The lucky winner of a signed copy of Small Medium at Large is
Angie.
The four lucky winners of signed bookmarks and cool bracelets are
Krista D, Marilyn, Britney G and Shelly B.
You’ll be receiving e-mails from us shortly.
Congratulations, and large thanks to all who participated.
History. Does that word make you smile or make you cringe? If you are like me, you perk up and sit a little straighter in your chair. History is cool. History is fun. History is… exciting?
Absolutely! Who doesn’t want to learn more about how the west was won or how the fire started that burnt down the first White House? And if you can experience it through the eyes of great middle grade characters, that’s even better.
That’s where historical fiction books come in. They show us what it was like to live in the past wrapped inside the excitement and drama of a fictional story.
Do you like historical fiction books? Do you comb through the shelves of your local library looking for them? If you’re like me, you do.
I gobble up historical fiction books with pleasure. If it talks about the past, to me, it’s exciting. The good news is that historical fiction books seem to be on the rise. They are winning awards – big ones like the Newberry- and are getting a lot of attention.
2011 Newberry Award Winner Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool Historical Fiction
But what exactly IS a historical fiction book?
I asked my good friend and awesome author, Clara Gillow Clark to shed some light on the exciting world of historical fiction.
Clara’s best known series is named for her main character, Hattie, an adventurous and scrappy 11-year-old girl growing up in the 1800s in Delaware and New York. Clara’s been writing historical fiction books for middle grade authors for over 15 years. In addition to being an author, she also teaches college level writing in her home state of Pennsylvania. She’s a great person to ask about historical fiction.
So, Clara, let’s start with an easy one. How is historical fiction different from other genres?
The obvious answer is that it takes place in the past. Otherwise, like any genre, it must have a layered plot and character development and good writing.
How important is it to do research on your topic?
Absolutely essential, and that’s true even though you might be writing historical fiction about your own childhood if it occurred before 1970. Of course that year will change as time moves on. Who can remember exactly a sequence of events in history? Maybe a savant, but certainly not me or anyone I know. Even for the present day, it’s important to have accurate details.
Do you try to visit the area that you are writing about?
Always! There is something powerful about seeing the actual setting of where you’re writing about. You can look at photos or movies with the same setting, but visiting gives you a holistic experience from a sensory standpoint. Certainly, the tactile experience alone is invaluable. You may not be able to strip away all of the present, but you can come close. Imagination along with additional research of the time and place will fill in the rest of the picture. If you can’t see, smell, taste, touch and hear it, you can’t write it.
How do you make your characters authentic?
Authenticity comes from knowing yourself and understanding who you are not. You can’t fake it. It also means that you must connect emotionally to your character, and mine your wounds in order to write with honesty about your character’s struggles.
How do you weave the fact in among the fiction while still keeping it accurate?
Actually, I think it’s the other way around. The research gives you the building blocks to create the story. At least that’s been my experience. Many details of research will deepen the story, while others that you love won’t do the job. That’s what it means to have a novelist’s eye for detail, and those details must be accurate.
What do you think about books that use time travel or some other fantastical device as a way to access the past? Would those be called historical fiction books?
Good question, but a tough one. Off the cuff, I would say that the marketing department of a publisher could give a better answer. Time travel does use some elements of fantasy, but for historical time travel, the setting is an actual place and the plot will more than likely involve an actual event in history, one that readers may have knowledge of, and the story will give some new (but fictionalized) perspective. On one level, the emotional story will be about the time traveler and his or her personal need. Nevertheless, I would call it historical fiction.
What advice would you give writers who are thinking about tackling historical fiction?
Read and study what’s being written in the genre. Study the craft of writing. If you are passionate about a time and place in history or a specific event, figure out why and how you connect emotionally. If you can’t, move on.
Who do you find is your main audience for the books? Teachers? Librarians? Or the kids themselves?
All three, I hope! A well-written children’s book has no borders for a reading audience. It’s really a matter of taste.
2012 Newberry Award Winner Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos
So what do you think? Are you ready to crack open a book and dive into the past? Maybe share some adventures with Hattie from Hattie on Her Way, or Jack Gantos from Dead End in Norvelt, or maybe Abilene Tucker in Moon over Manifest.
There are many other historical fiction books out there, just waiting to be read. Simply search our website for new releases or go to your local bookstore or library and look them up. Whichever historical fiction book you choose, be ready to be transported to a different time and place. Open your senses to soak up the life experiences of the past – and most importantly – feel the excitement as history comes alive.
Do you have a favorite historical fiction book? Tell us about it below. And be entered to win an autographed copy of one of Clara’s books. You can choose from Hill Hawk Hattie, Hattie on her Way, or (my very favorite) The Secrets of Greymoor.
***
Jennifer Swanson is a self-professed science geek who also loves a great historical fiction book. Does that make her a double geek? In any case, you can learn more about her at her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.
As we cherish our freedom
we believe in freedom for others.
~ President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Every year, I try to step back and reflect on the promise of freedom that this nation celebrates today. Throughout my long teaching career, this “mission question” has guided me: How can we as educators help children and youth live with courage and hope in an imperfect world? Learning to advocate for yourself and others is, for me, central to successfully navigating this imperfect world. Today reminds me of the importance of speaking out for freedom.
Sometimes it feels like we’re not making much progress. But then I always seem to come across a book that throws out a lifeline of hope, introducing young readers to people — both real and imagined — who take great risks, go to extraordinary lengths, and overcome tremendous obstacles to stand up for themselves and others.
In honor of this national birthday, I’ve selected six books that explore different ways that people of courage have worked for freedom. Rather than more traditional links with Independence Day, these stories introduce people who have taken stands for freedom in a variety of ways and across times and places both near and far.
Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom by Tim Tingle; ill. by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. Coming out of the Choctaw oral tradition, this story shows how small, personal acts of courage can result in powerful opportunities for freedom. In the 1800’s, the Choctaw people lived as a sovereign nation across Mississippi’s Bok Chitto River from the lands of plantation owners and their enslaved workers. The river formed a formidable border between bondage and freedom. Any slave who crossed it would remain free by law, but the river was a dangerous obstacle. The Choctaw had bridged the Bok Chitto with a series of stepping stones hidden just below the water’s surface and unknown to others. When a young girl crosses the river from the Choctaw side, she sets in motion a series of events that lead to an enduring friendship and a daring escape for a slave family facing devastation.
As Good As Anybody: Martin Luther King Jr. and Abraham Joshua Heschel’s Amazing March Toward Freedom by Richard Michelson; ill. by Raul Colón. Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel grew up on different sides of the world, yet both suffered the agonies of bigotry: King, in the segregated South of the US; and Heschel, in Europe during the Holocaust. Each willingly shouldered the responsibility to promote peace, freedom, and social justice despite the challenges and dangers they faced. Their journeys intersected in Selma, Alabama on March 21, 1965 when Heschel answered King’s call for people to support the Civil Rights movement. This book brings to life a lesser-known story of allies such as Rabbi Heschel who joined the fight for voting rights for African Americans.
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull; ill. by Yuyi Morales. In the same year that Dr. King and Rabbi Heschel marched for voting rights, many others worked for social justice in all corners of this country. This biography of Cesar Chavez focuses on the struggle of farmworkers in California to earn better pay, conditions, and respect for their hard work. Central to Chavez’s legacy as a fighter for social and economic freedom is his determination to accomplish goals nonviolently, even though he and his colleagues were targets of violence.
Aung San Suu Kyi: Fearless Voice for Burma by Whitney Stewart. The subtitle of this biography of a remarkable woman says it all — the power of speaking out for what is right in spite of the great cost. Aung San Suu Kyi joined Burma’s democracy movement with no idea that she would become a leader of her people, spend many years under house arrest, win a Nobel Peace Prize and wait for 21 years to receive it — all because she raised her voice for justice. We are currently living the epilogue, as last month Suu Kyi was finally able to go to Norway to accept the Peace Prize. She continues to work for her country as a member of Parliament and tireless advocate for freedom.
Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story by Ken Mochizuki; ill. by Dom Lee. There are many familiar stories of people who took great risks to help others during the Holocaust. Among the most moving to me is that of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara, who defied the Nazis and even his own government to hand-write visas allowing thousands of Jews to escape Lithuania and make their way to freedom. The story is told through the eyes of Sugihara’s young son, Hiroki. In the afterword, the real Hiroki Sugihara gives us a glimpse into both the enormity of the impact this man had on those he saved and the immense cost he and his family paid for reaching out to strangers with such great courage.
Dear Benjamin Banneker by Andrea Davis Pinkney; ill. by Brian Pinkney. Finally, let’s circle back to our consideration of the true meaning of Independence Day. Benjamin Banneker stands out as an early advocate for freedom and equality, yet many young readers have never heard his name. He was a tobacco farmer in the late 1700’s whose mind was filled with questions about the workings of the natural world and the skies above his head. He taught himself astronomy to explore answers to his questions, and he wrote an almanac based on his calculations of the cycles of the moon and sun — all remarkable accomplishments. But as a black man, Banneker faced many obstacles in his efforts to get the almanac published. He knew that other black people who were not free like he was wouldn’t be able to benefit from his work. He was moved to write a letter to Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the Declaration of Independence and at the time of the letter, Secretary of State. In the letter, Banneker critiqued Jefferson’s call for freedom for the American colonies while also owning slaves who were not — and would never be — free. Although it took nearly another century for slavery to end, Banneker established himself as an articulate voice for justice.
I hope you celebrate this important holiday by reading one of these books — and please share other titles in the comments below. Happy Independence Day!
Katherine Schlick Noe teaches beginning and experienced teachers at Seattle University. Her debut novel, Something to Hold, was published by Clarion Books in December, 2011. Visit her at http://katherineschlicknoe.com.
