How to Write a Nonfiction Book for Kids

Nonfiction for kids is a wonderfully broad category. It can introduce children to science, history, art, nature, math, sports, wellness, fascinating people, or entirely new ways of seeing the world. It can be a biography, a concept book, a how-to, a reference book, or a narrative that takes readers on an emotional journey.

And nonfiction can be incredibly engaging.

Many kids actually prefer nonfiction, and these books have an important place in classrooms, libraries, and home bookshelves. They can introduce children to new ideas while teaching them how to analyze and process information. They can also reach a broader age range than you might expect, particularly when they're used in upper elementary grades.

So how do you write a nonfiction book for kids?

The process starts with curiosity.

Start with a topic, then start asking questions

Think of a topic that interests you and start asking questions about it.

Then get really curious.

You don't need to know everything about your subject before you begin. In fact, it's probably better if you don't. The research process should give you opportunities to discover things you didn't already know.

If you can write the book entirely off the top of your head, it probably won't be deep enough for someone else to find engaging.

Instead, approach your topic with an open mind.

What surprises you?

What don't you understand?

What questions keep coming up?

What would a child wonder about?

What information is missing from the books that already exist?

Follow those questions.

They may lead you somewhere much more interesting than the idea you started with.

Think about what kind of nonfiction book you're writing

“Nonfiction” covers a lot of territory.

You might be writing:

• a biography

• a science or nature book

• a history book

• a concept book

• a how-to or activity book

• a reference book

• a book about art

• a book about sports

• a book about wellness

• a book about math

• a philosophical or big-idea book

Different kinds of nonfiction books can use very different structures.

Some books are organized around information. Others have a narrative arc or emotional journey. Some are built around a single concept. Some introduce a person or place through a story.

So before you worry too much about structure, spend some time figuring out what kind of book you're actually making.

The form should serve the idea.

Research widely

Research is one of the most exciting parts of writing nonfiction.

Draw from a variety of sources: podcasts, magazine articles, websites, interviews, photographs, videos, adult and children's books, museum exhibits, and more.

Each source can give you a different piece of the picture.

You might discover an interesting connection between two ideas. You might find a detail that changes how you understand your subject. You might discover a metaphor that gives you a completely new way to explain something.

Don't just collect facts.

Look for connections.

Look for the surprising detail.

Look for the story behind the information.

Look for a new way to explain something.

And push yourself to describe things in your own, fresh way. You want to develop your own point of view on the topic rather than simply repeating information you've found elsewhere.

Use primary sources whenever you can

When possible, go directly to the source.

Talk with experts.

Get quotes.

Look at original photographs and documents.

Read firsthand accounts.

Primary sources can give your book a depth that you won't get from simply reading other people's summaries.

They can also lead you to details and perspectives that make your book feel distinctive.

Keep a list of your sources as you work. Don't assume you'll remember where you found a particular fact six months from now.

You will probably need those sources again during the editing and fact-checking process.

Find the big idea

At some point, you will probably have far more information than you could possibly put into the book.

That's a good thing.

Now you have to decide what matters.

Summarize your research or create an outline. Get clear on the big idea and the most important information you want readers to understand.

Then identify the details you definitely want to include.

Your research outline is a guide for you. The finished manuscript will need to be much more artful.

A nonfiction book shouldn't feel like you've emptied your research folder onto the page.

Think about the experience you want to create for the reader.

What do you want them to know?

What do you want them to wonder about?

What do you want them to feel?

What do you want them to do after reading the book?

Let those big ideas shape the manuscript.

Give readers a reason to keep turning pages

Nonfiction doesn't have to be dry.

In fact, some of the most memorable nonfiction books for kids use many of the same techniques that make narrative books compelling.

Think about:

• interesting characters

• evocative language

• sensory details

• intriguing settings

• humor

• a narrative arc

• an emotional journey

• poignant moments

• surprises

• memorable themes

Even when you're teaching information, you're still telling a story about that information.

A book about an animal can make us care about an individual animal.

A biography can introduce a person's dreams, failures, discoveries, and contradictions.

A science book can turn an unfamiliar idea into a mystery the reader wants to solve.

A history book can help readers imagine what it was like to be there.

Information becomes more memorable when readers have a reason to care about it.

Write a bold opening

The beginning of a nonfiction book has an enormous amount of work to do.

You need to give readers a reason to keep reading.

You might:

• ask a question

• start with an exciting moment

• zoom out from a specific detail to reveal the larger picture

• paint a vivid picture for the reader

• introduce a surprising fact

• drop the reader directly into a story

You don't have to explain everything immediately.

In fact, sometimes it's more compelling to create a little mystery.

Give readers a question they want answered.

Think visually

Nonfiction picture books and other illustrated nonfiction formats have another powerful tool available to them: visual information.

Think beyond the main illustrations.

Could your book include:

• charts

• diagrams

• maps

• infographics

• letters

• quotes

• timelines

• captions

• fun facts

• photographs of primary sources

• activities

Visual elements can make complicated information easier to understand and give readers different ways to enter the subject.

They can also make the book feel more interactive.

A timeline might help readers understand when something happened. A diagram might explain how something works. A map might reveal a connection that would be difficult to explain with words alone.

Don't think of these elements as decoration.

They're part of the information architecture of the book.

Let the writing have a personality

Just because you're writing nonfiction doesn't mean you need to sound like a textbook.

Tone, word choice, rhythm, pacing, vocabulary, sentence structure, and point of view all contribute to the reader's experience.

Your voice can be warm.

It can be funny.

It can be lyrical.

It can be conversational.

It can be energetic or contemplative.

The right voice depends on the subject and the reader, but don't assume that accuracy requires stiffness.

You can be factual and still have a point of view.

You can explain something complex in language that feels alive.

You can make readers feel that a real person is inviting them into the subject.

Make the information accurate

Accuracy is one of the most important responsibilities of a nonfiction writer.

Readers trust nonfiction books to give them accurate information, so fact-checking needs to happen throughout the writing process—not just at the very end.

When researching online, one useful practice is to look for two reliable sources that confirm a fact.

Some strong sources include Britannica, National Geographic, PBS, NPR, BBC, Smithsonian, Nautilus, and Live Science. National magazines, newspapers, government websites, and scholarly journals can also be useful sources.

But don't assume that something is reliable simply because it appears on a website.

When you encounter an unfamiliar source, ask:

• Is the copyright date recent?

• Do reliable sources link to this site?

• Are several websites using the same language and referencing a primary source?

• Is there a better original source I can consult?

• Is this information published by a government agency or scholarly journal?

• Is it coming from a nationally published, fact-checked source?

And pay attention to the kind of fact you're checking.

If you're citing a specific quantity, date, or name, there should generally be a verified answer.

If you're explaining a complex idea, the task is different. You need to understand the different perspectives and present the information in a way that helps readers understand what experts generally agree about—and where they disagree.

If something doesn't feel quite right, do more digging.

Contact an expert if necessary.

And if you're still not sure, say that when you're writing.

It's better to be unsure and true than certain and wrong.

Do competitor research

Once you have a good sense of your subject, find out what books have already been written about it.

This isn't about convincing yourself that nobody has ever written about your topic.

Almost every topic has already been explored in some form.

Instead, read what's out there and ask:

How can I make my book different?

Maybe the approach is different.

Maybe your audience is different.

Maybe your structure is different.

Maybe you have discovered a particular story, perspective, or connection that hasn't been explored in the same way.

Maybe your book has a completely different voice.

Reading the competition can help you understand where your book fits—and where there might be room for something new.

Don't worry too much about reading levels

Reading levels can be useful information for librarians, teachers, booksellers, parents, and publishers.

But they can also become an unnecessary source of anxiety for writers.

Publishers have their own procedures for assigning reading levels, and different systems look at different elements of the text.

Some measure things such as:

• numerals

• syllables per word

• words per sentence

• sentences per paragraph

• proper nouns

These measurements can tell you something about the complexity of the text, but they don't tell you everything about a child's experience of reading it.

It's more important to think about whether the content and themes are relatable to kids than to force your manuscript into a particular reading level.

A complex topic can be introduced to readers at many different ages. What changes is the context in which you present it and the experience the reader brings to the subject.

So keep reading levels in the back of your mind.

Don't let them take over your writing.

Write the proposal

If you're writing nonfiction, you may be asked to submit a book proposal rather than a full manuscript.

This is especially common with adult nonfiction, but it also happens with children's nonfiction.

A book proposal gives agents and editors a way to understand the book and consider how it might perform in the market.

A proposal doesn't need to be complicated.

It needs to be concise, accurate, and informative.

Depending on the project and submission guidelines, a nonfiction book proposal may include:

Title and subtitle

Your title should be striking, evocative, clear, and engaging.

A subtitle can make a more detailed promise to the reader or clarify what the book is about.

Don't worry if the title changes later. You're showing agents and editors that you've thought about how to position the book.

One-sentence summary

Think of this as a logline or quick pitch.

What is the book?

What is it about?

What kind of book is it?

Benefits to the reader

What will readers learn or take away from the book?

This can work well as a bulleted list.

Summary

Your summary can be a paragraph to half a page.

This is an opportunity to let your voice come through. Think of it almost like back-cover copy.

Help the reader understand what the book is about, why it's special, and why they want to read it right now.

Audience

Your audience is never everyone.

Be specific about who will read the book.

You can also identify secondary audiences—people who might buy or gift the book to your ideal reader.

Author bio

Include experience that's relevant to the topic.

You don't necessarily need to be an expert in the subject itself. Demonstrating that you know how to research, write, and communicate information is valuable, too.

Word count

Give an estimate.

If you're submitting only a chapter or two, you can explain when you expect the full manuscript to be ready.

Audience and platform

If you have an existing audience through Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, or a newsletter, include it.

You can also include relevant reviews, testimonials, or information about engagement.

Promotion ideas

Think about how you could help the book reach readers.

Could you talk about it on social media?

Host an event?

Participate in interviews?

Connect with your local community?

Share it at an industry conference?

This section shows that you're not only serious about writing the book—you've thought about how you'll help it find its readers.

Connections and potential partners

If you know organizations, brands, experts, or other people who might help your book reach a wider audience, include them.

Think creatively about who might have a natural connection to your subject.

Comp titles

Include books that help agents and editors understand where your book fits in the market.

For each comp title, explain both how your book is similar and how it is different.

Outline

Your outline should show that you understand what the book is about and how it's structured.

Depending on the project, it may look something like a table of contents with bullet points describing each section or chapter.

The outline and sample chapters should work together. Someone reading the sample should feel confident that the rest of the book will deliver on the promise of the proposal.

Write for curious kids

The best nonfiction doesn't simply give children information.

It gives them a reason to want more information.

A good nonfiction book can open a door.

It can make a child notice something they had never noticed before. It can send them to the library looking for another book. It can make them ask a question at dinner. It can inspire them to investigate, draw, build, explore, or argue about something they suddenly care about.

So don't underestimate the power of curiosity.

You don't need to tell readers everything.

You need to give them enough to make them want to keep looking.

Keep asking better questions

The research and writing process isn't a straight line.

You might start with one question and end up somewhere completely different.

That's part of the fun.

Stay open to what you learn.

Let new information change your thinking.

Follow unexpected connections.

Ask an expert.

Read something outside your field.

Look at an old photograph.

Listen to an interview.

Visit a museum.

And then ask:

What does this make me wonder?

That question can lead you to the heart of your book.

Make something only you could make

There are nonfiction books about almost everything.

That's not a reason not to write yours.

It's a reason to figure out what makes your approach distinctive.

Your research, curiosity, voice, perspective, structure, and particular collection of details can combine to create something that doesn't exist yet.

You don't have to know everything when you start.

You have to be willing to learn.

Research deeply.

Question what you find.

Check your facts.

Look for the surprising connection.

Think about what your reader will experience.

And then bring your own point of view to the subject.

The goal isn't to make a book that contains the most information.

It's to make a book that makes the information matter.

A simple nonfiction writing process

If the whole process feels overwhelming, come back to these steps:

Get curious.

Start with a topic and ask questions.

Research.

Use a variety of sources, and go to primary sources whenever possible.

Find the big idea.

Figure out what you most want readers to understand or take away.

Find your angle.

Read competing books and identify what will make yours different.

Create the structure.

Decide how the information should unfold.

Write.

Give yourself permission to make a first draft.

Fact-check.

Check your information while researching, writing, and revising.

Revise.

Work on the manuscript until the information, structure, voice, and reader experience all come together.

Get feedback.

Share the manuscript with a writing friend, critique partner, editor, or writing coach.

Keep going.

Nonfiction may begin with facts, but the best books are made with curiosity, creativity, and a point of view.

You don't have to know everything about your subject before you begin.

You just have to be curious enough to find out.