Light in the Darkness is a picture book written by author Lesa Cline-Ransome. In it, she tells the daring tale of Rosa and her mother. They slip out of their cabin at night to attend a secret school. Riders search the woods looking for them. Meanwhile, students at the underground school learn how to recognize letters and turn them into words.
For these students, learning to read is very risky. 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.
The Civil War started in 1861. Before that, enslaved people in many states could not learn to spell, read, or write. It was against the law. Still, many were willing to take the risk.
The bravery of these Black Americans inspired Cline-Ransome. It made her want to write this work of historical fiction
So what is historical fiction, and what does it have to do with history? These stories imagine what life was like for people from history. Often, the characters, like Rosa and her mother, are made up. But some events in the story actually happened. Readers experience those events through the made-up characters' eyes.
Historical fiction helps us unlock the past, 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. Her goal is to imagine what it might have been like to live during a certain time. What details interest her? The food, the music, the clothing, as well as the sights and soundsJewell Parker Rhodes also writes historical fiction. Her novel Sugar is set during Reconstruction. This period followed the end of the Civil War in 1865. During this time, Black families in the South had to create new lives. The story takes place in Louisiana, where a 10-year-old girl named Sugar questions many rules. Her adventures lead to new friendships. Along the way, Sugar discovers the many things she has in common with her new friends.
In her books, Rhodes shares lessons from the past that we can live by today. She believes that history helps us better understand ourselvesChristopher Paul Curtis is another historical fiction author. He has the same kind of purpose for his writing. His novel Bud, Not Buddy is set in Michigan during the Great Depression (1929–1939). This was a hard time. Many U.S. companies closed. People were out of work and couldn't afford things like food and housing. Curtis's story follows 10-year-old Bud as he searches for a father he never knew.
While writing, Curtis digs into a time period to bring his characters to life. Getting an idea of how people talked at a particular time in history is especially important to him. Curtis even listens to music from the past. He pays attention to the words. This helps him decide how his characters should talkThese writers want to tell people's untold stories. Why is that? Light in the Darkness author Cline-Ransome says historical fiction can help us understand the past. These stories "fill in the missing pieces that sometimes history books leave out.Which passage from the article best supports the opinion that knowing about history is important?
A.For these students, learning to read is very risky.
B.While writing, Curtis digs into a time period to bring his characters to life.
C.In her books, Rhodes shares lessons from the past that we can live by today.
D.Still, many were willing to take the risk.