Historical Fiction

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Historical Fiction

• LIS 510

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Definition

• Realistic Fiction set in a time remote enough
  from the present to be considered history.
• Written in a time period in which the author has
  not lived or
• no more recently than one generation before its
  composition or
• 20 years ago

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Historical Fiction Characteristics

• Historical facts blend with imaginary characters
  plot
• Facts are
• Actual historical events
• Authentic period settings
• Real historical figures

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Forms of Historical Fiction

• Most Common
• Main characters of the story are imaginary
• Secondary characters may be actual historical
  figures
• Actual historical events are imbedded
• 2nd Type
• Past described complete with social traditions,
  customs, morals, values of the period
• No mention of actual historical events nor actual
  historical figures as characters
• 3rd Type Historical Fantasy
• Historical story containing elements of fantasy
• Time warps
• Supernatural features/ghosts

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1935
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Civil War
1960s
1950s
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Evaluation of Historical Fiction

• Author MUST present historical facts with as much
  accuracy objectivity as history books Language
  Dialect
• Language may be different
• Modified to be understandable to the child
• Benefit by integrating into the social studies
  curriculum.
• Some authors attempt to include a more modern
  interpretation of historical events by
• setting an earlier account straight/
• Birchbark House/Erdich
• Black Cowboys, Wild Horses/Lester
• Adding a minority presence to the story

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SCOTT ODELL AWARD

• Since 1982
• Honors most outstanding work of childrens
  historical fiction in the past year
• U.S. Citizen
• Set in the New World
• Award of 5,000.0
• 2007 Ellen Klages
• The Green Glass Sea

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MAIN THEMES OF HISTORICAL FICTION

• Seeking New Frontiers
• Little House on the Prairie/Wilder
• Sign of the Beaver/Speare
• Search For Freedom From Persecution
• Crispin the cross of lead/Avi
• Effects of War
• Bat6/Wolff
• Patrol an American Soldier in Viet Nam/Myers
• Family Closeness in Times of Adversity
• Ruthies Gift/Bradley
• Out of the Dust/Hesse

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