What Do Students Want to Read? It Might Not Be What You Think

It’s an exciting time for children’s literature and diverse books. Every year, more new titles hit the market with a rainbow of diverse characters to capture the imaginations of children. But there are just as many terrific new titles in nonfiction for young readers, and in many cases, kids prefer those to fiction.

And that’s a fact!

A study published in the Journal of Literacy Research found that more than 80 percent of first-graders chose nonfiction when picking their own book, the Washington Post reports.

One isn’t better than the other, but educators should offer and teach both, says the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

NCTE issued a position statement about the important role of nonfiction literature in K-12 education, encouraging teachers and librarians to provide more of these books to children. Read More