Learn YA Lit with Me (Ch.10)

The one where Ms. Shattuck learns about "Historical Fiction."

I'm taking a class on Young Adult literature this semester at SHSU and am required to blog about each chapter that I read, so I thought I'd create a series to share with my blog friends. Welcome to Chapter 10.

Summary:

Historical fiction, according to chapter 10, is simply any story set in the past. The problem with reading historical fiction with students is that they have no background knowledge of some things and you must therefore find a way for them to connect to concepts with which they have zero experience.

Some criteria for picking out historical fiction includes:

• Does it blend effortlessly?

• Is it historically accurate?

• How are the values brought to life?

• Is it consistent with the social milieu of the time it represents?

• Is the theme relatable to students used to contemporary concepts?

Reflection:

This chapter is another familiar one from last semester. I find it to be informative in that it makes me want to find historical fiction relevant to students of all ages. I want to properly evaluate historical fiction to fit the needs of my students, while maintaining accuracy and reliability. I know that my 8th graders currently enjoy reading about WWII and The Holocaust, so finding accurate books for them to read is important.