Nonfictional Fiction or Fictional Nonfiction?

What are we to make of fiction inspired by actual events? This can be a difficult genre for many of us to digest. We may be asking ourselves as we read just how much of the story is real and how much of it comes from the author's imagination. However, if we keep our focus on the word "story," it helps to gloss over the questions. Also, authors of this type of fiction usually include a note explaining what aspects of the story are true and what aspects are imagined. With that said, here are a couple great examples of this sub-genre:

When I Met the Wolf Girls by Deb Noyes and illustrated by August Hall. Based on the real discovery of two girls in northwestern India in 1920 who seemed to have been raised by wolves, the story focuses on the impact of their discovery on the orphanage to which they were brought. The illustrations are beautiful, and the story is heartbreaking, all the more because it is essentially true.

One-Handed Catch by MJ Auch.

Based on the experiences of the author's husband when he was 11 years old, Auch tells the story of Norm, who struggles to return to a normal life after a serious accident in his family's store. Told with humor and compassion, Norm's story reminds us of the many ways that courage shows itself.

In a world where we see science fiction become science fact, where we hear fictions used to support facts, it is sometimes difficult to tell the two apart. Thankfully, in literature, there are times when we can put aside the analysis and focus on the story. Here are two good examples.