What is an effective way to introduce narrative nonfiction to students?

Introducing narrative nonfiction to students involves communicating how this genre fuses factual reporting with storytelling elements. When students read narrative nonfiction, they engage with real events through a structured narrative that often has characters, plot, and a compelling conclusion.

Reading the book from beginning to end like fiction allows students to appreciate the flow of the narrative, recognize the author’s storytelling techniques, and understand how facts are woven into a cohesive story. This method helps them see narrative nonfiction as a form of literature, rather than just a straightforward account of facts. It encourages engagement with the text as a story that conveys real experiences, making the learning process more relatable and enjoyable.

Through this approach, students can better grasp the distinct qualities of narrative nonfiction and how it differs from traditional nonfiction, which often focuses solely on factual information without the narrative arc.