4 Tips for Writing Effective Nonfiction Children’s Books
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When people think of children’s books, they usually think of cute, brightly coloured picture books or adventurous chapter books for early readers. This view overlooks a second and equally important segment of books for kids: Juvenile Nonfiction.
Children’s books can be powerful tools to educate kids on certain new subjects, from arts and history to sciences, medicine, trauma counselling, and so much more. These educational books thread the needle of informing and entertaining, feeding young curiosity, supporting school curriculums, and filling niches on library shelves.
For authors who strive to educate kids through juvenile nonfiction, it can be a challenge to bridge the gap between their subject matter and a format children will want to read. This is especially true for nonfiction authors of adult-oriented titles who seek to reframe their expertise as a primer for curious children.
Today we’ll talk about the 4 essential elements to think about if you want to write effective juvenile nonfiction — including crafting age-appropriate language, narrative framing devices, effective application of illustrations, and when to work with a co-author.
Age-Appropriate Language
The biggest change from writing nonfiction for adults (or even teens) versus writing for children is making the language age-appropriate. This is more comprehensive than simply avoiding profanity. The younger the reader, the more simplified grammatical and sentence structures need to become, and the more simplified the vocabulary. There are even vocab lists you can reference, such as Dolch’s or Fry’s “sight words,” which represent the stages of vocabulary acquisition based on reading level and education.
You can test the reading level of your text through online tools like Hemingway or Readable, which highlight sentences that may be too complex and provide you with the text’s grade reading level. You can compare these results with your goals of how old your intended readers are; you’ll want the reading level to match. If you’re far from the mark, you’ll need to revise your text to bring it into the right bracket.
The general age brackets are:
0–1: Picture Books, less than 300 words for babies.
1–3: Picture Books, less than 500 words for toddlers.
3–5: Picture Books, less than 1000 words for older preschoolers.
5–7: Early Readers, 3000 to 5000 words
6–9: Chapter Books, up to 10,000 words.
9–12: Middle Grade, 25,000 to 60,000 words.
Based on these brackets, you’ll also need to tackle subject matter in more simplified ways. Difficult topics like divorce, losing a loved one, bullying, or gender identity may need to use different language, too. The younger the child, the less graphic the descriptions and the more euphemistically adults tend to speak. Keep the child centred in difficult discussions: what changes will affect them, what emotions might they be feeling, how can they identify those emotions, what can they do?
Narrative Framing Devices
For older audiences, fiction and nonfiction have clearer boundaries: fiction includes narration, dialogue, and invented details while nonfiction recounts facts, quotes, and information. But for younger readers, narrative devices that we might associate with fiction — like created characters — are often employed to make the information more accessible and engaging. So, where’s the line?
For juvenile nonfiction, consider whether your book will use a narrative device, such as a mascot character that teaches readers about a specific topic. For instance, a turtle that “speaks” directly to the reader to tell them about ocean currents, or a child from British Columbia who meets a succession of children from each of the other provinces to learn about geographical differences. Tools like dialogue may still be used to impart facts or explain concepts.
This is different from a fiction’s narrative where messages are presented through story allegories or morals voiced by characters in the course of the story. For example, a droopy sunflower who goes in search of the sun as an allegory for children who struggle with depression.
Another aspect that can separate juvenile nonfiction is the inclusion of educational materials. This may include discussion questions, (simplified) technical diagrams, activity pages, or educational resources for teachers or caregivers. These materials increase the educational value of the text and may make it useful in classrooms, libraries, or organizations that serve specific communities that match with the book’s subject matter, such as organizations that raise awareness or funding for environmental causes, diseases, disabilities, and so on.
Effective Illustrations for Kids
Just as language needs to adapt to suit the age of the readers, illustrations also need to match the cognitive development of younger children. The younger the reader, the more bright, bold colours, simpler shapes and graphic illustrations will capture their attention. Fun character designs, including personified objects, animals, or simplified human children of comparative ages to the readers will help children take interest in the book and identify with its characters.
As readers get a little older, more playful or abstract art styles create more visual interest and give their minds more to digest and contemplate while the story is being read aloud to them. If they have begun reading on their own, details in the illustrations that support or underscore the text will help them learn new vocabulary or concepts in organic ways. For maps or trademarked equipment, you may need permissions to reproduce them in your book; an illustrated version that simplifies the designs or creates a generic alternative may help you avoid these copyright concerns.
Highly realistic illustrations, photo manipulations, or photography is less likely to engage young readers, though including a photo of the “real” character (such as the real-life dog an illustrated character was based on) can be included at the end of the book to connect with readers. In all cases, consider the diversity and representation of the characters in your story to help the book appeal to children of all backgrounds.
Co-Authoring Children’s Books
Deep knowledge in a subject does not necessarily mean you’ll have a knack for making that knowledge interesting for kids. In these cases, you may want to team up with a skilled children’s book author. This enables you to provide your expertise so that the text is factually accurate while your co-author shapes the text into structures that appeal to younger children. This might mean developing a suitable framing device, working your data into memorable verse, or developing catchy mnemonics to help kids recall crucial information.
This also allows you to include your credentials on the book’s cover and About the Author blurbs, which can legitimize your book as being a trustworthy source. This can open doors to school curriculums, organizations, libraries, and conferences on the topic.
A great example of this is Mona’s Mission by Ellen Dalzell & illustrator Penny Brown, which utilizes the education backgrounds of both its author and illustrator to teach preschoolers about monarch butterfly migration.
Another is We Remember The Black Battalion by Serena Virk & illustrator Arnab Das. A long-time teacher, Serena wanted to provide information on a crucial and often-overlooked piece of Canadian history. She consulted with historians, veterans, and researchers to ensure the book was as accurate as possible while utilizing her own expertise as a childhood educator to keep it engaging for her students.
Finally, as you work at drafting or converting your subject into a children’s book, be sure to fact-check your material to ensure shelf longevity — like Serena did. Once you’re ready, a robust professional edit will ensure that no embarrassing typos undermine your expertise. Then it’s time to connect with educators, parents, and caregivers so that children can learn all about your topic in a fun and engaging way!
