Fiction - Historical

Mentor Texts:

A Cowboy's Journal by Shelley, 8th Grade Student (Historical Fiction)- Shelley imagines she is a cowboy in the old West as she writes this journal entry. She includes historical details that add a realistic touch to the writing.
Diary of Gaspard by Samantha, 8th Grade Student (Historical Fiction)- For her history class, Samantha created an entry for the diary of a character from A Tale of Two Cities. She focuses on a pivotal event in his life and imagines what it must have been like for him.
a rat’s heart beats six hundred times a minute and a human’s heart beats seventy by Margaret Ross, Age 18 (Historical Fiction)- In this arresting story, Margaret Ross unveils her imagination in powerful bursts, shifting the narrative perspective of each scene, resulting in the cumulative payoff of her title. Notice how each numbered section builds upon the one that came before it.
Muffin by Susan Cooper (Historical Fiction)- In this short story, a young girl living in England during World War II is bullied by her classmate. A great example of informal tone.
The Russian Woman by Nicole Maffeo, Age 14 (Historical Fiction)- Nicole’s voyeuristic study of an old Russian woman reveals her subject’s most painful memories, as she barrels home to Brooklyn on the F train. Notice how Nicole masterfully employs the third person point of view to take the reader in and out of the woman’s head.