Summary Of Nonfiction Presentation
Hi everyone! Sorry this is fashionably late, but here is a summary of my presentation
on nonfiction literature for young adults. I’ll also include the titles and authors from
the books I brought in and some that are in my presentation.
--Firstly, I wanted to tackle nonfiction because I felt as though it was a genre I wasn’t
exposed to in high school (specifically non fiction lit like memoirs, autobiographies,
historical nonfiction). The lack of nonfiction has shaped my selection in reading as
an adult; I tend to look for the classics and completely neglect nonfiction as a
valuable form of literature. With many nonfiction texts, there is a story that can still
be told, or simply a set of information that can be discussed in class—this
information is worthy to spark a different kind of discussion.
--Sample questions: how can we believe what is being told to us in the book?
What is credible and what is not?
What kind of knowledge is the book trying to produce?
--Focus book: I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
 Age group: from 10 year olds to adults
 Intended audience: Large variety. Students may relate to the book because
education is a main focus.
 Appeal for students: a discussion on education as a right vs. education as a
privilege. Who has access to education?
--Issues in the book: Merits and Challenges
 Violence: violence is present (people are tortured, Malala is shot, but it is not
gory—told matter of fact)
 Sexism: The idea that girls should not have access to education and fighting
for this right
 Culture Differences/Othering: There can be difficulty in treating the culture
Malala is raised in as a “different” culture. It is important to show that one
culture is not better than the other, or wrong or right, but to show the
difference in ideologies.
 Religion
 Advocacy: This book can be used as an inspiration for students to advocate
issues they are passionate about, and to see that young adults around the
world are making a difference for causes they believe in.
--Why Teach Nonfiction in your Classroom from “Some Teens Prefer the Real Thing:
the Case for Young Adult Nonfiction” by Ed Sullivan
 More than just an informational book: can have the same effects as fiction
(escape, imagination, curiosity)
 Inclusion of personal accounts and primary sources
 Encourage students to make this a self-selected genre
 Link to article:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/821307?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
--Why I’m Interested in Teaching Nonfiction:
 To inspire advocacy and social change in students. Using nonfiction students
will be able to see the difference people are around the world are ACTUALLY
making. This is possible with fiction as well, but using nonfiction gives a real
example.
 Starting a class project to address the “issue” or concept in nonfiction
 To show students other options of literature available, and nonfiction can
still tell stories.
 Sometimes I feel uneducated about a social justice issue (transgender, race,
religion, disability). Using a nonfiction book gives you ONE person’s
perspective into living with said “issue”
Book for Teachers to Approach Nonfiction:
Nonfiction for Young Adults: From Delight to Wisdom by Carter and Abrahamson.
(1990)
Books I Brought in (all at VPL):
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by
Malala Yousafzai
If I Am Not for Myself (Journey of an Anti-Zionest Jew) by Mike Marqusee
The Nazi Hunters by Neal Bascomb
Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw
The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
Born this Way by Paul Vitagliano
Organic Inc by Samuel Fromartz
Manthropology by Peter McAllister
Enjoy Every Sandwich by Lee Lipsenthal
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgender Teen by Arin
Andrews
The Story of Stuff (Overconsumption) by Annie Leonard
The Burn Journals by Brent Runyon
Books from slides:
You Are The Earth by David Suzuki
Pablo Neruda Poet of the People by Monica Brown
The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara
Wheels of Change by Sue Macy
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Malala A Brave Girl from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter (picture book)
Iqbal A Brave Boy from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter (picture book)
Link to Presentation:
https://prezi.com/a7fcv41ppmmv/teaching-ya-nonfiction/