One of my favorite book genres also happens to be one that a lot of readers are less familiar with. I'm talking about narrative nonfiction. Also called creative nonfiction, these are books that tell true stories in the style of a fiction novel. These books are great at drawing readers in and subtly imparting a ton of information in a story format.
If you want to dip your toes in this genre, here are five favorite narrative nonfiction titles for elementary school readers:
By Candace Fleming
New York: Scholastic Focus, 2021. Informational.
Chances are, if you've only heard of one Egyptian pharaoh, then you've heard of King Tut. But have you ever wondered why he's so famous? It's because the excavation of his tomb in 1922 by Howard Carter, a disgraced English archaeologist who was dead-set on becoming famous, was one of the most exciting archeological discoveries ever made. This book is a real page-turner while still conveying a ton of information including the grisly mummification process, the conditions that preserved King Tut's tomb so thoroughly, and the discriminatory policies of English occupied Egypt in the 1920s. Readers interested in the ancient world will not want to miss this.
By Steve Sheinkin
New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2019. Informational.
In 1929, twenty of the most talented female aviators entered the Women's Air Derby -- a nine-day, cross-country air race. These women navigated every obstacle in their way -- including bad weather, accidents, fires, scorn from the media and even threats of sabotage. These women gave their all in the dangerous race in order to prove that women are the best pilots in the world. In dramatic detail, this book brings these incredible women to life.
By Deborah Heiligman
New York: Godwin Books, 2019. Informational.
In the midst of World War II, the British government selected a group of children to be evacuated to Canada via ocean liner. But just before midnight, a German torpedo hit the passenger ship resulting in one of the worst sea tragedies involving children of all time. Of 90 children on board, only 13 survived -- their remarkable stories are told in this book. This is an enthralling book for readers who like books with a lot of tension.
By Gail Jarrow
Honesdale, PA: Calkins Creek, 2018. Informational.
In 1938 a group of radio performers, including famous thespian Orson Welles, planned a special performance for the night before Halloween -- an adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. They assumed their broadcast would be a failure, but they were unprepared for the actual response of radio listeners. People who heard the broadcast, about martians attacking Earth, assumed it was a real news story. This is a wildly unbelievable story that will immediate engage young readers.
By Sonja Cherry-Paul
Based upon the book by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2021. Informational.
This is a middle grade adaptation of Jason Reynold's and Ibram X. Kendi previous books for teen and adult audiences about racism and implicit bias in America. This "for kids" version holds up on its own, though, as a highly readable introduction to these viral ideas. An emphasis on readers stopping and processing what they have read will prompt deep thinking and open the door for family discussion about racism and discrimination.
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