Q3 American Studies Historical Fiction Project

Q3 American Studies Historical Fiction Project “Journal of a Book Traveler”

Historical fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. Historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of fictional people living in that time period.

In some historical fiction, famous events appear from points of view not recorded in history, with fictional characters either observing or actively participating in these actual events. Historical figures are also often shown dealing with these events while depicting them in a way that has not been previously recorded. Other times, a historical event is used to complement a story's narrative, occurring in the background while characters deal with situations – personal or otherwise – wholly unrelated to that historical event. Sometimes, the names of people and places have been in some way altered.

As this is fiction, artistic license is permitted in regard to presentation and subject matter, so long as it does not deviate in significant ways from established history. If events should deviate significantly, the story may then fall under the genre of “alternate history,” which is known for speculating on what could have happened if a significant historical event had occurred differently.

For this project, you will choose a historical fiction novel and read it. Do not choose an “alternative history” novel for this project. You are free to choose from the list below, but it is not an exhaustive list. If you can find a good historical fiction book that you’d like to read that is not listed below, ask your teacher if it will work for this project. This project calls for you to read a book of historical fiction that is set in the history of the United States.

My Name Is America: The Journal Of Otto Peltonen, A Finnish Immigrant, William Durbin

Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial, Ronald Kidd

Blackwater Ben, By William Durbin

The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, Robert Lewis Taylor Your “Journal of a Book Traveler” project will include: To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee  A description of the journey into the The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien book and a drawing Harlem Summer, Walter Dean Myers  A timeline of American History  Countdown, Deborah Wiles A story timeline  A map of geographic places in the Black Storm Comin’, Diane Lee Wilson book The Breaker Boys, Pat Hughes  A current event related to the story or setting or theme Light in the Forest, Conrad Richter  A summary, or diary, or analysis, or Ashes of Roses, Mary Jane Auch the part of the story left out  Your resources The Education of Little Tree, Forrest Carter  Student/parent/teacher assessment The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain The Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane

City of Orphans, Avi

Lyddie, Katherine Patterson

Sarny, Gary Paulsen

Red Moon at Sharpsburg, Rosemary Wells.

Red Cap, G. Clifton Wisler

The Birchbark House, Louise Erdrich

Fever, 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson

Silver Days, Sonia Levitin

Summer of My German Soldier, Bette Greene

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Vixen, Jillian Larkin

Hattie Big Sky, Kirby Larson

The Rock and the River, Kekla Magoon

Fallen Angels, Walter Dean Myers

After the Dancing Days, Margaret Rostkowski

I Had Seen Castles, Cynthia Rylant

Uprising, Margaret Peterson Haddix

Dark Water Rising, Marion Hale

A Thousand Never Evers, Shana Burg

The Help, Kathryn Stockett

Lackawanna, Chester Aaron

The Clock, James Lincoln Collier

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Across Five Aprils, Irene Hunt

Moccasin Trail, Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: the Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, Kristiana Gregory