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Learn the basic differences between stories made up in the imagination and books that tell us real facts.
Have you ever wondered why some books have talking animals that wear hats, while other books teach you exactly how to build a real birdhouse?
Fiction books are stories that come from an author's imagination. These books are written to entertain you! In a fiction story, things might happen that cannot happen in real life. For example, animals might talk, or people might have superpowers. Even if a story feels like it could be real, if the characters and events are made up by the writer, it is still fiction. Think of 'Fiction' as 'Fake' or 'Fun' to help you remember the letter F!
1. You pick up a book titled 'Barnaby's Big Day Out.' 2. On the cover, there is a drawing of a dog wearing a backpack and riding a bicycle. 3. Because dogs do not ride bicycles in real life, this story is Fiction.
Quick Check
If a book is written to entertain you with a made-up story, is it fiction or non-fiction?
Answer
It is fiction.
Non-fiction books are about real things, real people, and real places. The purpose of non-fiction is to give you information or teach you facts. You read non-fiction when you want to learn how something works or find out about history. These books use information that can be proven true. Think of 'Non-fiction' as 'Not False' to help you remember the letters N and F!
1. You find a book titled 'The Solar System.' 2. The cover has a real photograph of the planet Mars. 3. Inside, there are diagrams showing how many miles Mars is from the Sun. 4. Because these are real facts, this book is Non-fiction.
Quick Check
True or False: A book that teaches you the life cycle of a butterfly is non-fiction.
Answer
True
How can you tell the difference just by looking? Fiction books often have illustrations (drawings) on the cover. Non-fiction books often have photographs. Non-fiction books also have special tools inside, like a Table of Contents or an Index, to help you find facts quickly. If you see a real photo of a lion, it is likely non-fiction. If you see a drawing of a lion wearing a crown, it is likely fiction!
1. You see a book about George Washington. 2. It has drawings of him, not photos (because cameras weren't invented then!). 3. However, the book tells the true story of his life and uses real dates. 4. Even though it has drawings, it is Non-fiction because the information is true.
Which word describes a book that is made up in an author's imagination?
What is the main purpose of a non-fiction book?
A book with a photograph of a real volcano on the cover is most likely non-fiction.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, look at three books in your house. Can you tell which ones are fiction and which are non-fiction just by looking at the covers?
Practice Activity
Go to the library and find one book with a drawing on the cover (Fiction) and one book with a real photo on the cover (Non-fiction). Open them up to see if the fiction one tells a story and the non-fiction one teaches facts!