The five children who chose fiction
wrote about enjoying favorite story
characters like Peter Pan and Clifford
because they are “funny.” One very
young kindergartner enthusiastically
asked me for the sheet that started,
“I like nonfiction . . . ” and I asked her
what she was going to write about
as her favorite nonfiction topic. She
replied with all sincerity, “I like stories
about the tooth fairy because she
leaves me money.” I hesitated, looked
to my teacher’s assistant, and then
proceeded to hand her the nonfiction
sheet. That lesson is for another day,
another grade level, in fact!