How to use this Page

by Kathy Stemke

Historical fiction gives shape to the past. It brings part of the past alive in the present.

Stephen Crane, the author of the American Civil War classic The Red Badge of Courage, was once asked why he had chosen to write his book as fiction rather than history. The reason, he said, was because he wanted to feel the situations of the War as a protagonist, not from the outside. And it was only by writing a novel that he could do this.

And this is what all historical fiction does. It makes us feel what otherwise would be dead and lost to us. It transports us into the past. And the very best historical fiction presents to us not only the past, but also the heart of the past.

The best historical novels have characters that pull you right inside their skin so you can see, hear, taste and smell another time and place through their senses.

These books work well when integrated into a social studies curriculum.
Historical novels and picture books pique the children’s curiosity.

Before reading aloud have the children list what they already know about the subject. Afterward, investigate whether what they heard is typical of the time period.

They emphasize everyday details. Picture books today provide visual and contextual clues to how people lived, what their speech was like, how they dressed, and so on.

Social studies texts are often devoted to coverage rather than depth. Too often, individuals — no matter how famous or important — are reduced to a few sentences. Children have difficulty converting these cryptic descriptions and snapshots into complex individuals who often had difficult choices to make, so myths and stereotypes flourish. Good historical fiction presents individuals, as they are, neither all good nor all bad.

Traditionally, historical issues have been presented to children as flat, one-dimensional, or single-sided. Historical fiction restores the landscape of history so children can discover that problems are age-old.
It’s important for students to share their perspectives, while respecting the opinions of others. Historical fiction introduces children to characters who have different points of view and offers examples of how people deal differently with problems.

PRIMARY
Casey Over There by Staton Rabin, 32 pages; $15
This is a touching story of two brothers whose lives were affected by World War I. Casey fought and his younger brother, Aubrey, waited and worried. Aubrey’s letter to Uncle Sam initiates a sensitive response from the president. The illustrations add intensity to the story.

In America by Marissa Moss (Dutton); 32 pages; $14.99
Walter’s grandfather tells the story of immigrating to America. Walter learns about his grandfather’s village in Lithuania and about courage through his grandfather’s experience.

PRIMARY/INTERMEDIATE
Seminole Diary: Remembrances of a Slave by Dolores Johnson (Macmillan); 32 pages; $14.95
Libbie, a slave, tells of the peaceful coexistence of African-American slaves and the Seminole Indians. In the Seminole villages, runaway slaves found a haven of mutual respect.

The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss by Sally Schofer Mathews (Clarion); 40 pages; $16.95
In text surrounded by Aztec codices, the story of this ancient civilization is recounted. Told from the Aztec perspective, this book connects the past with a modern-day discovery.

INTERMEDIATE
Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco (Philomel); 48 pages; $15.95
Two young Union boys from very different backgrounds are caught up in the travesties of war in Confederate territory. This is a poignant Civil War story passed down through generations, including the generation of the author.

The Lucky Baseball by Suzanne Lieurance; 160 pages
Harry Yakamoto grew up in Seven Cedars, California playing baseball, going to school, and working at his family’s restaurant. As a young Japanese American, he faced discrimination daily. But when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, his life would change forever. Forced to move to a relocation center in the desert of California, Harry and his family have to start a new life behind barbed wire and guarded watchtowers. Follow Harry Yakamoto in this World War II story as he learns to live through difficult conditions in a Japanese-American internment camp.