Historical Fiction titles

Hello,
This week my focus is on Historical Fiction. (If you don’t like to word “fiction”, you can use the term one of our teachers here uses – “Historical Realism”.) Many of these authors write other books that you might also like to check out. In most cases, I have listed just a few of the books from each author.

Avi – Avi is one of my favorite authors. He is very prolific and also write in a variety of genres. Watch out for some of his fantasy books. I enjoy them, but I would not put them in my library.
Crispin, the Cross of Lead
Iron Thunder
The Secret School
Night Journeys
Never Mind (not historical fiction)
Nothing But the Truth (not historical fiction)

Christopher Paul Curtis – African American author and Newbery Medal Winner
Bud, Not Buddy
Elijah of Buxton

Will Hobbs – writes books about the Yukon and Alaska and Pacific Northwest. I read one of his books a few summers ago and went back to the library all summer to read every book of his that they had. Now, many of them are in our school library. Junior high students, especially boys, enjoy these.
Far North
Jason’s Gold
Down the Yukon

Elizabeth Winthrop – I don’t know anything about this author, but we have this one book of hers about children who had to quit school to work in the mills. Grace is left-handed and replacing the bobbins is a right-handed job. Grace makes mistakes which costs precious pennies.
Counting on Grace

Gloria Whelan – writes about foreign countries
Angel on the Square – St. Petersburg, Russia 1914
The Turning – Russian ballerina wants to escape Leningrad in 1991
Homeless Bird – India, a thirteen-year-old widow forced to beg for her living
Listening for Lions – Rachel Sheridan’s parents are missionaries in Africa and are stricken by influenza. Rachel’s story of being sent to England, forced into a life of deception until she can take control of her own destiny.

Laurence Yep – Chinese American author. Don’t be worried by the words in his titles such as “Dragon”, he writes about the Chinese immigrant experience.
The Cook’s Family
The Dragon’s Child – his ancestors’ immigrant experience at Angel Island

Elizabeth George Speare – She only wrote four books, but they are still in print for a reason; they are wonderful stories.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond – A Quaker woman is accused of witchcraft in Puritan New England
Sign of the Beaver – Boy is left alone to care for the cabin while father returns to bring back mother and siblings. Boy makes friends with local Indian tribe.
The Bronze Bow – Biblical fiction occurring during the time Jesus was preaching in Capernaum.
Calico Captive – Based on actual narrative diary of teenager Miriam Willard who is taken captive in an Indian raid.

Richard Peck – Some of his books might not be books you want in your library, so be sure to read them first just in case. He writes a number of humorous books, such as The Teacher’s Funeral in three parts. Some may not want that one in the library based on the title. I have not read that one, but the ones below I have read myself.
A Year Down Yonder – girl spends time with eccentric grandmother reluctantly at first, but gets to know her grandmother and respect her.
Fair Weather – Chicago World’s Fair story. The experiences of a family who unexpectedly is able to attend the fair.

Ann Jaramillo – Not really historical as in long ago, but this one book is about illegal immigration from Mexico to California from the immigrant’s point of view.
La Linea

One wonderful source of historical fiction is the Dear America series written in diary form. The Dear America books are about girls, the My Name is America books are about boys, and the My America books are easier and shorter books. I also have a set of Dear Canada books.

I hope some of these titles are helpful for some of you who are making lists for purchasing books during the summer for next school year.

Have a good week,
Audrey