Barbara Cruz describes how what began as a challenge (i.e., finding or justifying the time to spend on history instruction in an environment of high-stakes testing) turned into a rich learning experience for students using historical fiction. By designing experiences that were literacy centered but based in historical content, this group of teachers was able to both engage students and make them look forward to learning history. Learning was meaningful, relevant and will likely result in a lifelong interest in the topics they chose. End of unit project examples are also provided.