Getting Big-Issue Narrative Nonfiction in the Hands of Teens and Tweens, by Patricia Newman and Jessica Stremer

Today’s teens and tweens are aware of what’s going on in the world now more than ever. Their access to big societal issues, such as climate change, gun control, racial and gender identity, and mental health, is unprecedented. A 2019 study of 7,000 young people ages 13 to 34 across the world found some surprising—and hopeful—results:

Young people genuinely care about the world—64 percent believe they have a personal responsibility to get involved and 61 percent believe it’s their generation’s responsibility to fix the problems we’ve handed down to them.

Teens and tweens have a well-developed sense of justice and become more aware of social issues when they see personal connections.

While today’s youth are optimistic and focused, they need help locating resources to support their ability to make change.

Enter the middle-grade and young adult nonfiction in today’s market that introduces readers to thoroughly researched and fact-checked stories of optimism, collaboration, hope, and inspiration that will start them on their journey of social change. We are just two of the many nonfiction authors who write about big issues for tweens and teens. We are also researchers and interviewers who dig deep into the issues to present a balanced but persuasive argument for social and environmental justice. Our writing styles are easily digestible and encourage critical thinking, inquiry, and further discussion.  

In A River’s Gifts: The Mighty Elwha River Reborn, Patricia tackles an environmental justice issue involving Indigenous people and one-hundred-year-old dams built by White settlers. Because the dams damaged the salmon fishery and the greater river habitat, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe suffered economically, spiritually, and culturally. Patricia’s lyrical approach to a story that spanned thousands of years helps focus readers on our inextricable connection to rivers and the collaborative process that ultimately removed the dams and restored the river ecosystem. Reading about the success of others empowers us to seek change in our own communities.

In Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires, Jessica aims to re-frame how readers look at wildfire by portraying a side of fire that media outlets often overlook – their benefits to plants and animals and their role in shaping the ecosystem. In addition, Fire Escape explores innovative techniques used to help injured animals, previous forestry management practices and their negative effect on climate change, and efforts people are taking to correct the mistakes of our past.

With a teenage daughter herself, Jessica has firsthand experience with teens’ hunger for knowledge and a desire to feel included in the conversation. Our books help today’s youth understand their personal connections to the bigger issues, building on their interests and creating a desire to know more.

Nonfiction for middle-grade and young adults can also play a role in shaping a child’s future. Many tweens and teens are already beginning to think about their careers. Fire Escape subtly highlights multiple options that kids might not have otherwise known were available. After reading books like Plastic, Ahoy! Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch or Sea Otter Heroes: The Predators That Saved an Ecosystem many students have admitted to Patricia, “I didn’t know I could do that.” Jessica has received similar feedback with readers saying, “I didn’t know that was a thing.”

We authors recognize that creating engaging narrative nonfiction is only half the battle. Gatekeepers can extend the olive branch and welcome these youth to a seat at the table, like Kerstin Forsberg did in Patricia’s Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea. Kerstinuses giant manta rays as a flagship species to empower youth (plus teachers, fishers, and business leaders) to identify environmental problems in their communities along the coast of Peru. They are the stars of their own conservation story with an award-winning model that is accessible and applicable to other areas of the world. 

During Patricia’s nonfiction session at the ALA conference in San Diego in June, one librarian remembers being told that the nonfiction section is where books go to die. The person who forecasted that bit of gloom wasn’t familiar with today’s MG and YA nonfiction. As gatekeepers, librarians can help make big-issue books more accessible because they are one of the first and simplest resources that can inspire youth with a plan to implement social and environmental change. Update your shelves and acquire new nonfiction. Present nonfiction book talks. Rearrange your shelves to spotlight current events in nonfiction. Introduce nonfiction (especially STEM titles) to tweens and teens with demonstrations or hands-on activities.

Creators, librarians, and teachers are poised to work together to help today’s youth discover narrative nonfiction resources. Through these books, tweens and teens can expand their knowledge and find civic role models that will support their ability to make change.

Bios

Sibert Honor author Patricia Newman uses social and environmental injustice to empower her readers to seek connections to the real world and to use their imaginations to act on behalf of their communities. Patricia’s nonfiction titles have received multiple starred reviews and ALA Notable Awards, two Orbis Pictus Recommended Awards (NCTE), and two Green Earth Book Awards. Her newest title, Giant Rays of Hope: Protecting Manta Rays to Safeguard the Sea releases on October 1, 2024 (Millbrook Press/Lerner). To learn more, visit her website at patriciamnewman.com or connect with her on Twitter (@PatriciaNewman), Instagram (@patricianewmanbooks), and BlueSky (@patricianewman.bsky.social).

Jessica Stremer is an award-winning children’s author who combines her love of science and writing to create books that inspire kids to explore and think critically about the world around them. Her titles include GREAT CARRIER REEF (a Cook Prize Silver Medalist and NY Public Library Best Book of the Year), LIGHTS OUT: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds (a SLJ climate change featured title), FIRE ESCAPE: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires (a JLG Gold Standard selection), PLIGHT OF THE PELICAN: How Science Saved a Species, TRAPPED IN THE TAR PIT, and WONDERFULLY WILD. Jessica obtained a B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in Ecology, from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She was a recipient of the 2023 Stephen Fraser Encouragement Award and 2023 finalist for the Russel Freedman award. When not writing you can find Jessica cheering from the sideline of her kids’ soccer games, spending time outdoors, and planning her next family adventure.

Filed under: Nonfiction