Topic: Historical Fiction (2).

10-second review: Brief reviews of recent historical fiction in children’s literature paired with nonfiction texts.

Title: “The Return of Historical Fiction.” MT Rycik and B Rosler. Reading Teacher (October 2009), 163-166. Topics include the values of using historical fiction. Responding to historical fiction with modern technology. The importance of historical fiction.

List of Recent Historical Fiction in Children’s Literature.

Good Masterl, Sweet Ladies: Voices from a Medieval Village Schlitz, 2008. Medieval England. 22 monologues describing life in an English village ranging from a lowly milkmaid to the son of a Lord. Nonfiction: Life in a Medieval Village. Gies, 1991.

Hard Gold: The Colorado Gold Rush of 1859. Avi, 2008. A young boy runs away from home, heads west to find gold and saves his family from ruin. Nonfiction: Gold Fever! Tales from the California God Rush. Schnazer, 2007.

Day of Tears. Lester, 2005. The author writes in dialogue to recreate an account of the largest slave auction in history. Nonfiction: Slavery in America. Schneider and Schneider, 2006.

Out of the Dust. Hesse, 1997. Great Depression. A young girl endures dust storms and family tragedies in the Oklahoma dust bowl. Nonfiction: Children of the Great Depression. Freedman, 2005.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Civil Rights Movement. A family travels to Birmingham and witnesses a tragic event in Civil Rights history. Nonfiction: Witnesses to Freedom: Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights. Rochelle, 1997.

Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party. Campestine, 2007. 1972 China. The daughter of two doctors experiences oppressive changes in her life during the Chinese Revolution. Nonfiction: The Chinese Cultural Revolution: A History. Clark, 2008. 

Comment: I know you don't need to be told this, but NEVER suggest one of these books unless you have read it first. RayS.