Historical Fiction

 My Heart is on the Ground

   

Rinadli, Ann. Dear America: My Heart is on the Ground- The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl. 205p. Scholastic Inc. Apr 1999. Tr $10.95. ISBN 0590149229.

    Despite the inclusion of historical notes, it is clear that this book is HEAVY on the fictional aspects of historical fiction. The author openly discloses that she took creative liberties in writing this book. Residential schools for Native Americans in the US and the general treatment of indigenous people by white Americans is a long, complicated, and fraught history. This book oversimplifies and whitewashes this in no uncertain terms. While it is possible that there were differing experiences had by children who attended these schools, the prevailing historical sentiment is that harm came to these kids at the hands of those running them (white, Christian, Americans). While there are portions of the book where Nannie Little Rose experiences some ambivalence towards her experience, she more commonly can be seen conforming to the expectations and either privately or publicly admonishing peers who display more resistance to the circumstances. The author admits to borrowing names and creating fake narratives for children who lived and died in these institutions, but at different times than when Nannie Little Rose was there provide examples of historical inaccuracy. The author's note also explains that some of the events of the story actually didn’t happen in sequence, but rather over a period of time during the school’s operation. This blurring of fact and fiction is problematic. 

    Additionally, the author offers praise for herself, saying she believes the children whose names she borrowed would forgive her, and be happy for their inclusion in her book. This is a baseless assumption. There is also a clear cultural bias (pro-white American) that slants the entire story. The epilogue for this text explains what happens to main characters after the conclusion of the events, it is unclear to me whether this epilogue is factual or more fiction from the author. While there are historical notes and an author's note included about life at the time this book takes place, these citations also give a sense of bias. This book may tell a version of an experience some individuals had at this time, but is not largely an accurate historical representation of what happened to kids who were sent to these residential schools.

Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh

Krishnaswami, Uma. Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh. 276p. Tu Books. May 2017. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781600602610.

    Per the backmatter, while Maria was not real and this exact narrative did not belong to one specific person, it is inspired by history of the time. Families like Maria’s existed in communities where the book is set and, and could have lived this life. It is not the story of one person or family, but rather aspects of the story are shared by many people of the time. That being said, the story does center around themes that are inspired by real facts. 

    There is a lot going on in this book, but that seems reflective of the experience a young person may have had in this historical time period. But, this is consistent with the experience of many people in America at the time, especially multiracial individuals. Maria and her community face this both internally and externally. Experiencing conflicting feelings about the war, what it means to be American, and how her family is still tied to India and the past, even though she was born and raised in America in the present. The author did a skillful job in presenting these internal conflicts kids may have experienced in this community at this time. The exact timeline of the narrative is not specifically part of the story, beyond a few dates throughout, with the story concluding in late May. It seems appropriate that a person like Maria could have experienced all of these events over the course of a few months in that time period. 

Per the backmatter, the fictionalization of the setting is consistent with the history. The kids in the community were advocating for a ballfield, which they did get. The temple the Singh family visits, exists in Stockton, California and was “visited by India” as it was explained to Maria and Emillo in the book. Representation of characters primarily deals with religious influence, which is not necessarily explicitly tied to the historical time period. There are mentions of women joining the war effort and how this influenced their presentation (pants vs dresses), but generally Maria’s struggle in getting permission to wear pants or shorts is tied to her father's traditional religious views on modesty. Maria and her family are depicted accurately as ordinary people who may have had these struggles and experiences. A notable exception being that Maria does get credit for ultimately convincing the city council to approve the ballfield. This is more characteristic of children's literature where a kid (the main character) saves the day, rather than of the history this book depicts.

Soul Lanterns

Kuzki, Shaw. Soul Lanterns. 162p. Delacorte Press. Mar 2021. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978059317340.

    Of the historical fiction from this week, this was not only my favorite title, but also the one that felt most in-line with the genre. The topic lends itself to historical fiction as explained both in the story and the backmatter, the atomic bomb left so many people with major question marks in their lives. It is historically accurate for the characters in this book to have the experiences they did, because that was the experience of many people who were affected by the bomb. In this way, the author does an excellent job blending fact with fiction. This story presents a really interesting teaching opportunity. Speaking from my own experience of learning about WWII and the atomic bomb,  it was taught in a very American-forward way, framed as something that just had to be done to bring the war to the end. This version of history is of course one sided and dismisses the fact that irreversible damage was done to innocent citizens. Teaching this book along with that historical pov, humanizes the experience, and prompts introspection from the readers, which is what historical fiction should do in classrooms. Reading an account of WWII that is not America first presents a POV that should be explored and examined. 

The backmatter provides context to which parts of the story are real and which are made up, but the ambiguity of what happened to a lot of families at this time is explained throughout the narrative, as the characters learn from members of their community what things were like, the reader learns too. 

Graphic Novels

 Adventures in Cartooning

Strum James, Arnold Andrew, Frederick-Frost Alexis. Adventures in Cartooning. 112p. First Second/Roaring Brook. Mar 2009. Tr $12.95. ISBN 9781596433694.

    This book is a perfect entry point into the world of graphic novels. In its effort to teach the main character how to draw cartoons, it also teaches the reader how to effectively engage with this style of reading. While the book does include a plot and storyline, it also gives explicit directions about how to follow along. That being said, the text and illustrations work together really well. Some spreads include the characters explaining what they are trying to accomplish before they are pictured doing it, creating a really guided experience for reading this untraditional/non-linear story. Though this book does have a plot line, the main intention is not necessarily to tell a well developed narrative so much as it is to familiarize readers with the graphic format and prime them to accept new ways of reading. Despite this, the illustrations and text are effective at both telling the story of the book, and explaining how to read it. This allows for readers who are new to the comic/graphic genre to follow along and understand the plot. This book is part of a series, there are 2 other books available. 

Babymouse Queen of the World

Holm Jennifer L., Holm Matthew. Babysmouse: Queen of the World! 91p. Random House Children's Books. Dec. 2005. Tr $6.99. ISBN 9780375832291.

The illustrations and text are effective in communicating the narrative of this story. This is the first book in an ongoing series that currently has 20 installments. The Babymouse series has a very specific art style that is easily identifiable as part of the collection. It is consistent, and in that way, effective. However, I remember reading Babymouse as a kid and feeling like the artistic choices were a bit dizzying to me. I was excited to revisit as an adult with a different lens and see how that impacted my reading experience. While reading this book, I still found the high contrast of the illustrations to be a lot. That’s not to say they are bad or confusing, because they do tell the story, however, they are maybe not the best reading experience to more sensitive readers. In that same vein, part of the charm of the Babymouse character is her imagination, she lives big in her head, and this is illustrated in the book. However, there is not a clear distinction between the actual narrative and when she escapes to her mind and a scene plays out there. The authors sometimes break the fourth wall and have Babymouse talk to a narrator. I think framing some of the imagination scenes in such a way would help distinguish between the real and imagined storylines and allow for readers to more easily follow the plot. 

Swim Team

Christmas Johnnie. Swim Team. 256p. HarperAlley. May 2022. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780063056763.

    The text and illustrations come together to tell a clear narrative in this book. The panels are easy to follow, and each scene is clearly depicted. Visual (Bree’s inner anxiety focused thoughts) and linguistic (the butterfly effect) metaphors are used consistently throughout the book. Given the clarity of the illustration and panels, the narrative is easy to follow and understand, especially for the target audience, which is grades 3-6. The illustrator was really able to capture the fluidity and movement of water in their images. Since so much of this story centers around swimming, capturing the strokes appropriately is important. The illustrations of the different swimming forms are clear and distinguishable from each other. While not a series, author Johnnie Christmas has written other children's literature that young readers who enjoy their storytelling can try. 

Lunar Boy

Wibowo Jes, Wibowo Cin C. Lunar Boy. 240 p. HarperAlley. May 2024. Tr $24.99. ISBN 97800630507609. 

    This book features beautiful illustrations that add to the story. However, there is a lot going on in this book and it was quite difficult to follow even as an adult reader. The target audience for this novel is ages 9-13, I think younger readers will struggle to understand the plot. This is with a caveat that readers who enjoy and read a fair amount of fantasy may not struggle as much to understand the multiple arcs happening.

    The illustrations use color as a narrative device, shifting to darker tones when Indu is feeling lonely or called to the moon. To make it more understandable for young readers, further distinction between the different elements at play would have been helpful. Additionally, I think more frontloading of the world building and/or setting would help the reader to navigate the story. 

    This book also featured multi-lingial text, but was inconsistent in its presentation of discerning who was talking and when. Furthermore, on the pages that were primarily not in English, the illustrations did not do enough additional lifting to give clarity to the narrative. English-speaking readers may appreciate either the incorporation of English translation, and/or more descriptive imagery to provide context and understanding. This book is not part of a series. 

Consent (For Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You

Brian, Rachel. Consent (For Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You. 63p. Little, Brown and Company. Jan 2020. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780316457736.

    This book features simple (slightly dressed up) stick figures to accompany the text. The illustrative style brings levity and silliness to serious and important concepts, making this book accessible to young readers. This book aims to break down the complex concept of consent into diverse and applicable situations for kids to learn, generalize, and implement vocabulary and concepts. While it breaks ideas into scenes or situations, it does not follow a narrative structure and does not have a traditional plot to follow. The writing is clear and takes concepts that can be big and abstract and puts them into a variety of familiar contexts that kids may or may not have experienced. Brian has several similar styled books out or coming soon, but this is the only one about this specific topic. If readers are drawn to the way they get into big topics in a kid-friendly and humorous way, they may want to check out her other titles about screentime, worrying, and ADHD.

Begining/Transitional Readers

We Are Growing!

Keller, Laurie with Willems, Mo. We Are Growing!. illus. by Laurie Keller with Mo Willems. 64p. (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading!). Disney-Hyperion. Sept. 2016. Tr $9.99. ISBN 9781484726358.

    We Are Growing! fits the description of a Level One book. The font is big and easy to read, with no more than 3 words per line in most cases. Containing mainly sight words, and featuring a lot of repetition. The vocabulary in this book also focuses on word endings, specifically -EST. The main exception to the sight word and 5 letter word pattern is in the adjectives that grass use to describe themselves. These words tend to be more letters and syllables, and are the ones that are repeated with the -EST ending. Due to the inclusion of this, this text could be a good transitional book between a strictly level 1 and level 2 book. 

See the Cat! Three Stories About a Dog

LaRochelle, David. See the Cat! Three Stories About a Dog. illus. by Mike Wohnoutka. 64p. Candlewick. Sept. 2020. Tr $8.99. ISBN 9781536204278.

    See The Cat! Three Stories About a Dog is a level one reader. The font is big, and pages have lots of white space. Sentences are longer than a 5-7 word limit, but they are primarily sight words and do not typically exceed more than 7 lines on a page. Even though the longer sentences exceed the 5-7 word limit, they are always broken down across multiple lines, which per the Horning text, is a successful way to make more complex sentences accessible to early readers. Though this book has 3 stories in it, the stories are not really about anything which is highly typical in early (level 1 readers). Sight words are strung together to make sentences that when paired with the illustrations are rather digestible to early readers. The illustrations are especially helpful for the inclusion of words that are NOT sight words, because readers can use them as well as the context of the rest of the identifiable words to make meaning of the unknown word, even if they can’t “read” it.

The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe

Hale, Shannon & Hale, Dean. The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe. illus. by LeUyen Pham. 96p. Candlewick. Oct. 2014. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780763665104.

    The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe is an early chapter book/transitional reader. While the font is still big and there are still ample illustrations, there is more white space, and more text per page. This book presents as more dense than a level 1 or 2 book, however, it is made up of elements that are suited to new readers. While there is still familiar vocabulary and sight words, there are distinguished chapters that tell more of a narrative story than earlier readers. Due to this, this book offers a plot for readers to follow and engage with. 

Yasmin In Charge

Faruqi, Saadia. Yasmin In Charge. illus. by Hatem Aly. 96p. (Yasmin). Capstone. Mar. 2019. pap. $9.95. ISBN 9781515842729.

    Yasmin In Charge is a transitional book. This book utilizes a large type-face, and the 12 or less words per line structure. There is ample white space and while there are still illustrations, they do not accompany each page, so readers can not rely on them as heavily to help get meaning of unknown words. The book follows a narrative plot and is split into distinguished chapters, each a handful of pages in length. Each chapter of this book is its own stand alone story, following the Horning text guidance of readers at this stage having difficulty following changes in setting or time jumps. The situational nature of each chapter lends itself to providing clarity for readers. 

Information Books

 Stamped (For Kids)

Reynolds, Jason & Kendi X. Ibram. Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You. illus. by Rachelle Baker. 176p. Little, Brown and Company. adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. May 2021. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780316167581.

    Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi are the authors of this book. Jason Reynolds is a highly awarded New York Times bestseller, some of his accolades include: Newberry Honor, Printz Honor, Coretta Scott King Honors (multiple), Kirkus Prize winner, Walter Dean Myers Award (multiple), and an NAACP Image Award. He also served as the National Ambassador for Young Peoples Literature. 
Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is also a New York Times bestselling author. He has won a National Book Award for Nonfiction. In addition to writing, Dr. Kendi is a professor and the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. 
    Stamped (For Kids) is a children's adaptation of an adult book for the 4th-8th grade audience. While this book has a broad scope, it is executed in an age appropriate way. Chapters are short and manageable, providing more than an overview, but less than a textbook. 
    The contributors of this book very specifically distinguish between fact, theory, and opinion, explaining directly that while this story is being told by them, it is not a book of their own opinions. The information is cited and factual. The preface gives a walkthrough of what to expect in the book and frontloads necessary information such as the introduction of 3 main concepts that will be explored and working definitions. The bibliography included at the end is lengthy and indicates an abundance of thoughtful research. 
    The language incorporates a balance of familiar words with subject matter vocabulary, providing definitions as needed. The word choice is clear and accurate and tells the story of racism in America while avoiding reinforced stereotypes, often pointing out the contradictions and absurdity of the history itself. 
While the subject matter is a big undertaking, the contributors created a clear structure for the delivery of the story/information and arranged it in chronological order, making it fairly easy to follow. Aiding in the organization are a table of contents, chapters, a timeline, numbered pages, a source list, a glossary, and further reading. While this book is told in a narrative structure, it does not necessarily have to be read in order all the way through, in this sense, the clear table of contents makes it easy to navigate to a particular time in history for targeted information. The timeline is helpful to put all the dates shared across the book into perspective and relation with each other. Black and white illustrations in this text are sparse but effective. Their infrequency signals to the reader to notice when they are included and speaks to their significance.
    The layout is easy to follow, with word and line spacing appropriate for middle grade readers. It is a good size to take to and from school and would fit in a desk. It has a visually attractive cover, with high contrast colors. This title is available as a paperback or hardcover. The hardcover is slim yet sturdy. 

Fry Bread

Maillard, Kevin Noble. Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story. illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. 48p. Roaring Book Press. Sept. 2019. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781626727465.

    Kevin Noble Millard is the author of Fry Bread. Millard is a member of Seminole Nation, additionally, the inclusion of an extensive authors note with numerous references suggests that not only is Millard an authority on the subject per their own lived experience, but also through conducting additional research. 

    A broad exploration of the cultural significance of Fry Bread, the narrative of this story touches on many elements and provides an overview in the story, with more information available in the author's note. The depth of coverage invites readers to do further exploration on the subject matter either through their own research or reflection. Fry Bread is a starting point, but is not exhaustive. Formatted as a narrative in verse, Millard employs literary devices such as metaphors and similes, however the inclusion of the author's note allows readers to get more information directly rather than interpreting it solely on their own, as is sometimes the case with poetry. The author's own opinion is not the central focus of the book, rather the focus is on the facts of what Fry Bread is literally and what it represents figuratively.

    Telling the cultural story of Fry Bread, which may or may not be familiar to readers, the language used is age appropriate. Subject specific vocabulary words are included, and while there are no definitions in the text, context clues enable readers to discern meaning of unfamiliar words. Though it is told in verse, the text is easy to follow and understand, and follows a narrative structure allowing readers to follow one story across the pages of the book. Managing to be both specific in its story, and also broad in its historical context, Millard paints a celebration of Native American culture while avoiding stereotypes and generalizations. 

    The hardcover edition has attention put into the presentation from cover to cover featuring story details on both the front and end spreads. The author establishes a clear formatting pattern for each statement that is consistent across pages. The freeness of verse allows for the story to flow from page to page naturally. Placement and size of text is easily readable, and the hardcover physical book could withstand a library, home, or classroom setting. 

Fry Bread has colored illustrations primarily done in earth tones which goes well with the story. Illustrations aid in understanding the narrative as they provide a visual for some of the abstract concepts presented in the text.  

It's So Amazing!

Harris, Robie H. It’s So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, Gender, and Families. illus. by Michael Emberley. 88p. Candlewick Press. Jan. 2024. Tr $24.99. ISBN 9781536207248.

    It’s So Amazing! is written by Robbie H. Harris and Michael Emberly. Harris has a background in child development and is the recipient of the Mary Lee Tatum Award, which is the Planned Parenthood Federation of America's highest education award. She has authored a handful of children's books on similar topics. The acknowledgements indicate that Harris consulted with experts in their respective fields in creating this work, there is not an additional bibliography or citations. 

The scope of this book is quite broad, covering lots of ground. The intended audience is ages 7 and up, that being said, there is content for all readers of that age range in this book. Given the wide range of content and ages accommodated in this book, certain sections are better suited to certain ages than others. There is direct commentary on what sex is in age appropriate language. While the book itself is factual, there are 2 mascots (a bird and a bee) who appear throughout and provide some comic relief. These characters sometimes are contributing facts to the book, but also general commentary, which is not necessarily opinions, but is not explicitly distinguished from the facts.

Publishing a scientifically accurate yet age appropriate book about conception, birth, puberty, and everything in between is no small undertaking, yet Harris is able to effectively accomplish this task. Due to the table of contents, readers can navigate to specific topics with ease. However, the book lacks a consistent format across sections, and even within sections. Mixing comic style diagrams with traditional text, there is a great deal of variation within each chapter. For readers accustomed to reading nonfiction in a certain way, this book veers away from a more traditional structure. While there is minor inclusion of non-heterosexual couples and relationships, this book could have benefitted from language that includes nonbinary individuals as well.  

The table of contents and index serve to help readers navigate the text by topic. While vocabulary is defined in-text, an additional glossary would be a welcome addition, due to the subject matter heavy language throughout. 

Chapters are not structured in a uniform way across sections, but text is relatively easy to follow across pages. The font is readable, with ample spacing between lines. The cover is bright and colorful, and the book is oversized, which helps give the impression this is not necessarily a cover-to-cover read, rather a read-as-you-need resource. This title is available in multiple formats including paperback, hardcover, and ebook.

    Illustrated in full color, diagrams and charts and detailed, labeled, and easy to follow. Illustrations take on a comic book style, but they are anatomically correct. The Bird and the Bee serve as hosts of the book, keeping things light. The book could deliver information with or without them.

Not So Different

Burcaw, Shane. Not So Different: What You REALLY Want to Ask About Having a Disability. photog. by Matt Carr. 40p. Roaring Brook Press. Nov. 2017. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781626727717.

    Not So Different: What You REALLY Want to Ask About Having a Disability is written by Shane Burcaw. Living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Burcaw explains what this means and how it shapes his life.Writing of his own life experiences, Burcaw is an authority on the topic in sharing his first person account. There is an author’s note which provides information on SMA generally, not just as it applies to Burcaw’s experiences. There is not an additional bibliography or source list included. Research is primarily from lived experience.

The scope of this book is narrow, focusing on a specific disability, but allowing for the generalization of skills in regards to how you can learn and ask about different disabilities. The author does not clearly distinguish between facts and opinions/lived experience. 

The language level is appropriate for the intended audience, using primarily familiar language. The material is easy to follow and understand with a clear format established, a question is asked and then answered across a page spread. There is no table of contents or index, but the book can be successfully navigated without these reference aids.

The layout makes sense for the writing style, asking and answering common questions in conversational language. This contributes to a clear flow of information throughout the book. The font is easy to read, with no more than a couple paragraphs per page. Available in 2 editions, ebook and hardcover. The hardcover version is slim and sturdy.

This book features photographs of the narrator for each question and answer. Photos are a combination of candid and staged, and serve an informative purpose. Some photographs include labels as necessary. 

The Book of Turtles

Montgomery, Sy & Patterson, Matt. The Book of Turtles. 40p. Clarion Books. Mar. 2023. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780358458074.

    The Book of Turtles is written by Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson. To prepare for writing this book, the team conducted firsthand research experience with experts in the field. In addition to this research, the inclusion of a source list and bibliography indicates thoughtful research went into the making of this book. 

    The scope of this book is broad, but suitable for the elementary school audience. Providing an overview of different turtle facts, this book would be a good resource for a research project. This book is factual and does not include opinions.

    The language level is appropriate mixing familiar language with subject specific vocabulary. The inclusion of a glossary aids in understanding of subject specific vocabulary. The writing is clear and easy to follow.  

    This book does not include a table of contents, but it does have a source list, glossary, and bibliography. This book could benefit from the inclusion of a table of content, given that it probably is not intended to be read cover-to-cover, rather in pieces as necessary. Having a table of contents would make this navigation easier. Material starts with the physical structures of a turtle and talks about the different types of turtles and their features. Each spread has both illustration and text, with captions as needed. Organization is easy to follow and the book flows nicely. This book is on the text-heavier side, and full of information. Fonts are easy to read and spaced well. The amount of text varies across pages with some being denser than others.  Available exclusively as a hardcover, this book is sturdy. While the cover has a photograph, images throughout the book are illustrations. They are clear, relevant, and photo-realistic.