-the main character is often a child (to help children relate to history)

-Focus on time period or historical event

-Should be historically accurate

-Should make the historical period come to life

-Should tell a good story and not get wrapped up in historical details.

Different types:

            May happen before the author’s time

            Once a contemporary novel and is now historical fiction because of 

            the passage of time.

            May be author’s own life story in a fictional format

            Protagonist may even travel back into history

Tunnel, T.O., & Jacobs, J.S. (2000). Children's literature briefly. Upper 

          Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Examples of Books

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Saturday Heroes by Curtis Bishop

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Treasures in the Dust by Tracey Porter

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder