Missouri Humanities Council e-News | June 2009 | View Online  

Beyond Mere Facts

By Julie Douglas

"A TURTLE!!!  I found a TURTLE,"  screamed the little girl as she whooshed by me on a trail in the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  She was out exploring the paths and ponds on a recent Sunday with her parents.  I had just come from the exact spot where the big turtle sat sunning itself in the Japanese garden.  While interesting, I have to admit the turtle sighting did not motivate me to run or yell. That’s what I love about kids; even the most ordinary discoveries ignite their wonder and curiosity.

As adults, we can nurture that curiosity with good nonfiction for children.  If a child you know has an interest in animals, or plants, or stars, or trucks…or any other of the thousands of things that catch their fancy, there is probably a book about it.  Nonfiction for the very young has come a long way!  More than just a collection of facts, good nonfiction invites the child to take a closer look, to ask questions, and to make text-to-self  connections. 

Here are few tips for introducing nonfiction to your child:

• When exploring a nonfiction book, use open-ended questions or prompts to encourage conversation.  For example, remind the child of a real life experience that relates to something in the book.  "This photo reminds me of that turtle we watched in the garden."  Or, "Have you ever seen an animal that looks like this one?  What do you remember about the one you saw?"
• Let fiction lead to nonfiction.  After reading Goodnight Moon, the child might be interested in looking at photographs of the moon and stars in a nonfiction book (or in the sky!). 
• Give children opportunities to look up info in a book (with your help) as opposed to giving them the answer.
• Ask lots of "I wonder" questions. For example, when looking at pictures with lots of texture, ask, "I wonder how that rock would feel?  Would be it heavy? Sharp? Rough?"

To get started on a nonfiction adventure, take a look at these interesting examples.

An Egg Is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long (Chronicle Books 2006)

When you think of eggs, your first thought might be the familiar white chicken variety.  Discover a rainbow of egg colors and a wide range of sizes in the beautifully illustrated An Egg is Quiet.  The rich watercolor illustrations and the lyrical but simple text will offer opportunities to expand your child’s visual and spoken vocabulary.

First the Egg

Inviting illustrations, the clever use of die cuts, and a rhythmic text makes this award-winner a book that begs to be read over and over. 

Astronaut Handbook by Meghan McCarthy  (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2008)

Wanna-be space-travelers will be enjoy learning  the ins and outs of becoming an astronaut in this 2008-2009 Cybil Nonfiction Finalist book.  (The Cybils are the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards.)

Where in the Wild?: Camouflaged Creatures Concealed... and Revealed by David Schwartz and Yael Schy, photos by Dwight Kuhn (Tricycle Press, 2007)

Animal facts are tucked into amusing poetry and animals are hidden in beautiful photographs in this inviting book about camouflage.

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins  (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2004)

Readers are treated to life-size depictions of animals…or in some cases, just the part that will fit on the page, such as a squid's giant eye.  Colorful torn paper illustrations and intriguing facts about creatures large and small make this a book that grows nicely with a child.

[Return to Passages Front Page]

Also in This Issue:

• New Harmonies Smithsonian Exhibit Opens in Vandalia
• A Leap of Faith in St. Louis
• "A Christmas Carol" for Missouri Victorian House Museums
• Julie Douglas on Enlarging on the Facts
• Bates County Dig on YouTube
• Carver Day Festivities in Diamond, July 11
• Touring Classroom on French Colonial Heritage
• Michael Bouman's Blog on Luck, Thought, Ice, Flowers, and Time

Support the Council

Purchases from online retailers Amazon.com, eBay, and others yield a donation to the Council with no cost to you. The retailer contributes a portion of its profits on each transaction when you shop through giveness.com/mohumanities