Types of Non-fiction in Children's Books

There are many more nonfiction books in the adult reading world than there are in the children's realm, but nonfiction children's books are HOT (and probably always will be)! And since picture books are a form, not a genre, each type of book listed here would be an example of a nonfiction genre or sub-genre, if you will.

TYPES OF NON-FICTION IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS

There are all kinds of nonfiction children's books out there waiting to be explored, and waiting to be written. The following are the most common types on nonfiction books found in children's literature.

Concept Books

This category of nonfiction books for children are typically for the younger audience, such as preschoolers. These books cover include topics such as counting, the alphabet, opposites, colors, days of the week, and more.

• Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.
• Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 

Animals

Animal books abound. There is always a market for more animal picture books. They can be about life cycles, compare/contrast, a day in the life of, habitat, or anything that has to do with teaching kids about animals.

• No Two Alike by Keith Baker
• A Warm Winter Tail by Carrie A. Pearson
• Hello, Bumblebee Bat by Darrin Lunde

Craft/How-to

Children love to do all kinds of things and want to learn how to do even more. These could be how-to craft books, cooking books, how to play certain games, how to start a collection, how to become an entrepreneur, anything really!

• Draw the DC Universe by Klutz
• Sleeping in a Sack: Camping Activities for Kids by Linda White
• Origami for Children by Mari Uno

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Biographies

Biographies for children are exploding right now. Publishers, teachers, and librarians can't seem to get enough of them. Autobiographies would be a sub-genre of this category. There are biographies about people in certain careers, inventors, famous people, lesser known people, presidents, athletes, scientists, artists, you name it! The blog, True Tales and a Cherry on Top by Jeanne Walker Harvey, reviews nothing but picture book biographies.

• The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock
• A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jennifer Fisher Bryant
• Noah Webster and His Words by Jeri Chase Ferris

History/Events

Children's books about historical events or current events create this genre of kids books. These could be books about a war, political events, social events, etc. They are not really about a certain person, but more about what happened. Oftentimes, biographies are historical because one person usually had a huge impact on what happened.

• The Story of the Incredible Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak
• The Alamo from A to Z by William R. Chemerka
• Follow the Drinking Gourd by Jeanette Winter
• Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet (this might actually fall under biography)
• The Carpenter's Gift by David Rubel (technically, I think this one is actually historical fiction)

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Why "Dancing Through Time and Space"?

Creative Commons, Pixabay

If you haven't noticed, "Dancing Through Time and Space" is my new blog motto, log line, subtitle, whatever. No, it's not Star Trek. No, I'm not aiming to find a portal in the universe, or a crack in the time/space continuum, but I would love to have a time machine (to create more of it). Or would that be a time tree? If you had a time machine/tree, what things would you want to do? How could you more fully spend your time?

I also love space and thinking about the universe, don't you? And then there's each person's own personal space, too. And of course, there's DANCING! I do love to twirl around and dance. I just imagine myself dancing around trying to get more done in my limited space and time. I kind of jump from one passion to the next, always trying to learn how to be more mindful of my time.

Every day, we all dance through time and space as we say hello to a loved one, pick up the phone and call a parent, pick up the dirty laundry and squeeze a hug with our children. A peck on the cheek, a bear hug, a high five. These are ways I dance through time and space with my family. Family is the most important thing in life. I try to teach my children to love the Lord, teach them good manners, teach them how to be respectful, honest, law-abiding citizens. Teach them what they need to know to be safe and happy here on this earth. I pray for my sisters. I'm happy when my parents call me. How do you dance with your family?

But, yet I still struggle. Sometimes I steal time from my family just so I can write. A lot of writers don't have a clean house, or maybe they don't take the time to cook a nice meal. I, for one, do neither most of the time. But we always have clean clothes to wear and food to eat. So, yeah, I'm always dancing through time and space - fleeting, sometimes focused, sometimes unfocused, happy, searching for love and how to share with others the deeper meaning of life. Will you dance through time and space with me?

When you leave a comment, you'll receive "dancing time-released space-kisses" to last for a whole week. I know you want a little more love in your life. 

Keep on keepin' on...

Useful Resources and Links for Writers

I hope you find these blogs and websites useful. Thanks for stopping by! (*My favorites.)

Helpful Writer Resources

• *Renaissance Learning. A way to research books, invaluable!
• *Writer's First Aid, a Medicine Chest of Hope by Kristi Holl - tons of inspiration 
• *The Miss Rumphius Effect - weekly rhyming challenges. You'll often find Jane Yolen and Kate Coombs hanging out here.
• *SCBWI - Carolinas Chapter.
• *Institute of Children's Literature. Lots of information, interviews, links, a whole school, forums, and a free e-newsletter.
• *ICL's Rx for Writers.
• *Rhyme Zone. Even useful for non-rhymers. Can search definitions, synonyms, antonyms, related words, and more!
• *Literary Rambles. Lots of agent advice. Short, excellent writing tips every Tuesday.
• 50 Cool Word Sites.
• WriteOnCon. Free online writer's conference every August.
• AllWords Online Dictionary. Includes five popular foreign languages.
• Grammar Girl.
• Baby Name Finder.
• Query Tracker Organize and track your query letters to literary agents and publishers.
• The CBI Clubhouse. The online home for the Children's Book Insider.
• Verla Kay's Message Board. For children's writers and illustrators.
• Book Bites for Kids on blogtalkradio.
• Writing for Children and Teens by Cynthea Liu.
• Writer's Digest. Writer better, get published.
• The Author's Guild. The nation's leading advocate for writers' interests in effective copyright protection.
• Writing Fix. Picture book prompts. Great for teachers!

Teaching Blogs

• TWO WRITING TEACHERS
• Teaching Authors - 6 Children's Writers Who Also Teach Writing
• Blogging Through the Fourth Dimension
• School Visit Experts
• Keith Schoch's Teach With Picture Books

Review Blogs

• I Am A Reader, Not A Writer Lots of giveaways here! But not many picture books.
• Enjoy and Embrace Learning Short reviews.
• *KISS THE BOOK Has ratings of: Optional, Advisable, and Essential (from PB to YA) LOTS!
• Kid Lit Blog. Children's literature for parents.
• Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, a Reading Tub Blog. Bringing reading home for families.
• Just One More Book!! By Andrea Ross. A GREAT podcast on children's books and why we love them. Andrea is on blog sabbatical right now due to her cancer treatment. Go support her.
• Kristi's Book Nook. A great place to find books for kids.
• *Picture Book of the Day. Daily book talks by Anastasia Suen (pronounced 'soon').
• *Read for Luck, the four-leaf clover book recommendation (my contribution to Susanna Leonard Hill's PPBF, Perfect Picture Book Friday). Picture book recommendations most Fridays for children, parents, teachers, and writers.

The following are awesome blogs I've awarded The Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award to in the past. I haven't kept up with it, but I still want to share their links.

Where did the Pot-O-Gold Blogger Award come from? Faith, Hope, Love, and Luck, of course! Originally, I wanted to create a NEW blogger award that I will give to other bloggers each month for excellent blogs based on both interesting and helpful content AND visually appealing and easy-to-navigate design. 

There are so many awards out there that are just for fun. I wanted to create one that was easy to "accept" and simple enough to forward to others that didn't require listing 20 random things about yourself or 20 new bloggers you've recently met. 

It's an award that says, "Look at this awesome blog I know about. There is such a wealth of information here! If you visit once, you'll want to return again and again." In other words, it's like discovering a pot of gold! It's a site you will visit frequently and enjoy swimming around in for a while. For the kick-off month of March 2011, I awarded FOUR talented bloggers. Each month hereafter, I'll award ONE lucky blogger.

NEW: I now give this Pot-O-Gold Award to great websites and new books I've purchased. So, it's not just for bloggers anymore. I no longer give this award. After all, I do need to have some time to write. 

Recipients:
March 2011: (the first FOUR)
The Bookshelf Muse
Literary Rambles
Writer's First Aid
There Are No RulesApril 2011: I Am a Reader, Not a Writer
May 2011: Routines for Writers
June 2011: Julie Hedlund at Write Up My Life
August 2011: Alison Pearce Stevens: Scientist. Writer.
September 2011: Rachael Harrie at Rach Writes
October 2011: Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers
January 2012: Lydia Kang at The Word Is My Oyster
February 2012: Rob Sanders at Picture This! (and a few bonus blogs)
March 2012: Susanna Leonard Hill, a children's author's eye view of writing and life
April 2012: Mormon Mommy Writers
May 2012: Tara Lazar at Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)
June 2012: Corey Rosen Schwartz Blog of a Picture Book Ninja
October 2012: Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts
November 2012: Tricia Stohr-Hunt of The Miss Rumphius Effect
January 2013: Jeanne Walker Harvey of True Tales & A Cherry On Top
January 2014: Dee of I Write for Apples, home of Query.Sign.Submit.

And here are FOUR things about me (that are always changing):

1. FAITH - I have FAITH in God, and in his son, Jesus Christ.
2. HOPE - I HOPE for things which are not seen, but are true.
3. LOVE - I LOVE the Lord with all my heart.
4. LUCK - I feel LUCKY to have the family with which God chose to bless me.

Blog Awards I have received:

      

How to Create an Editorial Calendar

Blog posts come a lot easier when you're writing them regularly. I found this great post by Marisa Murgatroyd where she lists out all the holidays for 2016. There are some great ideas here for blog posts, emails, social media topics, and more. Just get creative with it. I know I will be!

"JANUARY
• January 1 – New Years Day (popular topics: weight loss, resolutions, business/financial success, having a great life)
• January 17 World Religion Day (popular topics: spirituality)
• January 18 – Martin Luther King Day
• January 11 – Clean Off Your Desk Day
• January 13 – Make Your Dreams Come True Day
• January 14 – Organize Your Home Day
• January 17 – Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day
• January 18 – Thesaurus Day
• January 24 – Macintosh Computer Day
• January 26 – Spouse’s Day
• January 31 – Backwards Day

FEBRUARY
• February 2 – Groundhog Day
• February 8 – Super Bowl (popular topics: football, commercials, advertising)
• February 14 – Valentine’s Day (popular topics: love and relationships)
• February 15 – President’s Day
• February 9 – Mardi Gras
• Black History Month
• February 1 – National Freedom Day
• February 5 – National Wear Red Day
• February 8 – Chinese New Year
• February 8 – Laugh and Get Rich Day
• February 8 – Clean Out Your Computer Day
• February 17 – Random Act of Kindness Day
• February 16 – Do a Grouch a Favor Day
• February Work Naked Day
• February 22 – Single Tasking Day
• February 26 – Tell a Fairy Tale Day

MARCH
• First Day of Spring (popular topics: cleaning and organizing, fresh starts, new life)
• March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day (popular topics: green, parades, good cheer)
• Women’s History Month
• National Nutrition Month
• March 4 – Employee Appreciation Day
• March 27 – Easter Sunday
• March 1 – World Compliment Day
• March 1 – Plan a Solo Vacation Day
• March 18 – Awkward Moments Day
• March 21 – Common Courtesy Day
• March 22 – International Goof Off Day
• March 30 – Take a Walk in the Park Day

APRIL
• April 1 – April Fool’s Day
• April 15 – Tax Day (popular topics: finance, government)
• April 22 – Earth Day (popular topics: environment, living green, recycling)
• Jazz Appreciation Month
• National Poetry Month
• April 28 – Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
• April 1 – Walk to Work Day
• April 14 – International Moment of Laughter Day
• April 16 – Wear Pajamas to Work Day
• April 18 – Columnist Day
• April 30 – Honesty Day
• April 23 – Take a Chance Day

MAY
• May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
• May 8 – Mother’s Day (popular topics: family, moms, being a mom)
• May 30 – Memorial Day (popular topics: patriotic, veteran, military)
• Lupus Awareness Month
• ALS Awareness Month
• May 5 – National Day of Prayer
• May 6 – National Nurses Day
• May 15 – Peace Officers Memorial Day
• May 21 – Armed Forces Day
• May 4 – Star Wars Day
• May 6 – No Pants Day
• May 6 – Military Spouse Appreciation Day
• May 18 – No Dirty Dishes Day
• May 20 – Be a Millionaire Day
• May 10 – Clean Up Your Room Day

JUNE
• June 19 – Father’s Day (popular topic: family, dads, being a dad)
• June 1 – First Day of Summer
• LGBT Pride Month
• June 3 – National Doughnut Day
• June 1 – Say Something Nice Day
• June 8 – Best Friends Day
• June 14 – Bourbon Day
• June 21 – Daylight Appreciation Day
• June 18 – International Picnic Day
• June 24 – Swim a Lap Day

JULY
• July 4 – Fourth of July (popular topics: freedom, barbeques)
• Dance Appreciation Month
• Eye Injury Prevention Month
• July 24 – Parents’ Day
• July 1 – International Joke Day
• July 11 – Cheer Up the Lonely Day
• July 13 – Embrace Your Geekness Day
• July 12 – Simplicity Day
• July 5 – Workaholics Day
• July 6 – World Kissing Day

AUGUST
• Back to School (popular topics: education, summer vacation, feeling good)
• National Immunization Awareness Month
• Medic Alert Month
• August 19 – National Aviation Day
• August 21 – Senior Citizens Day
• August 26 – Women’s Equality Day
• August 1 – Girlfriend’s Day
• August 4 – Single Working Women’s Day
• August 5 – International Beer Day
• August 5 -Work Like a Dog Day
• August 9 – Book Lovers Day
• August 12 – Middle Child Day
• August 11 – Son and Daughter Day
• August 10 – Lazy Day

SEPTEMBER
• September 5 – Labor Day (popular topics: workers, American principles)
• September 1 – First Day of Fall
• September 11 – Patriot Day
• National Yoga Month
• September 11 – National Grandparents Day
• September 1 – No Rhyme or Reason Day
• September 6 – Fight Procrastination Day
• September 6 – Read a Book Day
• September 10 – Swap Ideas Day
• September 13 – Positive Thinking Day
• September 28 – Ask a Stupid Question Day
• September 28 – Good Neighbor Day

OCTOBER
• October 10 – Columbus Day
• October 31 – Halloween (popular topics: costumes, makeup, candy, treats
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• National Book Month
• October 3 – Child Health Day
• October 17 – Boss’s Day
• October 13 – International Skeptics Day
• October 17 – National Clean Out Your Virtual Desktop Day
• October 27 – American Beer Day
• October 29 – Internet Day

NOVEMBER
• November 1 – All Saints’ Day (popular topics: costumes, makeup)
• November 11 – Veterans’ Day (popular topics: soldier, military service, war)
• November 8 – Election Day
• November 24 – Thanksgiving (popular topics: gratitude, recipes, family)
• November 25 – Black Friday (popular topics: shopping, sales, deals)
• November 1 – Author’s Day
• November 3 – Men Make Dinner Day
• November 4 – Common Sense Day
• November 6 – Zero Tasking Day
• November 13 – World Kindness Day
• November 15 – Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
• November 20 – National Absurdity Day
• November 24 – Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
• November 25 – Buy Nothing Day

DECEMBER
• December 25 – Christmas (popular topics: shopping, family, celebration, traditions)
• December 25 – Hanukkah (popular topics: shopping, family, celebration, traditions)
• December 26 – Kwanzaa
• December 31 – New Year’s Eve
• National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month
• Seasonal Depression Awareness Month
• December 5 – Day of the Ninja
• December 7 – Letter Writing Day
• December 18 – Free Shipping Day
• December 26 – Thank You Note Day
• December 27 – No Interruptions Day
• December 31 – Make Up Your Mind Day"

You Forgot Your Name?

It's been so long since I've blogged, I feel like I forgot my name. I don't even know what to share anymore. Do me a favor. Let me know all the things you've liked about my blog, the things you might miss about it being so inactive, and the things you wish SOMEBODY would talk about.

Do you want to hear about productivity? Energizing activities? Time saving tips? More book reviews? How to balance your writing life with your home life?

So spill the beans!!! I know you didn't really forget your name, but will you help me remember mine?

Keep on keepin' on...
~Christie

Strange Talents Revealed

We each have talents, some more than one. Sometimes, we develop strange talents. If you've been reading this blog any length of time, you know I can find four-leaf clovers easily, even while walking. But today, I'm going to share another one of my stranger talents. I can count. Yeah, yeah, yeah...we all can count. Big deal.

At work, we had a discussion about typing speeds. I'm about 65 wpm. Some of the others were about 80 wpm. The average stenographer can type between 100-150 wpm. There are even shorthand competitions and typing competitions out there!

If you use the new Dvorak keyboard...well, check this out:

"As of 2005 , writer Barbara Blackburn was the fastest alphanumerical English language typist in the world, according to The Guinness Book of World Records. Using the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard, she maintained 150 wpm for 50 minutes, and 170 wpm for shorter periods. Her top speed was 212 wpm."

So then we starting talking about how fast people talk. Books on tape are read at a speed of 150-160 wpm. An average auctioneer can say 250-400 wmp. Did you know that the fastest talking person in the world can speak 655 words per minute? Go to minute 2:55 to hear Michael Jackson's "Bad" in 20 seconds. Or watch the whole thing; he's amazing!



So...MY talent is that I can count to 100 in 20 seconds!!! Not as enunciated as John Moschitta, Jr. though. So, you think 100 numbers is equal to 100 words? Not so!

According to Wikipedia (don't judge me - after all this isn't a research paper), "For the purpose of typing measurement, each word is standardized to be five characters or keystrokes long in English,[1] including spaces and punctuation. For example, the phrase "I run" counts as one word, but "rhinoceros" and "let's talk" both count as two."

I say the numbers 1 to 100 counts as 172 words. Trust me, you don't want me to do the math for you. So, maybe I should show a video of ME doing this! Anyway, 172 words in 20 seconds is equal to 516 words per minute!

What's YOUR unique, strange, useless (or perhaps useful) talent? Please share in the comments!!!

Keep on keepin' on...

How a Book Pitch Changes with Each Revision

How do you take a pitch for your book and revise it until it shines? Hard work and input from others! Today, I'd like to share how everyone else's input helped me arrive at the final version. Here's how the pitch for Kaleidoscope Eyes, a nonfiction picture book biography about how David Brewster invented the kaleidoscope, evolved from one version to the next. And this isn't even all the different versions. This book is currently being submitted to AGENTS.

One of the earlier versions:

For David Brewster, growing up in Scotland before the turn of the 18th century, he asks questions. Lots of questions. He makes sundials, microscopes, and telescopes. He prefers to study light, lenses, and stars, not hunting and sports. While studying light and minerals, he observes a symmetrical pattern and sets out to recreate it. Through a series of repeated experiments, and asking lots of questions, he creates the beauty of symmetry once more, making it perfectly symmetrical, full of bright colors, and easy to show others – all inside a single cylindrical tube.

Comments: Too long. "Lots of questions" is repeated too much. Plus, it's too telling. What are the questions?

First revision:

David Brewster loves science, but when he notices how agate makes light bend, he must discover why. Can he recreate it? Can he improve it? Can he create symmetry? Through a series of repeated experiments, and asking lots of questions, he dreams of sharing his scientific discovery with the world.

Comments: Might be too short. Can you show us how he loves science? Does he really dream of sharing his discovery with the world? What is his discovery? Maybe mention it in the beginning.

Second revision:

David Brewster becomes famous when he invents the kaleidoscope. But that was never his goal. During an experiment with rocks and minerals, he notices light bending. Splendid! Can he recreate it? Can he improve it? Can he create symmetry? Can he use liquid? Can he make it move? So many questions! But David never gives up. His love for science propels him forward to each new question until he names the scientific marvel…the kaleidoscope.

Comments: Don't tell us what he creates in the very beginning. Keep it a mystery. There are too many questions listed. Limit it to three. In the last sentence, change "to" to "through."

Third revision:

David Brewster never meant to become famous. But that's what happened when he followed his passion for science. One day, he notices how light bends. Splendid! Can he improve it, create symmetry, or even make it move? So many questions! But David never gives up. His love for science propels him forward through each new question until he names the scientific marvel…the kaleidoscope.

Comments: When and where does this take place? Second sentence is in past tense. Can you show us how he follows his passion for science? 

Final revision:

David Brewster never meant to become famous. But that's what happens in 1816 when he accidentally invents a brand new toy. The journey begins during an experiment with rocks and minerals, when he notices agate bending the light twice. Splendid! But can he improve it? Can he create symmetry, or even make it move? So many questions! But David never gives up. His love for science propels him forward through each new question until he names the scientific marvel…the kaleidoscope.

I felt that the time period was more important than the locale, so I chose to omit that information. By the way, it was in Scotland. Hope you enjoyed a "sneak" peek inside the writing process and that it can help you with crafting your own pitches.

Keep on keepin' on...

New Fiction Writing Retreat for All Levels

I've been working on something HUGE since January 2014, when I got the idea to host a writing and
running retreat to consolidate my travel expenses. I love to travel, but I realized that the only time I do is for writing conferences, retreats, and workshops, or to run in a race. I love both running and writing. Wouldn't it be cool to do BOTH in ONE single trip? I thought so too!!!

The writing retreat is August 3-7, 2016 in Fontana Dam, NC. The culminating event is to participate in the 7 mile trail race on the morning of August 7th. Retreat-goers, capped at 28, get free registration for the race. The race is also open to the public and capped at 250 participants.

Check it out. Go to www.writerswhorun.com.

If that intrigues you, join our Facebook group too. www.facebook.com/groups/writerswhorun.

YOUR TURN: What are two of your passions? Knitting? Gardening? Reading? Cooking?

Keep on keepin' on...