CCBC-Net Archives
When is the Past history
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Rosanne Parry <rosanneparry_at_comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:26:23 -0800
Can anyone share perceptions of how you think children or teens view might view this question? Megan Schliesman
I think one of the things kids look for in books is travel. They are quite powerless in the decision about where they live and where they are allowed to go. A book offers an opportunity to "live" a life other than their own. Exotic location is one way to travel and fantasy setting is another but temporal travel provides the same escape and invitation to imagine a different life.
To the extent that historical fiction offers escape, I think it hardly matters whether it's near history or ancient. To the 14 year old who is sick to death of her locker partner's Aber-zombie obsession with the minutia of her wardrobe, a book by Tracy Barrett, or Ellen Klages or Louise Erdrich is vital mental medicine.
There's a smaller group of kids who happen to love history in the way that other kids love anime or paranormal romance. In my observation they've been kids who like history because they have someone in their life who loves it too and discusses history with them. Most of those kids are a little more interested in near history just because it's in the living memory of people they know. Or sometimes their interest in history is topic based. The child with many veterans in his family may devour every war book he can find. If his family is musical he might seek out books on the performing arts. Just my observation, but it seems to me that the interest in historical fiction is more driven by the people in the reader's life than some other genres.
Rosanne Parry WRITTEN IN STONE, 2013 SECOND FIDDLE, 2011 HEART OF A SHEPHERD, 2009 www.rosanneparry.com
Received on Thu 08 Nov 2012 08:26:23 AM CST
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:26:23 -0800
Can anyone share perceptions of how you think children or teens view might view this question? Megan Schliesman
I think one of the things kids look for in books is travel. They are quite powerless in the decision about where they live and where they are allowed to go. A book offers an opportunity to "live" a life other than their own. Exotic location is one way to travel and fantasy setting is another but temporal travel provides the same escape and invitation to imagine a different life.
To the extent that historical fiction offers escape, I think it hardly matters whether it's near history or ancient. To the 14 year old who is sick to death of her locker partner's Aber-zombie obsession with the minutia of her wardrobe, a book by Tracy Barrett, or Ellen Klages or Louise Erdrich is vital mental medicine.
There's a smaller group of kids who happen to love history in the way that other kids love anime or paranormal romance. In my observation they've been kids who like history because they have someone in their life who loves it too and discusses history with them. Most of those kids are a little more interested in near history just because it's in the living memory of people they know. Or sometimes their interest in history is topic based. The child with many veterans in his family may devour every war book he can find. If his family is musical he might seek out books on the performing arts. Just my observation, but it seems to me that the interest in historical fiction is more driven by the people in the reader's life than some other genres.
Rosanne Parry WRITTEN IN STONE, 2013 SECOND FIDDLE, 2011 HEART OF A SHEPHERD, 2009 www.rosanneparry.com
Received on Thu 08 Nov 2012 08:26:23 AM CST
