Student Voices: Reading Reflections from Luna K., Lucas R., and Ava G.

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Reading Reflections

“What Draws Us to Our Favorite Characters?” by Luna K., 7th grade

You know the characters aren’t real, so why  is it that you can feel so much for them? Based on a study done by The University of Florida (UF) in 2022, people can form emotional connections with fictional characters by judging them, and their personality like they would with a real person. In this study, they also found that people are drawn to their favorite characters by relatability.

One of these reasons being relatability, according to Gregory Webster, that’s one of the reasons shows like Game of Thrones are so popular, it’s the fact that “there are no perfect good guys or perfect bad guys”, just characters with complexity, humanity, and the ability to improve themself like everyone else. When characters are like that it makes it easier to like them and see similarities between you and the characters instead of  fairy tail characters who were too perfect and unrelatable. People tend to look for people like them, and people they can relate to, typically starting around middle school age.  

Another one of these reason is empathy when seeing a character going through a painful/hurtful experience that you might have went through you feel for them you can manage to feel and empathize with some you haven’t even meet,someone how isn’t even real but when experiencing the characters point of view you can’t help but feel what they feel people collect so many experiences through the years so when seeing someone going through something similar experience it makes you connect and might even make the character more likable to some people.     

Why do you like your favorite character is it because you feel a connection with them because you relate to them or if you can empathize with their experiences. 

Sources
1.https://news. ufl.edu/2022/05/why-you-got-attached-to-your-favorite-character/
2. https://www.motionpictures.org/2013/07/the-psychology-of-character-bonding-why-we-feel-a-real-connection-to-actors/

“How a Single Manga Changed My Life” by Lucas R., 7th grade

A single book series was all it was to change my life. That book or should I say manga, still impacts me day-to-day. This manga is called One Piece.

One Piece is a manga and anime created by Eiichiro Oda, and it is about a boy called Monkey D. Luffy, who wants to become The King Of The Pirates and find the treasure that the previous Pirate King left behind. In fact One Piece has become the most selling Comic of all time. Yes, Comic, not manga, Comic. Meaning that One Piece has surpassed Superman and many other Comic books, although Superman has over 600 million copies in 88 years, One Piece has over 600 million copies and over 1200 episodes that are all 24 minutes in only 29 years and it’s still going. But this isn’t about One Piece, it’s about me and how this simple manga changed everything.

It all started in around 2021, when my brother introduced me to a silly anime called One Piece. I was invested in it, and then my brother gave me the site to watch it, and through the next 3 years I was watching it. When I would come home from school I would immediately get on my computer and start watching One Piece. And that introduced me to the entire world that is called Anime. Anime are cartoons or shows created in the art style and way of people in Japan. But unlike regular cartoons, anime can get serious and One Piece can get serious, fast. But because of One Piece, I have read/watched countless anime and manga. And all these anime have changed how I act and how I think. 

One Piece has many themes, some of which being to pursue your dreams and to be free. These simple themes resonate deep within me, although there are some themes that make me revolt in disgust, and Luffy (the main character) agrees with me, like corruption, human trafficking and many more. But Luffy often liberates countries from this corruption like what he did in Wano, where he liberated the entire country from the rule of somebody called Kaido and did many terrible things to the people of Wano. Or when he punched one of the world’s highest people called a celestial dragon because he wanted to own one of Luffy’s friends. These actions are what makes me love One Piece so much.

Along with themes, there are also quotes that feel right and give a giant impact about how many people see the world, not just me. For example Dr. Hiriluk says “When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom? No. It’s when they are forgotten!” This quote has shown many people, myself included, that as long as people remember who they are and why they are, then they will never truly be forgotten for how great they are. And that includes relatives that may have passed away. In fact my grandfather passed away recently and no matter what I will never forget how great of a man he was, and to me. He will never truly be gone. Aside from that there are also quotes like “You can spill drinks on me, even spit on me. I’ll just laugh about it. But if you dare to hurt my friends… I won’t forgive you!” This basically says that nothing is more important than your friends. These quotes, when I first saw them, opened my eyes to One Piece and made me realize how deep One Piece can actually go, even if some moments are just fun and games, and how much I can apply these quotes to my life.

The world building in One Piece is also exceptional, the way that Oda makes the story fit to something he may have said over 100 chapters ago. It makes me aspire to be in the One Piece world myself, maybe somewhere like Sabaody Archipelago where I could enjoy being next to the world government, and living next to the ocean. Or maybe Egghead Island where I can explore the world’s most advanced technology. But at the beginning of the story, in chapter 1, there was a character named Shanks and he used this power that was only introduced 230 chapters later. I adore this aspect of One Piece because it shows how much thought Oda put into creating the environment and story.

One Piece has changed so much for me that I can’t even describe a small portion of it, but if I didn’t watch One Piece then I would be much, much different. For example: I wouldn’t have watched any anime/manga. And I severely doubt that I would be exactly the same as I am today. But, I can almost guarantee that if you watch One Piece, then your life will change too, one chapter or episode at a time.

Here are some mangas I recommend and love:

  • One Piece by Eiichiro Oda: One Piece has great world-building and characters. One Piece is also still going on even after over 20 years; and in march of this year, it has become the most selling comic of all time, even passing superman. One Piece is about a boy named Monkey D. Luffy and his adventure to becoming the King of the Pirates.
  • Re:Zero, My Life in Another World by Tappei Nagatsuki: Re:Zero first began as a light novel, but is now getting a manga adaptation. Re:Zero is about a high schooler called Subaru Natsuki and he was transported to another world. But his power is truly terrifying, every time he dies he comes back, with his memories and the pain. This is perfect if you want a dark isekai.
  • One Punch Man by One: One Punch man is a comedic manga about a guy that is so strong that he can defeat anyone with a single punch. But then he finds life to be too boring so he tries to find someone who does not get one-shot.
  • The Apothecary Diaries by Hyuganatsu: The Apothecary Diaries is about a girl called maomao who was kidnapped then sold off to the royal palace, but she is really into poisons and medicines. With her knowledge she solves many mysteries regarding many different topics.
  • Dr. Stone by Riichiro Inagaki: Dr Stone is about a boy called Senku who was considered a genius by his peers, but one day a bright green light showered the world causing every human to turn into stone for 3718 years and 302 days causing the entire world to turn back into the stone age. Using his knowledge he advances the world back to the modern era.
  • The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai: The Promised Neverland is about a group of kids who live in an orphanage but one day one of the kid’s friends Conny was finally adopted. But she had forgotten something of hers, so some of her friends went to give it to her when she had left. But when they had found her about to be sent off they found out that she was dead.
  • Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami: You have probably heard of Jujutsu Kaisen as it blew up in fall of 2020. Jujutsu Kaisen or also known as JJK is about a boy called Yuji Itadori, who was a regular high school student but one day everything changed.
  • Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is about an entire bloodline of the JoJo family and their common enemy, the Brando family. Their journeys are full of twists and turns as they go through centuries of hiding and chasing.
  • Shangri-La Frontier by Katarina: Shangri-La Frontier is about a boy named Hizotome who only played really bad VR games, but one day he decides to play a Really good game, and he has a lot of skill transferred from beating really bad games.
  • Classroom Of The Elite by Syougo Kinugasa: Classroom Of The Elite is about Ayonokoji who attends a school where you get “points” where you can buy anything, literally anything. But this school has a dangerous truth to it, the students all plan to expel each other. But you can buy back students with the points, specifically 2 million.

“Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover (Don’t Judge Someone ‘Til You Know Them)” by Ava G., 7th grade

Some people don’t enjoy reading as much as others do. Then when people do try to read something, they look at the cover. Probably judging whether the book looks cool to read or not. It’s very common! A book can have such an interesting or amazing cover, but reading the back cover from a book is designed to hook new readers to get interested in the book! Kinda like what you can expect when reading. Some parts from the back cover gets readers more excited to read since a part could be cut off and then you really wanna read it to find out what happened or why it happened. I’ve read many books like that. They can be so detailed and can get people in the zone wanting to finish reading it. 

Let’s say you’re trying to find a new book to read. You could be more interested in Graphic Novels, Fiction, Non-Fiction, or Manga. People attend to have trouble finding something they might like to read. Try finding books with dull covers. Read their back cover to get into the book. Not all books may have a good back cover to make a reader wanna read it. Or some may do! The back cover is like a little summary about the book. They can leave crazy parts out. Some parts you might enjoy in the book. Making you want to really find out what’s going to happen next! I know it happens to me a lot when I read. Try reading a couple of pages in the first chapter, novel or anything. Look at pictures/drawings from graphic novels and manga! 

For example: You’re in your school library and you would probably need to find a book. Try some books like One of Us is Lying. It’s a mystery book with horror and very surprising twists and turns. Another is The Giver. This book might seem weird since of elderly guy on the cover but it’s about a community after a huge war. Everyone is assigned one job forever on their 12th birthday and no one knows what real love and emotions are! Maybe you like romance! The Summer I Turned Pretty was a huge one I loved. Many others did too. It’s about two families growing up together with the moms being best friends since around high school. Then crazy love and drama happen. For really any books that might not seem so wanting to read, try it. 

These can be some other book options: Places We’ve Never Been, You’ve Reached Sam, Hunger Games, Smile, A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, Never Have I Ever, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Shatter Me, and so much more!! You have to try something. No matter what! Try something you may not like, then find something else instead! That’s okay. 

You probably never knew this but book covers are kinda like people. You might have switched schools before or even met someone new at your school. Most people go straight to their looks rather than asking stuff about them. You never know how someone is till you get to know one another. This is so similar to books. Everyone goes to judging what they see with their own eyes first, rather than reading/meeting them.  People in your school might be quiet all the time but you don’t know who they are. People could have brilliant minds, great at drawings, amazing writers, incredibly kind and talented! 

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at reading within their lives!

Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America by Melissa Stewart, Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

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What's Worth Interrupting Shark week? CFD2 | The IT Hollow

SHARK WEEK is underway, so it is perfect today to feature…

Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America
Author: Melissa Stewart
Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander
Published July 7th, 2026 by Random House Studio

Summary: Sharks in Kansas? Seems impossible, right? After all, Kansas is smack dab in the middle of the United States — more than 1,000 miles from the closest ocean. But the world hasn’t always looked the way it does today.

Once upon a time, 85 million years ago, the middle of America was a watery world called the Western Interior Seaway. At the water’s surface, mighty mosasaurs attacked flightless birds bobbing on the waves. Deeper down, turtles the size of a small car fed on fish and ammonites. But the most ferocious hunters were the sharks. More than a dozen species cruised through the ancient sea in search of prey, and when they spotted a target … Chomp!

Journey into the past for a fascinating look at the incredible cast of creatures that once lived where we live now.

About the Author: Melissa Stewart is a leading voice in children’s nonfiction, with more than 200 science books to her name. Her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages and garnered such awards as the Sibert Honor, two Green Earth Book Awards, and four ALA Notables. Her best-known titles include Whale Fall, illustrated by Rob Dunlavey, Tree Hole Homes, illustrated by Amy Hevron, and Feathers: Not Just for Flying, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Union College and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University, Melissa worked as a children’s book editor for nine years before becoming a full-time writer. While gathering information for her books, she has explored tropical rain forests in Costa Rica, gone on safari in East Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. She lives in Massachusetts. For more information, including teacher resources, videos, and more, visit melissa-stewart.com.

Instagram @melissastewartscience | Facebook Melissa Stewart | Bluesky @melissastewartscience | LinkedIn Melissa Stewart

About the Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander is an illustrator and fine artist. In 2019, she won the Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration for Made by Hand: A Crafts Sampler. Picture books she has illustrated include Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards, Sleep Tight, Farm, and On Wings of Words, which received four starred reviews. Her work is also featured in adult books, editorial publications, stationery, home decor products, and book covers.

Instagram @becca_stadtlander | Facebook Becca Stadtlander

Review: Melissa Stewart shared on her webpage that, “As I was writing the book Mega-Predators of the Past, I was astonished to learn about Archelon — a prehistoric sea turtle the size of a small car. But what was even more amazing than the turtle’s supersize is where it lived — smack dab in the middle of the North American continent. Up until that moment, I’d never heard of the Western Interior Seaway, and I had no idea that the land we now call the Great Plains had once been covered by an ancient ocean. I had to know more, and once I discovered the incredible cast of creatures that called the seaway home (including a dozen different kinds of sharks), I knew I had to write a book about how the seaway formed and how it changed over time.” Like her, until I read this book, I had no idea either!

Stewart and Stadtlander do a great job bringing this unimaginable setting to life so that readers can see how what seems impossible is possible. It is a great mix of informational nonfiction, sharing of information about the Earth’s and animals’ history, while also adding in a bit of narrative by engaging with the reader through story. I also loved the inclusion of sidebars throughout the book which told you more about each animal that was encountered without messing with the flow of the writing. And, as always, I am so happy to see age appropriate, informative back matter that shows more information to fill in some gaps while also keeping learners wanting to find out more.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: This book wonderfully combines reading, science, history, and kids’ love of prehistoric animals to create an engaging book that would be perfect for classrooms!

Melissa Stewart created a Read Aloud Guide, including a classroom extension activity and before & after reading questions! Here are some examples of questions she included:

  • (Before reading) Do you think this book is fiction or nonfiction? Why?
  • (Before reading; looking at a map of the United States) Do you think sharks could live that far from the ocean?
  • (After reading) How many sharks are shown in the book? Did they all live at the same time?
  • (After reading) At the end of the book, a child finds a shark tooth fossil. Did you see the same child
    earlier in the book? If so, what were they doing.

Also, there is a fun coloring sheet on her site, too!

Flagged Spreads: 

Read This If You Love: Prehistoric animals, Dinosaurs, Geology

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Blue Sky Media and Random House for providing a book for review!**
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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/6/26

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Friday: Student Voices: The Importance of Nonfiction from Kathy R. and Elise A.

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Why Simple Stories Aren’t Really Simple” by Brad Barkley, Author of The Reel Life of Zara Kegg

**Click on any cover/link to view the post**

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Kellee

I am off this week! You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

Young Adult

I highly, highly recommend Rosa by Any Other Name by Hailey Alcaraz. This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, but in the Mexican Civil Rights/school integration. I love, love, loved this book. I want to use it in my classes next semester.

Adult

I had to read Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke because everyone is talking about it. The book is very clever, and the premise is fantastic. The narrator is extremely unlikeable, which makes it a difficult read, but I am glad I read it!

I didn’t realize this was an adult text when I started it! Ruta Sepetys is easily one of my favorite authors of all time. I loved her adult debut!!! If you love her other books, this one is sure to delight. It reminded me a bit of Out of the Easy. The plot is very different, but it had similar vibes in the writing style. I will read anything this woman writes!

Whistler by Ann Patchett is a stunning, well-crafted story that will stick with me. I always find myself captivated by Patchett’s writing, and this book was no different.

I loved Into the Blue by Emma Brodie. A friend recommended it, and I am so glad she did. It is somewhat a romance, but it is much more than that—and I worry that sharing more will spoil it. This is a book that shouldn’t be missed. It really impacted me.

Romance

I loved all three of these adult romance novels. The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn takes readers on a journey to Paris. First and Forever by Lynn Painter is a sweet football romance. Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan was absolutely delightful—a wealthy heir meets a hard-working fish store gal.

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Wednesday: Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America by Melissa Stewart, Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

Friday: Student Voices: Reading Reflections from Luna K., Lucas R., and Ava G.

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Secret Map to Guiding Reluctant Readers” by Jessica Khoury, Author of Monster and Apprentice

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on other linked blogs. If you post about your Monday post, tag the post with #IMWAYR!

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Author Guest Post: “Why Simple Stories Aren’t Really Simple” by Brad Barkley, Author of The Reel Life of Zara Kegg

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“Why Simple Stories Aren’t Really Simple”

When handed a novel or short story to read, students are quick to make decisions about the characters. She’s the hero. He’s the villain. One character is a jerk. Another gets angry, so they must have anger issues. End of story. It’s a clean way of seeing things, and for a while, it works.

They do the same thing in real life (most of us do), so that’s what they’re bringing to the story. It’s just easier that way. But fiction gives us a place to slow that down a little, to see how quickly our judgments start to break apart, and how much more complicated—and more interesting—things usually are once you get close enough to someone on an emotional plane to start looking inside them.

In my YA novel The Reel Life of Zara Kegg, Zara lives in that same space for most of the book. The big line in the sand for her—there are people who tell the truth, and people who don’t. For the ones who don’t (including her mother’s doctors and nurses and, for a time, her father and boyfriend), you keep your distance. They are liars, so you don’t let them in. And that’s not just a rule, but a way of holding things together when everything around you is falling apart.

During all of this, she’s doing her job in the projection booth at the Palace Theater, showing old black-and-white movies—B movies, ’50s and ’60s sci-fi and horror. The kind with low budgets, bad rubber masks, and worse dialogue. In almost every cheap film of that era, a UFO falls out of the sky or a hidden monster crawls up from the swamp, and everyone—the military, the local science teacher, a few kids from the high school—spends the rest of the movie trying to figure out what it is and how to stop it. On the surface, these stories seem simple. A threat shows up, but in the end, it’s handled and order is restored.

But those movies were never so simple, never really just about the monster. Not exactly. They expressed Cold War fears of invasion, of annihilation, of something coming from above that you couldn’t defend against. In the movies, it’s a creature or a spaceship. In real life, at that time, it was nuclear weapons or foreign invaders. The movies gave those fears a shape, and, for a while at least, a way to contain them and make them manageable.

Watching them over and over, Zara starts to see that the lines we draw in real life aren’t as clear as she thought. There’s a movie she shows one night, The Hideous Sun Demon, where a scientist exposed to radiation turns into a monster, kills a few people, and terrorizes a lot more. On the surface, he’s exactly what you’d expect—a threat, something that has to be stopped. But as the movie goes on, that begins to shift. None of it was really his fault, and he spends most of the film trying to manage what’s happening to him by staying out of the sun, staying away from other people, doing what he can not to hurt anyone. By the end, Zara finds herself crying in an empty theater, because all he really wanted was to live his life in the dark, to be left alone.

It’s not hard to see why that resonates with her. She’s up in that booth most nights, by herself, working in the dark and trying to hold her life together in the wake of her mother’s death. The monster isn’t just a monster anymore, and the lines she’s been drawing—about who people are, what they’ve done, what that means—don’t hold in quite the same way.

I see other versions of that in the classroom. Students read a story or novel and want to put the entire work inside boxes with labels—who’s right, who’s wrong, what the story is “about.” And I get it. Our brains crave that kind of black-or-white thinking. But that’s also where much of the life of the story gets flattened. As teachers we start looking for theme, or symbols, our own labels, so we can name them and move on, instead of staying with the character long enough to understand what’s actually going on with them, what motivates that person, what their interior life is like.

What tends to matter more is slowing that down. Not asking what the story means, exactly, but what this person is doing, what they’re feeling, why it doesn’t always line up. That kind of attention—trying to understand before you label—goes a long way, not just with literature, but with people. It’s more interesting to stay with the character a little longer. To get students to ask what they’re doing, what they’re not saying, what doesn’t quite add up. Not to excuse it, necessarily, but to understand it. That shift—from labeling to paying attention—changes the conversation along with our own understanding. It changes how we read and how deeply the right book can resonate. It also changes how we read and understand people, even those we are quick to label. And that’s a life skill that will stay with us always, making our lives that much deeper and richer.

The Reel Life of Zara Kegg
Author: Brad Barkley
Published June 16th, 2026 by Regal House

About the Book: 16-year-old Zara still feels like an outsider in Carolina Beach. Working during the beach’s off-season as the lone projectionist at the Palace—a rundown retro cinema that shows only vintage ’50s sci-fi and horror flicks, including a major Godzilla marathon—she spends her nights in a dusty booth, fueled by coffee, pushups, and the occasional existential crisis. Then she meets Zachary, who might be the most interesting person she’s ever met. As their friendship deepens into something more, Zara learns about the struggles Zachary hides beneath his charm and wonders if trust is possible.

About the Author: Brad Barkley is the author of the novels “Money, Love” and “Alison’s Automotive Repair Manual,” named as Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post and Library Journal. He has published two story collections, and his short work has appeared in 40+ magazines including The Southern Review, The Georgia Review, Oxford American, and Virginia Quarterly Review, which twice awarded him the Emily Clark Balch Prize for Fiction. He’s also the co-author of three YA novels — Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, Dream Factory, and Jars of Glass — recognized by the American Library Association and the New York State Reading Association. Before becoming Professor of Creative Writing, he worked a string of odd jobs—from short-order cook and roofer to telemarketer, dairy bottling line worker, and even hang-gliding instructor—work that keeps his fiction grounded in real places and people. He has received multiple Maryland State Arts Council awards and a Creative Writing Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Find out more about him at www.bradbarkley.com.

Thank you, Brad, for this reminder that there is more to stories than what is first seen!

Student Voices: The Importance of Nonfiction from Kathy R. and Elise A.

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Importance of Nonfiction

“Are Nonfiction Books Actually Difficult or Are You Just Reading Nonfiction Books Wrong?” by Kathy R., 7th grade

Books are loved worldwide and pretty much everywhere, it comes in all formations and genres but the two main ways to separate books are in fiction and non-fiction. Fiction is formally more popular since it allows the reader to escape their worries and focus on the imaginative story they are reading. On the other hand non-fiction is usually depicted as boring and written with a ‘fact-heavy’ tone. But most of the time non-fiction isn’t a difficult read, maybe you are reading non-fiction the wrong way.

Finding the different types of non-fiction literature

There is a variety of types of non-fiction literature like history, science, biographies, essays. Going deeper into non-fiction there are types of books like narrative nonfiction which is telling a real life story in the form of a story, this is an easier way to read nonfiction if you are used to reading more story-like books. Another few examples are Art books if you are more on the art side of the reading spectrum, music is another example of reading non-fiction like a ‘how to’ book on learning the violin. Exploring these genres will help you find which is just right for you. Most of the time when people call non fiction ‘too hard’, it’s almost always because they are reading books that they can’t connect to or learn anything about said topic. 

What to avoid when reading non-fiction books

Other times people rush or try reading multiple genres at once which can lead to not understanding what you just read and not learning anything.  Arun Suresh, Finding It Difficult to Read Non-Fiction? You’re Probably Reading It the Wrong Way: “It’s common for people to switch between genres and read a variety of books on a variety of topics. It gives them a feeling of gaining knowledge of different subjects, but in the longterm, they won’t remember most of it. Which is why you should stick with a genre or two.” Frankly, one of the most important things to do while reading non fiction is to take in some of the information you’re gaining from that book. Why do the exact opposite by reading everything and anything at the same time? It completely defeats the purpose.

Tips when it comes to reading non-fiction

When it comes to reading non fiction there are a few tips and tricks that can help you greatly in understanding what you’re reading a little bit more. How to Read More Nonfiction (and Actually Enjoy It) gives a few examples such as:

  • Annotating your book with a highlighter and or sticky tabs 
  • Starting a non-fiction book with a friend or book club
  • Skimming through chapters and getting the main details
  • Set small goals that are easy to digest

Why should people go through all the troubles of reading a non-fiction book? What’s in it for them in the end?

The biggest question of all is why? Why is reading non-fiction important? Why should people go through the process of reading non-fiction? The best answer I can give you is that it helps you to learn and understand the world around us. You see, non-fiction as a whole is diverse and every book you read on one topic can help you understand more chapter by chapter. Every time you read something informational no matter what your age is you can learn and expand your knowledge. 

Some non-fiction books I could recommend to people

Here are a couple books that I would recommend to people with a variety of what the books are about!

Conclusion and final thoughts

In conclusion, non-fiction in a whole may seem ‘too complex’ and ‘overly academic’ but the truth is non-fiction and informational literature is for us to be able to understand more about this world we live in. Non-fiction may not be for everyone but it is better to try than and see if there is a book for you than to not give it a try. 

“I Think Readers Should Read More Nonfiction” by Elise A., 8th grade

Nonfiction should be promoted better because it is useful for learning different facts about life, history, science and any topic you like.

I’m not saying that reading fiction is bad. But they attract more people to them because of how popular they are which leads to more people buying them or checking them out unlike nonfiction books that are not that popular.

Nonfiction is also keeping our history alive. It tells us about our past and gives kids something to base our future off of. If we didn’t have the books then we won’t remember how different things changed and adapted to different environments.

Nonfiction shows real information all the way through and shows more facts than anything else. Some people may look at nonfiction and say that it’s boring but it’s just that they aren’t reading about a topic that they enjoy, they just pick up a nonfiction book and start reading instead of picking one that interests them.

Nonfiction books to read

There are many history books that can be used to promote like: 

  • The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk
  • Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman by Tiya Miles

There are many science books that can be used to promote like:

  • The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  • Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
  • Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

These books are a good example of books to read to better understand certain subjects in school or everyday life.

Personally I like books about presidents. I look at those to understand how the new presidents are different from past presidents.

Nonfiction vs Fiction

As you can see based on this graph there is a good amount of people who read nonfiction but it’s smaller in comparison to the people who read fiction. This shows that nonfiction isn’t disappearing, it’s just in the shadow of fiction.

But the thing is that most of the time people look at the books, and they judge it based on the cover.

Also, fiction isn’t the only type of books with series nonfiction also has series. Fiction series continue the story the author made up while nonfiction books show how different things in life are connected like how different parts of history are connected.

How librarians and educators could make it so their nonfiction books are something people want to read.

So I think to make nonfiction books look more appealing to people is to have it more in color or just more fun. If you make the area look more fun, like after you read the book, have people color by number with facts that they learn.

The reason to do all of this is because there are many fiction book activities like people have made many word searches for fiction books. So if the nonfiction books have activities then it will feel like something people read a lot convincing people to read them. Or have them take a quiz so they know what type of nonfiction books to look for kinda like finding different genres people like except there are science, history, and geography nonfiction books.

To conclude, nonfiction books should be read more because there are many good nonfiction books that need to get more love!

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at reading nonfiction!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/29/26

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Sofia’s YA Book Nook: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

Friday: Student Voices: Books and Characters We Love from Abigail D., Ranim A., Nicolle D., and Aseel H.

Author Guest Post: “Reading and Writing About Family Dynamics” by Jeanine DeHoney, Author of This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church

**Click on any cover/link to view the post**

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Kellee

I am at ALA for all of the Caldecott celebrations then I will have my next IMWAYR off as well, so I’ll update you on my reading in a month. You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off: see you next week!

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Friday: Student Voices: The Importance of Nonfiction from Kathy R. and Elise A.

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Why Simple Stories Aren’t Really Simple” by Brad Barkley, Author of The Reel Life of Zara Kegg

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on other linked blogs. If you post about your Monday post, tag the post with #IMWAYR!

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Author Guest Post: “Reading and Writing About Family Dynamics” by Jeanine DeHoney, Author of This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church

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“Reading and Writing About Family Dynamics”

When I taught kindergarteners in an early learning center many years ago, I loved the fact that in all of our classrooms there were curated picture book selections in our reading area that highlighted family dynamics.

I enjoyed reading classic children’s stories such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, Strega Nona by Tomie dePaolo, Stone Soup by Marcia Brown, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, and Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale by Verna Aardema, among others as my young students sat on what we called our magic reading carpet. But I always felt the need to read stories in which they could hear narratives and see realistic images of families whose stories and family make-up were similar to their own.

Some of my student’s familial makeup included being in a single parent household, blended family, foster or adoptive family, or being raised by grandparents or other family members due to a parent not being able to. There were also families who were unhoused and living in a shelter. Often that affected how each student dealt with their emotions, concerns, fears, hurt, anger, or stress.

It was important for me to find and read books to students that touched on not only the conflicts in a family, where all of the young character’s heartfelt feelings were seen and heard in all of its bluest hues, but at the close of the book gifted the young reader with hope and a resolution however complicated or nontraditional their family dynamics are.

When I began seriously pursuing writing children’s picture books, I wanted to write books that touched on family dynamics and helped children navigate the myriads of feelings they often experienced when they perceived that their family wasn’t like their friend’s families or there were fractures in their families or trauma or anxieties. I wanted to write picture books that convey to children that they are seen and heard and their truths matter and their uncomfortable questions deserve an answer. No child should ever feel as if they have to shove their feelings in a box and put it on some high unreachable shelf.

My children’s picture book, This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church, part of Sleeping Bear Press’s Own Voices Own Stories collection, deals with the family dynamic of how others experience faith in the same household. The themes for this picture book are spiritual diversity, acceptance and family bonds.

This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church, is narrated by its young character Omar, who poses a question to his mother about why his father doesn’t attend church on Sunday with them. Omar’s mother lovingly explains that although they enjoy going to church that his father worships in his own way, in how he serves others and how he quietly spends time with God at home on Sunday morning.

This story was written because of my own family dynamics as a little girl with my father. He too didn’t attend church with my mother, sister, but was still a faith filled man and husband and father. Always under foot my father as a little girl, I never wanted others to be judgmental about him not attending church with us and to accept his choice as I eventually did. In my picture book though, I do end it with Omar’s father surprising him and attending church, but Omar also acknowledges that even if his father doesn’t attend church the next Sunday, he knows his father worships in his own way.

Our families shape us, be they our biological or chosen families. There are beliefs and traditions and expectations of the other each family member has. It is beautiful and empowering when those expectations are meant in a young child’s life, but when they aren’t meant it can cause several problems that play out not only at home but in an educational setting I have seen.

I hope that all libraries whether at home or school always have a liberal sprinkling of books for children that deal with family dynamics, both the inspiring ones, the amusing, heartwarming ones, but also the complicated and unhappy ones. Especially books that display how family members show empathy, have open, nonjudgemental discussions, resolve conflicts, seek support, and quell fears, in a healthy and reassuring way.

It is my hope that no matter the structure of a family, children can pick up a picture book that resonates with them and what their family looks like, its strengths and weaknesses, sorrows and joys.  A book that makes them feel seen and heard, not alone, and optimistic about the days ahead individually and as a family.

This Sunday My Daddy Came to Church
Author: Jeanine DeHoney
Illustrator: Robert Paul, Jr.
Published August 1st, 2025 by Sleeping Bear Press

About the Book: A sweet story about accepting the different ways we all worship.

Omar loves going to church every Sunday with his mother. He loves putting on his best clothes, and meeting up with neighbors and his best friend, Imani, as they walk together to services. But his daddy doesn’t join them. “Some Sundays are meant for doing much of nothing or a little bit of something,” says his father. Or maybe the lawn needs mowing or a ballgame needs watching. Omar’s mother doesn’t get upset. Each Sunday she reminds Daddy that his suit is in the closet if he would like to attend church. But he never does and Omar wonders why. It bothers him that his father doesn’t join them at this special place.

When Omar asks his mother about it, she talks to him about faith and belief. There are different ways to worship, and they don’t have to take place in a building. But even with Mommy’s reassurances, Omar still wishes his father would join them.

This new entry in Sleeping Bear Press’s Own Voices, Own Stories collection celebrates the bonds of family. An honor winner in the Own Voices, Own Stories collection.

About the Author: Jeanine DeHoney has always been a dreamer. At the age of seven she dreamed of becoming a writer, and after her stories landed in the pages of tons of notebooks, she’s grateful they’ve now landed in the pages of magazines, both mainstream and literary, online, and anthologies such as Chicken Soup for The Soul. Her children’s stories have also been published in Skipping Stones, Devozine, and Australia’s The School Magazine. Jeanine has won or has been shortlisted in several literary contests and was the 2022 Honor Award Winner for Sleeping Bear Press’s Own Voices, Own Stories Award. A former art enrichment teacher and Family Services Coordinator at a preschool learning center in the Brooklyn neighborhood where she grew up, she now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and looks forward to being the dream keepers of both young and old, with her stories.

Thank you, Jeanine, for this focus on families and everyone’s looks different and all deserve to see their family reflected in books!