"What matters in the historical novel is not the re-telling of great historical events, but the poetic awakening of the people who figured in those events. What matters is that we should re-experience the social and human motives which led men to think, feel and act just as they did in historical reality.” - György Lukács (1) Accurate historical fiction, written by hard working authors (and illustrators)-turned-historians, can both educate and entertain. In the social studies classroom, educators often pair historical fiction with works of non-fiction and primary sources. Other times, works of historical fiction are read purely for fun. It’s possible the book was purchased at an online bookstore, given as a birthday gift, or checked out from the local library. Regardless, by the time a young reader has finished reading a work of historical fiction, they have gained some amount of historical awareness. What is so important about history anyways? It’s often s...