I ture. Classic books such as such as books Classic ture. children’sof part a litera been always has genre this course, Of back! is fiction Historical 2008). (Engle, poetry and fiction historical both combines books Honor Award Newbery 2009 named recently the of One biographies. narrative or fiction historical were Honorbooks Caldecott the of two and Honorbooks DOI:10.1598/RT.63.2.8 The ReadingTeacher, 63 experience for carious places and people they could Reading fictionhistorical provides students a with vi Historical Fiction The Values ofUsing Mary Taylor Rycik,Brenda Rosler ofHistoricalFiction The Return Elijah of Buxton of Elijah place. and time historical a of backdrop a against set characters memorable with story exciting an ing combin of art the perfected have fiction historical of authors Recent books. fiction historical to given and Medal Honor winners. Newbery literature, but until recently fiction has dominated the children’s great of canon the in included been ways Tall and Plain Sarah, 1944), genre. this help ofreading childrenappreciate pleasure the to also but alive history bring only not to classroom the in effectively used be can books fiction torical his high-quality how demonstrate to is article this of purpose The filmmaking. of history early the ers discov father, his to belonging once automaton an of secret uncoverthe to trying of course the in who, turn of the 20th century. Hugo is the a 12-year-old at orphan station train Paris a in set is 2007) (Selznick, winner, Caldecott 2008 The book. Honor Newbery a also but winner Award King Scott Coretta a only not is book The freedom. his of value true the learns slaves he how and escaped Canada in of settlement a in child free-born historical fiction. historical In addition, of the Newbery three all were books Award–winning King Scott Coretta and Medal, Caldecott Medal, Newbery the 2008, n However,since111986,have been awards the of Island of the Blue Dolphins Blue the of Island (Curtis, 2007) is the story of the first first the of story the is 2007) (Curtis,
(2), pp.163–166 (MacLachlan, 1986) have al have 1986) (MacLachlan, The Invention of Hugo Cabret Invention The Johnny Tremain
(O’Dell, 1961), and
, (Forbes, , (Forbes, ------
Boys In and others. heritage own their of understanding an gain to students help Butterfly in Nazis the from sister her be to pretending girl a hides family her when has Monique that fear the in Depression Great The during family her for money provide to pony her sell must she when feels sadness Leah the experience can They emotions. their child’sa through point with identify ofand view tory never otherwise know. Often, they are able to see his ISSN: 0034-0561 print/1936-2714 online © 2009International ReadingAssociation the contemplate students helps and events on tives perspec multiple them gives miss, would textbook a that details everyday with them provides events, historical about curiosity kids’ piques it histori fiction: cal with teaches she why reasons several has Year,” the of Teacher “Elementary as Studies Social NationalCouncil forthe bythe recognized been has are inviting, accurate, and accessible” (p. 51). that texts world through real childrenletexplorethe students content primary books literacy: area “These teach to books trade informational using suggested ofods and history geographic locations. (2005) Moss peri different in life of understanding better much a cal fiction picture books and poetry, her students had histori using byconcept found Shethat and load. el difficult for their students in terms of both reading lev too are textbooks content havetheir area foundthat teachers, like fifth grade teacher Tonia Villano (2005), Many textbooks. to supplement or alternative an as teaching their into books trade informational more counterparts. historical their and today of children between tion fiction an historical emotionalcreates Good connec present. the and past the from immigrants Hispanic and Latino of challenges the understand can dren reading While time. first the for school attend War, Civil the after exuberance boys American and of girls who,African Leah’s Pony Leah’s Terry Lindquist (2002), a fifth-grade teacher who teacher fifth-grade (2002),a Lindquist Terry incorporate to encouraged being are Teachers (Howard, 2005), students today can relive the the relive can today students 2005), (Howard, (Polacco, 2001). Historical fiction can also also can fiction 2001). (Polacco, Historical Esperanza Rising Esperanza (Friedrich, 1998). They can sense sense can They 1998). (Friedrich, Virgie Goes to School Us With Virgie Goes (Ryan, 2000), chil 2000), (Ryan,
The - - - - - - - -
163
164
The Reading Teacher Picture Books Table 1 (Williams, 2005) Lost BoysofSudan The Storyofthe Brothers inHope: (Corey, 2003) Players inPigtails (Hesse, 2004) Krasinski Square The Catsin (Borden, 2006) Pacific Across theBlue (Say, 1993) Journey Grandfather’s (Bunting, 1996) Gray The Blueandthe (Peacock, 2004) Pilgrim Cat Book
1980s Sudan 1940s America 1942 Warsaw, Poland War II Flashback toWorld Japan toAmerica Emigration from U. S.CivilWar Flashback tothe Colonial America Historical setting Vol. 63,No. 2
October 2009 safety. than 1,000milesto forced towalkmore War, refugees are Sudanese Civil During the baseball team. female professional A girltriesoutfora Jewish ghetto. smuggle foodintoa an ingenious plan to her friendsdevise A younggirland at warin1943. class whenhewas from afourth-grade who received letters her neighbor’s son reminisces about A woman American man A Japanese- countries. torn betweentwo feelings onbeing immigration and grandfather’s recounts his history of the battle. site, theylearnthe Civil War battle house onaU.S. construction ofa friend watchthe and hiswhite American boy While anAfrican settlement. life inthePlymouth They begintheir on theMayflower. girl discoversacat A youngPilgrim Synopsis arrive inAmerica. the boyswhenthey letter ofadvicefor of Sudan.Write a Research thehistory covered. baseball shouldbe explaining whygirl’s sports editor letter tothe1940s Write apersuasive to saveothers. that risktheirlives courage forthose Create medalsof in thebook. fourth-grade class a lettertothe World War II.Write Pacific front during occurred inthe of eventsthat Create atimeline about immigrants Perform adrama their dialogues. character andwrite research their Island. Students arriving atEllis the U.S.CivilWar. been likeduring lives wouldhave now andwhattheir life forthetwoboys diagram contrasting Create aVenn cat. view ofPouncethe from thepointof Plymouth colony of lifeinthe Write adescription application Classroom
(DiPiazza, 2006) Sudan inPictures (Macy, 1995) Baseball League Girls Professional of theAll-American Game: TheStory A WholeNewBall Podietz, 1999) (Fox &Abraham- Children Ten Thousand (Panchyk, 2002) with 21activities kids: Ahistory World War IIfor (Landau, 2008) Ellis Island Herb,1995) (Bolotin & Scrapbook Country: A Civil War For Homeand (Copeland, 2002) America Life inColonial text Paired nonfiction
enhance social studies and literacyenhance studies instruction. social to fiction historical using of example excellent an is This loyalists. the with stay or rebels the join should colonist whether decisions, suchAmerican an cal as of histori benefit lists versus createcost her students has For Lindquist example, issue. an of complexities Novels Table 2 (Campestine, 2007) Dinner Party Revolution IsNota (Curtis, 2000) Birmingham—1963 The Watsons Goto (Hesse, 1997) Out oftheDust (Lester, 2005) Day ofTears (Avi, 2008) Rush of1859 Colorado Gold Hard Gold:The (Schlitz, 2008) Medieval Village Voices From a Sweet Ladies!: Good Master!, Book China 1972 Movement Civil Rights 1963 Great Depression 1859 Slavery, Georgia, Gold Rush,1859 Medieval England Historical setting Revolution. the Chinese in herlifeduring oppressive changes experiences of twodoctors The daughter history. event inCivilRights witnesses atragic Birmingham and A familytravelsto bowl. Oklahoma dust tragedies inthe storms andfamily endures dust A younggirl auction inhistory. of thelargest slave recreate anaccount in dialogueto The authorwrites family from ruin. gold andsaveshis heads westtofind away from home, A youngboyruns the sonofalord lowly milkmaidto ranging from a an Englishvillage describing lifein 22 monologues Synopsis - Rosenblatt pointed out, it is just as important for for important as just is it out, pointed Louise Rosenblatt As 1978). re (Rosenblatt, aesthetic literature to and sponse efferent an both make to dren chil for opportunity an provides fiction Historical TechnologyWith Modern Responding toHistoricalFiction of textanddiscuss. choose apassage a partner. Students Pair studentswith scene inthebook. dialogue fora and improvise existing character a newcharacteror take ontherole of Ask studentsto Theatre. Perform Readers and research it. Choose acharacter application Classroom Revolution. the American Contrast itwith Revolution. Chinese Cultural to research the Create aWebQuest diary oftheirtrip. family andcreate a one oftheWatson take onarole of Ask studentsto history. from thebookand 1935 withevents newspaper from Create alocal character. thoughts ofthe shares theinner and thepartner the passagealoud One studentreads The Return ofHistorical Fiction Schneider, 2006) (Schneider & Slavery inAmerica (Schanzer, 2007) Gold Rush From theCalifornia Gold Fever!Tales (Gies, 1991) Village Life inaMedieval text Paired nonfiction (Clark, 2008) A History Cultural Revolution: The Chinese (Rochelle, 1997) for CivilRights People WhoFought Freedom: Young Witnesses to (Freedman, 2005) Great Depression Children ofthe
- -
165
166 The Reading Teacher difficult too are that textbooks reading time much too spend and setting, listen whole-class a in lectures to assignments, on individually work dents stu where classrooms describes (1984) Goodlad The ImportanceofHistoricalFiction the for one popular the as such websites fiction historical read also can Students event. historical the about the accuracyresearch of a book by locating websites can students example, For technology. modern ing us by both do Fortunately, them. can we from learn to is it as books to respond emotionally to students com. They can write online diary entries, create his create entries, diary online write can com.They or response. research tobook do further this with paired be could that level same the mately approxionnonfiction a text applications,and room class possible summary, plot and settings historical their novels, and books picture fiction historical of teachers for guides Table Table resource and 1 are 2 (www.loc.gov/library/libarch-digital.html). website foundand other of resources Congress at the Library photos historical PowerPoint digitized using projects own their create also could Students his events. torical with students connect to diagrams Venn and ColonialAmericaWebquest/h2.stm. be can model teacherweb.com/TX/OakHillElementary/ at found excellent An characters. fictional by experienced events through real the through students inquiry an lead to WebQuests create can America Dear the on based www.scholastic.com/dearamerica on quilts” “word make even and settings, room torical SMART boards can be used to create timelines timelines create to used be can boards SMART American Girls American historical fiction book series. Teachers fiction series. book historical
series at www.americangirls. at series Vol. 63,No. 2
October 2009 ------Rosenblatt, L.M. (1978). L.M. Rosenblatt, (2005). B. Moss, Villano, T.L. (2005). Should social studies textbooks become his become textbooks studies social Should (2005). T.L. Villano, Lindquist, T. (2002). (2002). T. Lindquist, (1984). J.I.. Goodlad, (1991). S.S. Conrad, & J.S., Chall, References fiction backcal to your classroom. Welcome times. histori these mayhaveduring lived help connect students also individualscan with who it but history, teach to used be can fiction historical Quality centered. student and engaging more come be to need 1991). classrooms Conrad, & Our (Chall at Ashland University; e-mail [email protected]. e-mail University; Ashland at [email protected]. Rosler also teaches e-mail USA; Ohio, Ashland, University, teaches Ashland at Rycik Illinois University Press. work University Illinois literary the of theory actional Teacher, 59 Reading The grades. in the elementary instruction literacy area instructor/social1.htm teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/ Available: intermediate classroom. classroom. intermediate the in schema activate to methods alternative at look A tory? doi:10.1598/RT.59.2.2 ture Press. College Teachers students? . New York:. New McGraw-Hill. 4 to find For arelated lessonplan,visitReadWriteThink.org About theCivilWar HistoricalFiction:UsingLiterature toLearn
The case for easier or harder textbooks harder or easier for case The (1), 46–55. Making a case and a place for effective content content effective for place a and case a Making Why & how I teach with historical fiction historical with teach I how & Why A place called school: Prospects for the fu the for Prospects school: called place A The reader, the text, the poem: The trans The poem: the text, the reader, The The Reading Teacher Reading The Should textbooks challenge challenge textbooks Should . Carbondale: Southern Southern Carbondale: . , 59 (2), 122–130. . New York: York: New . - - . - - -