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- Tirzah Price
- Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich. This is the book I hand kids and parents who tell me they love Little House on the Prairie. Set in the 1840s, it’s about an Ojibway family living near Lake Superior.
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. When Esperanza and her family are forced to flee their privileged lives on a ranch in Mexico to a farm camp in California during the Great Depression, Esperanza must adapt to a new life of hard work and rise to meet the challenges of her new home.
- Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm. Jobs are scarce in the 1930s, so when Turtle’s mama gets a job as a housekeeper for a lady who doesn’t like children, she’s sent to live with family she’s never met in Key West, Florida.
- One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia. When sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent to stay with their mother, Cecile, in Oakland, California, for the summer, they’re excited for Disneyland and reconnecting with their mother.
- Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park (ages 8 – 12)
- Park writes a wonderfully touching multilayered story about a young half-Asian girl’s life during western expansion, frontier times. After Hana’s mother dies, her father moves the two of them to a small midwestern town.
- The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (ages 8 – 12)
- Gladiator School Book 1 Blood Oath by Dan Scott (ages 8 – 12)
Nov 21, 2023 · Learn the definition and meaning of historical fiction, identify its purpose, and read about its origin. Explore the characteristics of historical fiction, and view examples.
- What does historical fiction mean?Historical fiction means that a story's setting or era will be historically accurate with some fictional elements mixed in. Usually, the core of th...
- What is the purpose of historical fiction?The purpose of historical fiction is to show a historical time period or event from a different perspective. Historical fiction can be educational...
- What is an example of historical fiction?An example of historical fiction is "Gone with the Wind." The book is set in the Civil War and the Reconstruction eras and follows the fictional ch...
- What are the types of historical fiction?There are many types of historical fiction used in stories today. The most common types are romance, epics, series, biography, and alternative.
Have you ever wished you could visit another time? Do you enjoy learning about historical events or famous people from the past? Then step back in time with these 30 historical fiction books for readers 8+!
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- For Younger Elementary Readers
- For Upper Elementary School Readers
- For Middle School Readers
- For High Schoolers
Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osbourne
This is one of the bestselling chapter book series of all time for good reason. Kids become immersed in the adventures of Jack and Annie as they explore historical places in their time-traveling tree house. Readers will love the companion books, Magic Tree House Fact Trackers, filled with facts and information that supplement the plots. Buy it: Magic Tree House Serieson Amazon
I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis
Each book in this kid-approved series brings important and dramatic historical events to life through the fictional adventures of a young protagonist. Fans of fast-paced action stories won’t be able to put these down. Topics include the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the sinking of the Titanic, the Great Chicago Fire, Hurricane Katrina, and many more critical moments in history. Buy it: I Survived Serieson Amazon
Ranger in Time Series by Kate Messner
Another great pick for fans of time-travel stories … and dogs. Young readers love Ranger, an energetic golden retriever trained as a search-and-rescue dog who gets transported through time and thrown into situations where he must save innocent lives. Additionally, these books keep kids engaged as they learn and virtually explore places like the Oregon Trail, the South Pole, and ancient Rome. Buy it: Ranger in Time Serieson Amazon
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
This fantastic, award-winning story set during the Partition of India in 1947 explores a lesser-known historical event that led to the tragic death of millions of people. Told through letters written by 12-year-old Nisha to her dead mother, she relates the experiences of her multicultural world turning upside down as distrust forms between Muslims and Hindis, who used to be friends and neighbors. It’s a touching and beautiful coming-of-age story of a young girl who is discovering her own tale...
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
In England during World War II, Ada, a 10-year-old girl with a clubfoot, was in isolation with her mother. But when other children, including Ada’s brother, are sent from London to the countryside to protect them from Adolph Hitler, Ada sneaks away and discovers freedom and maternal love. This award-winning book is a must-read for anyone who loves stories filled with mystery, adventure, and history. Buy it: The War That Saved My Lifeon Amazon
Refugee by Alan Gratz
This book includes three powerful stories of young people seeking refuge: Josef is a Jewish boy escaping the Nazis in 1930. Isabel is a Cuban girl seeking safety in 1994. And Mahmoud is a Syrian boy on the run from his war-torn home in 2015. Their action-packed stories are woven together in a way that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. Readers who like intense, page-turning adventures based on real stories will love this and the many other historical fiction books by this beloved author...
Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Hanna is a 14-year-old multiracial (Chinese-Korean-White) girl who moves from California to the Midwest with her white father. Hanna navigates the racism of her new community with the help of a few kind neighbors and classmates. This story is a must-read for fans of books like Little House on the Prairieand stories set in 1800s America. It provides an important and unique perspective on how it felt to be a citizen who was perceived as an outsider during that time. Buy it: Prairie Lotuson Amazon
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
In this highly engaging and poignant book, historical racism, police brutality, and the unnecessary killing of young Black boys are explored. The author weaves the fictional—but realistic—story of Jerome, a 12-year-old boy who is wrongly killed by a police officer, with the true story of Emmett Till, an innocent boy murdered in 1955. This is a great pick for any reader, but the compelling characters and the shorter length of this novel make it particularly appealing to reluctant readers. Buy...
All We Have Left by Wendy Mills
Centered around the 9/11 attacks, this book blends the stories of two teen girls from different time periods. In the present day, 16-year-old Jesse is dealing with her father’s grief and her brother’s death on 9/11. Back in 2001, Alia, a 16-year-old Muslim girl, finds herself stuck in a Manhattan building on that fateful day. Full of suspense, action, and emotion, this book helps readers understand the impact of September 11. Buy it: All We Have Lefton Amazon
The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee
Set in 1890s Atlanta, the story centers around Jo, a 17-year-old Chinese American girl who is a maid for a rich, unkind family. She is also the anonymous author behind the “Dear Miss Sweetie” advice column that is read by society ladies. Mystery and intrigue combine with sociopolitical topics in this fast-paced and gripping story. Buy it: The Downstairs Girlon Amazon
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
Daniel, an oil tycoon’s son, travels to 1950s Madrid to practice his photography skills and explore his mother’s homeland. He falls in love with a local woman, but as he learns about Spain under a fascist regime, he must make a choice. Themes of self-discovery, love, and family blend to make a page-turning and thought-provoking story. Buy it: The Fountains of Silenceon Amazon
We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos
This is the story of a mother and daughter who struggle to understand each other. It’s also a glimpse into the long-lasting trauma of war. This emotion-filled book is told through Zara, a teen living in present-day Rhode Island, and her mother, Nadja, a teen growing up in the 1990s in war-torn Bosnia. The story provides a perspective on a recent war in history that has implications for challenges still faced today. Buy it: We Are All That’s Lefton Amazon
Take a trip back in time to the eras of the Romans, the Tudors and the Ancient Egyptians in this list of must-have historical fiction books. But hold on tight, because this is not history as you learnt it in school. Puffin team. Image: Ryan MacEachern/Penguin.
INTRODUCTION. Historical fiction for children attempts, as a genre, to blend the true events of recorded history with fictionalized characters and plotlines in an effort to create a narrative voice that will captivate young readers.
