Non-Fiction: The Cinderella of the Literary World

This week I went to my local library to pick up the YA non-fiction book entitled Spies of Mississippi by Rick Bowers.  Unlike the fictional novels I've read for my course in young adult literature, I did not need to reserve this title in advance.  It was readily available at all of the libraries near my home.  When I arrived at the library, I went directly to the YA section only to discover that YA non-fiction had been relocated to the adult section. 

Adult non-fiction is located on the other side of the library, past all of the comfy over-stuffed seating and picture windows, just before the dark and institutional-looking reference section.  Often the reference desk, located directly in front of adult non-fiction, is unattended.  This part of the library is anything but inviting.  Its fluorescent lighting, wooden chairs, and copy machines scream research paper purgatory.  I don't like this part of the library, and I never venture here to leisurely peruse the non-fiction titles.  Why would anyone expect a teen to do so?

This unfortunate situation speaks volumes about how we, as a society of readers, view non-fiction.  So, it is no surprise that teens pick up on this as well.  It is a real shame.  Non-fiction has a tendency to impact my life for the long-term.  As a senior in high school, I chose to read Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi for a non-fiction assignment (I couldn't sleep for weeks afterward).  Since then I've read many amazing non-fiction titles.  Most of them are stories I will never forget.  Some, such Krakauer's Into Thin Air and Saint's The End of the Spear, have inspired me to attempt greater challenges in my life.  Still others, like Russel Baker's Growing Up and Liz Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love, have been extremely entertaining.  As the old saying goes, "truth is stranger than fiction".  Perhaps that could be translated as "truth is more interesting than fiction".

In Beyond the Pale, Aronson makes a great argument for the inclusion of non-fiction in the curriculum.  He discusses non-fiction as a way to figure out life's mysteries.  Aronson writes:

     It is satisfying to give young readers a road map to the evidence
     and theories, so they can build their own investigations on a solid
     foundation.....We need to use our books to invite teenagers to 
     become adults not by simply learning to mimic the right answers
     on tests or by participating in mass-produced culture but by

     thinking for themselves. (p.110-114)

Isn't this the goal of constructivist learning?  I think I can speak for most teachers, if not all, when I say that we want to empower our students to think for themselves so that they might fully participate in society.  I think a great way to teach students about the value of non-fiction is to pair it with fiction in the classroom.  Any of you who have read my previous posts know that I'm a strong advocate of pairing texts to scaffold student learning.  Two benefits of this approach immediately jump to mind.  First, the non-fiction text can speak to the authenticity of the fictional text.  Second, students may find the non-fiction text more exciting for the very fact that the events are real. 

Another possible benefit of this approach is the ability to capture the interest of male students.  Aronson's assessment of young male readers makes sense.  It reminded me of John Eldrege's book, Wild at Heart, about the implications of authentic masculinity.  My own son loves to learn about how things work.  He is an avid reader of all genres, but I am constantly amazed at how he searches out factual information about his interests whether it be rock climbing, metal working, or building computers.  Non-fiction clearly would be an excellent bridge text to connect male students (and female students) with fictional texts in which they might not initially be interested.  But for it to be effective, we need to pull it out of the dark corner and bring it into the light.

bookhenge