a young age is important, too, because it will prepare your child for all of the non-fiction he’ll read when he gets to school (there's a big focus on that these days).

So, whether you’re taking a day trip to the zoo, going on vacation to another state or country, or just hanging out at a local park, reading about where you’re going or what you’re doing will make your child's experience so much richer! And, don’t forget to come back and tell me all about it. Yep, I’ll still be here working…

Mix It Up With Non-Fiction!

For most, when we picture reading to youngsters, we think about reading fictional picture books. Reading these books to your kids is fantastic and extremely helpful for your child’s development. I would, however, like to suggest adding to that. When your child is only a couple of years old, he is already starting to show interests. He may love trucks, animals, sports, or any number of other things. Why not read him factual books on his favorite subjects? Reading a non-fiction book about one of your child’s favorite topics will not only provide him with more information on a subject he enjoys, but it will undoubtedly introduce him to new vocabulary. In addition, the way the pictures and words work together in non-fiction books helps children to see that the words on the page are represented in the pictures they see. This is a helpful pre-reading skill.

I have a nephew who was obsessed with “minna minnas,” known to most as cement mixers J, when he was about 2 years old. A book like Concrete Mixers, by Linda T. Williams, would be a great one for kids with a similar interest. It’s written clearly, filled with great information, and has lots of photographs, too. That particular book is also part of a series called Mighty Machines. So, if your child really likes that book, he’d probably also enjoy others in that series.

If you’d like to start reading non-fiction books to your child but aren’t sure where to begin looking for ones he’ll enjoy, just stop by the library. Our librarians are always ready to help and would love to assist you in finding the perfect book to get started!

It's a Fact!

Is your child too wiggly to sit still so you can read together? Maybe you need some attention-grabbers. Try nonfiction! When you satisfy your child’s natural curiosity with books, motivation is built right in, and you establish the idea that books can be sources of learning for fun.  And after all, kids develop their own interests as they grow, so why not respond to them?

Is your child curious about that new house being built next door? How about a construction alphabet book? Are you getting questions about the butterflies in your garden, or the ladybug that landed on your little girl’s hand? We’ve got books on those, too, as well as castles and princesses, garbage trucks, ponies – you name it! There are also whole nonfiction series appropriate to share with toddlers and preschoolers, for example, Pebble Plus or, for more detail, Kingfisher Young Knowledge. Both are beautifully illustrated for extra kid appeal, and include lots of kid-friendly topics.

Information books are grouped by topic on library shelves, so you can browse those special areas with your child. If your browsing time is limited, you can print out and drop off a Personalized Reading Request, and let us identify books for you and your child to enjoy together. You can then place holds on your choices.

Does your child have a favorite information book? What is it? Guest post by Joyce F.

Full of hot air!

This past Monday, the Youth Media Awards (Oscars of the children's publishing world) were held at the American Library Association's Mid-witner conference.  I always watch via webcast holding my breath and crossing my fingers for my favorite picture books. This year, I was thrilled that Balloons over Broadway won the Sibert Award, the most prestigious honor for a children's non-fiction book. Using a combination of collage, puppets, paper mache, objects, sketches, and fabric, Melissa Sweet showcases the exciting life of Tony Sarg, the world's most famous balloon maker. 

Tony's love for "tinkering and figuring out how things worked" evolved into puppet making, a marionette show on Broadway, and eventually resulted in him being the mastermind behind the balloons in the Macy's Day Parade.

If you have child who love stories about real things and people, or one who is an enthusiastic puppeteer, check this out for a little inspiration!