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"If you're not sure which books do or don't count as historical fiction, you're not alone. No one agrees on a definition! I don't even agree with myself, because I hold two opposing opinions. On one hand, I think books that illuminate a specific moment in history count as historical fiction, even if that point in time is very recent. But when I'm in the mood to read a historical novel, I'm thinking about a particular kind of book. "

This site provides content - theory, resources, strategies around the teaching of literacy. Pages are devoted to fiction, non-fiction, genres, age groups and numerous other organisers.

This site provides content - theory, resources, strategies around the teaching of literacy. Pages are devoted to fiction, non-fiction, genres, age groups and numerous other organisers.

Historically, fiction texts have dominated classroom instruction and school library collections but there is a significant body of research that suggests the early engagement of primary students with quality non-fiction texts has a positive effect on literacy achievement, reading engagement and the ability to use the expository material students encounter in higher education.

Welcome to the electronic edition of Whose History? Engaging History Students through Historical Fiction .

The History Girls are a group of best-selling, award-winning writers of historical fiction and non-fiction. Some of us write for young adults, some for fully fledged adults, some for younger readers.

Online magazine profiling the historical fiction of Australian author Belinda Murrell. Includes information about the writing and research process, resources for teaching with the books and background on each title.

"historical fiction can make history matter-make it irresistible-to young readers. And it is important to make history matter, because reading about the past not only gives children factual information-sort of a mental timeline, for example, so that they know that the Revolutionary War happened before the Civil War-but learning about the past also allows, encourages, and teaches a child to identify with other voices, views, cultures, and times, which is a good life skill. Reading about the past teaches empathy and compassion. It helps a child see the similarities that lie just underneath our differences. "

"Often I suggest we bring historically based picture books into student learning to explore history. So many titles are rich entry points for moments and individuals from the past. Another approach though is to use these narratives to explore the author as a researcher. How do authors gather background about individuals and events? How does that process help define the story?"

"Much like reading comics can get a reluctant reader interested in a story, creating comics can be a great way to get reluctant writers to put pencil to paper (or digital ink to digital paper). Over the years I've had history students create comics to tell stories from the Lewis & Clark expedition, to illustrate letters written by American Civil War soldiers, to create modernized dialogues between historical people, and to try their hands at crafting political cartoons. "

"So many historically based picture books now focus on lesser-known events or individuals. When those books fill in gaps of knowledge and connect to other events that we do know, they can broaden students' understanding of a moment in time or historical figure."

A new exhibit focuses on maps of fictional worlds. Historical perspectives of maps on classic literature

""How communities change over time" could combine so many things that I love including primary sources, local history, and global awareness. I was excited and so were my teachers."

Mike Dumbleton discusses the decision he made in selecting (and omitting) content in his book Meet...Douglas Mawson. He presents strategies and suggestions to encourage critical literacy as students use the text as a springboard into further research.

"Picture Books as an Introduction to a Primary Source Activity In some other picture book and primary source pairings, the picture book provides contextual understanding of an event or a person. In this instance, there is not a single event that Wittenstein and Howdeshell's book focuses on. Instead, the passage of time is a driving factor in the story." Based on the book Oscar's American Dream.