Emma carefully dipped her quill into the ink bottle and began writing by candlelight. It was 1875, and her family had just moved west in a covered wagon. Outside their small wooden cabin, the wind blew across the wide prairie. Emma missed her old school, but now she learned lessons from her mother at home. Each morning, she helped fetch water from the well before practicing her reading. When the train whistle sounded far away, Emma smiled. It meant supplies would arrive soon. She hoped for new paper so she could write letters to her grandmother back east. Even though life was hard, Emma felt proud to be part of her family’s journey to build a new home. Which detail shows that this story takes place in the past?

Emma writes with a quill by candlelight

In 1920, Leo waited with his father at the crowded dock. Ships with tall smokestacks blew their horns. Men carried heavy trunks, and women wore long dresses and fancy hats. Leo held a sign that said 'WELCOME, AUNT MARIA' in big letters. He had never met her before. She was coming on a big ship all the way from Italy. Leo's father explained that many families were coming to America for new opportunities. When Aunt Maria finally saw them, she hugged Leo tightly. She didn't speak much English yet, but her smile said everything. Leo knew her journey had been long, and he was happy she was finally here. What is a clue in the story that tells you it is historical fiction?

The year is 1920 and people arrive by ship

Tomás watched the steam engine chug into the station, its whistle echoing through the mountains. It was 1890, and he was working as a newsboy, selling papers to passengers. His family needed the extra money. He shouted, 'Get your newspaper here! Read all about it!' as people in long coats and hats stepped off the train. Tomás dreamed of riding a train all the way to the ocean one day. For now, he saved his coins in a tin can under his bed. The smell of coal smoke and the sound of the train were the smells and sounds of hope for Tomás. What was Tomás's job, and why is it a clue about the past?

He was a newsboy selling papers at a train station

Eleanor pressed her nose against the cold windowpane. 1905 was going to be an exciting year! Her mother had ordered a new bathtub with legs that looked like lion's paws. Soon, they wouldn't need to use the metal tub in the kitchen anymore. Down the street, new electric streetlights were being installed. At night, Eleanor still lit the kerosene lamps in her house. Change was coming, but slowly. She wrote in her diary about seeing her first automobile, a noisy machine that scared the horses. Eleanor wondered what new invention she would see next. Which detail from the story best shows a mix of old and new ways of living in 1905?

New electric lights were coming, but she still lit kerosene lamps

In 1955, Rosa's family gathered around their large console television, a special treat. Her father carefully adjusted the rabbit-ear antennas to get a clearer picture. The news was showing black-and-white footage of a baseball game. Rosa's little brother had never seen a game in color, so this seemed normal to him. Later, Rosa helped her mother put clothes through the wringer of the washing machine before hanging them outside. Rosa thought about how her grandmother used a washboard in a tub. Technology was making life easier, but Rosa still loved the smell of sun-dried sheets. Which detail from the story is a clue that it is set in the past?

They had a console television with rabbit-ear antennas

During World War II in 1944, Henry saved his ration stamps carefully. Sugar and butter were hard to get. Everyone was encouraged to grow their own vegetables in a 'victory garden' to help the soldiers. Henry's job was to collect scrap metal and newspapers with his wagon. His mother said every bit helped the war effort. At school, he practiced drills, climbing under his desk. The war felt far away and very close at the same time. Henry's greatest wish was for his older brother, a pilot, to come home safe. What evidence in the story shows it is set during a historical event?

Henry saved ration stamps and collected scrap for World War II

It was the first day of school in 1963, and Sarah wore her crisp new dress. She walked into a classroom that looked different from her old one. This year, all the children in her class looked like her. For the first time, she was attending a newly integrated school. Some parents outside looked worried, but Sarah's mother smiled bravely. At recess, a girl with red pigtails asked Sarah to play jump rope. As they jumped, Sarah felt nervous but hopeful. Change was like a new pencil, she thought. It needed to be sharpened and tried out before it worked smoothly. What historical setting does this story describe?

The first day at a newly integrated school

Miguel's abuelo told stories about coming to California during the 1930s to find work. He described driving down Route 66 in a dusty truck, its bed filled with all their belongings. The road seemed to go on forever. They camped under the stars and picked fruits and vegetables on large farms. Abuelo said it was very hard work for little pay, but the workers helped each other. Miguel tried to imagine his grandfather as a young man, hoping for a better life. The story made Miguel feel proud of his family's strength. Which part of Abuelo's story best shows it is historical fiction?

Abuelo traveled to find work during the 1930s

In 1970, on the first Earth Day, Maya and her classmates didn't have regular lessons. Instead, they put on gloves and picked up litter in the local park. Their teacher talked about keeping air and water clean. Maya learned about recycling glass bottles and newspapers. At home, she convinced her parents to stop using one wasteful product: plastic bags at the store. They started using canvas bags instead. Maya drew a poster of the Earth with the words 'Love Your Planet.' She realized that even small actions by many people could make a big difference. What tells the reader this story is set during a specific historical moment?

The story begins with 'In 1970, on the first Earth Day'

Benny's heart raced as he stood on the platform. The year was 1927, and he was about to hear a voice from the sky! A large crowd had gathered, all looking up and pointing. Then, a crackle came from the loudspeakers. It was the voice of Charles Lindbergh, speaking from his airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, after his famous flight across the Atlantic Ocean. Benny couldn't see the plane, but he heard the hero's tired, proud voice. He ran all the way home to tell his sister. That night, Benny dreamed of flying. Which detail in the story is a factual clue that places it in history?

Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic in 1927

Climbing onto the high stool, Lily peered over the counter of her father's store in 1910. Her favorite task was operating the brass cash register. She would press a metal key, hear a 'ching,' and a drawer would pop open. She made change for customers buying flour from a large barrel or nails sold by the pound. Ladies examined bolts of fabric for new dresses. The store smelled of leather, coffee beans, and wood. Lily knew every corner of this place. It was more than a store; it was the heart of their growing town. What is the best evidence that this story is set long ago?

Goods like flour and nails were sold from barrels and by the pound

The telegraph machine in the corner of the office clicked and chattered day and night. It was 1869, and Molly's father was a newspaper reporter in New York City. The clicks were messages coming in over wires from across the country. Her father would decode the dots and dashes into words, writing down news of the completed Transcontinental Railroad. Molly loved the sound; it was the sound of history being made. She imagined the two sets of train tracks finally meeting in Utah, connecting the east and west coasts for the first time. The story is set in the past. Which detail supports this by describing outdated technology?

News came over a telegraph machine using dots and dashes

Kai's great-grandmother, Nana Li, unfolded a silk cloth to show her treasure: a small booklet of paper ration coupons from 1943. She explained that during the war, you couldn't just buy as much sugar, meat, or gasoline as you wanted. The government gave each family a limited number of coupons each month. 'We traded with neighbors,' Nana Li said. 'If they had extra shoe coupons, and we had extra butter coupons, we helped each other.' Kai tried to imagine not being able to buy new sneakers anytime you wanted. It made her see the past differently. What does Nana Li's booklet of coupons help the reader understand about the past?

During World War II, some goods were rationed

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W.2 Reading literature - historical fiction

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What is historical fiction?

Historical fiction is a story that is set in the real past. The characters and their personal stories are made up, but the time period, events, and ways of living are based on real history.

Example:

A story about a fictional girl traveling west in a covered wagon in the 1850s. The wagon trains and pioneer life are real history, but the girl and her specific family are created by the author.

Note

The key is that the story feels true to the time period, even though the main characters are not real people from history books.

Finding clues about the past

Authors use specific details to show you when and where the story takes place. Your job as a reader is to be a detective and spot these historical clues.

Look for clues in:

Technology: How do people travel, communicate, or do work? (e.g., horses, telegraphs, washing clothes by hand)
Objects & Clothing: What do people use or wear? (e.g., oil lamps, long dresses, hats)
Historical Events: Is the story happening during a famous war, a great migration, or an important discovery?
Dates & Years: The author may tell you the year right at the beginning.

Note

Ask yourself: "Could this detail happen today, or does it belong to a different time?" If it belongs to a different time, you've found a clue!

Understanding characters in a different time

Characters in historical fiction face challenges, have jobs, and live in ways that are specific to their time period. Their thoughts and feelings, however, are often similar to ours.

Example:

A character might feel nervous on their first day at a one-room schoolhouse, just like you might feel on your first day. The difference is their school has one teacher for all grades and they write on slates instead of paper.

Note

Good historical fiction helps you connect with the character's emotions while also showing you how their daily life was different from yours.

Separating story from history

In historical fiction, the big historical facts are true, but the smaller story details about the characters are invented. Your job is to think about what is probably true for everyone at that time and what is just true for the story character.

Think about:

Probably True for Many: In 1944, many families used ration coupons to buy food. This is a historical fact.
True for the Character: A character named Sam trading his rubber coupon for an extra sugar coupon is a story detail the author made up to teach us about rationing.

Note

The story is like a window into the past. The frame (the historical facts) is real. The specific view through the window (the character's personal story) is created by the author.

Why do authors write historical fiction?

Authors use this genre to make history exciting and personal. Instead of just listing facts, they tell a story that helps you imagine what it was like to live in another time.

Goals of the author:

To help you experience a time period.
To teach you about historical events through a character's eyes.
To show how people's hopes and problems in the past were similar to ours.

Note

When you read historical fiction, you are learning history and practicing reading skills at the same time. You are learning what life was like and how to analyze a story.

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