1. Evaluation Criteria Characters Plot Setting Theme Style
Historical Fiction
By Luz E. Mora
Evaluation Criteria
Characters
Plot
Setting
Theme
Style

2. Bartoletti, Susan.(2005). Hitler Youth. NY: Scholastic.
[Hitler Youth book cover image]. Retrieved October 26, 2014,From:
Set in Germany in 1933 to 1945, this book depicts the lives of children who followed Hitler and the Nazi Party during World War II. The group is known as Hitler Youth. The author uses black and white photographs to bring to live the setting and time of the book. The author introduces the reader to children who were members of Hitler Youth, children who resisted the Nazi Party and Jewish children. The theme accurately reflects the attitude of the Nazi Party toward the Jews and anyone who did not agree with the Nazi movement. It also reflects the values and morals of the people who disagreed with the Nazi Party. The reader may not fully understand the attitudes or choices of some of the children, but will identify with the importance of standing up for what you believe. The history in the book does not make light of the persecution and execution of millions of Jewish people. The events in this book are accurate and believable though they are tragic and horrifying.

3. Curtis, C.P.(1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963. NY: Delacorte.
[The Watsons go to Birmingham-1963 book cover image]. Retrieved October 26, 2014,From:
Kenny Watson is a 10 year-old African American who lived in Flint Michigan in the 1960’s. He lived with his mother and father, his older brother Byron, and his little sister Joetta. Because of Byron’s rebellious actions, the Watsons decide to take a trip to Birmingham, Alabama to visit their maternal grandmother. The story is set in the 1960’s during the Civil Rights Movement. The plot accurately depicts the discrimination the African American endured during the 1960’s in the South. The theme reflects the attitudes, values and morals of the white people at this time in history, and how Kenny and his family struggle to understand it.

4. Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball
Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball. New York: Jump at the Sun/Hyperion Books for Children.
[We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball book cover image]. Retrieved October 26, 2014,From:
In 1920, Andrew “Rube” Foster started the National Negro League. During this time the African Americans were not allowed to play in the major leagues, so they created their own league. The story is told through the voice of an old baseball player. It shows the amazing players, their love for the game and the hardships they endured. It accurately describes the discrimination and the dangers the players went through when they played baseball. The book also uses beautiful illustrations that complement the text perfectly. The theme of the book accurately reflects the attitudes, values and morals during the time of the National Negro League. The readers will be able to identify with the importance of following your dreams and standing up for yourself.

5. Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good Masters. Sweet Ladies
Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press.
[Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village book cover image]. Retrieved October 26, 2014,From:
The setting is in England in This book is a collection of plays set in the Middle Ages. It contains 19 monologues and 2 dialogues which allow many students to be the star. Each collection is from the perspective of a youth in an English Medieval village. Through the narration of the characters the readers learn how children were treated during this time in history. It also depicts the social standings and how the villages function. Although the time is very different from today, the young readers will be able to relate to the emotional states of the characters. The style of the writing reflects the dialect of the Middle Ages, and the beautiful artwork adds to the setting of this book to recreate the time and place of the story.