When we think of children's literature, we often think of Mother Goose, alphabet books and fairy tales and overlook the important category of nonfiction. Nonfiction, also referred to as informational literature, is defined as a work of literature which is not imaginary and provides factual information to the reader.
Children are curious about their world.
It is this curiosity which addresses the need for good nonfiction in children's literature. The following is a discussion of the essential characteristics of good nonfiction for children. An essential characteristic of good nonfiction is accuracy of information. Nonfiction should be factual and have no incorrect information. Use of overgeneralizations, statements of opinion as fact and biased reporting should be considered in evaluating nonfiction books.