Chapter 8- Historical Fiction

              Chapter 8 contains information about historical fiction. This section brings together historical fact and imagination. Because we cannot experience the lives of people in the past we can come close by reading historical fiction books to get a better sense of that time period. The benefits of historical fiction are that they convey a sense of life as it was lived during that time, it happens to ordinary people, it broadens perspectives, and it helps children understand that the present and future are linked to actions of the past. Historical fiction helps students realize they are not just outsiders looking in on great historical events. These books help people appreciate that everyone plays a role in shaping history. 
There are various categories of historical fiction which include: Ancient Times, Medieval Times, Colonial Times, Revolutionary Times, Early Frontier Era, Civil War, Post-Civil War, World War I, Great Depression, World War II, Post- World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement to name a few. I found some great websites that were offered towards the end of the chapter that could benefit readers looking for historical fiction books. The fist site I visited was Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site. This site has a collection of reviews on great books for children. You will also find great ideas on how to use the books discussed in the classroom. What I like most about this site is that there are also a large amount of books that have activities about that particular subject. Curriculum areas, themes, and professional topics are also listed on this site. The other site I visited was the Historical Fiction Book Lists. I liked this site because the books are categorized by continent and subdivided by countries or historical eras. I thought that this was an interesting way to do things because it gives students a different view of where things took place. Each country or era book list is divided by grade level as well. Finally, the site has a cover picture of the book, a synopsis, and number of pages are provides for each book as well. 

Chapter 10- Nonfiction: Biographies and Informational Books

            Chapter 10 includes information about nonfiction books. These books include biographies and informational books. There are many preconceived ideas about nonfiction books that can lead to little exposure and interest in a child’s life. However, nonfiction books have come a long way. Benefits of nonfiction books are that they offer a key to success in later schooling, they are ubiquitous in the larger society, they are the preferred reading material for some children, they addresses children’s interests and questions, they build knowledge of the natural and social world, they include many important text features.  
When considering what nonfiction book is right in the classroom it is important to consider the role of the children’s preferences, text, accuracy, and multicultural understanding in the selection, and the use of children’s literature. Today, the quality of nonfiction books is outstanding. This specific type of literature can be seen as a work of art. These books provide an interesting option for students to learn about important information. They also are just as effective as textbooks. The majority of students would much rather read a trade book then a textbook. 
          Towards the end of the chapter there are multiple resources that are great for nonfiction books. The first website I viewed was Sports Illustrated for Kids. The site offered an endless amount of attractive articles for young kids to read. It has games, news, and interactive features for students to use while keeping them in a safe environment. This is a great site that I believe most kids will enjoy. The next site I went to was Time for Kids. This is also a great site that discusses issues in the world at a younger level. There are numerous sections that include: News, Kid Reporters Around the World, Homework Helper, Photos & Videos, Mini-Sites, TFK Extras, and a Store section as well. Finally, I looked at a website called 100 Best Nonfiction Books, PreK-8. This website is a great resource for children, parents, and teachers to use when selecting a book. There is a list of 100 of the best nonfiction books that were selected and annotated by Judy Freeman. These books were selected because they have had the most impact on her teaching, have broken new ground, have taught her something extraordinary, and have wowed readers. 

Chapter 7- Realistic Fiction

          Chapter 7 in the textbook was all about realistic fiction. Realistic fiction is the sense that the setting, characters, and events are plausible, meaning they reflect contemporary places, people, and situations. There are many different categories for realistic fiction. These include: survival/ adventure, mystery, humor, animals, sports, family, and growing up. Children benefit from reading realistic fiction in several ways. One way is because realistic fiction honestly portrays the realities of life so children can gain a more in-depth understanding of human problems and relationships. A good realist fiction book will portray the real world in all its contexts. Children and adults in various societies and cultures can relate to books that reflect and confirm their lives. 

Towards the end of the chapter I visited some of the resources that were given. An important resource for parents, teachers, and students to visit is Censorship, the Internet, Intellectual Freedom, and Youth website. This website has a great section under the “Children’s Literature” page for young children to visit. On this page you will find: Special Interest Page, Readings in children's literature, Project Eclipse, Cookbooks, Children's book publishers, Sharing literature, Webbing, Female voices in picture books, African-American, Part one, African-American, Part two, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, Sensitive issues, Censorship, Traditional literature, Fairy tales, Snow White, Female stories, Pirates, David Wisniewski's Golem, Literary biographies, Author biographies, Informational resources, Author, Children writing and publishing, American history on the Web, Selected bibliography for children's and youth services in libraries, Analysis of a Picture Book, Creation of a Visual Interpretive Analysis, Visual Interpretive Analyses Page, Cyber library, Children's Literature Literacy Test, Picture Inconsistencies, Islamic Traditions and Muslim Cultures, and Native Americans: A Resource List for Teaching. There truly is something for everyone on this website, and that is why I think it is such an awesome resource for you to be acquainted with!

The other resource that I thought offered a large amount of information was the CCBC Intellectual Freedom Services. This website is part of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center which specializes in intellectual freedom issues as they relate to children’s and teens’ access to materials in libraries and classrooms. There is a rich variety of resources that include a list of education and advocacy groups and a “what if” library of questions and answers about book challenges. The website also offers many book lists, books of the week, and award winning books for children to browse.