Point of view in nonfiction picture books | Page by Page by Maria Salvadore | Blogs about Reading | Reading Rockets

Point of view in nonfiction picture books | Page by Page by Maria Salvadore | Blogs about Reading | Reading Rockets


This is a glimpse into a very interesting debate. Salvadore suggests that the battle between fiction and non-fiction should not exist because there will always be an authors perspective imbedded into even the most well-researched book. In the article she presents an example of a picture book called When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson written by Pam Munoz Ryan which she believed would help to support the Common Core Standards. The teachers she presented the material groaned that it was more like a picture book and it looked more like fiction than non-fiction. 

I believe the point that Salvadore is making is valid because all writers have their own perspective and style of writing. The words which they choose reveal their points of view even illustrators can portray people and situations in ways which touch our collective souls. It is important to teach students to listen and decipher the various voices that reside in our non-fiction resources. Finding the balance between fiction and non-fiction will serve to propel students understanding of the writing process in greater ways. There are enough battles waging in our society why pit two important genres of literature against each other. Finding ways to intertwine knowledge will only make our students stronger.