Some of today’s most cel­e­brat­ed writ­ers for chil­dren share essays that describe a crit­i­cal part of the infor­ma­tion­al writ­ing process that is often left out of class­room instruc­tion. To craft engag­ing non­fic­tion, pro­fes­sion­al writ­ers choose top­ics that fas­ci­nate them and explore con­cepts and themes that reflect their pas­sions, per­son­al­i­ties, beliefs, and expe­ri­ences in the world. By scru­ti­niz­ing the infor­ma­tion they col­lect to make their own per­son­al mean­ing, they cre­ate dis­tinc­tive books that delight as well as inform. In addi­tion to essays from men­tor authors, Non­fic­tion Writ­ers Dig Deep includes a wide range of tips, tools, teach­ing strate­gies, and activ­i­ty ideas from edi­tor Melis­sa Stew­art to help stu­dents (1) choose a top­ic, (2) focus that top­ic by iden­ti­fy­ing a core idea, theme, or con­cept, and (3) ana­lyze their research to find a per­son­al con­nec­tion. By adding a piece of them­selves to their drafts, stu­dents will learn to craft rich, unique prose.

You’ll find Can­dace Flem­ing’s con­tri­bu­tion on pg. 144, an essay enti­tled “Telling True Sto­ries with My Whole Self.”