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Truth as Great as Fiction

By Lisa, Village School Parent & Library Team Member

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.” — Kate DiCamillo

New Books in the Village Library

For those of us on the Library Team, nothing puts smiles on our faces more than connecting with students and helping them find books they love, books they can read purely for enjoyment.

And some of you might be surprised to learn that for many kids reading nonfiction is fun! So we are very glad to say that we were able to add about 200 new nonfiction books to the library this year. These titles are flying off the shelves, and are also wildly popular when read aloud. A few weeks ago, entire class groups were riveted, sitting quietly and at complete attention, while listening to a biography called Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark and Katy Wu. Some students were still thinking about the book at the end of the day, excitedly sharing what they had learned and enjoyed with parents at pick-up time — for example, the interesting factoid that Grace Hopper was the first person to call computer glitches “bugs” after an actual bug caused a problem in her computer! Another book, This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids around the World by Matt Lamothe, captures the details of a single day in the real lives of families from around the globe, highlighting differences but also what we all have in common. This is a perfect “read-together” book to enjoy side-by-side with a child, poring over and discussing the pictures. We have new books about animals with quirky facts such as Lesser Spotted Animals: The Coolest Creatures You’ve Never Heard Of by Martin Brown. We have Kid Athletes by David Stabler and Doogie Horner, about challenges famous athletes faced growing up, written with humor, heart, and detailed cartoon illustrations. We even have an awesome new series called Science Comics on topics like dinosaurs, coral reefs, and bats. And we have many, many more fascinating picture book biographies.

These are just a few examples of how well-written nonfiction can inform, delight, and open new doors for kids, and pave the way for critical thinking skills increasingly necessary to understand the complexities of our world. So ask your child about what they are reading or listening to from the Village Library, and the next time you find yourself in the public library together, be sure to check out the nonfiction section!

Resources

Here are a few resources we have to share on nonfiction and on supporting kids’ enjoyment of reading:

Reading Rockets: Nonfiction
I Love Libraries: Reading Together
Reading Rockets: What To Do When Reading Is Too “Sitty”
Scholastic: Raise Children Who Read for Fun

Also, we want to hear from you — we are here to assist parents as well as students. What challenges do you have in your home around your kids and reading? You can email us with any questions or concerns at library [at] villagehub.org, talk to us at school, or you are always welcome to visit us in the Village Library.