There’s a survey that was done that if you ask adults to describe their history classes in elementary and high school, what one word would they choose? They always choose the word “boring,” and I’ve tested that with audiences. History, in fact, is not boring at all; it’s fascinating. Part of our challenge as educators and parents and librarians is to bring history to kids in a way that shows them that it’s exciting.
One of the ways that I introduce history to children when I go into a school visit is right away, I start to make sure they understand the difference between historical fiction and the information or non-fiction. Even when I’m writing historical fiction, I try very hard to make the story as accurate as possible.
I also will include a note in the back that might say how the story differs from the actual reality. I see historical fiction, in many ways, as a jumping off point for young readers that they will start following threads into history and wanting to learn more. It’s very important, especially then in picture books, to get the illustrations right.
That’s something that I’ve worked a lot about on. I have a series of books on the Klondike, and one of the photos for the covers had a boy with a regular knapsack, and I was able to show the illustrator a book of historical photos where they had these boxes that they tied on their backs.
You see these men — this line of men going up Chilkoot Pass in Alaska — and the editor said, “Could there have been that many people?” Yes, there were because they had to take their supplies over. So again, trying to work with the illustrator and the editor and the art director to bring those historical, accurate research into the picture book.