Authors Bring History to Life in Stories
Kids' Channel: History
An open book with golden orbs floating out of its pages sits on a dark purple background. Three book covers float above it with the following titles: Light in the Darkness; Sugar; Bud, Not Buddy.
Credit: background: RomoloTavani/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Books by historical fiction writers Lesa Cline-Ransome, Jewell Parker Rhodes, and Christopher Paul Curtis bring the past to life.
In the picture book Light in the Darkness, author Lesa Cline-Ransome tells the daring tale of Rosa and her mother, who venture out of their cabin at night to attend a secret school. While riders patrol the woods looking for them, students at the underground school learn how to recognize letters and turn them into words.
For these students, learning to read is an extremely risky endeavor. That's because the story is set in the South before the U.S. Civil War, and the characters of Rosa and her mother are enslaved.
There was a time when learning to read was against the law for some people in the United States. In the 30 years leading up to the Civil War, which started in 1861, most states that allowed enslavement made it illegal to teach a Black person to spell, read, or write. Black people in those states could be severely punished if they were caught learning these forbidden skills. Still, many were willing to take the risk.
The dauntlessness of these Black Americans inspired Cline-Ransome to write this work of historical fiction, which is illustrated by her husband, James E. Ransome.
So what is historical fiction, and how does it relate to history? Some stories in this genre imagine what life was like for historic figures. Others insert made-up characters, like Rosa and her mother, into events and situations that actually happened. Readers then encounter events through those characters' eyes.
Historical fiction helps us unlock the past and better understand it, said Cline-Ransome. The author didn't like history much as a child, but now she loves hitting the books and surfing the web to do research for her stories. She learns which trees her characters would have wandered under and what buildings they might have walked into. Her goal is to imagine what it might have been like to live during a specific time—the food, the music, the clothing, the sights and sounds.
Jewell Parker Rhodes also writes historical fiction. Her novel Sugar is set during Reconstruction, a period when formerly enslaved Black families in the South sought to create new lives after the Civil War ended in 1865. The story takes place in Louisiana, where a headstrong 10-year-old girl named Sugar defies many social rules. Her adventures lead to friction and eventually friendship with both the White son of a wealthy landowner and a Chinese immigrant. Along the way, Sugar discovers the many things she has in common with her new friends.
In her books, Rhodes emphasizes that the past has lessons to live by today. "I do believe all of us need to understand…our nation's historical past to better understand ourselves, our common humanity, and our country," Rhodes said.
Christopher Paul Curtis finds similar purpose in his writing. His novel Bud, Not Buddy is set in Michigan during the hard times of the Great Depression (1929–1939), when many U.S. companies closed. During this time, many people were out of work and couldn't afford necessities like food and housing. Curtis's story follows 10-year-old Bud as he searches for a father he never knew. The book won both the Coretta Scott King Book Award and the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature.
While writing, Curtis uses a wide range of resources to dig into a time period and bring his characters to life. Getting an idea of how people talked at a particular time in history is especially important to him. Sometimes Curtis even listens to music from the era he's writing about and models his characters' speech after the song lyrics.
For these Black historical fiction authors, creating voices for characters who may not have had a voice in the past is paramount. "What I love most when I'm reading about the lives of people in our past is that it helps us to fill in the missing pieces that sometimes history books leave out," said Light in the Darkness author Cline-Ransome. "And my writing is an opportunity to tell their untold stories."
Historical fiction authors like Lesa Cline-Ransome, Jewell Parker Rhodes, and Christopher Paul Curtis bring history to life through their stories. In Cline-Ransome's book "Light in the Darkness," readers are transported to the South before the U.S. Civil War and follow the daring tale of Rosa and her mother attending a secret school. Despite the risks, these characters are determined to learn how to read. The author's research helps her vividly imagine what it was like to live during that time period.
Rhodes' novel "Sugar" is set during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, where a 10-year-old girl named Sugar challenges social norms and forges unexpected friendships. Rhodes believes that understanding historical past helps us better understand ourselves and our country.
Curtis' book "Bud, Not Buddy" takes place during the Great Depression and follows a 10-year-old boy's search for his father. The author uses music from the era to capture the authentic voice of his characters.
For these authors, writing historical fiction is a way to give a voice to those who may not have had one in the past. It allows them to fill in the missing pieces of history and tell untold stories. Through their books, they aim to help readers unlock and better understand the past.
QUESTION 1
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Based on the article, which of these is true about historical fiction?
It tells about a real time in the past, but parts of the story are made up.
It tells about made-up characters and their roles in the writer's life.
It tells about what might happen in the future, but the characters are real.
It tells about made-up characters and their roles in imaginary events.
Which passage from the article best supports the opinion that knowing about history is important?
While writing, Curtis uses a wide range of resources to dig into a time period.
In her books, Rhodes emphasizes that the past has lessons to live by today.
For these students, learning to read is an extremely risky endeavor.
During this time, many people were out of work and couldn't afford necessities.