So You Want To Be A Journalist (So You Want To Be A...)
About
Somewhere right now, a reporter is knocking on a door no one wants to open. Somewhere else, another is reading the 400th page of a court document, looking for the one sentence that doesn’t add up.
This is what journalism actually looks like. Not the bright lights and the breaking-news graphics — but the slow, stubborn work of finding out what is true and telling everyone else before anyone else does. Journalists ask the questions powerful people would rather no one asked. They write the stories that change laws, free the wrongly convicted, and sit beside families on the hardest day of their lives to get the truth right.
This vivid, thoughtfully illustrated guide for curious readers ages 10–14 (and welcoming to readers 8 and up) takes young people inside one of the most demanding and consequential professions in the modern world. They’ll learn the difference between a beat reporter and an investigative journalist, why one source is never enough, and how a single Freedom of Information request can crack open a story hiding in plain sight. They’ll discover the daily rhythm of a working newsroom — the morning pitch meeting, the afternoon interviews, the editor who sends a draft back three times, and the deadline that does not move.
Readers will follow journalists into the field: the city-hall reporter watching a budget vote, the foreign correspondent filing from a place most people couldn’t find on a map, the science reporter at the edge of a launchpad, and the sportswriter in the press box — where cheering is strictly forbidden. They’ll learn how reporters protect their sources, verify what they’re told, and decide what belongs in print and what doesn’t. They’ll also confront the hardest parts of the job — the difficult interviews, the threats that sometimes come with a byline, and the responsibility of getting it right when people are reading every word.
Along the way, readers meet real journalists who changed history — Ida B. Wells, Nellie Bly, Edward R. Murrow, and Gordon Parks — and uncover surprising true stories: news once delivered by carrier pigeon, the most famous wrong headline ever printed, and the secret Watergate source known only as “Deep Throat.”
From small-town weeklies to international news desks, journalists do the patient work of keeping a free society informed. This book introduces young readers to the people who choose that work — and asks whether the curiosity, persistence, and clear-eyed honesty it requires might already live in them.
Praise for this book
"A journalist is someone who seeks the truth and shares it with the world. They ask questions that no one else dares to ask. That’s why it’s such an admirable profession. Now children can learn everything they need to know about it in So You Want To Be A Journalist. Linda Soules explains, in an engaging way, what this job entails, where it takes place, and what tools are needed to do the job effectively. She then goes into more detail, highlighting the benefits of being a journalist, such as satisfying curiosity and having direct access to information. She also illustrates a typical workday, so children can get a clear idea of what the profession is like.
I found Linda Soules’ writing style inspiring. She explains what journalism is in a way that’s realistic and accessible to children. For example, there’s a section on subjects you might not expect to use, like math, in which she explains that understanding statistics, scientific studies, and percentages is necessary, so it’s helpful to learn about the subject. She also mentions what a child can do to prepare right now, such as reading the news, practicing clear writing, and taking an interest in the news in their own community. In addition, she shares interesting points, such as fun facts and information about famous journalists throughout history. I also loved the illustrations because they’re detailed and highlight the key points of each explanation, reinforcing the ideas. So You Want To Be A Journalist will teach children to think critically and provide them with the basics for entering the world of research."
"So You Want To Be A Journalist by Linda Soules is an engaging and informative introduction to the demanding work behind every headline. Written for curious readers ages 10–14, the book moves beyond the glamour of television news to show journalism as a profession built on patience, courage, and persistence. Soules explains how reporters search for reliable information, ask difficult questions, verify facts, and communicate the truth clearly. By emphasizing that journalism can change laws, protect communities, and give a voice to people who might otherwise go unheard, the book presents the profession as both admirable and essential.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its clear explanation of what journalists actually do. Readers learn about different careers, including beat reporters, investigative journalists, foreign correspondents, science reporters, and sportswriters. Soules also describes the daily rhythm of a newsroom, from the morning news scan and pitch meeting to interviews, fact-checking, revisions, and an unmovable deadline. Practical details about notebooks, recorders, public documents, source protection, and Freedom of Information requests give children a realistic understanding of the tools and responsibilities involved. The book is honest about the difficult parts of journalism while still conveying the excitement of uncovering an important story.
Soules’ writing is accessible, inspiring, and well suited to young readers with short attention spans. She explains unexpected skills journalists need, such as understanding statistics, scientific studies, percentages, and community issues. The historical profiles of Ida B. Wells, Nellie Bly, Edward R. Murrow, and Gordon Parks show how determined reporters have helped change the world. Fun sidebars about carrier pigeons, the mistaken “Dewey Defeats Truman” headline, and Watergate’s secret source add humor and variety. The detailed, colorful illustrations reinforce the text and help readers imagine everything from a busy newsroom to a reporter covering city hall.
So You Want To Be A Journalist encourages children to ask whether something is true rather than simply accepting what they hear. It promotes accuracy, fairness, curiosity, and unbiased reporting while showing the importance of both local journalism and major international news organizations. Young readers are also given practical ways to begin preparing now, including reading the news, practicing clear writing, following community events, and asking thoughtful questions. This is an excellent resource for school libraries, home bookshelves, and middle school writing classes. It offers a complete and honest look at journalism while inspiring future writers and researchers to approach the world with courage, grit, and a commitment to the truth."
"Linda Soules's So You Want to Be a Journalist is a clear-eyed career guide for ten- to twelve-year-olds who question what they hear. It strips away headline glamour and shows reporting as verified, patient, necessary work. For parents, that honesty is the point.
This guide explains how journalists serve the public: ask hard questions, verify every claim, and write what communities need to know. Coverage spans the ethics code, FOIA requests, beats and bylines, and tools from spiral notebooks to audio recorders. A day-in-the-life section runs from overnight story tips to a filed byline after fact-checking with an editor. Profiles of Ida B. Wells, Nellie Bly, Edward R. Murrow, and Gordon Parks show reporting changing real communities. Closing pages cover school newspapers, interviewing a neighbor with careful notes, and the Five W's every young reporter should know.
Soules writes clearly without watering down the work. She gives real weight to reporters buying their own latte, the newsroom rule that even your mother's word needs checking, and the Chicago Tribune headline that declared Truman the loser before the votes were counted. In the So You Want To Be A series, illustrations of newsroom desks and field reporters draw children in and make dense sections easier to follow. Parents and teachers should read alongside them, turning each page into a conversation about beats, bylines, and the weight of putting your name on a story.
Hand this to the kid who fact-checks group-chat claims before bed. The guide respects that instinct and shows where patient, plain reporting can lead."
"The colorful pictures show exactly how exciting a busy newsroom can be. The book is fun and fast to read. It's a great choice for school libraries and home bookshelves, especially for kids who love asking lots of questions."
"This is a great resource for preteens or older teens who are interested in journalism. The book is easy to follow and written in a way that holds younger readers' short attention spans. It navigates the ins and outs of what journalism is or isn't, why it is important and how it is useful to our communities. This could also be a useful book assignment for a middle school creative writing class to help get kids excited about writing and reporting."
"I read this book and also asked my daughter to read it. We both gave it 5 Stars. The book explains what journalists do in a way that is easy to understand, while encouraging readers to ask questions, think critically, and appreciate the importance of accurate reporting. The writing is clear and age-appropriate, and the examples help young readers connect with the material."
"So I have a degree in journalism and I really think this would have been great to experience this book in middle school. It would've helped me focus on the type of journalism I wanted to do sooner."
"This is the 2nd book of this series I've read. I wish these were available when I was growing up. They are easy to read and full of so much detail. You get a day in the life of a journalist.as well as sources at the end to take the next step."
"I love how this book promotes the idea that journalists must be accurate and unbiased. I also enjoyed how it showed the nonfiction aspect of every day life and how not every story is about glamour. This book also promotes small town journalism and its importance over big news media and I do agree that it’s important."