Literacy in the LibraryTOOLS FOR INSPIRING YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME LIFELONG READERS AND LEARNERS |
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Nonfiction Books and Magazines for Preschool ChildrenHow to Help Answer Their Questions About How the World WorksMarch/April 2008
Research has shown that parents and teachers read fewer nonfiction titles to children ages 3 – 5 than they read fiction. It further shows that boys hear more nonfiction books than girls. When we think about the kind of reading we do for our jobs, it is mostly nonfiction that we read and write. It is important for children to be exposed to both genres of literature. Learning to distinguish between what is real and what is make-believe is an important understanding. Ask a children’s librarian to help you find some good fiction and nonfiction books on the same subject which you can read as a pair and discuss the differences in the facts and the pretend story. What is your child curious about learning? Does she want to learn about bugs and spiders? Does he just love dinosaurs? More publishers are offering rich nonfiction books for our youngest children. We often think of nonfiction as being boring and just straight facts. However, many of the books for our preschool children are written as narrative nonfiction rather than in an expository style. The author incorporates facts about a subject into a story format that is engaging for young children. Quality full-color photographs make the illustrations just leap off of the page or cover and captivate your child. Opportunities to read books that reflect an experience your child has had such as a trip to the zoo will reinforce new vocabulary that he/she has learned. Some of our favorite nonfiction authors for young children are: Byron Barton (The Car, Machines at Work, Building a House), Bob Barner (Bugs, Bugs, Bugs; Fish Wish; and Penguins, Penguins Everywhere), Ann Morris (Bread, Bread, Bread and Hats, Hats, Hats), and Steve Jenkins (Actual Size, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?, and Dogs and Cats). We have wonderful nonfiction magazines at the library, too. Not all of these titles are available at each branch but check with the librarian. Some titles related to wildlife and animals are: Wild Animal Baby, Your Big Backyard, National Geographic Kids, and Ranger Rick. Magazines are a wonderful gift that your child receives in the mail with his/her name on it. Most have bright illustrations and short stories about science topics that your child might enjoy. You can make your own nonfiction books at home. Have your child help you decide what photos to take while on a trip to the zoo and create his/her own story about the visit using the pictures you both took. When your family goes on vacation, think about having your child draw pictures about his/her experiences or include photographs of the visit to grandparents or to the mountains. He/she can dictate the story to include with the photographs. Have fun answering your child’s questions about the world with nonfiction books and magazines. By Susan V. Oakes, Outreach Librarian, Children's Library, The Denver Public Library |
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