LIS 721 Evaluating Information Texts

Infographic created by Jenny Marose

When reading information books or non-fiction text it is important to reflect on why you are reading that book. Are you hoping to learn more about a topic? How does this text connect to you or even another text you have read? Are there differences between realistic fiction texts versus non-fiction texts on this topic? If so, what are the differences? Sheri Wieczorek, a 5th Grade teacher, teaches her students when reading non-fiction texts that they may need to read them slower than they would a fiction book because they require giving additional thought to the text and will need to pay close attention to the captions and illustrations used to support the text. This is great practice when teaching children how to decipher information texts but also when reviewing information texts.

Photo Credit: Edutopia

"Information and non-fiction texts can be used with all ages of readers. The content of informational books is interesting to almost all preschoolers, and some young children actually like informational texts far better than stories (Caswell & Duke 1998; Correia 2011; Duke 2004). Having access to books that are preferred can affect a child’s interest in books and in reading." (Schickedanz, J.A. & Collins, M.F., 2013).

According to Dr. Dana L. Suskind, most children by the age of 4 are exposed to around 30 Million Words. Thirty million words is a metaphor for richness in language environment. Parent and caregiver support can help build a child's vocabulary, utilizing books, both fiction and non-fiction alike, the child is exposed to more words and concepts than before. Books use words and language that may not be used in day-to-day conversation, further expanding the vocabulary of children. In addition to giving children access to vocabulary and content information, hearing informational books read aloud acquaints children with language of a specific kind. This familiarity helps all children comprehend content area books they read later in school (i.e., science and social science textbooks), and it seems especially helpful to children who are learning English as a second language (Council of Chief State School Officers 2012; Kelley et al. 2010).

Below you can read about a few information texts that I recommend sharing with children.

Information Books

Nelson, K. (2011). Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans. Published by New York : Balzer + Bray, [2011], ©2011.

Nelson, the creator of We Are the Ship (2008), recipient of both a Coretta Scott King Author Award and a Robert F. Siebert Medal, uses familial stories and research on historic events to paint the picture of how America was not only built by European settlers but by people of African decent. This text is organized in a story narrative and covers an expansive time range through a fictionalized, informal voice of an African American senior looking back on her life and remembering what her elders told her. Nelson covers topics such as slavery, the civil war, segregation, the freedom riders, and sit ins while highlighting notable black innovators such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Joe Louis, Rosa Parks, and Barack Obama. Nelson breaks down this large scope into 12 sections which encapsulate the journey of the narrator, her family, and the impact that Black and African American people made in America after the Declaration of Independence was created through Barack Obama's Presidency. Occasionally the tone of her voice drops out, and a more textbook like tone prevails, but mostly her narrative presence provides the heart and soul of the story.

This survey book includes 44 colorful painted illustrations. The illustrations enhance the content and add emotion to the story to connect the reader to the time period being discussed. These are helpful when covering topics such as the slave ship and a burning cross which was used to strike fear in African Americans but also the power in being able to vote, the bravery of attending unsegregated public schools, speeches for freedom, and equal rights. This book would enhance a school or library collection serving children grades 4 and up. The prologue, epilogue, and author's note share common message of "You have to know where you came from so you can move forward." Additional resources such as a timeline of historical events and bibliography of books and DVDs are included to further research on the topics covered in this text, alongside an index for reference topics within the text.

Burcaw, S. (2017). Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability. Photographs by Carr, M. Published by New York : Roaring Brook Press, [2017].

In this photo essay, Burcaw reveals what it is like to live with spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, which is a disease he was born with that makes his muscles grow weaker throughout his life and his body smaller as he ages. The book follows a story narrative about the daily events, activities, and struggles Burcaw faces. It's fast-pace moves between different questions that people have asked Burcaw about himself and his disability. Through a lighthearted tone, Burcaw answer each question to help readers comprehend that humans are not so different, even if they look different or have different abilities. 

This book works well for younger readers and older readers alike because of it's narrow topic and it's realistic portrayal of what it is like to live with a disability. The added humor makes it relatable to children as young as 1st grade. It has won the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal making it a must have for school and public libraries. The inclusion of an author's note at the end and a brief bio on the front jacket helps the reader connect with Burcaw. Outside of this, there is no inclusion of a table of content, bibliography, or index. Burcaw inspires readers that they can do anything no matter their ability by sharing his accomplishments with his nonprofit and passion for helping others whether it's through public speaking, writing, or donating items of needs to others living with SMA and muscular dystrophy diseases.

Jenkins, S. (2019). Earth: By the Numbers. Published by New York, New York, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, [2019].

Steve Jenkins has written and illustrated many nonfiction picture books for young readers, including the Caldecott Honor-winning What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? and the Extreme Animals early reader series. Earth: By the Numbers is an infographic book featuring 17 different weather and environmental phenomenon that happen on, or about, the Earth. The organization features an enumeration order, highlighting the relevant parts of the environmental contributors. The illustrations are factual and colorful, using arrows to help guide the reader in the pattern they should read the text. While this book is stylized in a reader format, I would recommended it for children grades 3 and up. 

Jenkins does a good job keeping the information concise with vibrant illustrations to enhance the text, but some pages have a lot of infographics on them which could be more impactful if they were separated or broken down further. In the "Introduction", Jenkins mentions that words in blue can be found in the glossary but the font color is similar to the default black text making it hard to identify which terms readers can look up in the glossary. The glossary provides an array of definitions that would benefit the reader and help them comprehend the text with added ease. The table of contents helps readers traverse the wide range of earthly topics featured in this text, allowing them to jump to the topic they are looking for. While the bibliography offers other books to expand the readers knowledge on environmental topics. Even though this text came out in 2019, the books mentioned in the bibliography are much older, ranging from 1995-2016. Library selectors should use caution as some of this information will stay the same for many years, while other parts may already be outdated.

Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation. New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014.

Tonatiuh who also wrote Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote and Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns, offers an illuminating account of a family's hard-fought legal battle to desegregate California schools prior to the landmark Brown v. Board of Education through the Mendez v. Westminster School District case. Tonatiuh does a fabulous job using primary and secondary sources to create this text. They interviewed Sylvia Mendez, who is the main character in the book, lists transcripts from the court cases, books, films, websites, articles and reports that they used to tell Sylvia's story. They even note when dialogue was authentic or modified for clarity and pacing making it easier for younger readers. Other textual features included in this work are a glossary and index.

The book is organized mostly in a chronological order, outside of a flashback when the Mendez family moved from Santa Ana, California to Westminster. With the large font, repetitive language, and heavy use of dialogue, this book works well for young readers and older readers alike. Tonatiuh's illustrations tell a modern story with figures reminiscent of the pictorial writing of the Mixtec, an indigenous people from Mexico. Through the illustrations, the author deliberately connects his heritage with the prejudices of mid-20th century America to educate children about segregation and equality, while honoring the Mendez' story. This book is a must-have for school and public libraries to help bring awareness to some of American's troubled history and the progress influential Mexican-Americans like the Mendez family have made against racism.

References:

Felker, J. (n/a). Evaluating Non-Fiction and Reference Materials. LMC Source.

Horning, K.T. (2010). From Cover to Cover: Evaluating and Reviewing Children’s Books. TN; Revised edition. 

Lambert, Laura. (n.d.). Why 30 Million Words are Critical to Your Child’s Future Success. ReadBrightly.

Learn NC. (2015). The Elements of Informational Text. Learn NC.

Schickedanz, J.A. & Collins, M.F. (2013). So Much More Than the ABCs: The Early Phases of Reading         and Writing. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Suskind, Dana. (2015). Thirty million words: building a child’s brain. Section: Creating a rich early             language environment. Dutton; First Edition.