READ 366

Elise Strongin
Corrie Ball
Informational Literature

-Informational books are nonfiction and present current and accurate knowledge about
something found in our universe.
-The information must be verifiable in published sources (books, magazines, original
sources such as letters or journals, or from firsthand, observable facts).
-Generally uses expository writing: the form of language that explains and conveys
information.

Types of Informational Books

Traditional Chapter Book Format
-Can be presented as a general survey of an enormous topic, or can be narrowed in on a
topic.

Informational Picture Books
-Present accurate and appealing content aimed at awakening an interest in the reader; this
is the same with chapter books. The difference is the format. Informational picture books
are usually taller, thinner, and more heavily illustrated.

Activity Books
-Any books that invite the reader to engage in a specific activity beyond their reading.
-Science experiments, how-to books, cook books, art activities, and more.

Concept Books
-Simplified picture book that presents basic knowledge about one topic in a way both
understandable and interesting for a small child beginning to learn about the world.

Journals and Interviews
-Two of the most common types of books based on primary sources; weaves actual
journal entries or interviews into text.

Photo Essays
-Photographs used in a journalistic fashion to capture emotion and verify information;
accompany the text on almost every page.

Pop-Ups
-Once largely for entertainment, a number of informational texts appear in pop-up format.

References
-Encyclopedias, encyclopedic overviews of specific subjects, dictionaries, and atlases.


Notable Authors

-Jim Arnosky
-Chris Barton
-Hester Bass
-Robert Burleigh
-Anna Harwell Celenza
-Sneed B. Collard
-Lynn Curlee
-Brian Floca
-James Cross Giblin
-Ruth Heller
-Meredith Hooper
-Deborah Hopkinson
-Steve Jenkins
-Barbara Kerley
-Kathleen V. Kudlinski
-David Macaulay
-April Jones Prince

References

Tunnell, M.O., Jacobs, J. S., Young, T. A., & Bryan, G. (2012). Informational Books. In
A. M. Ramos & H. Madden (Eds.), Childrens literature briefly (5
th
ed.) (p. 173-
192). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Book List
Amery, H. & Cartwright, S. (2003). The usborne first thousand words in spanish. New
York: Scholastic, Inc.
Arndt, I. (n.d.). Best foot forward: Exploring feet, flippers, and claws. New York:
Holiday House.
Berger, M. & G. (2001). Mummies of the pharaohs: Exploring the valley of the kings.
Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.
Berne, J. (2013). On a beam of light. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
Bial, R. (2009). Ellis Island: Coming to the land of liberty. New York: Houghton Mifflin
Company.
Bryson, B. (2008). A really short history of nearly everything. New York: Random
House.
Burns, L. G. (2012). Citizen scientists: Be a part of scientific discovery from your own
backyard. New York: Henry Holt.
Catrow, D. (2002). We the kids: The preamble to the Constitution of the United States.
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Harper, J. (2006). Miss mingo and the first day of school. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick
Press.
Hoban, T. (1998). So many circles, so many squares. New York: Harper Collins.


Keating, F. (2012). George: George washington, our founding father. New York: Simon
& Schuster Books for Young Readers.
Mannis, C. D. (2006). Snapshots: the wonders of monterey bay. New York: Viking Press.
Miller, A. (2006). The monster health book: A guide to eating healthy, being active, and
feeling great for monsters & kids. New York: Holiday House.
Noon, S. (2001). Story of the titanic. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Osbourne, M.P. (1996). One world, many religions. New York: Random House.
Rappaport, D. (2006). Nobody gonna turn me round. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.
Roehrig, C. (2008). Fun with hieroglyphics. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of
Art.
Rubel, D. (2009). Scholastic encyclopedia of the presidents and their times. New York:
Scholastic, Inc.
Saltzberg, B. (2002). Besos CuC. New York: Red Wagon Books.
Santoro, L. & M. (2008). Predators. New York: Little Simon.
Sewall, M. (2001). Jamestowne: Struggle for survival. New York: Atheneum Books for
Young Readers.
Stanley, J. (1992). Children of the dust bowl: The true story of the school at weedpatch
camp. New York: Crown Publishers.
Tejada, S. (2001). Dig It! : How to collect rocks and minerals. Plainview, NY: Readers
Digest Childrens Books.
Walsh, A. (2006). Do lions live on lilly pads? New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Wells, R. E. (2006). Did a dinosaur drink this water? Ontario, Canada: Fitzhenry &
Whiteside.
Wood, A.J. & Twist, C. (2009). Charles darwin and the beagle adventure. Vercelli, Italy:
White Star Publishers.
Yolen, J. (2003). My brothers flying machine. New York: Little, Brown and Company.
(2003). World atlas for young explorers. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.