Young adult historical fiction brings the past alive through stories of adventure, suspense, and mystery. The genre is both complex and controversial, encompassing novels that range from romance and fantasy to stark historical realism. The book examines the various approaches to young adult historical fiction and explores the issues that it has engendered. Part One focuses on the broader issues spawned by the genre itself, including its various subgenres and literary concerns such as the relationship between accuracy and readability. Part Two explores issues of contemporary interest, such as race, class, gender, the immigrant experience, religion, war, and nationalism. Finally, the question of whether novels in this genre are bound by anything other than their respective period setting is posed. The genesis for much classroom debate, suggestions for class discussions and writing assignments as well as sample written responses of these debates from the authors' classes are included. Teachers, librarians, instructors of young adult literature courses, and teen readers will find this an insightful analysis of YA historical fiction.

Joanne Brown is retired from her position as a professor of English at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she taught courses in writing fiction, American drama, and adolescent literature. Nancy St. Clair is an associate professor of English at Simpson College in Indianoloa, Iowa, where she has just completed a long term as chair of the English Department and served as the Director of the Cornerstone and Senior colloquium programs. Joanne Brown and Nancy St. Clair are also authors of Declarations of Independence: Empowered Girls in Young Adult Literature, 1990-2001 (Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2002).

Part 1 Acknowledgments Part 2 Part I. Historical Fiction as Genre Chapter 3 1. Portraits of the Past Chapter 4 2. The Rise and Rise of Historical Fiction Chapter 5 3. The "Truth" of Young Adult Historical Fiction Part 6 Part II. Historical Fiction as Social Realism Chapter 7 4. More than Skin Deep Chapter 8 5. A Question of Faith Chapter 9 6. Class Matters Chapter 10 7. Sugar and (Lots of) Spice Chapter 11 8. The Beckoning Shores Chapter 12 9. Battle Cries Chapter 13 10. Conclusions Part 14 Appendix: Suggestions for Additional Reading Part 15 Bibliography Part 16 Index Part 17 About the Authors