This document provides an overview of the differences between fiction and nonfiction books. It explains that fiction books tell made-up stories that are not real and aim to entertain readers, while nonfiction books contain true information, facts, and explanations about real topics or events. A few examples are provided to illustrate this, such as a story about making friends with a unicorn being fiction because unicorns are imaginary, while a book about how a farmer milks a cow would be nonfiction since it teaches factual information. In the end, key differences between fiction and nonfiction are recapped.

2. FICTION
OR
NONFICTION?
An HCA Library Workshop Presentation

3. Stories?
Information?

4. We read many, many different books.

5. All of the books we read
can be sorted into
two groups.

6. Fiction Nonfiction

7. What is the difference
between fiction and
nonfiction books

8. Fiction books are books that tell a story.

9. Fiction books tell made-up, make-
believe stories that are not real.

10. Fiction books are written to entertain.

11. The opposite of fiction books are
nonfiction books.

12. They give you facts about something,
leaves
roots

13. and are written to explain and give
you information.

14. If you are
reading a story
about making
friends with a
unicorn,

15. it is a made-up, make-believe story
because there is no such animal.
It is fiction!
It is entertaining you.

16. it is fiction
because you
know that
cows can’t
really jump
over the
moon!
If you are
reading
about a
cow that
jumped
over the
moon,

17. it is
nonfiction
because it is
explaining the
facts of
milking a cow.
It is giving you information.
If you are
reading
about how
a farmer
milks a
cow,

18. it is
nonfiction
because it is
giving you
information.
If you are
reading about
how and why a
bee gathers
nectar from a
flower,

19. These are the differences between
fiction and nonfiction books:

20. Fiction NonfictionFiction
Make-believe stories
Fiction
Make-believe stories
Entertain you
Fiction
Make-believe stories
Entertain you
Not real
Nonfiction
True information
Nonfiction
True information
Facts
Nonfiction
True information
Facts
Explain

21. Now it’s time to practice deciding if a
book is fiction (not real) or
nonfiction (real). Return to your
Library Workshop page and click on
the gnome.
The End!