Hi Educators,
What a month October was. We’re having lots of family medical issues, and I’m also working full-time temporarily as a copyeditor. I am exhausted. Not as exhausted as you, probably. On the plus side, I found out that Lerner Books is going to publish a nonfiction picture book manuscript I wrote. Whee! And that there is going to be a Chinese edition of Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten! I also had a lovely birthday celebration mid-month, followed by a big snowfall. Plus a few of you let me know you tried the poetry activity I shared last month. Check out the amazing writing from Mary Lee Hahn's students!
As always, life is . . . well, life is full of the gorgeous and the painful, all at the same time. Trying to focus on the gorgeous.
xo,
Laura
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Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep |
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Teachers, I’m so excited to share this professional book with you! A few years ago, I wrote a guest post for Melissa Stewart’s fabulous Celebrate Science blog. It started out: “I try not to take it personally, but there’s a common, crushing misconception that fiction is creative writing drawn from the depths of a writer’s soul, while nonfiction is simply a recitation of facts that any basic robot could spit out.”
Melissa went on to host many fabulous children’s writers on her blog who shared how they approach nonfiction and how their own personalities, histories, and preferences shape their nonfiction books.
I’m guessing you already know that this is true for student writers, too. A student who was once attacked by a dog will end up writing a very different nonfiction text about dogs than a student who has two beloved dogs who are part of the family—even if they’re not explicitly writing about their own experiences.
As one example, I've realized after writing A Leaf Can Be..., Water Can Be..., A Rock Can Be..., and If You Were the Moon that the way my sisters and I were raised--never good enough, no matter what we tried or did--led me to approach many common topics with an eye toward appreciating all they do that you might not have noticed.
As another example, here are some things about me that my nonfiction title Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready for Winter reflects:
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- I worry about animals. A lot.
- I want every animal to have a shot at a safe and healthy life—prey and predator alike.
- I like things that have a certain structure to them. It’s why my Pinterest board for things I might like in my office is full of pictures somehow using grids, lines, and patterns.
- I always fantasized about a “real” winter as I grew up in Florida.
- Winter’s beauty and brutality sometimes takes my breath away.
- I know humans are animals, and I like seeing and learning how we fit into the animal kingdom.
- I love science.
- I think nature is so cool! (Hehe.)
A student couldn’t read that book and learn that about me. It’s not information that’s included in the actual text. But knowing those things can give the reader more insight into the book and the writing choices I made. And it can help a young writer learn how valid it is to pour their own heart into nonfiction, in the same way we expect them to with fiction.
Talking about this idea with your young writers can help them engage more deeply with their topics (and be more discerning readers, too). And this book, Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep, can help.
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Imagine 50 essays by children’s authors from Jason Chin to Sarah Albee to Carole Boston Weatherford to Candace Fleming (to me--whee!) sharing the stories behind their books. What fun would it be for your students to pair reading these author essays along with the book discussed in the essay!
I’ve read some of the other essays in the book, and they’re fabulous.
Melissa has also added lots of teaching tips and activities. I can’t wait to get a copy and curl up in front of the fireplace to read! I expect to get more insight into my own writing process as I think about what I read. And I expect I’ll learn many useful tips for my own teaching in young authors conferences and such. This would be a fantastic holiday gift for yourself or for another writing teacher.
This book is brand-spanking new, and I think you’ll love it. You can order it at the NCTE site (you don't have to be a member, but you get a discount if you are!) or on Amazon.
Happy reading and writing!
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3 Books I Read & Loved Last Month |
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Here are some of my picture books--just click a title to learn more or to see auxiliary materials like downloadables, reviews, and teaching guides! Visit my books page to see more of my titles. |
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Where's Laura Speaking & Signing? |
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Ongoing: I am always happy to sign books. If you order from Red Balloon Bookshop and request a signed copy, I will stop by and sign it! Make sure to note who you would like it signed to. Thanks for supporting both me and independent booksellers!
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