First graders have been exploring the differences between fiction and non-fiction.  They know that one is true and one is a story, but it is easy to get confused as to which is which.  After a visit to the NYPL, students have learned to look for clues such as the dewey decimal number on the spine of the book, tools like an index or a table of contents as well as pictures with captions to lead them to non-fiction status.

In library we have been pairing fiction with non-fiction and discovering that many times fictional accounts of animal or insect characters may indeed contain some facts.

For example, Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly, by Alan Madison includes such facts as monarch butterfly migration patterns, the number of butterfly species as well as some tidbits about metamorphosis as well.  Eyewitness Juniors Amazing Butterflies & Moths, by Still revealed facts about the senses, shapes and sizes, and color patterns of the insects.   Other topics explored were worms, dancers and spiders.

Next time you visit the library, why not check out a fiction/non-fiction pairing?  If you need some help, simply ask a librarian (or your first grader) to give you a hand!