Fiction Versus Non-Fiction

There are common misconceptions that children must be reading the latest trends, age-appropriate chapter books, and fiction.

Firstly, all we want initially, is for our children to read. It doesn’t matter if they are skimming through a picture book. Flicking through the pages of a newspaper or magazine whilst being unable to read the words. What matters is that they are interested, and we, as the adults in their lives, build from there.

It is a well-known fact that while certain children enjoy the fictional worlds many authors create, there are also children who prefer hard facts. These children are drawn to non-fiction, often because it is structured, factual and relates to a hobby or interest.

Initially, these books might be about dinosaurs, animals, the human body, or the universe, and they will be simply written. But as children develop, and their reading ages progress, their choice of topics will become more in-depth.

Many children like to read about the hard facts. They enjoy reading about various modes of transport, the geological statistics of our planet or the animals that roam the earth. They will absorb discovering the heights of buildings, what dinosaurs ate, and what lurks beneath our oceans and be drawn to children’s encyclopedias.

These children will often retain these facts, able to recite them at moment’s notice to anyone willing to listen. Which can also aid their linguistic skills while their imaginations, creativity and excitement are being fed in a more factual way. And, importantly, they are either reading or being read to. They are interested in books!

The point I am hoping to make, is that it doesn’t matter what books our children become interested in. Feed that interest. Nurture it. Welcome it. Embrace it. Whatever books your children are drawn to, these are the books that will carry them through their early years and into their academic years. Whether fiction or non-fiction, these books will ignite imaginations, creativity and an existence that includes books. In turn, feeding the literacy skills that will carry them through school and beyond.

Call to Action

This week, sit with your children as they look through their books. Ask them to create three piles, one for the books they enjoy, want to read/have read to them again and again, and the ones they aren’t so interested in. This will allow you to see if there is a common theme, but more importantly, it will let you see if they have a preference between fiction and non-fiction. This will also empower you when looking for books for your children in the future.