The author of more than 50 informational books for young people, Russell Freedman has received every major award in the field, including the Newbery, the Robert F. Sibert Medal, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal. Major prizes are but one indication of the significance of an author, and Russell Freedman has been and continues to be essential in moving criticism and publication of nonfiction into the fullest realm of appreciation and development. Freedman claims the narrative power of nonfiction as capable of "igniting the reader's imagination, evoking pictures and scenes in the reader's mind."

Authors Susan P. Bloom and Cathryn M. Mercier explore all aspects of Freedman's work: his publications of nonfiction for young people; his essays and speeches about the art of nonfiction; his language and style; and his themes and narrative arcs. Through interviews with Freedman, this book speaks about his process as a writer of nonfiction, discussing how he chooses subjects and how he views research as a process of discovery. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for this storyteller who writes about the stories that compel him and invites his readers to share his interest.