Structure of a NonFiction Book

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Did you know that good readers of nonfiction can tell the difference between fiction and nonfiction? Third graders looked closely at the structure of nonfiction books and identified four very important components that can help them pinpoint specific information about their topic.  Students browsed through a set of nonfiction books placed at their table and discussed the purpose of the title page, the table of contents, the index and the glossary. Below is a description for each component that you can use to help you remember the purpose of each part. We will look further into the elements of nonfiction books as the year progresses.

The title page tells the name of a book.  It gives the name of the author and also tells the name of the publishing company.

 

The table of contents comes after the title page.  It lists the titles of the chapters or units in the book.   and the page numbers they begin on.

The index is an alphabetized list of subjects found in a book which gives the page or pages where each item is mentioned.  The index is found at the end of the book.

The glossary is a list of specific terms noted in the nonfiction books and their definitions.  The glossary is often placed in the back of the book as well.

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