Encouraging Fiction Lovers to Read Nonfiction
Helping Students Explore Nonfiction Titles
Many students love to read fiction. They gravitate toward books with engaging illustrations, relatable characters, and imaginative stories. These students may be more reluctant to select a nonfiction text during classroom reading time. We know that reading a balance of fiction and nonfiction is important for your students. A nonfiction book can serve as a tool for helping students make connections between their knowledge and the world around them.
Here are some tips to encourage the fiction lovers in your class to explore nonfiction.
Appeal to their interests.
Start by selecting nonfiction books that will enhance the student’s interests. Perhaps they have a favorite singer or athlete, or they are very interested in animals. Select a title that you know will encourage them to read. Our nonfiction collections include books designed to pique your students’ interest around pop stars, animals, famous innovators, and more.
Select books with highly engaging visuals.
Students love fiction in large part due to the engaging visuals and illustrations. Try choosing nonfiction books that feature vibrant photography, like our Cool Creatures collection. Graphic nonfiction texts can also be a great way to entice a striving reader to explore history, science, and other subjects.
Encourage questions.
As you read with the student, ask them questions about what they are reading. This helps to keep your readers engaged and connected to the text while also building critical reading comprehension skills.
Give them a choice.
Provide a variety of titles that you feel will be of interest to your student, then let them make the final choice of what to read. The goal is to empower students to choose their own books—and in the process, they will give you insights into their unique personalities and interests.
Try a paired fiction and nonfiction collection.
Pairing fiction and nonfiction texts can help students connect their life experiences with the wider world and deepen their knowledge and understanding of what they are reading. Paired fiction and nonfiction collections, like Kaeden’s LEAP Collection, are a great way to enhance the reading experience.
How can we help you engage your students in reading nonfiction? Check out our wide selection of nonfiction books to expand your classroom library.