Themes include loyalty, friendship, courage, and the conflict between good and evil. Books and stories of historical fiction can make the past more vivid and interesting to students. They can supplement content-area textbooks at all grade levels, providing knowledge about the people, beliefs, hardships, and events of a particular historical period. Historical fiction helps students to discover their own heritage as well as to see and judge the events of the past. Mystery Tightly woven plots have elements of suspense, danger, or intrigue.
Plots are fast-paced and frequently involve foreshadowing or flashback.
Students enjoy reading them and can improve their problem-solving skills, reading rate, reading for details, and vocabulary development through this traditional form. The plot is carried by the dialogue. The number of characters is limited. Description and narration are infrequently used. Structure is well-defined, with segments clearly divided by acts or scenes.