Dear Elementary School Parents,

In the library realm, November is celebrated as “Know-vember,” an initiative designed to encourage students to read non-fiction books. This event lasts all month and challenges school libraries, homerooms, and families to engage students in exploring factual topics that help teach about the world around them. 

It is often comical to me how many students assume non-fiction texts are boring. Not surprisingly, I heard many groans and moans when I began the non-fiction library lessons this week! Students are so enamored with the magic of make-believe stories, colorful images, eccentric and silly characters, etc. that it is hard for them to realize true texts can be just as incredible, intriguing, and exciting. Regardless of the topic, the non-fiction books in our school library not only help students understand the world they are living in, but also aid in developing a deeper appreciation for God’s creation and the wisdom He gave us to comprehend such things. 

As the ES librarian, I want to share a few positive impacts reading non-fiction can have on our students:

• Enhancing knowledge and understanding: students have a variety of non-fiction topics to learn about, from history and science to biographies and culture. This is a prime way to build up foundational knowledge that can be retrieved throughout their academic years.

• Building critical thinking skills: in contrast to reading fiction, which is driven by an imaginative narrative, nonfiction teaches readers to identify facts from opinions, understand cause and effect, and build connections. 

• Establishing empathy and awareness: non-fiction books are often about real people, cultures, and events so they can help students learn about different perspectives and experiences from around the world. Through these true stories, students can further develop love and compassion like Christ had for us, so they can show these traits to others.

• Connecting learning with faith: reading non-fiction through a biblical worldview lens helps students connect their academic world with spiritual beliefs. Specifically, students can learn so much about God and His character and the world He created for us by reading further about the things they see with their own eyes each day.

Throughout the month of November, in addition to current checkout parameters, students will be required to check out non-fiction texts from the library. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in the following activities: 

• “Fact of the Day” display: students will learn an interesting (and possibly entertaining!) fact each school day

• Non-fiction book tasting: During the first November library session, students will enjoy a book tasting of different non-fiction genres

• Knowvember Knowledge Quest: a simple reading challenge specifically for nonfiction books (more information to come).