Enhance your historical fiction collection - and its popularity with readers and value in the classroom - with this wide-ranging guide. After discussion of various aspects of the genre (its importance, history, criteria for evaluation, and methods of presentation), the author takes an in-depth look at 80 of the best historical fiction novels published for this age group in the last 10 to 15 years. For each title there is a brief introduction discussing setting, historical background, and point of view; a list of characters; a detailed plot summary; and ways to introduce the book to students, including important passages for reading or retelling. This versatile tool, written by a recognized expert in children's literature, can be used for readers' advisory, curricular support, title selection, and collection development. Grades 4-8.