Integrating Graphic Nonfiction into Classroom Reading and Content Area Instruction: A Critical Literacy Focus on Selection Issues

An understanding of the importance of nonfiction literature in classroom instruction is not new within the field of education. The recent implementation of the Common Core State Standards (National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010) has brought an increased policy focus. The Common Core explicitly calls for extensive use of informational text (i.e.; non fiction) and close reading activities that ask students to attend to textual detail as part of reading comprehension instruction. Fortunately, quite a few thoughtfully-written and captivatingly-drawn graphic non-fiction trade books have been published in recent years that can support Common Core requirements while also engaging students. This article offers guidance on evaluation and selection of graphic nonfiction and multi-format text sets to engage students with history through a critical literacy approach.