Currently Addicted to Historical Fiction!!!

[jan chernin]

Our 8th graders are reading "Chains" by Laurie Anderson for a cross disiplinary English  Social Studies gig. Became smitten! The sequel, "Forge" just came this morning, so planning a lost weekend while I travel back in time to the American Revolution. High paraise from a fantasy reader.

[Michele Bellino]

Jan,
This is such a great novel! I'm going to be starting Chains in a few weeks with my 8th graders. Do you have any suggestions or resouces you would be willing to share? My students will also be studying the American Revolutions and I would love to hear how you were able to hook them (and yourself)!

Thank you!

Michele

[jan chernin]

I gave the english teacher Rag Linen http://raglinen.com/ Reading some of the first hand accounts of the Battle of Lexington Concord was interesting for our Revolutionary journalists:http://raglinen.com/collections/the-battle-of-lexington-and-concord/ Social studies teachers went carnival crazy over the primary resources. They also read highlights of Thomas Paine's Common Sense and wrote their own editorial based upon his four main points. We are fortunate enought to live in a university town...Go Blue...so we went to the Bentley Historical Museum, donned some white gloves, and examined some pamphlets from the era. Kids loved it

[Kelly Farrow]

If Chains sucked you in (which it did me as well--not initially, but as I stuck w/ it), you've GOT to read the Jacky Faber series, the first of which is called Bloody Jack. They are PHENOMENAL. I've plowed through the first 3 and have just started the 4th. Excellent!!!

[Sophia Tatiana Sarigianides]

So I've read Anderson's Speak and Catalyst, but not Chains, so you've added this to my list given everyone's praises.

But if it's more historical fiction titles you'd like, Karen Hesse is a classic who is unbelievable. I kept her Out of the Dust on my classroom library for too long, deterred because it was verse fiction, before finally giving it a shot and being broken apart by its beautiful story about the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. And that's nothing compared to what I consider an even better novel of hers, Witness. Set in 1920s Vermont, this verse novel is told by 11 narrators, including a 12-year-old African American girl, and a 6-year-old Jewish girl, as well as adults in the town, just as the KKK moves in. It's amazing.

[Nicole Priester]

http://mcpopmb.ning.com/group/adolescentliterature/forum/topics/rev...

 

here is a link to a book that I have read. If you like historical fiction you will probably love this book. It is a YA lit book that is taking place in the present, but travels into the past in a very intersting way. Definately a good quick read, despite the length of the book.

[jan chernin]

Keeping the  whole revolution this going. I did read Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly as reccommended. Can't say enough good things about it. two parallel stories: present day NYC city privilaged girl  Andi, who losses a brother and is ridden with guilt and Alex, a tricky, brave girl  iving during the French Revolution who uses her acting abilities to become a spy and a protector of the doomed young dauphin.  Intense and original the girls stories are linked together by a diary that Andi finds. I learned an incredible amount about music and politics while being imersed in the fast paced stories of the two girls. Loads of connections for teachers to appreciate: European History, French classes, Fine Arts. It's also a book that teens will like as well as adults.