Which of the following titles is most likely nonfiction? A. A Journey to the Center of the Earth B. The Count of Monte Cristo C. Just a Summer Romance D. I am Jackie Chan

Nonfiction depicts actual people, places, and things.

Authors may write about things that happened long ago based on research, or they may describe their own experiences.

Authors may talk about an event and explain what may have caused it, what impact it had, or what it meant.

Biography Autobiography Informational Book Article True experience/ eyewitness account Memoir Interview Journal/Letter Historical Document or Speech newspaper editorials Reviews

Sometimes, nonfiction texts are organized with subheadings. Always pay attention to the subheadings. They can tell you the purpose or topic of a particular section of a text.

characters  Much like real people and animals, characters in stories act and speak in certain ways--- and for certain reasons. (traits)  For example, characters who help people are heroes. Characters who hurt people are villains. Different characters make stories interesting.

Where a story takes place Setting may also be the time in which the story takes place or the environment in which it happens. Some stories have very specific settings, while others have general settings. The setting might be stated directly in the story or you might have to determine it from the clues. The setting may change as the story unfolds.

Marcus relaxed and felt himself float on the cool water. He had his glasses and sunscreen on, and the lifeguard was watching over him and everyone else. The sun warmed his belly, and he felt as happy as he had ever been. Thoughts of school were far from his mind, even though he had been worrying about this only a few minutes earlier.

Mood The mood creates certain feelings in the reader. It is determined by word choice, setting, and characters actions, thoughts and dialogue..

If a story starts out with a dark rainy night. What might the mood be?

Marcus relaxed and felt himself float on the cool water. He had his glasses and sunscreen on, and the lifeguard was watching over him and everyone else. The sun warmed his belly, and he felt as happy as he had ever been. Thoughts of school were far from his mind, even though he had been worrying about this only a few minutes earlier. What is the mood of this story.

Tone  The tone of the passage is the author’s attitude about what he or she is writing about.  A writer may write in a fun, serious, mysterious, suspenseful, funny, or mocking tone, among many other possibilities.  When considering the tone of a story, think about the author’s approach to the story.  Ask yourself how the author feels about the subject matter  Ask yourself how you feel when you read the passage