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The term nonfiction describes books of information and
fact. Nonfiction, or informational books, are distinguished from fiction by
their emphasis. Both may tell a story and both may include fact. In fiction,
however, the story is uppermost, with facts sometimes used to support it; in
nonfiction, the facts are uppermost, with storytelling perhaps used as an
expressive technique. (see Literature and the Child by Bernice E.
Cullinan and Lee Galda, Harcourt, 1998, avaailable in media centers).
Through the Eyes of a Child by Donna E. Norton (
Prentiss Hall, 1995) lists the following evaluative criteria for informational
books: