By Stephanie Bearce

By Wendy Hinote Lanier

As part of an ongoing conversation about types of nonfiction based on the work of Melissa Stewart (we’ve already addressed three), today’s post is about a fourth type: traditional nonfiction.
Traditional nonfiction is a personal favorite. Partly because I read a lot of it growing up, and partly because I’ve written a lot of it as an adult. However, the stuff I grew up reading is very different from what is considered traditional nonfiction today.

Today’s traditional nonfiction is generally an overview of a particular topic—an “all about XYZ” sort of thing. It’s written in an expository style using clear, straightforward language, and the books in this category are frequently part of a series. The pages are filled with colorful illustrations and/or photographs, cool graphics and charts, interesting sidebars, explanatory captions, and sometimes even QR codes or web links for additional information or activities. This is NOT your grandpa’s nonfiction.

As with active nonfiction, traditional nonfiction isn’t considered sexy and doesn’t often win the big awards. What is does is sell. Big. Kids who are curious about a particular topic eat it up. The straightforward format satisfies their need to know and provides just the right amount of entertainment to go along with it.

Some Ninja favs in this category include:​
The Truth About series by Maxwell Eaton III is both funny and informational. The author’s almost graphic novel art style and humorous text covers just about everything a kid might want to know about animals like dolphins, crocodiles, hawks, bears, butterflies, elephants, and his most recent release—parrots. 

Capstone’s Fast Facts About Bugs and Spiders is a series of eight books, five of which are written by fellow Ninja Lisa Amstutz. Simple text, close-up photos, and fun activities make these overviews of various bugs and spiders a great introduction for a budding entomologist. 

The What to Expect When You’re Expecting series by Bridget Heos is another great example of a traditional nonfiction. This entertaining format is used in at least three books that explore insects, marsupials, and reptiles. Heos is also the author of the Just Like Us series that includes six titles exploring the topics of fish, plants, crocodiles, birds, cats, and ants

The Read All About series by Jaclyn Jaycox is from Capstone and includes four titles. Stunning photographs and fact laden text introduce young readers to the world of dogs, cats, oceans, or rocks and gems.

By Peggy Thomas

​Last week, I broke my ankle. Since then, I’ve had trouble focusing on my work. So, I’ve gone back to basics, rereading some of my favorite books about writing and the creative process.

My artist / illustrator brother, Paul Facklam, and I can talk for hours about why we do what we do, and love sharing titles and stories that remind us we are not the only ones who have writer’s block, or career doubts or fear of failure.

One of my favorite books is a slim paperback titled Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland. I’ll flip to any section, read a bit, and feel better instantly.

I also love Big Magic  by Elizabeth Gilbert. The author of Eat, Pray, Love, is not embarrassed in the least to share inner fears, and thoughts about creativity and where it comes from. 

If you want a quick boost, listen or read Neil Gaiman’s commencement address to graduates of the University of the Arts. Make Good Art. It’s also a book.  He also wrote Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World.

There are also some great podcasts out there. Longform. talks to nonfiction writers like Gay Talese and Susan Orleans about how they write, and Working It Out features comedians. I love listening to artists who work in other fields because you realize that the creative process is the same no matter what the vehicle is. Comedian, Mike Birbiglia, started Working It Out because he missed getting together with other comedians during the pandemic. As the title claims they each bring an idea or a joke they are developing and work it out.  Guess who one of his critique partners is? Ira Glass from radio's This American Life ! OMG!!!

I also regularly go back to  Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, and all the many editions of William Zinsser’s On Writing Well. 

​What books inspire you or rekindle your creative process?  Share in the comments below. 

​Linda Skeers writes about fascinating people. Her WOMEN WHO DARED: 52 STORIES OF FEARLESS DAREDEVILS, ADVENTURERS & REBELS, illustrated by Livi Gosling (Sourcebooks, 2017), was chosen for the NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list. Her latest book, DINOSAUR LADY: THE DARING DISCOVERIES OF MARY ANNING, THE FIRST PALEONTOLOGIST, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns (Sourcebooks, 2020) is on the list of NSTA Outstanding Trade Science Books for Students K-12 and was also longlisted for the AAAS/Subaru Children's Science Picture Book Award.
 
I asked Linda for advice on writing biographies for children. Here's what she generously shared:
 
Q: What makes someone a good subject for a children's biography?
LS: I think people with unique talents, skills or accomplishments make good subjects — especially if readers can connect with them on some level. Maybe they share a feeling (curiosity, determination, fear, loneliness, ambition…) or an interest in the same subject (dinosaurs, space, fashion, art, animals…) Hopefully the subject of a biography will fascinate readers, and they’ll want to learn more about the person, what they did, and why and how they did it.  And maybe it will inspire them to follow their own passion!
 
Q: How did you identify Mary Anning's defining personality trait?
 LS: I had trouble narrowing down the traits I admired about Mary Anning to just a few! I chose to focus on her insatiable curiosity and determination to learn everything she could about the world around her no matter what obstacles she faced. For example – she wanted to read scientific textbooks, but they were written in French. No problem! She just taught herself to read French! After discovering a fossilized head of a creature never seen before, she searched for an entire YEAR for its body!
 
Q: How do you decide what traits will connect with kids?
 LS: Think like a kid! I always look for things that surprise me or make me go WOW when I’m researching.
 
 Q: Any tips on openings for a biography?
 LS: I try to open with a scene showing readers what the person is like – I want them to say, “She’s awesome!” or “I’d like to hang out with her!”
 
Q: Any tips on openings for a biography?
LS: I try to open with a scene showing readers what the person is like – I want them to say, “She’s awesome!” or “I’d like to hang out with her!”
 
Q: Any tips on endings for a biography?
 LS: For endings I like to highlight their accomplishments and legacy. My hope is to jumpstart readers' interest in a person or subject that may be new to them. And make them want to grab another book and keep reading!

By Nancy Churnin
 
There’s no getting around it. Research is required for any kind of nonfiction you want to do. It takes a lot of reading and often interviewing to assemble and understand the facts you need to get the story right.
 
Sometimes the research you do is just enough to support one book. But if you dig deeply enough, you may find you’ve found a well that will sustain other books and projects.
 
When I’m researching subjects for informational nonfiction, I’ve learned to stay alert for ideas that might be worthy of another story. I keep contact information for the experts I use and stay in touch with them, too. It’s already happened, more than once, that the experts I consulted for one project have provided invaluable help and guidance on others.
 
When I’m doing narrative biographies, it’s hard not to come across other, related great subjects. In fact,  one of my most biggest struggles in writing picture books is maintaining the discipline to discard other characters and themes that fascinate me. The good news, I’ve come to realize, is that I don’t have to discard them! Well, maybe I have to let them go for the book I’m currently working on. But I keep files now on other people of interest and ideas for when I’m ready. The bonus is that if the person is deeply connected to my original subject, chances are some of the resources I already know can help me again.
 
Another option I have on my to-do list to try is to tackle a middle grade on a subject similar to some of my picture books. As our Nonfiction Ninja middle grade expert, Stephanie Mowry Bearce, likes to remind me, middle grade gives you more room to tell more stories. I’ve dug deep wells of research and resources for my picture book. I’m looking forward to going back to some of these wells to gather up some loved ideas I left behind. I bet you’ll enjoy digging some wells, too.

​
Linda Skeers
I was surprised that editors/agents have a different concept of "time" than writers do. To me, "soon" is about 2 weeks. To them, it can mean 2 weeks to 6 months. Or longer! And when they ask how long it will take me to complete a project, I'm thinking 8-12 months. And they ask if 12 weeks is enough time. And I say yes. And do it. How do you cope while you wait for a reply? You just keep writing.
 
Wendy Hinote Lanier
I never dreamed it would be so hard to find your GROUP. We all recognize the need for a good critique group, but finding one is another matter altogether. I am eternally grateful to Pat Miller and Christine Liu Perkins for sending out a call to nonfiction writers several years ago. From our first meeting, I knew I'd found IT...that elusive blend of people who encourage you, inspire you, and provide the honest feedback you need. The Nonfiction Ninjas have been the one thing that keeps me writing. Without them, I'm fairly certain I would have given up by now.

Christine Liu Perkins

Michelle Medlock Adams
I think my biggest surprise was the difference in going through the publishing process with various publishers. Some that I’ve worked with have been very good to include me in the process from beginning to end. For instance, I am currently working with Endgame Press on a Christmas picture book, “Dachshund Through the Snow” and the publisher has allowed me to be involved at every turn. I was even allowed to see the storyboards and offer art suggestions. Yet, when I have worked with some of the very large publishing houses, I never saw anything after I turned in my manuscript. In fact, in a few cases, I didn’t even see the cover art or any of the artwork until my author copies arrived. I just never realized when I began this journey over 20 years and 100 books ago that my involvement in the whole book publishing process could be so different depending on the publisher.
 
Nancy Churnin
My biggest surprise was how much patience It requires. Coming from the world of journalism where everything is fast, faster, fastest, and needed yesterday, it has been an adjustment to live in a world where people expect you to wait, deliberate, and take time planning for tomorrow. What I have learned to love about the slower pace is how it helps us carefully and collaboratively craft books that last.
 
Stephanie Bearce
My biggest surprise has been the insecurity of the business. I thought that once I had several books published I would feel like my career was established. But in reality each book is a separate project and is evaluated on it's own merit. It's like applying for a job over and over again. And it's always a job I want!
 
Susan Holt Kralovansky
I was also surprised by everything my fellow Ninjas said, but marketing was my biggest surprise. I thought that when I signed the contract, I was free to move on to another project. I had no idea that I was an important element of the marketing team. And, another surprise, after that initial shock, I realized that I love marketing – and this is from a girl who hated selling anything, even her Girl Scout cookies!
​
Susan Kralovansky is the author of We Really, Really Want a Dog! (Pelican Publishing, 2021)

By Stephanie Bearce

Writing is all about finding and falling in love with a story. Sometimes it is a forgotten story like Peggy Thomas' book Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car, or Linda Skeers' Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, The First Palentologist. Other times it is a story that the world has never heard and needs to know like Nancy Churnin's Manjhi Moves a Mountain, or Pat Miller's The Hole Story of the Doughnut.

These books are great examples of authors discovering true facts and truning them into narrative stories that both inform and enlighten the reader.

So - you may be wondering where the heck is MY great story? Where do I find that undiscovered hero or that hidden bit of history? 
This is your lucky day!
I've been digging around and I've got a treasure trove of sites for you to visit and explore. Hopefully you will find a story that sparks your curiosity and gives you the AHA! moment you need to start your next project.

Famous Scientists - A comprehensive list of astronomers, biologists, mathematicians, and geologists from ancient times to the present.
Accidental Science - Sometimes accidents in the lab lead to great discoveries.
Unsolved Mysteries - Reader's Digest provides an interesting list of strange but true events.
Weird History Facts - This list is a great starting point for story ideas. You must supply the research.
Famous Female Scientists - list of 91 famous women scientists
Forgotten History - 10 history stories not taught in school
Historic Women - Legends of America you may not know
Women who changed history - 17 female heroes 
African American Inventors - From Lewis Lattimer to Dr. Patricia Bath
Inspiring Asian Americans - 130 Asian Americans and their stories
Famous Hispanic and Latino Americans - A comprehensive List

​By Wendy Hinote Lanier

In previous Ninja Notebook posts about types of nonfiction, we’ve talked about two: narrative and expository literature nonfiction. Candace Fleming is considered the queen of narrative nonfiction among the Ninjas, while Melissa Stewart holds that title with regard to expository literature.

Because we are, after all, the Nonfiction Ninjas, we talk about nonfiction a lot. It’s something near and dear to our hearts. But our conversations are about all kinds of nonfiction, not just narrative and expository literature.

A type of nonfiction that doesn’t get a lot of attention from the awards people and maybe isn’t considered as “sexy” as other types of nonfiction is active nonfiction. Formerly referred to as “how-to” books, I can assure you, kids love them. Next time you’re in your local library, conduct a little test. Trot yourself over to the children’s nonfiction section and do a slow turn up and down those aisles. Take note of the most worn books. What kind of nonfiction are they? Dollars to doughnuts, the majority will be active nonfiction.

Active nonfiction isn’t new. Believe it or not, it was around even when I was the class librarian in the third grade. But in the last 20 years or so, this genre has definitely come its own. (FYI. I was in third grade more than 20 years ago.) (Ok. A lot more.) Inspired by the maker movement, and pushed along by improvements in the publishing process, the topics kids are interested in learning about have expanded. As a result, books that explain how to do an activity in clear, straightforward language have exploded in popularity.

Active nonfiction books encourage discovery, experimentation, and creativity in readers. These types of books include how-to guides, field guides, cookbooks, craft books, and science experiment books. They are written in an expository style and don’t have to be read from front to back. It’s a style that lets readers skip around in favor of topics or activities that interest them.

Some of the favorites among the Ninjas in this category are:

Wildlife Ranger Action Guide by Mary Kay Carson 
Wildlife Ranger Action Guide provides dozens of hands-on activities and habitat creation projects, such as making a frog pond from a kiddie pool, planting a pollinator garden for bees, painting a bat house, and building a lodge for lizards. Kids are encouraged to learn about and take an active role in protecting local wildlife starting right in their own backyard.

​From Peggy Thomas

​From Susie Kralovansky

By Peggy Thomas
​
You do not have to be a scientist to write science stories for kids. My background is in anthropology, yet I’ve written about the brain, artificial intelligence, animal behavior, natural history, bacteriology, volcanology and lots of other -ologies.  All you need to know is where to find the accurate information that is essential to the genre.

I avoid internet sources that have tons of pop-ups, lack an “about” page or any other verifiable identity. I do, however, love to cruise the weird but true and top ten lists on my newsfeed, but only for story ideas. My go-to reliable sources include Scientific American, National Geo, Smithsonian, Science News, and of course journal articles.

Did you know all scientific journals are not equal? There are some journals that are considered predatory. Scientists pay to be included, and there is not much peer review going on. Beall’s List, https://beallslist.net/, names many of these predatory journals, as does the website: predatoryjournals.com/journals/

Journals that are published by Wiley, PLOS, Elsevier, Sage, and Taylor & Frances are peer-reviewed and every article has to meet certain standards. You can always rely on Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, American Academy for the Advancement of Science, PLOS (Public Library of Science) and New England Journal of Medicine, just to name a few.
           
Many of these journals charge a hefty fee, so utilize your college libraries and public libraries to get access, because it stinks when you find the paper you need but can’t read it. Sometimes you can check on Google Scholar to see if there is a PDF available, or look on the researcher’s website. Better still, ask the author. They are usually more than happy to share their work, and you’ve opened the door for a possible interview in the future. 

​

Peggy Thomas is the author of Lincoln Clears a Path (Calkins Creek)

​by Christine Liu-Perkins
 
 
Sidebars can add to a main text in many different ways from expanding  comprehension to injecting fun to inviting participation. Here's some things I've learned from writing sidebars for various nonfiction projects: 
 

• Plan ahead. While you research, keep track of ideas and information for possible sidebars. Include these ideas in your proposal outline along with the synopsis and photos for each chapter.
• Make the sidebars stand on their own. If readers view the sidebar without reading the main text, would they understand it? Would they learn something new that's not in the main text?
• Think about what can be moved from the main text into a sidebar. If something seems necessary but detracts from the flow of the main text, could it be formatted as a sidebar?
• Answer questions that readers may be asking about something introduced in the main text.
• Consider providing context information in sidebars such as parallel historical events, customs, related ideas, or definitions.
• Let photo captions function like sidebars. Beyond describing the photo as a whole, point out significant details, add context information, or make an insightful connection.
• Consider fun facts, unusual information, or quotes that you think readers will enjoy or find memorable.
• Experiment with different formats: short paragraphs, quotes, lists, Q&A, activities, charts, diagrams, anecdotes, timelines, quizzes, puzzles, humor, etc. What format best accomplishes your purpose for the sidebar?
• Although they are often brief, sidebars can be challenging to research. Allow enough time to dig and sift for essential information and intriguing details.

 
For more tips, here's a good article on creating sidebars for magazine articles (useful for books, too): "Preparing a Sidebar Feast: Planning, Writing, and Submitting Sidebars" by Carolyn Short.