Nonfiction

The 911 Report for class is nonfiction and the format of a graphic novel is probably slightly more appealing to students. Whereas personally this format is an incredible deterrent to me. But the impression of a graphic novel is that there are more pictures and therefore less words. This is a great way to get students to read something that they otherwise might not even crack the spin of. Last year's freshman class had to read a graphic novel on the holocaust called Maus. This was a difficult topic, but I believe that the format being a graphic novel helped a bit. It can help readers to grasp difficult topics and make sense out of facts that appear abstract in textbooks. It is worth incorporating graphic novels into the classroom to help students.

The other nonfiction novel What Are You, I think, is a great book. I have only read a few stories out of it so far, but that is a part of the charm of it. You can read bits and parts of it and still get the essence of the work. Student's don't have to feel intimidated and like they have to read the entire book in one sitting. It can be picked up and put back down. The variation of the format for the different stories is another aspect that can appeal to readers. Different voices come through and there has to be a voice that will resinate with the reader in the book. The age of the 'authors' will help to add another aspect of connection between the text and the reader. It is also a topic that deserves attention from an audience that lives in an increasingly multicultural world.

The book, What Are You: voices of mixed-race young people, could lend itself very nicely into a classroom. Different styles of writing and expression could be explored with a project of "What I Am" in which the student explores aspects of themselves. Such a project would work equally well at any grade level, it might be especially useful for freshmen to dig into who they are to help them resist outside pressures by knowing themselves better or for seniors getting ready to leave school.

I have come to realize that nonfiction does not have to be as 'bad' as I was previously inclined to believe. It can be something other than a necessary evil and can become not only useful, but fun. Pairing fiction with nonfiction elements and vice versa can enrich any learning experience.