Historical fiction has a great deal to offer as its readers and devotees have always known. The time is ripe however for the historical novel and historical picture book to be promoted more emphatically so that many more are made aware of the delight and learning to be found in the genre. The editors of this book invited authors, academic writers and teachers to reflect on the nature, scope, range and richness of historical fiction for children. What is collected here provides an overview of the field, a consideration of significant writers of historical fiction from the nineteenth century onwards, a sense of the various historical eras commonly explored (Stone Age to World War 2), a discussion of commonly raised issues, themes and topics such as child labor, slavery and migration, and a forum for writers to reveal their insights into the writing of historical fiction. Julian Atterton, Berlie Doherty, Michael Foreman and Philip Pullman have made contributions. It provides evidence of children and students engaging creatively with historical fiction.

Exploring the narrative past; 1. Dogs and cats: the nineteenth-century historical novel for children, Dennis Butts; 2. The twentieth century - giving everybody a history, Fiona M. Collins, Judith Graham; 3. The silent ages: prehistory and Peter Dickinson, Peter Hollindale; 4. A havey-cavey business: language in historical fiction with Part Icular reference to the novels of Joan Aiken and Leon Garfield, Gillian Lathey; 5. 'Time no longer' - history, enchantment and the classic time-slip story, Linda Hall; 6. The historical picture book - is it a 'good thing'?, Judith Graham; 7. Beyond expectations: historical fiction and working children, Liz Thiel; 8. Passage to America: migration and change, Fiona M. Collins; Writing about the narrative past; 9. Waking quests, Julian Atterton; ch0010 'Over the stile and into the past': Children of Winter and other historical fiction, Berlie Doherty; 11. Flesh on the bones, Michael Foreman; 12. Daddy, or serendipity, Philip Pullman; 13. History and time, Rosemary Sutcliff; Teaching the narrative past; 14. Up and Down the City Road: history through dramatic action, Geoff Fox; 15. Stimulating the historical imagination: working with primary age children on books about the plague, Andrea Fellows; 16. Getting under the skin: the EACH Project, Alun Hicks, Dave Martin; 17. Slavery and the Underground Railroad: working with students, Liz Laycock;