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Why Nonfiction?

Anne Hauth • June 6, 2025

The easiest One Minute Reader stories to read are often the hardest ones to write. Many people are surprised to learn this. Isn’t it easier to write a quick level E story than it is to research and write a complex level 5 story?


Not at all. There are several reasons why. First, it’s much harder to be concise than it is to explore a topic with as many words as you want. But early readers need the sentences and stories in the lowest One Minute Reader levels to be quite short. Second, readability formulas are very limiting at these levels—one difficult word can upset the entire balance. And finally, perhaps most importantly, One Minute Reader stories are nonfiction. Taking nonfiction research, simplifying it, and turning it into an original, completely accurate, high-interest story—which, by the way, is only about a paragraph long—is really hard to do! So why do we insist on nonfiction stories?


We decided on high-interest nonfiction when we wrote our first stories over 30 years ago for our school-based program, Read Naturally, and we haven’t wavered since. This is because we want our stories to appeal to readers of all ages. One Minute Reader might see a third grader in level 1, or a fifth grader in level 2. These stories must be interesting enough to appeal to many readers and not appear too young or immature, regardless of the level of vocabulary in the story. Furthermore, the One Minute Reader Strategy requires teacher modeling and repeated reading with short passages. Teacher modeling and repeated reading are two of the most effective, research-based strategies for improving fluency. The ideal length of stories for modeling and repeated reading is 100–400 words, which is also a good length for nonfiction. Most good fictional stories require more than 100–400 words.


One Minute Reader stories present new information about unusual animals, people, inventions, etc. As kids do repeated readings, they build knowledge about all kinds of topics. It is motivating for kids to share the interesting information they've learned with their parents and peers. Nonfiction can also encourage kids who have not previously enjoyed reading to want to read more about a particular subject that interests them—so they not only enjoy learning to read but begin to enjoy reading to learn.


In this blog post, literacy expert Tim Shanahan elaborates on the value of nonfiction text for students of all ages. We especially like his mnemonic: Fabulous Libraries Can Give Satisfaction. According to Shanahan, informational text should teach…

1. Fact vs. Fiction

2. Locating Information

3. Comprehending Informational Text

4. Use/Interpretation of Graphical Elements

5. Synthesizing Information


One Minute Reader aligns well with Shanahan’s recommendations. Not only does this program feature nonfiction stories, but the strategy requires kids to comprehend and synthesize the information before moving on. Comprehension questions are present at every level, and kids must answer them correctly in order to solve the Joke Jumble at the end of each book. To learn more and see the program in action, start a 7-day free trial. The program is just $8/month after that.


Oh, and if you’re wondering how we feel about fiction-- We LOVE good works of fiction! Nothing makes us happier than classic literature and riveting novels. We’re also huge fans of the many beautiful children’s fiction books in today’s bookstores. (Need recommendations? We’re full of them!) Getting lost in a work of fiction is one of the best experiences a reader can have. One Minute Reader stories fulfill a specific purpose for developing and struggling readers. For that purpose, nonfiction is the story we’re sticking to. For other purposes, as long as students are engaged with the reading material, the sky’s the limit!

Highlighted Posts

By Anne Hauth September 23, 2025
Reading fluency is a crucial skill that bridges the gap between decoding words and understanding their meaning. One effective strategy to build fluency is repeated reading —a technique where a student reads the same text multiple times until they achieve a level of fluency that feels natural and confident. What Is Repeated Reading? Repeated reading involves selecting a short passage at an appropriate reading level--ideally at or slightly above the student's instructional level. The student reads this passage several times, focusing on improving speed, accuracy, and expression with each reading. This practice allows for mastery of the text, leading to fluent and confident reading. Fluent reading should sound like conversational speaking--natural and expressive. Why Does It Work? Research shows* that repeated reading can lead to significant improvements in reading performance. The benefits include: Improved Word Recognition : By encountering the same words repeatedly, students become more familiar with them, leading to quicker and more accurate recognition. When these words become automatic, the students no longer need to put effort into decoding them. Increased Reading Fluency : Reading the same passage multiple times allows students to build fluency--each time reading it more smoothly and with greater expression. Enhanced Comprehension : As fluency improves, students can focus more on understanding the text, leading to better comprehension. This improvement in comprehension extends to unpracticed passages as well. Increased Confidence : Repeated reading is a form of mastery learning. Many beginning or struggling readers don't often get the opportunity to hear themselves sounding like fluent readers. After reading a passage multiple times, they've mastered it--and they sound great! This is a huge confidence boost that motivates them to keep reading. Repeated Reading at Home Incorporating the repeated reading strategy into your child's home reading routine doesn't have to be complicated or boring. In fact, many kids already do it! You've probably noticed that they often want to read the same book over and over. Don't discourage this--as long as they haven't totally memorized the entire text, they're building skills each time they read it. To work on repeated reading with your child at home, here's a simple strategy: Use an Appropriate Passage : Have your child choose a new short text that is slightly challenging but still within their level. Listen to Your Child Read : Have your child read the passage aloud to you. Note any words that are difficult for them to decode. Read Aloud Together : Read the passage aloud with your child, modeling fluent reading. Do this one to three times. Identify the difficult words together, and provide definitions. Independent Practice : Encourage your child to read the passage independently a few more times, focusing on improving their expression with each reading. Celebrate Progress : Affirm how much your child improved from the first reading to the final reading. Acknowledge their hard work and progress to build confidence and motivation. Additional Tips Keep Sessions Short : Aim for 10- to 15-minute sessions at first, to maintain focus and prevent frustration. Consider Using a Timer : If your child is open to the idea, set a timer each time they read the passage. Note their improvement in time, and celebrate their fluency growth. Make the timing element a fun challenge, but emphasize that this exercise isn't about speed reading--it's about building fluency. Repeated reading is a powerful strategy that can significantly enhance your child's reading ability. If you're looking for an easy-to-use program that incorporates this research-proven strategy, check out One Minute Reader . This program uses repeated reading and gamified learning to help kids at various reading levels build fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence. * Dowhower, S. L. (1987). Effects of repeated reading on second-grade transitional readers’ fluency and comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly , 22(4), 389–405. Kuhn, M. R., & Stahl, S. A. (2003). Fluency: A review of developmental and remedial practices. Journal of Educational Psychology , 95(1), 3–21. LaBerge, D., & Samuels, S. J. (1974). Toward a theory of automatic information processing in reading. Cognitive Psychology , 6(2), 292–323.
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