Definition 

The category of historical fiction includes any work of fiction (including picture books, short stories, novels, or—if you define broadly—even plays and movies) that is set in a real historical setting earlier than the book's publishing date. (This brings up an important distinction--a book that was published in 1865 and is set in 1865 wouldn't be historical fiction, even if we read it now; it's just an old book. However, a book written years later about the same time period would be considered historical fiction because it looks back on the past from its own present day.) 

Some historical fiction uses fictional characters, while other examples are based on stories of real historical figures but take some liberties with the storytelling. Still other works of historical fiction are based on stories told to the authors by their parents, grandparents, or other members of an older generation.

Either way, in a good piece of historical fiction, you can expect to see plenty of details unique to the time and place in which the work is set.

Examples for younger readers: 

     Leonardo and the Flying Boy, by Laurence Anholt

     Mozart Finds a Melody, by Stephen Costanza

     A Doctor Like Papa, by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock

     I, Dred Scott: A Fictional Slave Narrative, by Sheila P. Moses

     Esperanza Rising, by Pam Munoz-Ryan

     Ladies and Jellybeans, by Candice Ransom

     Dad, Jackie, and Me, by Myron Uhlberg

Examples for older readers:  

     Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson

     Ashes of Roses, by Mary Jane Auch

     Girl with a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier

     Johnny Tremain, by Esther Forbes

     Seaman: The Dog Who Explored the West with Lewis & Clark, by Gail Langer Karwoski     

     Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers

     Or Give Me Death, by Ann Rinaldi

     Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor

“Outside-the-box” examples:

     Titanic (1997 film directed by James Cameron)

     The Crucible (play by Arthur Miller)

     Notes for a War Story (graphic novel by Gipi)

Selection criteria

A good piece of historical fiction should...

  • convey the story accurately, with realistic characters, authentic settings, and truthful recounting of events—it shouldn’t contradict historical records.
  • seamlessly blend history into the fiction, reading like a well-written, aesthetically pleasing story—never like a textbook!
  • avoid stereotypes and myths—this is not to say that a historical book set in the 1950s shouldn’t show women as housewives, for example, but that the book shouldn’t teach the lesson that ALL women were housewives or that all women SHOULD be housewives.
  • incorporate accurate cover art and/or illustrations—not anachronistic, incorrect, or stereotypical ones.

Personal recommendations for selection

In my experience, the best historical fiction also includes a detailed author’s note and bibliography of the sources the author used for information. This way, you and your students have access to the author’s inspiration and research process, which can help you evaluate the book’s accuracy and learn more about the book’s time period from the same sources the author used.

Many times, reading a review of a book will show you its historical inaccuracies or aesthetic faults, which can also be helpful in choosing a book.

Sources/vendors 

Selection tools

Most SLM-related journals and websites that contain book reviews, reading lists, or recommendations should include some historical fiction.  Plus, many of these publications even specifically feature historical books on a regular basis—especially if you look in the social studies section.

Instructional uses

Historical fiction can be useful in any academic area!  Here are some ideas:

Language Arts

This one seems like a no-brainer, right?  Age-appropriate historical fiction is great for read-alouds, literature circles or book clubs, whole-class reading, or students' independent reading.  Just like a fantasy or science fiction book, historical fiction can transport your students to another time and place. 

Historical fiction can also be great in middle and high school classrooms if you pair it with a classic work of literature written around the same time period as the contemporary work is set.  For example, you could have American literature students read Esperanza Rising to get another perspective of the Dust Bowl Migration while they read Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men or The Grapes of Wrath.

At any level, historical fiction can make for some great writing assignments, book reports, and projects--think along the lines of diaries from a character's perspective, time period dress-up days, reenactments, and more!

Social Studies

What better way to immerse students in a historic time and place than to offer them a captivating work of fiction about it?  Of course, a piece of historical fiction about the Civil War won't provide students with all of the information they'll find in their textbooks, but you can pair readings from the textbook with a fictional piece about the same time period for a rich immersion experience!  Students will find the fiction much more entertaining, and it will reinforce what they're learning from the text.  Plus, a piece of fiction will often provide details about everyday life that might be left out of your standard text and provide a depth of information that simply can't be covered in a textbook that focuses on breadth.

Keep in mind that historical accuracy is especially important in social studies class so that your historical novel doesn't contradict what's in the book.  (Of course, an inconsistency in your fiction could provide great material for a class discussion on evaluating sources, which with some scaffolding could work at most levels.  Definitely great for middle and high school, though!)

Science

This area may seem difficult to connect with fictional material, but many pieces of historical fiction can also teach about the scientific climate or events of the time period in which they are set.  For example, during a study of diseases and epidemics, have high school students read Fever 1793 about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia.  They'll have fun reading and learn some history, but they'll also get to see how an epidemic spreads.  Other pieces of historical fiction center around great discoveries and inventions; you can find these at any level and use to introduce or reinforce information about important scientific figures in history.

Useful tips

  • It may be hard for younger children to distinguish between historical fiction and works of nonfiction, especially when a fictional work contains real historic figures like Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King, Jr., so make sure to explain how the stories can be made up but still have real people and places in them--just like in any realistic story set in the present day.
  • Some pieces of historical fiction, like the Dear America series, pose as diaries or other works of nonfiction, so it's also important to make this distinction with your students--especially when they've also got experience reading real diaries like Anne Frank's.
  • Many works of historical fiction, especially the most well-researched ones, will include bibliographies of the works the author used in his or her research.  After finishing a work of historical fiction with your students, why not try looking up some of the author's sources to compare the fictional and nonfiction accounts?  This is also a great way to give students even more background, and could even become the basis for a research project.

References 

Hall, H.R. (2008).  Scott O’Dell: The Scott O’Dell award for historical fiction.  Retrieved February 20, 2008, from

     the Scott O’Dell Website: http://www.scottodell.com/odellaward.html

Lindquist, T. (n.d.). Why & how I teach with historical fiction. Retrieved February 22, 2008, from the Scholastic

     Inc. Website: http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/instructor/social1.htm 

National Council for the Social Studies. (2008). Young Learner archive. Retrieved February 23, 2008, from the

     NCSS Website: http://members.ncss.org/yl/ 

Political and historical graphic novels. (2002-2008). Retrieved February 21, 2008, from the Mega City Comics

     Website: http://www.megacitycomics.co.uk/acatalog/Current_Affairs_Graphic_Novels.html

 

For a printable version of this information...click here!