Why I Write Children’s Non-Fiction – David Long

Guest Post: David Long

Author of What It Was Like to be an Ancient Egyptian (coming March 2025)

Why I Write Children’s Non-Fiction

Having written 60-odd books it still seems obvious to me that, after 25 years as a journalist, I was bound to end up writing non-fiction.

You never lose that urge to find out more, to discover stuff you didn’t know before, and to understand people (living or dead) whose lives differ so much from your own. One also realises as the parent of two boys that when it comes to learning more about the world a child can’t start early enough.

Facts draw some children to reading

Of course, there’s no need to rehearse the arguments about why reading is good – we know them already. But I’ve seen for myself how often children who don’t particularly enjoy reading stories (or even having stories read to them) can be switched on to books by facts. I admit that, as an historian, it’s sometimes necessary to smuggle information onto the page by disguising it as entertainment but, if this is done well enough, one quickly sees that most children genuinely love to learn.

During school visits and festival appearances, I’m continually impressed by the level of interest shown by young audiences, and amazed by the questions I get asked. So often these demonstrate not just that the children are paying attention but that they are really thinking about the subject and – best of all – actively trying to work out how something which happened hundreds of years ago can help them understand the world they see around them today.

Bringing the words alive

Of course, illustrations help a lot because they can draw in even the most reluctant reader. Happily, we’re living in something of a golden era for book illustration and in recent years I’ve been fortunate to work with some fantastic collaborators whose talent and imagination really help to bring my words alive.

The latest, WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN (publishing March 2025), is my ninth or tenth book with Stefano Tambellini so I know very well that his witty and detailed images mean a child can come away having learned something factual and memorable even if they don’t actually read the words. Luckily for me, and I’ve seen this happen numerous times, the pictures generally serve to pique their interest so the next time they pick the book up they read it – often more than once.

Real-world connections

Stefano and I both try to make these books fun, of course, but there’s serious intent in everything we do. Non-fiction books like these help to build a child’s vocabulary and language skills. They encourage children to concentrate and learn and so they support schoolwork even when there’s no direct connection to the curriculum.

They’re also useful when it comes to helping youngsters make important real-world connections, and they instil in young minds a genuine desire to know more. Not just about historical subjects, although personally, I’ve always found these absolutely irresistible, but in general. Knowledge is power, after all, and nothing better equips a child with the skills and confidence they need to navigate the world than facts.