Selecting a Selecting a Historical Fiction Historical Fiction

CollectionCollection

Jamie CunninghamJamie Cunningham&&

Sara SmithSara Smith

LIBR 264LIBR 264Spring 2011Spring 2011

Selection ToolsSelection Tools• Award winners & honor recipients

▫ Newbery ▫ Michael L. Printz▫ Scott O’Dell▫ Pura Belpré▫ Coretta Scott King

• Genreflecting guides• Review publications

▫ School Library Journal▫ Booklist▫ Horn Book▫ Publisher’s Weekly

• Library affiliated websites• Scholastic’s Book Wizard website• Blogs• Recommendations from colleagues• Recommendations from young people themselves!

Selection CriteriaSelection Criteria• Staying Power

• Accuracy

• Gender

• Representation

• Reading level

• Buzz

• Series

DifficultiesDifficulties•Distilling a vast genre to a small collection

•Projecting “staying power”

•Mediating breadth and equity

•Accounting for a diversity of reading levels

•Triangulating selection tools

True Grit True Grit by Charles Portisby Charles Portis

•Published: 1968

•Setting: 1840’s Arkansas & Indian Territories

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster BoyLizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boyby Gary D. Schmidtby Gary D. Schmidt

• Published: 2005

• Setting: Turn of the 20th Century Maine; all African American community of former slaves

• Honors: Newbery Honor Book; Printz Honor Book

The Book Thiefby Marcus Zusak

•Published: 2007

•Setting: 1939 Nazi Germany

•Honors: Printz Honor Book

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyleby Avi

•Published: 1990

•Setting: 19th Century transatlantic voyage to America

•Honors: Newbery Honor Book

Island of the Blue DolphinsIsland of the Blue Dolphinsby Scott O’Dell

• Published: 1961

• Setting: 19th Century San Nicolas Island [off the coast of California]; Nicoleño tribe of Native Americans

• Honors: Newbery Award Winner

Al Capone Does My Shirtsby Gennifer Choldenko

• Published: 2005

• Setting: 1935 Alcatraz Island

• Awards: Newbery Honor Book

• Series: followed by Al Capone Shines My Shoes (2008)

The Art of Keeping Coolby Janet Taylor Lisle

•Published: 2001

•Setting: WWII-era Rhode Island

•Honors: Scott O’Dell Award

Mary, Bloody Maryby Carolyn Meyer

•Published: 1999

•Setting: 16th Century England; teenage years of Queen Mary I

•Series: first book in the Young Royals series

The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963

by Christopher Paul Curtis • Published: 1995

• Setting: 1963 Michigan and Alabama; American Civil Rights Movement Era

• Honors: Newbery Honor book; Coretta Scott King award

The Wednesday Warsby Gary D. Schmidt

•Published: 2007

•Setting: 1967-1968 Long Island, New York: Vietnam War Era

•Honors: Newbery Honor book

Dragonwingsby Laurence Yep

•Published: 1975

•Setting: 1903-1906 San Francisco, California

•Awards: Newbery Honor book

Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemisonby Lois Lenski

•Published: 1941

•Setting: 1750s-1760s New York and Pennsylvania; Seneca tribe of Native Americans

•Honors: Newbery Honor book

Elijah of Buxtonby Christopher Paul Curtis

• Published: 2007

• Setting: 1860s Canada and Michigan; freed slave settlement

• Honors: Newbery honor book; Coretta Scott King Award; Scott O’Dell Award

Journey to Jo’burg: A South African Storyby Beverly Naidoo

•Published: 1985

•Setting: Apartheid Era South Africa

Esperanza Risingby Pam Muñoz

•Published: 2000

•Setting: Depression-Era Mexico and California

•Honors: Pura Belpré Award

Sara’s Favorite:Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

• Freed salve settlement

• Coming of age story

• Prove himself to everyone

• Particularly a good read for younger tweens!

• Excellent author’s note

Jamie’s Favorite:True Grit by Charles Portis

• Adapted for the screen twice▫1969 ▫2010

• 14 year old girl • Avenge the murder of

her father• Hires a US Marshall to

track down the killer in the Indian Territory

• Precocious narrator; surprisingly funny