Making the Hard Stuff (look) Easy

By Cynthia Levinson

Writing nonfiction for kids is an act of translation. Doing the background research—interviewing scientists, visiting museums, reading a subject’s diaries, etc.—is thrilling. But the trick is to convert some of what you’ve learned into a book with kid-appeal (and editor-glee). This task is especially challenging when the material is technical, conceptual or just plain tough. How do top-of-their-game nonfiction writers pare the mountain of evidence they’ve amassed and channel what’s left into text and illustrations that are comprehensible and meaningful? Here are some approaches.

1. Keep it basic. Hardly anything could be more technically complex than physics (at least for me). In the picture book On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein (Chronicle Books), author Jennifer Berne and illustrator Vladimir Radunsky draw in readers with an opening sentence that moves from the universal (“as the stars swirled in the sky”) to the familiar (“as the Earth circled the sun”) to the particular (“as the March winds blew through a little town by a river”) to the personal (“a baby boy was born”). Then, rather than delve into mechanics, they simplify the concept of light by focusing on a beam on which little Albert rides a bicycle!

In the philosophical realm, Paige Britt, with Sean Qualls and Salina Alko, accomplish the same magic with the highly conceptual, very low word count Why Am I Me? (Scholastic Press). 

2. Hook your reader at the get-go. In their picture book We Go Way Back (Roaring Book Press), Idan Ben-Barak and Philip Bunting talk directly to kids with the opening line “Hey, you! Yes, you!” After the page turn, they get serious: “What is life?” And, they’re off—with kids inevitably along for the ride.

3. Make the text conversational. This advice can be especially useful in books for older readers, who want more information but in digestible forms. Pamela S. Turner, who also talks directly to readers in How to Build a Human in Seven Evolutionary Steps (Charlesbridge), raises the questions she’s sure are in their minds, and then writes, “So glad you asked.” It’s as if she’s chatting with them.

4. Put the technical stuff into sidebars. Christina Soontornvat’s middle-grade All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team (Candlewick Press) tells a gripping story with suspense, personalities, and cultural context and places such technical scientific information as “Human Responses to Levels of Oxygen Concentration” into charts. She relegates other unfamiliar information, such as “Buddhism in Thailand,” to sidebars. 

5. Mix writing styles. The chapters in my books Fault Lines in the Constitution (with my husband, Sanford Levinson, Peachtree Publishers) and Who Owns the Moon? And Other Conundrums of Exploring and Using Space (with Jennifer Swanson, Margaret Quinlin Books) open with a short narrative story, then move on to expository legal, historical, and scientific information, mixed variously with graphics, sidebars, diagrams, QR codes, and other means of keeping readers actively engaged with the material. 

6. Let the illustrations convey the hard stuff. It’s not just science, philosophy, and law that can stump kid-lit writers. So can frightening experiences. Tonya Engel paints a ghost-like but dark and looming figure in Rise: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People (Lee & Low Books) to show the specter of a child molester while Bethany Hegedus’s subtle free verse merely hints at what might happen.

7. Respect your audience. Teens want and deserve to be taken seriously and can absorb and ponder serious subjects and material. Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb, written by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and adapted for young adults by Eric Singer (Putnam) deals with physics, politics, romance, and more. Susan Campbell Bartoletti’s They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group (Houghton Mifflin), Deborah Heiligman’s Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (a love story) (Farrar Straus Giroux), and Ann Bausum’s White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War, Then Rewrote the History (Roaring Book Press) all deal straight-forwardly with complex politics, undercurrents in America, and violence.

How can you accomplish what these authors do? Try this: Choose a topic about which you’re curious but know nothing. No WIPs allowed! (For instance, how does a refrigerator work? Or, what is the mind-body problem?) Next, list all of the questions you have about the topic. It’s likely that your questions will be as basic as your readers’. Now, using your questions and the suggestions above, write the first sentence of a book. 

 

About the Author: Cynthia Levinson writes nonfiction books for young readers, aged five and up. Focusing on social justice and law, her books have received the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal; the Carter G. Woodson, Julia Ward Howe, and Crystal Kite Awards; Golden Kite honors; and Best Book recognition from multiple organizations, including the National Science Teaching Association, among other honors. She and her husband divide their time between Austin and Boston. 

 

NF FEST Starts TOMORROW!

By Stephanie Bearce

Welcome, writers, to Nonfiction Fest!

If you’re here, it means you love true stories—the kind that inform, inspire, surprise, and spark curiosity in young readers. For the entire month of February, you’re invited into a generous, knowledge-packed celebration of writing nonfiction for children, led by some of the most accomplished and respected voices in kidlit.

Here’s something important to know right from the start:

Every single guest blogger at Nonfiction Fest is volunteering their time and expertise.
They are not paid.
They are not promoting a product.
They are here because they believe deeply in this writing community and want to lift other writers up.

That kind of generosity is no small thing.

These authors—award winners, seasoned professionals, teachers, mentors—are sharing what they’ve learned through years of writing, researching, revising, failing, succeeding, and trying again. And they’re doing it with the hope that something they share will help you take your next step as a writer.

Throughout February, you’ll find posts that dig into:
• craft and structure
• research strategies
• picture books, middle grade, and YA
• narrative nonfiction and informational text
• market considerations
• voice, POV, emotion, and purpose

This year’s Nonfiction Fest lineup:

February 1 – Cynthia Levinson – Making the Hard Stuff (Look) Easy
February 2 – Darcy Pattison – Fact Checking
February 3 – Marissa Moss – Putting the Story Back into History
February 4 – Amy Houts – Assignment vs. Freelance: Which One Wins?
February 5 – Henry Herz – Writing Nonfiction
February 6 – Lindsay H. Metcalf – PB, MG, or YA?
February 7 – Nancy Churnin – How to Write Picture Books Inspired by Headlines
February 8 – Joyce P. Upglow – The IT Factor in Picture Books
February 9 – Sue Bradford Edwards – Writing for the School Library Market
February 10 – Louise M. Aamodt – Teachers’ Pet: Supplemental Guides
February 11 – Danna Zeiger – Writing About a Living Subject
February 12 – Elizabeth Shreeve – Joyriding Into Image Research
February 13 – Stephanie Bearce – The Hook Factor
February 14 – Sarah Aronson – Finding My Why
February 15 – Chana Stiefel – You Rock! Playing with POV
February 16 – Donna Janell Bowman – Weaving Through Lines into Narrative Nonfiction
February 17 – Judy Bryan – From Lyrical Poem to Nonfiction Debut Picture Book
February 18 – Nell Cross Beckerman – How I Use Mentor Texts for Craft
February 19 – Traci Huahn – Using Scholarly Journals in Your Research
February 20 – Nicki Jacobsmeyer – Work Smarter, Not Harder
February 21 – Kathy Kacer – The Power of Creative Nonfiction
February 22 – Julie Winterbottom – Einstein for Six-Year-Olds
February 23 – Vivian Kirkfield – Picture Book Bios
February 24 – Stacy Nockowitz – In the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
February 25 – Mira Riseberg – Considering Your Reader: Emotion in NF
February 26 – Debra Shumaker – Finding Story Arc & Structure

February 27 – Lisa Amstutz - Writing Nonfiction for Kids

February 28 – Lauren H. Kerstein – When the Research Doesn’t Match Your Vision

 

HOW YOU CAN SAY THANK YOU

• Leave a comment on their post

• Buy their books or request them from your library

• Leave a review wherever books are sold

Those small acts matter more than you might think. They support careers, encourage generosity, and keep communities like this thriving.

Welcome to Nonfiction Fest—a full month of learning, sharing, and celebrating the power of true stories for young readers.

 

Join Us for the Ninja Total Experience Retreat!

By Stephanie Bearce

I love Nonfiction Fest. A whole month of learning from the best authors in the business. What could be better?

How about spending a whole weekend hanging out with some of those authors in person? That’s exactly what you can do if you join us for the Ninja Total Experience Retreat this May!

Every year, the Ninja team gathers for a retreat to revise projects, brainstorm new ideas, and share insider information about publishers and editors. We might also play silly games, eat chocolate-drizzled popcorn, and watch Linda Skeers do interpretive dance moves. We’re not all business all the time!

Over the years, so many people have asked if they could join our retreat. And, selfishly, we’ve always said no. After all, there’s only so much chocolate-drizzled popcorn to go around! But this year, we decided to share the fun with all of you.

We’re inviting kidlit authors—of all genres—to join us in Hiawatha, Iowa (home of the interpretive dance studio of Linda Skeers). And yes, we mean all genres. You may know us as nonfiction experts, but the truth is, we Ninjas write fiction, too—award-winning fiction!

What You Can Expect

At the retreat, you can bring up to four manuscripts for critique. You’ll meet in small groups led by a Ninja team member, receiving professional feedback to help refine your work.

But that’s just the beginning. Throughout the weekend, we’ll cover key topics to help you strengthen your craft, including:

• The dreaded query letter—how to make yours stand out (in a good way).
• Interpreting feedback from editors and agents—because sometimes it feels like a foreign language.
• Brainstorming new ideas—for when your creative well needs a refill.

And for those burning publishing questions, Storm Literary agent Lisa Amstutz (who also happens to be a Ninja) will lead an Ask-Me-Anything session, giving you the inside scoop on agents, editors, and the publishing world.

Learning, Laughter, and Yes—Prizes!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Ninja retreat without some goofy games and equally goofy prizes. You might walk away with a year’s supply of interpretive dance lessons. Or a coveted bag of chocolate-drizzled popcorn. Either way, you’ll leave with new friends, fresh insights, and an extra boost of motivation for your writing journey.

And here’s the biggest bonus—after the retreat, all participants will have the opportunity to submit to Lisa Amstutz. She’s officially closed to submissions, but she’s making an exception for retreat attendees. That alone is worth the price of admission!

Affordable Pricing

We’ve worked hard to keep the retreat affordable because we want as many of you as possible to join us. Every registration option includes all programming and meals:

• Option 1 – A shared room for $350 per person. Bring a writing buddy or make a new best friend!
• Option 2 – A private room for $550 per person.
• Option 3 – Stay off-site but enjoy meals and programming for $275.

That’s a deal that can’t be beat!

 

Ready to Join Us?

So what are you waiting for?

Still need more details? Check out all the nitty-gritty at Ninja Retreat.

We hope to see you in May! But if you can’t make it, stay tuned to our blog. We’ll be sharing more great content throughout the year, and of course, we’ll see you next February for Nonfiction Fest 2026!

 

FIVE FLY-TYING TIPS FOR WRITING NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES

By Jeanne Walker Harvey

I recently came across notes I took when I joined my son, a fishing fanatic, in a fly-tying class. He quickly engaged in the process, while I realized (after fumbling with the tiny bits of thread, feathers and beads) that I was better off with pen and paper tools. Some of the fly-tying tips struck me as advice one can use in writing children’s nonfiction books.

1.  Reference – Gather information on hatches, baits, fish, and tying techniques.

Or in my case, as an author of picture book biographies, I try to gather as much information about the person that I’m considering featuring, and preferably from primary sources (interviews, letters, diaries, videos, etc.)  And, just as it’s important for someone tying a particular fly, say a wooly bugger, to learn about a particular insect’s habitat, it’s necessary for me to learn about a person’s world – the politics, history, customs of the time. I may not include these details in the finished manuscript, but they guide me in my writing about the person’s life or experiences.

2.  Materials – Don’t get hung up on finding exact materials from a recipe. Use what you have.

I can get lost in the incredibly enticing world of research. Sometimes I need to tell myself to stop gathering  information, and instead face that blank page and begin writing. I can always go back and gather more specifics, if needed.

3.  Thread tension – Pull at about 80% of the thread’s breaking strength.

I’m always trying to think about the throughline of my story when I’m writing it. What is the central, unifying idea or theme that holds my narrative together.  What are the challenges or obstacles the person faces? What does the person seek to achieve? What will connect to the child reader? 

In my upcoming picture book biography, THE GLASS PYRAMID: A Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I.M. Pei (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster), I hit upon the throughline idea of I.M. Pei “planting and growing” the pyramid in a way that addressed the redesign needs of the Louvre, despite challenges and setbacks (resistance from the French, discrimination as a Chinese American, etc.). 

4.  Finishing: Use a whip finish or half hitch to finish your fly for a solid finish

I’m always seeking a solid ending to a manuscript, and in the case of THE GLASS PYRAMID, I was able to weave in (after many rewrites) my theme:

    “What began as I.M.’s secret Louvre project

    blossomed into a cherished symbol of France.

    In the splendid garden of Paris,

    Ieoh Ming Pei patiently planted

    and then grew

    a glorious glass pyramid.”

5.  Steam: Steam your finished flies to rejuvenate them.

When I finish a manuscript, I always ask others to read and critique the finished draft to “rejuvenate” it. But because we write nonfiction, it’s sometimes tricky because other fiction authors may suggest plot additions that are not accurate or supported by evidence. So instead, I ask for their thoughts on clarity of information, pacing, and engagement.

And after I’ve tackled these tips, I toss my finished manuscript out into the publishing waters, and hope for a bite! But no matter what, the process of writing the manuscript (or tying the fly) is always rewarding for me. And so for any of you seeking to tie together a nonfiction piece, I hope you enjoy the process and wish you all the best!

About the Author:

Jeanne loves writing picture book biographies about creative people who overcame challenges. In addition to  THE GLASS PYRAMID, her books include ELSE B. IN THE SEA: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep; ABLAZE WITH COLOR: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas; DRESSING UP THE STARS: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head; MAYA LIN: Artist – Architect of Light and Lines; and MY HANDS SING THE BLUES: Romare Bearden.

She studied English literature and psychology at Stanford University, and lives in Sonoma, California. You can learn more at jeanneharvey.com or follow her on X or Insta  @jeannewharvey 

 

CREATING DRAMATIC TENSION IN NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS

By Gabi Snyder

 

Dramatic tension is all about keeping your reader hooked. Simply put, dramatic tension is the feeling of suspense that keeps a reader reading. There are several strategies for creating dramatic tension in your nonfiction story. Here are a few.

Questions

When a story poses intriguing questions, you naturally keep reading to learn the answers.

For example, in HONEYBEE: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera (illustrated by Eric Rohmann), author Candace Fleming uses a question refrain to create tension. A few pages in, we read, “Crawling to a cell packed with sticky, rich pollen, Apis eats…” The spread ends with the question, “Strong enough for flying?” We want to know when the honeybee will fly! We turn the page and read, “Not yet….” The next several spreads each end with some variation of the “flying?” question, and each of the following pages begin with “Not yet.” Fleming waits to answer the question, and our anticipation builds, making the gorgeous double gate page in which the honeybee does fly all the more awe-inspiring.

In LUNA & ME, by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw, we’re hooked immediately with the opening lines, “Have you ever climbed a tree? And stayed there ALL night? Once there was a girl who LIVED in a tree—for over TWO years!” We want to learn more about this girl who lived in a tree. Why did she live in a tree? And how? We read on to learn the answers.

Page Turns/Refrains

In picture books, page turns are often used to create suspense and keep the reader engaged. The page might end with a question (like in HONEYBEE, discussed above) or ellipses (…) that make us turn the page to read the conclusion of a gripping sentence.

In the beautiful HENNA IS…(written by Marzieh Abbas and illustrated by Anu Chouhan), a refrain, just before each page turn, repeats throughout the book. After we read about one element of henna, like how “Henna is nature/ Seeds sprouted into shrubs/ leaves kissed by tropical rain…,” the spread ends with “But henna is so much more…”. We turn the page to learn more about the compelling henna!

Mystery

Like a good whodunit, a captivating mystery, puzzle, or riddle is inherently suspenseful.

The unique picture book WHAT MAKES US HUMAN (written by Victor D.O. Santos and illustrated by Anna Forlati) is written in the form of an extended riddle. The story begins with the words, “I have been around for a very long time. Longer than toys, dogs, or anyone you know.” With each spread, the riddle text and art provide more clues. We keep reading to learn what it is that makes us human!

Another example that introduces a kind of mystery is NOTHING – John Cage and 4’33” (written by Nicholas Day and illustrated by Chris Raschka). The title itself introduces suspense. How is this book about “nothing”!? The book opens with, “A pianist walks into a barn.” It sounds like the set-up for a joke! When the pianist sits down to play a new composition by someone named John Cage, he does… “nothing.” When, we wonder, will this nothing turn into “something”? And when it doesn’t, we wonder why, oh why did John Cage write a composition of “nothing.” We keep reading to find out!

Foreshadowing

Foreshadowing increases dramatic tension by piquing the reader’s curiosity or sense of anticipation.

In ME…JANE, by Patrick McDonnell’s, the story opens with the line, “Jane had a stuffed chimpanzee named Jubilee.” Even readers unfamiliar with Jane Goodall may suspect that detail will be central to the story. Later we read about young Jane, up in a tree. “With the wind in her hair, she read and reread the books about Tarzan of the Apes, in which another girl, also named Jane, lived in the jungles of Africa.” Even the book’s title, ME…JANE, which cleverly reframes a famous line from Tarzan with the focus now on Jane, provides a kind of foreshadowing.

In THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of (written by Kirsten W. Larson and illustrated by Katherine Roy), the story opens with parallel perspectives.  One-quarter of the page is set in space: “Wrapped in a blanket of sparkling space, an unformed star waits for its bright future to begin.” The other three-quarters of the page show us young Cecilia Payne, who begs to put her bare feet in the snow and learns it’s not soft and warm like she expected. This parallel perspective foreshadows a convergence. We keep reading to find out what this curious young girl has to do with an unformed star.

Your Turn

Analyze your favorite nonfiction picture books. How does the author create dramatic tension?

Now look at your nonfiction manuscript. Can you add more dramatic tension by incorporating some of these techniques? Happy revising!

 

About the Author:

Gabi Snyder is the author of several picture books. Her debut, TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal, was a Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2020 selection. Her second picture book, LISTEN, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, was a 2022 Oregon Book Award finalist. And her third title COUNT ON US!, illustrated by Sarah Walsh, was the winner of the 2022 Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award in the children’s category. Her most recent books include TODAY, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, and LOOK, illustrated by Samantha Cotterill. Gabi lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at gabisnyder.com.

 

  

LET LYRICAL LANGUAGE ADD MUSIC TO YOUR WRITING

 
by Buffy Silverman

You’ve revised and polished your nonfiction manuscript. But the language still feels flat. How
can you add sparkle to your words?

Consider using some of the techniques that make poetry a pleasure to read aloud. Lyrical
language can elevate your words and bring your subject to life. Let’s look at a few recent picture books that combine a nonfiction subject with lyrical language.

Read the opening of Leslie Barnard Booth’s ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL aloud:

 

        LOOK AT IT.
        Wounded, worn, twisted, torn.
        One day this tree will fall
        and this story will end.
        Won’t it?

Notice how it captivates a reader with alliteration and internal rhyme. Wounded, worn, twisted, torn rolls off the tongue because of the repeated initial sounds, rhythm, and rhyme. At the same time, these words create a vivid image in the reader’s mind. The brevity of the two-word question at the end of this opening spread entices the reader to turn the page.

The author also uses repetition to create music in her words:

        This tree grew.
        And grew…
        despite wind
        despite ice
        despite
        drought
        drought
        drought.

The repeated words create rhythm that propels the narrative forward.

 

WIND IS A DANCE by Debra Kempf Shumaker also uses repetition to great effect. The phrase

“Wind is a…” is repeated as a refrain that connects the book’s theme. Consider these words that answer the book’s opening question: What is wind?
        

        Wind is a dance—a dance of air.
        Warm air leaps high, while cool air bows low.
        Day by day, fast or slow, wind changes.

Wind is described with other metaphors: a butterfly, a puppy, a boxer, a train. Each metaphor is expanded with vivid verbs that describe both wind and what it is compared to:

        wind is a whisk--
        churning and whipping
        a batter of clouds and rain
        over the warm ocean.

The initial drafts of my 2024 book, STARLIGHT SYMPHONY, were written in perfectly fine
prose. But that perfectly-fine prose was not ready to capture a reader’s (or editor’s!) attention.
Here’s the opening of an early draft:

        The light dims and the curtain rises.
        The musicians prepare to play.
        The flutist plays a cheery melody:
        Ee-oh-lay, ee-oh-lay! sings wood thrush
        from his perch on the maple tree.

I had chosen to compare the songs of nighttime animals to different musical instruments. I had included onomatopoeia so that a reader could hear the animals’ songs. I had written back matter that explained the function of each animal’s song. But the text was still missing something that I couldn’t identify.

I was fortunate to win the SCBWI Michigan picture book mentorship with Kelly DiPucchio in
2019, and sent her the prose version of STARLIGHT SYMPHONY. Kelly’s immediate response was: “Please don't shoot me. LOL!  I love your concept BUT......I feel like this manuscript, in particular, would be stronger in rhyme.” Of course she was correct—a symphony should have musical language! While it was a challenge to change a prose manuscript into one with rhythm and rhyme, it was the revision that this manuscript needed. Here’s the opening stanzas of the final version:

        The lighting dims.
        The curtain lifts.
        Musicians gather.
        Spotlight shifts.

        A flutist’s
        airy melody
        sparkles in
        a lakeside tree.

        Eee-oh-lay!
        Wood thrush sings
        with silver notes
        and copper wings.

The short sentences, imagery, rhythm and rhyme make this a book that I hope readers will want to read and listen to, while still focusing on the sounds of animals.

Writing in rhyme is only one way to add music to your language. Explore other poetic techniques like alliteration, assonance, consonance, onomatopoeia, repetition, metaphors, similes, and personification. Read your work-in-progress aloud. Will a sprinkle of lyrical language add sparkle to your words?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Buffy Silverman is the author of many nonfiction books for children. STARLIGHT SYMPHONY (Millbrook Press, 2024) received starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist. Other recent titles include ON A SNOW-MELTING DAY (NCTE Notable Poetry book, Kirkus star review), ON A GOLD-BLOOMING DAY (CLA/NCTE Notable Book in the Language Arts, Bank Street Best Books) and ON A FLAKE-FLYING DAY. She lives near a swampy lake in Michigan where she enjoys outdoor time with her dog, photographing nature, and writing poetry.