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GROSS AND GRIPPING:
The Power of Strange Stories in NF Kidlit
What do leeches, lice, mold, and
poop have in common? They’re all gross, no doubt, but they’re also fantastic
introductions to science experiments and surprising facts! As a nonfiction
author writing for kids, I’ve found that the weirder or grosser the hook, the
faster I can pull in readers—especially the ones who don’t usually pick up a
book. Strange facts capture their curiosity and lead them to dive deeper into
history and science without even realizing they’re learning.
Take leeches, for instance. These
little bloodsuckers have been used in medicine for centuries, and they still
are today! In modern surgery, they help promote blood flow, but tell kids that
George Washington’s doctors accidentally bled him to death using leeches, and
their eyes widen in shock. Suddenly, they’re not only fascinated by the history
of medicine but eager to understand how medical practices have evolved over
time.
And what about brain surgery? Yes, ancient cultures practiced it—successfully! Imagine performing surgery on someone’s skull without modern tools or anesthesia, and the patient lives to tell the tale. That’s the power of trepanation, the ancient practice of drilling into the skull to relieve pressure. It’s a gruesome but gripping entry point to explore ancient medicine, and once kids are hooked, they’re ready to dive deeper into how we’ve built on these early practices.
But let’s not forget how the
world’s messiest lab accident led to one of the greatest medical discoveries of
all time. In 1928, scientist Alexander Fleming returned to his cluttered, moldy
lab after vacation to find mold growing on his petri dishes. Instead of
cleaning up, he investigated—and realized that the mold was killing harmful
bacteria. That mold became penicillin, a breakthrough that revolutionized
medicine. This kind of unexpected, quirky discovery shows kids that science
isn’t just about perfect experiments; sometimes, it’s about making unexpected
connections that lead to something amazing.
And it's not just gross or quirky
medical facts that hook readers. Some of my favorite strange stories come from
history, like the tale of Frances Glessner Lee, a millionaire heiress who spent
her time building murder dioramas. Yes, you heard that right—miniature,
dollhouse-sized crime scenes! Lee’s Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death
were used to train detectives in crime scene investigation. This eerie but
fascinating story pulls kids into the world of forensic science, where they can
learn how detectives piece together clues to solve real-life mysteries.
Weird facts aren’t just fun for
kids—they’re gold for authors too! If you want to grab young readers’
attention, think about how you can use the strange, the gross, or the bizarre
to pull them into your story. What weird fact have you stumbled upon lately?
Keep a file of strange tidbits that spark your curiosity, whether it’s an
unusual historical event, a quirky science discovery, or a bizarre cultural
practice. These nuggets could be the seeds for your next great nonfiction book
or even a fun twist in a fictional tale.
There are countless places to find
these quirky facts. Podcasts about history, science, and mysteries are rich
sources of weird and wonderful stories. News articles often feature strange
discoveries or oddities that are ripe for exploration. Documentaries, museum
exhibits, and even social media can offer up fascinating details that most
people overlook. When something odd catches your attention, don’t dismiss
it—investigate! Ask yourself how you can turn that fact into a story idea that
will captivate young readers.
By using the unusual to liven up your writing, you’re not just adding entertainment value—you’re creating books that kids will want to read. And the weirder the fact, the more likely it is to hook them into learning something new. So, the next time you’re brainstorming a story or lesson, don’t be afraid to go for the strange. The grossest, quirkiest details might just be the key to selling books that keep kids coming back for more.
What fascinating stories Stephanie! You definitely have intrigued me and made me want to start digging for bizarre, strange or gross!
ReplyDeleteCool info, Stephanie! Thank you for the suggestions and inspiration. Congrats on all your books.
ReplyDeleteStephanie is always full of fun gross facts. Her new book, The Secret of Moonrise Manor, comes out on 2/4 and is full of mystery and strange, interesting facts.Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAwesome and gross post! Haha. What a great hook to get kids reading. Thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteYou had me at "leeches" - I love the examples you give and how they worked into your books. Now you've given me an idea for what to do with this old index card filebox: turn it into a place to store gross, disgusting, and quirky tidbits.
ReplyDeleteI've started my list of the "strange, gross, and unusual." Great idea! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteReally cool and what a great fun book for kids to read out loud and say all those words, laughing all the way!
ReplyDeleteSTEPHANIE: I think we can all agree that history and science classes would be SO MUCH MORE engaging if they were livened-up with fun, strange, weird, unusual facts---creating eager learners, instead of kids being BORED-OUT-OF-THEIR-MINDS! You have to find ways to make history and science come ALIVE so kids will embrace it and want to keep learning---without even realizing they are, because they're having SO MUCH FUN! THANK YOU for sharing your INSPIRING ideas to help us start thinking like our audience. What wouldn't bore us? What do we wish we had learned about history and science when we were kids?
ReplyDeleteTerrific post Stephanie! I read MICOBE HUNTERS as a teenager. I couldn't put the book down. Thank you for sharing and giving my old brain a jump start.
ReplyDeleteI used to have nightmares about leeches! 🤣 But I agree, kids live wild, weird and wacky! Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this inspirational and fun post full of helpful advice! Your works sound fascinating, and I can't wait to start my file of strange facts and check out your podcast!
ReplyDeleteWhoopsie, I noticed it was set to anonymous too late as I was already hitting to publish my comment. I'll remember to keep my eye on that posting option the rest of this month on posts. I'm so happy NFFest is back, thanks again for such an exciting 1st post for this month! -Heather Skinner
DeleteScience! It’s where it’s at.
ReplyDeleteSo much fun to learn about and then share gross, strange and amazing things in our world! Thanks for sharing this, Stephanie!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephanie, for beginning Nonfiction Fest with a bang!
ReplyDeleteWeird + Unusual = An interesting hook
I find quirky irresistible. It invites you to see something common a bit differently and gets you asking questions. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteStephanie, Thanks for a bloody start to NFFest! Leaches and blood and scalp drills, Oh Yuck! Kids will love all of it of course
ReplyDeleteSorry, my first post is anonymous but that's really me! I'll try better next time.
DeleteKids love gross and weird stories!
ReplyDeleteWonderful yuk! Still engaging and fascinating children no matter how clean we keep their environment.
ReplyDeleteWould you believe I was a PitchMe finalist last year with a story on Frances Glessner Lee? I can't believe you mentioned her! I really hope to get her story out in the world.
ReplyDeleteI just ordered Twisted True Tales from Science from my library. Can't wait to read it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, Stephanie! The more obscure, weird, mysterious or gross the topic is, the more fascinating it is to read about-and not just for kids! Those books hook kids as a reader, may spark their curiosity to research further (read more!) and perhaps even inspire them to write!
ReplyDeleteI am trying my hand at some lyrical nonfiction. Would love to somehow put some gross in there as well. LOL! Thanks for the inspiration.
ReplyDelete