American Girl Fueled Passion for Historical Fiction

In the 90’s, there was nothing better to me than curling up in my water bed (warmer on of course) on a Sunday with a new American Girl Series book! My family was very religious, so my siblings and I were not allowed to play with friends on Sunday. But I learned quickly that I loved having a day to sit up in my room without distractions so that I could burn my way through an entire book or two.

Each American Girl series is set in a different time era. Samantha, who was a wealthy character in the early 1900’s, became a favorite of mine. It was mostly because she was rich, but I digress. I loved learning all about her family and how everything worked in the olden days when they didn’t even have dishwashers (*shudder*). I also enjoyed learning about Molly’s adventures during the 1950’s, Kirsten’s hardships in the mid 1800’s and Felicity’s tragedies and triumphs during the American Revolutionary War. But, one of my favorite parts of the book came when the stories were over!

In the back of every book was a small section called “A Peek Into the Past” where you could see actual photos from the time period and read super interesting facts. I was mesmerized! Obsessed even! I remember forcing myself to wait until I was finished reading each story so that I could save the best for last and savor every drop of information my brain could absorb! I almost could not believe that certain things had really happened in the past.

Today, Historical Fiction is still my favorite genre because I continue to find it fascinating when I learn something new. Today, that thing was a stock ticker from the early 1900’s. It was a beautiful, domed device that used a narrow bit of paper called ticker tape which provided market information to investors. I found myself diving deep into history and googling for photos which is what usually tends to happen when I read historical fiction.

A love of reading starts in early childhood! If your child hates to read, let them choose a topic they are interested in. Even if it is snakes or spiders. Then, create a space where they would like to read and make it fun! You could even set up a small tent for your kids and give them flashlights during reading time. Finally, set a timer and allow them to stop once the timer is done. I have found that many times, once the timer goes off, children want to continue to read instead of moving on to the next thing.

There are some books that your children will never forget and they will leave their imprint on them forever. Allow your young readers to choose books that spark a love of learning! Let them dive to the depths of the Titanic! Feed their curiosity about World War II! Nurture their natural ability to absorb the things that matter to them so their love of reading will last a lifetime! Make reading fun again!