Using Nonfiction for Civic Engagement in Classrooms

This book acknowledges the existence of high quality nonfiction children’s literature that may serve as a basis for conversation about civic engagements and our roles as global citizens. It touches on our social history, and offers ideas for how educators might be able to engage readers in healthy and useful dialogues on what it means to be human and how nonfiction texts attempt to reconstruct this reality in this quest to recognize our collective humanity.

Vivian Yenika-Agbaw is professor of children’s literature and literacy at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park. She teaches courses on children’s and adolescent literature.

Ruth McKoy Lowery, PhD, is professor of children’s literature and literacy, and associate chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning at the Ohio State University. Her current research focuses on immigrant and multicultural literature, the adaptation of immigrant and at-risk students in schools, and preparing teachers to teach a diverse student population. Rose M. Pringle, PhD, is an associate professor in science education in the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. Her research agenda extends into two parallel, yet related research areas in science teacher education. In one line, she focuses on the development of science teachers’ disciplinary content knowledge and the impact of professional development on their learning.

Paul H. Ricks is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction at The Pennsylvania State University, where he currently teaches children’s literature courses.