ELE 616 Research in Children’s Literature

Spring 2012

Informational and Biographical

Literature

. . . and Mice!

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What is informational literature?

• Opinions differ about what is meant by the term– [Some use] the term expository-

informational text to refer to titles that are report-like and use expository text structures.

– More frequently, the term informational text is used synonymously with nonfiction.

– Nonfiction is also the term recognized in the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress systems.

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nonfiction

– Prose literary works describing events that actually occurred and characters or phenomena that actually exist or existed in the past. In a more general sense, any piece of prose writing in which the content is not imagined by the author. In libraries that use Library of Congress Classification (LCC) or Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), nonfiction is shelved by call number. Compare with fiction. See also: documentary and faction.

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What about faction?

• Confusing!1. A group of people, especially within a

political organization, who express a shared belief or opinion different from people who are not part of the group.

2. A form of literature, film etc., that treats real people or events as if they were fiction; a mix of fact and fiction

• Faction in Wiktionary

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Informational Books

• Definition: – Informational books deal exclusively with factual material

presented to instruct the reader. They are generally consider to be functional or utilitarian books and not part of literature. Children, however, do not always separate fiction and nonfiction and there is an interest/need to have informative books which also appeal to the aesthetic.

– We have become accustomed to informational books being dry and dull; however, there is no reason why nonfiction books cannot adhere to finer literary standards and hold our interests as would a good novel.

• LSC 300 L Literature for Children Mary E. Brown, Ph.D. Informational and reference books

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Writing Nonfiction for Children

• Non-fiction has long been seen as the poor relation in children’s books, inferior to fiction in both quality and sales. But in recent years, leading figures working in children’s books have realized that children should have access to the same high-quality information writing that adult readers take for granted. – The Real World is a Great Story Too: Author Nicola

Davies and editor Caroline Royds talk to Madelyn Travis about developments in non-fiction for children.

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Eleven Tips for Writing Successful Nonfiction for Kids

1. Tap into your Ew!, Phew!, and Cool! - Think like a kid.

2. Play with words3. Be Conversational4. Try Unusual Formats.5. Link new information to

something kids already know.

6. Include activities.

8American Library Association’s definition

• Information books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize and interpret documentable factual material for children. There are no limitations as to the character of the book, although poetry and traditional literature are not eligible. Honor books may be named; they shall be books that are truly distinguished. – (Robert F.) Sibert Informational Boo

k AwardTerms and criteria

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In Quest of Excellence: The Sibert Medal• Beyond Authority, Passion• An Abiding Respect for

Children• Fitting and Eloquent

Literary Style• Strategic and Artful

Graphics• Commitment to Accuracy

and Clarity• Thorough and Thoroughly

Explained Documentation• Inviting Extensions• Organized to Ease Access

and Enhance Meaning• Clear Delineation of Fact• Multilayered Content

• Supportive Ancillary Material

• Format Following Function

• Apt and Appealing Book Design

• Stimulating Overall Presentation

http://murraychildlit.org/InfoBooks.pdf

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2012 Winner of Sibert Medal

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Another nonfiction award

• NCTE Orbis Pictus Nonfiction Award

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Criteria for the Orbis Pictus Award

• Each nomination should meet the following literary criteria: – Accuracy—facts current and complete, balance

of fact and theory, varying point of view, stereotypes avoided, author’s qualifications adequate, appropriate scope, authenticity of detail

– Organization—logical development, clear sequence, interrelationships indicated, patterns provided (general-to-specific, simple-to-complex, etc.)

– Design—attractive, readable, illustrations complement text, placement of illustrative material appropriate and complementary, appropriate media, format, type

– Style—writing is interesting, stimulating, reveals author's enthusiasm for subject; curiosity and wonder encouraged, appropriate terminology, rich language • http://www.ncte.org/awards/orbispictus

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2012 winners of Orbis Pictis

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A 2012 Recommended Title for Orbis Pictus

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A Peterson’s Guide for Mice?

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Other Nonfiction about Mice

• Outside and Inside Rats and MiceBy Sandra Markle

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Biographical literature

• biography– A carefully researched, relatively full

narrative account of the life of a specific person or closely related group of people, written by another. The biographer selects the most interesting and important events with the intention of elucidating the character and personality of the biographee and placing the subject's life in social, cultural, and historical context. An authorized biography, written with the consent and sometimes the cooperation of its subject, may be less critical than an unauthorized biography.

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• Biographies and Memoirs – The mere mention of the biography

genre is sometimes enough to cause the eyes to glaze over, especially if you were assigned it once too often in school. Then too, it used to be that biographies written for kids seemed to make the life of even the most exciting person dull. Yet biographies are the favorite genre of many lifetime readers. Biographies can and should provide a way to personalize history, to discover the motivation behind some interesting people and perhaps awaken a new interest or passion.

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• Approaches to biography (degree of authenticity):– Authentic biography -- attempts to convey the factual

information of a person’s life; does not include any unsupported facts, facts supported by reliable research; rarely includes dialogue--unless taken from letters or diaries or reliable personal recollections.

– Fictionalized biography -- dramatizes events; creates dialogue and scenes to make the story more interesting; good fictionalized biography will not create scenes that did not happen.

– Biographical fiction -- pure fanciful invention with only passing regard to the historical facts. • LSC 300 L Literature for Children Mary E. Brown, Ph.D. Biography

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Biography vs. biographical fiction• Sarah Miller

(Author of Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller):– A biography is strictly facts - no invention.

Unfortunately, many children’s biographies are a muddy mix of facts and invented conversations. Some authors believe that kids won’t read a book that doesn’t have the feel of a story, so they make up scenes and dialogue to get the facts across in a more “entertaining” way. That really bugs me.

– Historical fiction on the other hand is a story based on facts. I believe good historical fiction requires just as much research as non-fiction.• Interview with Sarah Miller, October 1, 2007

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A 2012 Orbis Pictus biographical honor book• Amelia Lost: The Life and

Disappearance of Amelia EarhartAUTHOR: Candace Fleming – For those of you who were waiting for

a review about a non-fiction book, here it is! The book Amelia Lost tells the story of Amelia Earhart, a courageous woman pilot who encouraged women to chase their dreams. The story begins with Amelia's birth, and tells the entire story of her life until her disappearance.

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An author of biographies for children

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Biography raising consciousness

• African American Biography

Are Nonfiction and Biography “Just the Facts, Ma’am”?

From Mickenberg,

Julia. (2002).  “Civil Rights, History and the Left: Inventing the Juvenile Black Biography.” Melus  27, 65-

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