Jack Davis: Grade 8

As readers, we have to make a choice everyday: what books to read, when to read them, where to read them, and with whom to share them. Another choice that we have to make is whether we read fiction or nonfiction. We are all human beings with different literary taste buds. Some may prefer the surreal symphonies of character development and adventure, while some may lean toward illuminating information and facts. Nonfiction versus fiction. The real against the unreal. Fact versus imagination. We have a pretty big choice to make everyday, don’t we readers?

I personally love fiction. From realistic fiction to fantasy to sci-fi, the world of fiction is the place to be. I feel that fiction has more depth than nonfiction. It is like comparing Lake Erie to a puddle in the boys’ lacrosse field. Fiction is able to provide so many more enticing elements that make a story pop like a picture book. In fiction, anything can happen. You never know when a dragon will walk out of a bush, or when a main character’s best friend will turn on them, or when a wormhole will send someone to another time period.

Nonfiction is the writing of the past. I am not saying it is old or outdated. Instead, I am saying that the topics and main ideas of nonfiction have already happened. In fiction, a new timeline is being written, not being recounted. In fiction, the suspense is pulled tight like a rubber band, and it is only let go when it is about to snap. If you are a fan of all this, then I invite you to step over the threshold into the magical world of fiction.

I do not entirely loathe nonfiction, though. A balanced bookshelf is always important to every reader. There is a certain equilibrium that occurs when fiction and nonfiction are blended to a reader’s personal taste. Over the summer, I read the biography of Tim Howard. Biographies are just about the only nonfiction I enjoy reading, because there is still a plot with characters and trials and tribulations. There is also a sense of reality that you can relate to just as much as something fake. Now, you are probably thinking, how can you relate to something that isn’t even true? Except for realistic fiction, most of fiction is a metaphor for the problems that we struggle through in everyday life. All of the monsters and aliens and superpowers that come with fiction represent all of the problems, weird things, and talents that come with everyday life.

So, I hope you all can see why I prefer fiction as opposed to nonfiction. But do not scorn or become abrasive to the world of facts and information. Embrace all of the literary arts, because someone out there put in their time and effort to create something to capture your eyeballs and fill your mind. All books are forms of entertainment, and we should definitely appreciate them all. Happy reading everyone!