I wrote a couple of nonfiction articles for magazines, but now I am interested in writing nonfiction for picture books. Nonfiction picture books is different from writing the traditional nonfiction in that it must have three components:
Nonfiction picture books are written to attract the interest of young readers and get them excited about nonfiction. Sharon Ruth Gill of Reading Rockets explores this genre that is making waves in the publishing industry in her article, What Teachers Need to Know About the "New" Nonfiction.
Like picture books, nonfiction picture books must stand out in today's market. How do you do that?
- Visually appealing with attractive design and layout in a 32-page book
- Accurate information
- Engaging writing
Nonfiction picture books are written to attract the interest of young readers and get them excited about nonfiction. Sharon Ruth Gill of Reading Rockets explores this genre that is making waves in the publishing industry in her article, What Teachers Need to Know About the "New" Nonfiction.
Like picture books, nonfiction picture books must stand out in today's market. How do you do that?
GET CREATIVE!
But how much creativeness can you add to a nonfiction? This is where it gets sticky.
Myth: For my nonfiction to stand out, I should embellish it with interesting and fun details by weaving in a creative, made-up story.
*Truth: Once you add fiction, your story is fiction. Lee Gutkind of creativenonfiction.org says it best. Creative nonfiction is “accurate prose about real people and events written in a compelling, vivid, dramatic manner- true stories well told.”
Myth: If I write a story with a good plot, realistic characters and interesting facts, then I would have a great creative nonfiction.
*Truth: This all depends on what your realistic characters are saying and doing. Jan Fields of the Institute of Children’s literature writes, “Creative nonfiction happens when an author uses totally well researched facts to create a story-like narrative with no made up parts.” What you may have written is faction- blending of fact and fiction.
Myth: If I write a story about a father on an adventure through the woods with his daughter and informing her of facts about redwood trees along the way, that would make a great Creative nonfiction.
*Truth: When you have a made-up story with characters spewing out facts, or a blending of fiction with facts, then you have informational fiction- Facts in a fictional framework.
What about historical fiction?
Many historical fiction are realistic. Characters may be fictitious, but the events and scenes are based on facts. Historical fiction is also described as a fictional account of real events or real people. Sherry Garland, children's author, talks about this and was surprised when some of her historical picture books won nonfiction awards. 
Historical fiction: Informational fiction, creative nonfiction, or faction? You will find the answer to this question on Sherry's blog, Into the Woods We Go.
What is faction?
According to Gotham teacher, Brandi Reissenweber, faction is a blending of fact and fiction. Author Sandra Markle defines it as "a fictional story in which all of the characters and the details are based on real facts."Is faction creative nonfiction or informational fiction? Based on the definition above, faction sounds like information fiction to me.
Sandra Markle, author of What if I Had Animal Teeth, classifies her books as faction. When I looked them up (What If I Had Animal Teeth, Animal Scavengers: Wolverines, and Hip-Pocket Papa) at my library, they were shelved in the nonfiction section. So faction, in this example, is creative nonfiction.
There were a few books on the 2012 Cybills nominee list for NONFICTION picture books that were categorized as FICTION at libraries: A Leaf Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas and Just Ducks by Nicola Davies, just to name a few.
There were a few books on the 2012 Cybills nominee list for NONFICTION picture books that were categorized as FICTION at libraries: A Leaf Can Be by Laura Purdie Salas and Just Ducks by Nicola Davies, just to name a few.
This just proves how difficult it can be to distinguish creative nonfiction from informational fiction or faction. Are you as confused as I am? This topic is enough to make my head spin!
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Here are some examples of creative nonfiction books given by:
I.N.K. Creative Nonfiction for Kids
Sandra Markle's Nonfiction Books
NOTE: Some of the picture books listed on the blog, I.N.K. are listed as creative nonfiction, but when I looked them up at my library, there were a few that were categorized as fiction such as Move! By Steve Jenkins, Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman, and Over and Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart.
TIP: If you can't decide whether a picture book is creative nonfiction or fiction, check out the library and search for the title. If it is listed as a PB** then it is fiction. If it is listed as J###### then it is nonfiction. Study them and see if you can figure out for yourself why it is classified the way it is.
I.N.K. Creative Nonfiction for Kids
Sandra Markle's Nonfiction Books
NOTE: Some of the picture books listed on the blog, I.N.K. are listed as creative nonfiction, but when I looked them up at my library, there were a few that were categorized as fiction such as Move! By Steve Jenkins, Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman, and Over and Under the Snow by Melissa Stewart.
TIP: If you can't decide whether a picture book is creative nonfiction or fiction, check out the library and search for the title. If it is listed as a PB** then it is fiction. If it is listed as J###### then it is nonfiction. Study them and see if you can figure out for yourself why it is classified the way it is.
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CREATIVE NONFICTION- accurate prose about real people and events written in a compelling, vivid, dramatic manner
INFORMATIONAL FICTION- facts in a fictional framework
FACTION- blending of fact and fiction
FACTION- blending of fact and fiction
Below are some great resources that go into detail:
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Do you have a great resource to share that will demystify what faction is, please share!
Do you have a great resource to share that will demystify what faction is, please share!
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