Books “written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable factual material.” (Vardell, pg. 356)

Orbis Pictus AwardRobert F. Sibert Award National Council of TeachersAnnounced every SpringListed on the NCTE website Outstanding NF for Children Assoc. Lib. Svc. To Children (ALSC) Announced every January Listed on the ALA website Significant contribution to children’s literature.

1.Survey Books 2.Photo Essays 3.Concept Books 4.Social Histories 5.Informational Storybooks 6.Activity Books 7.Trivia Books 8.Series Books 9.Reference Tools 10.Magazines 11.Biographies

General overview of a topic May not cover all information Title IX is the law that made it officially okay for girls to play organized sports (1972). Example of what can happen when enough people work together to incite political and social change. o+are+we/title+ix-+what+is+it-.do

Photos on nearly every page Photos visually represent, supplement or validate text Sam Marshall is an arachnologist from Hiram, Ohio doing research on the (largest) Goliath Birdeater Tarantulas in French Guiana. This sometimes-humorous story dispels a lot of common myths about spiders. Note: Another great photo essay author is Seymour Simon.

Basic info about a single topic Extremely helpful for English Language Learners Young readers Beautifully illustrated interactive guessing book Collage illustrations Caldecott Honor book. Note: Other great concept book authors are Lois Ehlert and Tana Hoban.

Popular for middle grades Impact on human history Usually include primary source documents. Gives perspective on how people coped with challenges Sibert and Orbis Pictus award Political leaders flee the area and leave basically no one in charge. A few select brave heroes stay in Philadelphia in an effort to help the sick. There is an absolute feeling of helplessness among the remaining doctors and citizens while they try to find a cure for the disease.

Picture books that share information in a story context. Orbis Pictus Award Hypothetical journey of a monarch named “Danaus.” Information is carried in a lively fashion by utilizing a story line. Clues that it’s an informational storybook: foreword, afterword, text notes, source notes or acknowledgements.

Invite readers to do what they’re reading about. Directly involves reader Craft books, cookbooks, experiment books, etc. Diagrams, drawings, examples Minimal text Emphasis on directions Informative and funny, the author describes the meaning of specific dog “body language”. Note: Other great activity book authors include: Lee Ames, Herbert Zim, and Vicki Cobb.

Statistical Data Diverse range of subjects Short story narratives Trivia Almanacs of facts Accounts of strange and bizarre Often lure struggling readers

Defined by publisher rather than author Based on a perceived need rather than author interest Usually contain most current information Cover topics that may not otherwise be written about

Highly visual and current Affordable Some are content specific Interactive websites that supplement print version

Check out the biography links on your library website! A good biography should tell the story about a person’s life – not just what that person did in history. The reader wants to know about the person, not just about the events that took place during the time that person lived. A well-rounded portrait of a person’s life that includes not only their accomplishments and successes, but also the flaws and obstacles they had to overcome.

Complete Picture Book Biography Series Celebrity Biographies Collective Biographies Autobiographies

People worth reading about who made a significant contribution to society but often overlooked in history books Orbis Pictus and Sibert Honor Contralto singer whose career helped break the race barrier in America during the civil rights movement.

Illustrations add visual interest Art helps personalize the subject 2009 Sibert Honor Alice was Teddy Roosevelt’s first child and she was, by far, the wildest! She had a zest for life that was uncontrollable.

Standard appearance and content.

High-interest among students More for “pleasure” reading May not be most in-depth.

Several short biographies in one book. Usually some common thread

Written by the subject Not a lot written for children Fairy Tales / Folk Tales (398.2) Graphic Novels (741.5) Poetry (811)

Vardell, Sylvia M.. Children's literature in action: a librarian's guide. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, Print. Pages

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