Articles for Educators
School Library Journal
 
Position Statement on the Role of Nonfiction Literature (K-12)
 
Instructor
 
Book Links
The Writer
 
“Kids Love Nonfiction! Breaking Down the Barrier Between Budding Scientists and the Books They Crave,” Science and Children, National Science Teaching Association, September 2023 (Click to retrieve.)
   
“10 Ways to Nurture and Nourish Nonfiction Readers.” School Library Journal. July 26, 2023. (Click to retrieve.)
   
“Position Statement on the Role of Nonfiction Literature, K-12 .” National Council of Teachers of English, January 19, 2023. (Click to retrieve.)
“Understanding Text Structures in Nonfiction.” School Library Journal. December 22, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“Tips for Teaching Text Structures with Expository Literature.” School Library Journal. December 22, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“Deconstructing Kids’ Nonfiction: List Text Structure and the Five-Paragraph Essay.” School Library Journal. December 22, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“It’s Time for the Sibert Smackdown.” School Library Connection, November/December 2022.
“Children’s Nonfiction Has an Image Problem: What are the implications for STEM and is there a solution?” Publisher’s Weekly. July 14, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“Exploring a Quandry: Kids Love Nonfiction, But Adults Assume They Don’t,” PLOS SciComm. April 27, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“Reinvigorating Library Collections with Active Nonfiction,” School Library Journal. February 16, 2022. (Click to retrieve.)
“Nonfiction Books for Kids Can be a Good Holiday Gift—If Done Right.” The Washington Post, December 12, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
Scientific American “Nonfiction Is Cool, and Our Kids Know It.” Scientific American, December 3, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“5 Kinds of Nonfiction: A New Way of Thinking,” MiddleWeb. October 14, 2021. (Click to retrieve .)
“Long on Kid Appeal, Browsable Nonfiction Continues to Trend,” School Library Journal. October 12, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“5 Kinds of Nonfiction,” Mackin Community Blog. September 20, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Nonfiction for the Win: Choosing Books Kids Will Love,” Fuse #8 Production/School Library Journal. September 15, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Nonfiction on Display,” Fuse #8 Production/School Library Journal. September 7, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Exploring Rain Forest and Natural Areas in your Community,” Reading Rockets. July 9, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“5 Tips for Starting a Nonfiction Book Club for Kids,” School Library Journal, May 4, 2021.(Click to retrieve.)
“A Look at Summertime Sleepers.” First Draft to Final Book Blog. March 24, 2021, (Click to retrieve.)
“Humanizing Nonfiction Writers,” Fuse #8 Production/School Library Journal. February 2, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Writing Real Books for Fact-loving Kids,” Mackin Community Blog. February 23, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Fiction or Nonfiction: What Kids Really Like to Read,” Washington Post.
January 26,2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Hey, Grownups! Kids Really Do Like Nonfiction,” Publishers Weekly, January 7, 2021. (Click to retrieve.)
“Interview with Author, Blogger, and Teacher Educator Melissa Stewart,” Chalk &  Ink podcast, November 20, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“How Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep,” Cynsations, November 17, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“How a Makerspace Project Inspired a Book,” Nerdy Book Club blog, November 16, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“Rethinking your Book Collection: A Q&A with Melissa Stewart,” The Lerner Blog. October 26, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“Voice in Nonfiction Writing,” SCBWI Bulletin, Fall 2020, p. 19-21.
“Expository vs. Narrative Nonfiction,” SLJ. July 10, 2020. p. 16.
“Teaching Nonfiction? What You Need to Know about the Differences Between Expository and Narrative Styles.” SLJ. July 10, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“Ick!: Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings and Defenses,” Teachers, Books, Readers. May 16, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“If There’s No Hook, There’s No Book,” Nonfiction Fest. February 4, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“Delightfully Disgusting Research,” Naturally Speaking. January 15, 2020. (Click to retrieve.)
“How Young Nonfiction Writers Can Dig Deep,” Nerdy Book Club. October 26, 2019. (Click to retrieve.)
“What is Research, Really?” Bookology, May 28, 2019. (Click to retrieve.)
“STEM-Themed Books for Kids: A New Approach,” PLOS SciComm, April 9, 2019. (Click to retrieve.)
“The Writing Process as a Living Story,” Bookology, March 8, 2019. (Click to retrieve.)
“Using Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers in the Classroom,” The World of Peachtree, January 16, 2019. (Click to retrieve.)
   
“Elements of a Nonfiction Booktalk.” Bookology. November 1, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Defining and Describing Expository Literature.” In V. Yenika-Agbaw, R.M. Lowery, & L.A. Hudock (Eds.), Does Nonfiction Equate Truth? Rethinking Disciplinary Boundaries through Critical Literacies.Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2018, pp. 11-24.
“Teaching the Key Traits of Expository Nonfiction with Children's Books,” The Reading Teacher. October 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Survivors: Melissa Stewart on Thriving as a Long-Time Actively Publishing Children's Author,” CynSations. September 8, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Author Interview: Melissa Stewart on Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers.” The World of Peachtree Publishers. August 24, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Curiouser and Curiouser with Melissa Stewart,” Bookology, August 22, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“New Resources for Teaching Nonfiction,” Nerdy Book Club. August 3, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Q & A with award-winning nonfiction children’s author MelissaStewart.” For the Love of Kidlit. June 28, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Meet Guest Author Melissa Stewart,” National Picture Book Writing Week. May 6, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Five Kinds of Nonfiction,” School Library Journal. May 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Five Kinds of STEM-themed Nonfiction,” PLOS SciComm. April 10, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Keeping Curious Kids Engaged in STEM,” PLOS SciComm. March 27, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Understanding Categories of Nonfiction for Young People.” School Library Connection, March 2018.
“How Infographics Can Help Students Avoid Plagiarism,” Bookology. March 14, 2018. (Click to retrieve.)
“Thoughts from an Informational Text Author,” In Elaine M. Bukowiecki and Marlene P. Correia (Eds.). Informational Texts in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade Three Classrooms. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2017, pp. 203-208.
“Talking with Melissa Stewart,” Booklist, November 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Why Young Writers Need an Authentic Audience,” Bookology. October 18, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“A Look at Expository Literature,” A Fuse #8 Production/ School Library Journal, September 21, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Three Tips for Writing Teachers,” Bookology. August 22, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“What the Heck is Creative Nonfiction?” Bookology. July 26, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Nonfiction for Children: Growing and Changing.” SCBWI Bulletin. Summer 2017, p. 14-16.
“Why Students Copy their Research Sources, and How to Break the Habit” Bookology. June 20, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Friend Friday,” Kirby Larson’s Blog, June 2, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Passionate Nonfiction Starts with a Question,” Two Writing Teachers. May 26, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Concept Picture Books,” Cynsations. May 22, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“A Look at Expository Literature,” Nerdy Book Club. March 7, 2017. (Click to retrieve.)
“Mining for Heart: Concept and Connection,” Beth Anderson’s Blog, January 6, 2017 (Click to retrieve.)
“Why STEM Picture Books Are Perfect for Teaching Nonfiction Text Structure,” Kids Talk Kid Lit. November 14, 2016. (Click to retrieve.)
“What the Heck Is an Informational Book?” SCBWI Bulletin. Autumn 2016, p. 20-21.
“SCBWI Success Story.” SCBWI Bulletin. Summer 2016, p. 8.
“Look at how we’re teaching nonfiction!” Bookology. June 8, 2016. (Click to retrieve.)
“The Importance of ‘Thoughtful Spots,’” Sci/Why. February 19, 2016. (Click to retrieve.)
“My Most Critical Writing Tool,” Sharing Our Notebooks. January 8, 2016. (Click to retrieve.)
“Diversity in Thinking,” A Fuse #8 Production/School Library Journal. December 21, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“A Different View” Bookology. September 29, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“Beauty and Wonder, Magic and Mystery: It’s What I Write About.” Authors for Earth Day. September 1, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“Crafting Nonfiction: Conducting Research and Organizing Information.” Two Writing Teachers. May 20, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“A Fresh Look at Expository Nonfiction.” Booklogy. Winding Oak. Minneapolis, MN, March 17, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“The Power of Mentor Texts.” Reading for Research Month, March 2, 2015. (Click to retrieve.)
“Perfect Pairs.” Nerdy Book Club. October 28, 2014. (Click to retrieve.)
“The Time It Takes.” Nerdy Book Club. October 13, 2013. (Click to retrieve.)
“Aha Moments,” Unabriged. October 1, 2013. (Click to retrieve.)
“Layer Upon Layer: Building a Nonfiction Manuscript.” Cynsations. September 17, 2013. (Click to retrieve.)
“What Do the Kids Think?” Nerdy Book Club, March 15, 2013. (Click to retrieve.)
“Bringing Science to Life with Readers Theater.” Knowledge Quest, American Association of School Librarians, Chicago, IL, November/December 2010.
“Science Education: Flouting Formality,” Science, AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., 13 August 2010.
“Perfect Pairs: Teaching Science Through Literature,” Science Books & Films, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., May 2010.
“Science Reading Buddies.” Science Books & Films, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., May/June 2009.
“The Science of Readers Theater,” Reading Today, International Reading Association, Newark, DE, December/January 2009.
“Science Books + Readers Theater,” Science Books & Films, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C., May/June 2008.
“Collecting Butterfly Stories,” Book Links, American Library Association, Chicago, IL, November 2006.
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