Nonfiction & Biography

by Amber Miller

June 15, 2025

Upper elementary school teachers have always been aware of the importance of good literature in supporting students' knowledge growth in content areas. Still, more recently, our attention to informational text in the primary grades has taken a primary place. Informational texts of virtually every type are receiving a great deal of emphasis in the Common Core State Standards, perhaps based on NAEP study results that indicate that children who read informational texts (books, magazines) have a higher overall reading proficiency than those whose literary diet is restricted to stories.

Lynn Brunelle and Jason Chin, author and illustrator of “Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall,” were named the winners of the 2025 Robert F. Sibert Medal for the most distinguished informational book for children published in 2024.

As you read, consider what makes a nonfiction book appealing to children and how the author's perspective can affect the quality of a text. Jason Chin, one of my favorite authors/illustrators, has mastered creating engaging informational texts in which readers become emotionally invested. There has been a huge transformation in the quality of nonfiction texts; today's books feature engaging writing, fascinating illustrations, and strong design. That's why there are many outstanding nonfiction books on virtually any topic for a wide range of readers, and those numbers are increasing daily.

Here are a few award-winning websites for high-quality nonfiction books for you to explore:

• Orbis Pictus

• Sibert

• Boston Globe-Horn Book

• The Cook Prize

• NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books

• Nerdy Book Club Nonfiction Picture Books

• Nerdy Book Club Long Form Nonfiction

Evaluating Nonfiction

Consider these questions as you evaluate a nonfiction text:

• Is the structure of the text clear? How is it organized? How does that organization help the reader learn from the text?

• Does the author seem invested in the topic? How do they bring it to life? How do they keep the reader engaged?

• Is the information presented clearly? How are complex concepts broken down in a way that is appropriate for the intended audience?

• Does the author bring a new perspective to the topic? Raise interesting questions or controversies? Inspire additional research?

• How has the author researched the topic? Have they consulted experts in the field? Is the information up to date?

• How are illustrations or photographs used to support learning? Are pages formatted in a way that is easy to follow? How are other text features (captions, headings, etc.) used to support understanding?

You may also want to check out this Reading Rockets article about motivating children to read and enjoy informational text.