Course Reading
·
Essentials of Children’s Literature, Chapter 11, Historical Fiction
·
Essentials of Children’s Literature, Chapter 12, Nonfiction: Biography and Informational Books
· Read two books from the same region and period – one work of historical fiction and another that is historical nonfiction, biography, memoir, or informational. Select from books listed in each chapter, or check with the instructor for approval of a book not listed.
Remember that you can search for books using the
Links to Children’s Books Online
Assignment 1 – 1 page
This discussion is based on the two children’s books you chose (one is historical fiction and the other will be historical nonfiction, biography, memoir, or informational from the same region and period), which will be the focus of your Annotated Bibliography writing assignment,
1. Introduce the books you chose and write a brief summary. Let us know the setting, characters, historical period, and any major themes.
2. Identify the genre of the book: historical fiction, historical nonfiction, biography, informational, or memoir.
3. Explain how the work deals with difficult issues, such as slavery, oppression, identity, poverty, war, or disease. How does the book try to teach readers about both the past and the current historical and cultural moments?
You will have selected and read one work of children’s historical fiction and one work of historical nonfiction, biography, memoir, or informational book from the same region and time period. As you start your annotated bibliography, have a loose topic or question in mind that connects the two works. (
Please provide a loose topic so I can send you the articles for the annotated bibliography for the next assignment
In the genres of historical fiction and biography we need to remember that no story is objectively told, that objectivity is impossible. Historical fiction and biography, although they are (more or less) based on facts documented in primary and other sources, are still creative works. Using specific examples from the books that you chose, discuss how you might explain fact and fiction to the target audience for your books, and respond to at least two others’ ideas about explaining fact and fiction.
