Like historical fiction? Like adventure? You’re in luck! Here comes
Bobbi told MUF:
David McCullough, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his historical creative nonfiction, wrote, “We are raising a generation of young Americans who are by and large historically illiterate…We have to know who we were if we’re to know who we are and where we’re headed…If you don’t care about it –if you’ve inherited some great fortune, you don’t even know that it’s a great work of art and you’re not interested in it – you’re going to lose it…” History is literature, he says. And our history is full of amazing stories. The American frontier is the most significant event in our history. While everyone is familiar with the wild west and its hallmark character, the cowboy, the frontier began when the English colonial settled here in the early 17th century and ended when the last of the mainland territories became states in the early 20th century. The frontier is that archetypal symbol that designates the wild area beyond the edge of civilized life. It’s that ‘other’ place where anything can happen.
In 1811, the frontier was the mighty Mississippi River, the land of the bayou, a mythic watery way where giant snakes and weird lizards hunted the unsuspected. It was the rough and tumble place full of outlaws and pirates, the hiding place of Jean Laffite and his brother Pierre. The Brothers Laffites were heroes of the Battle of New Orleans, plundering British and Spanish ships for anything they could sell, including slaves. At one point, they were the most powerful buccaneers of the Caribbean. It was the time and place where the young United States finally came into her own.
In December 1811, a series of earthquakes shook the Mississippi River basin. Three of these earthquakes would have measured at magnitude of 8.0 on the modern-day Richter scale. Six others would have measured between 7.0 and 7.5. The quakes were felt as far away as Canada. It shook so hard, it forced the Mississippi River to run backwards, changing the very landscape. It also sets into motion River’s story.
My first novel, Big River’s Daughter, is a historical American fantasy released in April 2013 by Holiday House. Raised by her pirate father on a Mississippi keeler, River is a half-feral river rat and proud of it. When her powerful father disappears in the great earthquake of 1811, she is on the run from buccaneers, including Jean Laffite, who hope to claim her father’s territory and his buried treasure. But the ruthless rivals do not count on getting a run for their money from a plucky slip of a girl determined to find her place in the new order. Filled with down-home humor, raucous hijinks, and one-of-a-kind characters, this historical novel captures the Mississippi River at a time when its denizens were as untamed as its waters. In fact, you can read my article on American fantasy, and Big River’s Daughter, at: http://www.
For a wonderful educator’s guide on how to use Big River’s Daughter in the classroom, see: http://www.holidayhouse.com/docs/Big_Rivers_Daughter.pdf
For an interesting conversation by many experts in the writing and illustrating field on historical fiction , see “Why is Historical Fiction Important?” posted on Children’s Literature Network: http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/blog/radar/
Thanks, Bobbi! As River would say, “Who-op!”
Bobbi is giving away two copies of her book. You must reside in the U.S. or Canada to be eligible. Please leave a comment below!
