[Michaela MacColl]

I need to write an article about historical fiction for our times.  How do we as writers and researchers bring history to our young readers? My agent thinks I should be discussing current novels. For example, I just finished The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. It did such a good job of connecting the reader with the 12 year old main character. We entered her experience on so many levels: sensory, emotional, etc.
Any reading suggestions for recent books (say within the past five years)  that may be about earlier times but speak to people now?  Please feel free to mention your own books! I appreciate any help anybody can give me.

[Laura Manivong Posts: 667 Status: Offline WWW]

My upper middle grade novel, Escaping The Tiger, just came out in March, and covers the time period from 1982-1986, which might be considered fairly recent historical fiction. It's set in a refugee camp in SE Asia and deals with a family hoping to come to America. Plenty of ripe sensory details in this one, from food to latrines to sweat. Yum!!

[Paul Posts: 156 Status: Offline I love kids' books! WWW]

LRM,

Your novel sound fascinating. I keep being told recent historical won't sell. I've written one set in the 60s, so I guess there's hope. Can I ask who your agent is? If you don't want to mention it here, you can PM me.

Thanks

[ShannonH]

BLUE by Joyce Moyer Hostetter (set during WWII)

THE MISADVENTURES OF MAUDE MARCH by Audrey Couloumbis (set in 1869)

WINNIE'S WAR by Jenny Moss (1918)

GABRIEL'S HORSES by Alison Hart (Civil War)

THE ENTERTAINER and the DYBBUK by Sid Fleischman (immediately following WWII)

THE SACRIFICE by Kathleen Benner Duble (Salem Witch Trials)

A SEASON OF GIFTS by Richard Peck (1958)

WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS by Fran Cannon Slayton (1943)

I love historical fiction!!

[mariannabaer]

CHAINS and FEVER 1793, both by Laurie Halse Anderson.

[mrh Posts: 4,610 Status: Offline www.marciahoehne.com WWW]

And of course this year's Newbery, When You Reach Me. Another "recent historical" (1979, I believe.) I see no reason recent historical shouldn't sell, even though I keep hearing that too. The 80s and earlier are to today's kids what Depression-era stories were to me: Ancient!

[Marissa Doyle Posts: 3,731 Status: Offline Charles Bewitched: out now! WWW]

Any reading suggestions for recent books (say within the past five years)  that may be about earlier times but speak to people now?  Please feel free to mention your own books! I appreciate any help anybody can give me.

I hope that any book, even if about the past, will speak to today's readers.

My hope is that when girls read my books, they'll understand just how life has changed for women in the last two hundred years...and that being strong has *always* been a good thing. 

[mariannabaer]

Oh, I think that maybe I was confused by the request. I thought you were looking for historical fiction about any time period, that was written recently. If that's not the case -- if you're looking for "historical" fiction that takes place more recently -- I retract my recommendations and instead recommend WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED, by Judy Blundell. 20th century.

[Debby G Posts: 648 Status: Offline WWW]

My YA novel, Stuck in the 70s (Penguin, 2007), is about a girl from the present who accidentally time travels to 1978. It's entirely set in 1978.

[hart]

There's a new book called Crazy Summer set in the 1960's that, besides being a great story about three sisters sent to spend the summer with the mother who abandoned them, does a credible job of explaining the Black Panther movement. It's by Rita Garcia Williams. Horn book online has an interview. --hart

[Michaela MacColl]

Oh, I think that maybe I was confused by the request. I thought you were looking for historical fiction about any time period, that was written recently. If that's not the case -- if you're looking for "historical" fiction that takes place more recently -- I retract my recommendations and instead recommend WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED, by Judy Blundell. 20th century.

That is what I meant. I think all of us know the classics -- but I'm interested in new takes on old historiy! I agree -- What I Saw was terrific. All these responses are great! Keep them coming!

[Laura Manivong Posts: 667 Status: Offline WWW]

Well, heck, in that case, there are a bunch of 2010 debuts in HF, in addition to mine...

Leaving Gee's Bends, Irene Latham
The Red Umbrella, Christina Gonzalez
Shooting Kabul, NH Senzai

[Kate Kae]

BILLIE STANDISH WAS HERE by Nancy Crocker; happens in the 70s and is terrific

NORTHERN LIGHTS by Jennifer Donnelly; a turn-of-the-century story based on a real murder mystery.

[KDuBayGillis Posts: 310 Status: Offline]

Just read a blog entry about a new book called Countdown about a girl in the 1960s during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Here's the info: 

http://community.livejournal.com/thru_the_booth/174710.html

[bar Posts: 73 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Lost by Jacqueline Davies

Three Rivers Rising by Jame Richards

(Hi Michaela!) 

Bette Anne

[Erin Edwards]

A Thousand Never Evers, by Shana Burg

[olmue Posts: 4,191 Status: Offline WWW]

Kevin Crossley-Holland's Arthur trilogy (including and especially the fourth book, Crossing to Paradise)