13. The Nonfiction/Fiction Divide with Colleen Paeff

🎧 Nonfiction vs. Informational Fiction: Where Do You Draw the Line? | Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations

Join host Kirsten Larson and Sibert Honor author Colleen Paeff as they explore one of children's literature's most debated topics: the distinction between nonfiction and informational fiction. When should authors stick strictly to documented facts, and when is it okay to fictionalize elements to serve the story?

In This Episode:

• How Colleen defines nonfiction vs. informational fiction in her own work

• Why her books "The Great Stink" and "Firefly Song" stayed nonfiction while her upcoming "Rainbow Truck" and "Pufflings Fly Free" became informational fiction

• The role of emotional storytelling in factual narratives

• How research depth affects genre decisions

• Practical advice for authors struggling with this choice

• Amazing research organization tips using the Obsidian app

About the Guest: Colleen Paeff is the Sibert Honor-winning author of "The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem" and the starred-review book "Firefly Song: Lynn Frierson Faust and the Great Smoky Mountain Discovery."

 

Connect with Colleen at: https://www.colleenpaeff.com/

Support the podcast through our Bookshop (we earn a small commission at no cost to you): https://bookshop.org/shop/NonfictionKidlitPodcast

Perfect for: Children's book authors, educators, librarians, and anyone interested in science writing for kids, research techniques, and the craft of nonfiction storytelling. #NonFictionBooks #ChildrensBooks #KidLit #ScienceBooks #AuthorInterview #WritingCraft #InformationalFiction #PictureBooks #Research