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When I was in high school, my English teacher asked the class to explain the difference between non-fiction and fiction. "Truth and lies," the class wit responded. He was more profound than he realized. Good fiction reveals fundamental truths about human existence, while bad non-fiction is, as Zorba the Greek so eloquently explained, "A pack of lies."

As an author of children's non-fiction, I like to think that I combine the best features of both elements: compelling narratives that are factually accurate. Kids want much more than a dry recitation of facts. This means clean, easy-to-follow storylines, vivid descriptions, frequent use of anecdotes and emphasis on the most important details.

Publishers are quick to recognize these qualities. As Ben Raker of Trillium Publishing notes, "What impressed me most was Jim's careful historical research and attention to detail. He delivered manuscripts dead-on to some very particular reading-level specifications. He also delivered early. Jim did all this while remembering the most important part of the job–telling good stories."

Many of my books have been very well-reviewed. For example, John Peters of the New York Public Library has this to say about The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Cold War Goes Hot and The Story of the Attack on Pearl Harbor: "These titles make first-rate alternatives to the numerous same-topic volumes available for this audience... Both books combine absorbing narrative with sharp cause-and-effect analyses." School Library Journal, reviewing The Story of the Holocaust, adds, "There is an emotionally charged tone that takes over whenever the author describes the treatment of the victims, as if he understands that he has a limited opportunity to create a lasting impact on readers." Commenting on The Scopes Monkey Trial and An Overview of World War I, another SLJ reviewer points out that "Considering the complexity of the topics, these titles do a remarkable job of presenting brief, understandable discussions."

I am sure of one thing. I have picked up so many great stories while researching my subjects that I am one popular guy at parties and social gatherings.

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