Historical Fiction

Historical fiction a is type of realistic fiction that is set in the past.  Historical fiction may be set at a specific time or during a general era of time.  Some authors choose to write fictionalized accounts of actual people from the past.  Many times, authors will write about their own life or one of their ancestors. 

Many older contemporary realistic fiction books have been re-categorized as historical fiction because of their age. 

Whatever the setting, it is important that the setting and characters be realistic and credible.  The best historical fiction has been thoroughly researched by the author.  Often, actual historical events and people will be woven into the fictional story.  Some authors choose to try to use authentic language, however, many will modify it because it is often difficult to read by modern readers.  If the books contain illustrations, these should be historically accurate as well.

- Information taken from Galda and Cullinan's Literature and the Child

Newbery books that are historical fiction:

• One Came Home (Wisconsin - 1871) - Amy Timberlake (2014)
• Paperboy (Memphis - 1959) - Vince Vawter (2014)
• Dead End in Norvelt (Norvelt, Pennsylvania - 1960s) - Jack Gantos (2012)
• Inside Out & Back Again (Saigon/U.S. - Vietnam War) - Thanhha Lai (2012)
• Breaking Stalin's Nose (USSR - Cold War) - Eugene Yelchin (2012)
• Moon Over Manifest (Manifest, KS - 1918/1936) - Clare Vanderpool (2011)
• Turtle in Paradise (Key West - 1935) - Jennifer L. Holm (2011)
• Heart of a Samurai (Imperial Japan - 1841) - Margi Preus (2011)
• One Crazy Summer (Oakland, CA - 1968) - Rita Williams-Garcia (2011)
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Fentress, Texas - 1899) - Jacqueline Kelly (2010)
• The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Civil War) - Rodman Philbrick (2010)
• Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (Europe - Middle Ages) - Laura Amy Schlitz (2008)
• Elijah of Buxton (Buxton, Canada - mid-1800s) - Christopher Paul Curtis (2008)
• The Wednesday Wars (Long Island, NY - 1967) - Gary D. Schmidt (2008)
• Penny from Heaven (Brooklyn - 1953) - Jennifer L. Holm (2007)
• Hattie Big Sky (Montana - 1917) - Kirby Larson (2007)
• Kira-Kira (Georgia - 1950s) - Cynthia Kadohata (2005)
• Al Capone Does My Shirts (Alcatraz Island - 1935) - Gennifer Choldenko (2005)
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (Malaga Island, Maine - 1911) - Gary D. Schmidt (2005)
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Europe - Middle Ages) - Avi (2003)
• A Single Shard (Imperial Japan) - Linda Sue Park (2002)
• A Year Down Yonder (rural Illinois - 1937) - Richard Peck (2001)
• Bud, Not Buddy (Flint - Great Depression) - Christopher Paul Curtis (2000)
• Our Only May Amelia (Washington - 1899) - Jennifer L. Holm (2000)
• A Long Way from Chicago (rural Illinois - 1929-1942) - Richard Peck (1999)
• Out of the Dust (Oklahoma - 1934-1935) - Karen Hesse (1998)
• The Midwife's Apprentice (Europe - Middle Ages) - Karen Cushman (1996)
• Catherine Called Birdy (Europe - Middle Ages) - Karen Cushman (1995)
• Dragon's Gate (California - 1867) - Laurence Yep (1993)
• The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Atlantic Ocean - 19th century) - Avi (1991)
• Number the Stars (Copenhagen - 1943) - Lois Lowry (1990)
• Sarah, Plain and Tall (western U.S. - late 19th century) - Patricia MacLachlan (1986)
• The Sign of the Beaver (North America - 18th century) - Elizabeth George Speare (1984)
• Homesick: My Own Story (China - 1920s) - Jean Fritz (1983)
• A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832 (1830-1832 - New Hampshire) - Joan W. Blos (1980)
• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (Mississippi - 1933) - Mildred D. Taylor (1977)
• Sing Down the Moon (New Mexico - 1800s) - Scott O'Dell (1971)
• Sounder (Deep South - 19th Century) - William H. Armstrong (1970)
• The Black Pearl (Mexico) - Scott O'Dell (1968)
• Up a Road Slowly (U.S. - mid 20th century) - Irene Hunt (1967)
• Shadow of a Bull (Spain - mid 20th century) - Maia Wojciechowska (1965)
• Across Five Aprils (Ohio - American Civil War) - Irene Hunt (1965)
• Men of Athens (Ancient Greece) - Olivia Coolidge (1963)
• The Bronze Bow (Judea - time of Christ) - Elizabeth George Speare (1962)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins (Channel Islands - 1800s) - Scott O'Dell (1961)
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Wethersfield, Connecticut - 1687) - Elizabeth George Speare (1959)
• The Family Under the Bridge (Paris) - Natalie Savage Carlson (1959)
• Rifles for Watie (Kansas - American Civil War) - Harold Keith (1958)
• Miracles on Maple Hill (Edinboro, Pennsylvania - 1950s) - Virginia Sorensen (1957)
• Courage of Sarah Noble (Connecticut - 18th century) - Alice Dalgliesh (1955)
• King of the Wind (Arabia - 1700s) - Marguerite Henry (1949)
• These Happy Golden Years (De Smet, South Dakota - 1882-1885) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1944)
• Rufus M. (Cranbury, Connecticut - World War I) - Eleanor Estes (1944)
• The Middle Moffat (Cranbury, Connecticut - World War I) - Eleanor Estes (1944)
• Little Town on the Prairie (De Smet, South Dakota - 1880-1881) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1942)
• Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison () - Lois Lenski (1942)
• Call it Courage (Pacific Islands) - Armstrong Sperry (1941)
• The Long Winter (De Smet, South Dakota - 1881) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1941)
• By the Shores of Silver Lake  (De Smet, South Dakota - 1870s) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1940)
• On the Banks of Plum Creek (Plum Creek, Minnesota - 1870s) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1938)
• Caddie Woodlawn (Dunnville, Wisconsin - 1860s) - Carol Ryrie Brink (1936)
• Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic (Holland) - Hilda Von Stockum (1935)
• Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (China - 1920s) - Elizabeth Lewis (1933)
• Calico Bush (Maine - Pioneer era) - Rachel Field (1932)

Contempoary Realistic Fiction

Contemporary Realistic Fiction is fiction that is plausible and could actually happen, set in the present day.  The characters are realistic and they face realistic problems.  Many children and adults alike enjoy contemporary realistic fiction because often the characters face problems similar to problems that they have faced in real life.

There are different subgenres within contemporary realistic fiction.  These include adventure, survival, mysteries, animal stories (as in ones that do not contain talking animals), sports, comedy and romance.  The themes found in realistic fiction include coming-of-age stories, relationships with peers and family and current issues.  Current issues includes things like drug use, violence, war, and cultural dislocation or being bicultural.  Obviously, some of these themes can be controversial so many of these books are often found on the "banned books list."

Historical fiction is closely related to contemporary realistic fiction.  Many books that are now considered historical fiction now, started out as contemporary realistic fiction are now considered historical fiction because of the age of the book.  There is no set guideline as to how old a book needs to be to shift from contemporary to historical fiction so it is subject to debate.  I suspect the older books from the 1960s and 70s will be re-categorized as "historical fiction" in the next few decades.

- Information taken from Galda and Cullinan's  Literature and the Child. 

Newbery books that are contemporary realistic fiction:

• The Crossover - Kwame Alexander (2015)
• Doll Bones  - Holly Black (2014)*
• The Year of Billy Miller - Kevin Henkes (2014)
• Three Times Lucky - Shiela Turnage (2013)
• After Tupac & D Foster - Jacqueline Woodson (2009)
• Feathers - Jacqueline Woodson (2008)
• The Higher Power of Lucky - Susan Patron (2007)
• Rules - Cynthia Lord (2007)
• Criss Cross - Lynne Rae Perkins (2006)
• Olive's Ocean - Kevin Henkes (2004)
• Pictures of Hollis Woods - Patricia Reilly Giff (2003)
• Hoot - Carl Hiaasen (2003)
• A Corner of the Universe - Ann M. Martin (2003)
• Surviving the Applewhites - Stephanie S. Tolan (2003)
• Hope Was Here - Joan Bauer (2001)
• Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo (2001)
• Joey Pigza Loses Control - Jack Gantos (2001)
• The Wanderer - Sharon Creech (2001)
• Getting Near to Baby - Audrey Couloumbis (2000)
• Lily's Crossing - Patricia Reilly Giff (1998)
• Wringer - Jerry Spinelli (1998)
• The View from Saturday - E.L. Konigsburg (1997)
• Belle Prater's Boy - Ruth White (1997)
• What Jamie Saw - Carolyn Coman (1996)
• Walk Two Moons - Sharon Creech (1995)
• Missing May - Cynthia Rylant (1993)
• What Hearts - Bruch Brooks (1993)
• Somewhere in the Darkness - Walter Dean Myers (1993)
• Shiloh - Phyllis Reynolds (1992)
• Nothing But the Truth: A Documentary Novel - Avi (1992)
• Maniac Magee - Jerry Spinelli (1991)
• Afternoon of the Elves - Janet Taylor Lisle (1990)
• Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind - Suzanne Fisher Staples (1990)
• The Winter Room - Gary Paulsen (1990)
• Scorpions - Walter Dean Myers (1989)
• After the Rain - Norma Fox Mazer (1988)
• Hatchet - Gary Paulsen (1988)
• A Fine White Dust - Cynthia Rylant (1987)
• On My Honor - Marion Dane Bauer (1987) 
• Dogsong - Gary Paulsen (1986)
• Dear Mr. Henshaw - Beverly Cleary (1984)
• A Solitary Blue - Cynthia Voigt (1984)
• Dicey's Song - Cynthia Voigt (1983)
• Ramona Quimby, Age 8 - Beverly Cleary (1982)
• Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson (1981)
• The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin (1979)
• The Great Gilly Hopkins - Katherine Paterson (1979)
• Bridge to Terebithia - Katherine Paterson (1978)
• Ramona and her Father - Beverly Cleary (1978)
• M.C. Higgins, the Great - Virginia Hamilton (1975)
• Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon Maybe - Bette Greene (1975)
• Julie of the Wolves - Jean Craighead George (1973)
• The Planet of Junior Brown - Virginia Hamilton (1972)
• From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler - E.L. Konigsburg (1968)
• Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth - E.L Konigsburg (1968)
• Up a Road Slowly - Irene Hunt (1967)
• The Egypt Game - Zilpha Keatley Snyder (1968)
• My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George (1960)

*Doll Bones is one of those books that rides the genre line.  It seems like it should be fantasy but from what I can tell, nothing supernatural actually happens in the book so I would say it's more realistic fiction than fantasy but it could easily be categorized as either.

Genre Madness

One of the best things about reading the Newbery list is that the Newbery committee has been good about selecting children's literature from a wide variety of genres.  Recently, I decided to go through my books on Goodreads and try to re-categorize them by genre.  This is more difficult than it sounds because sometimes there are some books that ride the lines between genres.  I also chose to include some subgenres which made the task even more complicated

Strictly speaking, literature comes in two broad categories:

1. Nonfiction - Writing that is not made up
2. Fiction - Writing that is made up

I prefer to break literature into three broad categories:

1. Nonfiction - Writing that is not made up
2. Realistic fiction - Writing that is made up but could actually happen.  This can be contemporary or historical.
3. Fantasy fiction - Writing that is made up and could not happen (or has not happened yet in the case of science fiction)

I think this is a good way to divide literature because distinguishing fact from fiction is often difficult for young children.  I remember student teaching and we were looking at Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse.  There was a worksheet that had the students identify if parts of the book could have actually happened or not and the students really struggled with it.  One of the kindergarten teachers that I observed always had her students determine fiction or nonfiction for each book that was read in class.  I think it would also be beneficial to have students judge a fiction book after reading it to determine if it is realistic or fantasy.