With this being said, however, there is some fact rooted in this genre of fiction. For example, the characters in these stories may be false themselves, but oftentimes the characters around them are real historical individuals (though not all). The other defining characteristic of historical fiction is that it is rooted in history. Generally the events taking place around the characters are (or are related to) events that actually occurred in the natural progression of history. While this is the case some events may be made up altogether. None-the-less these events are still based in an historical context. The authors of this type of fiction must carefully research the historical events they are trying to communicate in their works so that there is a sense of authenticity to the work.
John Boyne
Publisher: David Fickling Books, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-385-75106-3
Grades: 7-10
Awards: Horn Book 2006
Bruno and his family move into a new home and he is fascinated by the people in his fenced-in backyard. As he explores his new home and yard, he makes friends with a boy on the other side of that fence. The two become good friends and Bruno ultimately decides that he wants to go to the boy's home, so his friend brings him a pair of the striped pajamas he is wearing and they both walk to a tragic ending. Little did Bruno know that his father was the new head of the concentration camp in which his friend lived. This poignant story will captivate those who are interested in Holocaust history and those who desire a realistic tale about how innocence overpowers the differences found in us all.
Margi Preus
Publisher: Amulet, 2010
ISBN:978-0-8109-8981-8
Grades: 7-11
Awards: Horn Book 2010, Newbery Medal Honor 2011
When four young Japanese companions become stranded at sea, they are rescued by an American whaling ship. At first the meeting is awkward, as the Japanese see whaling as barbaric and the Americans see the Japanese as godless. This changes, however, when Captain Whitfield forges a father-son bond with one of the boys, Manjiro. When given the opportunity to be returned home or to travel to America and become Whitfield's son, Manjiro chooses the path of adventure. Manjiro eventually becomes the first Japanese person to set foot in the United States. This novel will interest those who have an interest of Japanese culture and those who enjoy a good story about people who have to learn anew based on their new surroundings.
Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Atheneum, 2008
ISBN: 978-1416905851
Grades: 5-8
Awards: National Book Award Finalist, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction 2009
Isabel and her sister Ruth are promised freedom upon their master's death. Instead, their master's last living heir quickly sells them to a married couple who are fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War. Isabel becomes both a spy and a messenger for both the Patriots and the Tories in an attempt to free herself and her sister from slavery while a new nation is fighting for its own freedom. This fast paced novel will keep readers on the edge of their seats and wanting more.
Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Atheneum, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-41696-144-4
Grades: 5-8
Awards: Horn Book Starred 2010
In this continuation of of Anderson's award-winning Chains, soldiers at Valley Forge are facing confrontation and battle with British soldiers. At the same time, Curzon is forced to face his past and learn who he can trust with his own secrets. The biggest fear of all, though, is his wondering if the Isabel, the girl who saved his life in Chains, is still alive. Readers who enjoyed Chains will be happy to see characters develop further in this fictional account of America's Revolutionary War.
Avi
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-42310-518-3
Grades: 3-6
Awards: Horn Book 2008
Tom's father was killed fighting for the Union during America's Civil War. To help support his mother and his sister Dora, he needs to find a job at the young age of 13. This job just happens to be working on one of the most important ships in Civil War history--the Monitor. As he works on the ship, he's bribed by rebel spies about the ship's specifications and artillery. He eventually becomes the youngest boy to "sail" on the ship and enters into a key battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac, where he, and the Union, soldiers become victorious in protecting the Minnesota. This is a must read or those interested in Civil War naval history and just for those who want a good adventure.
Christopher Paul Curtis
Publisher: Scholastic, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-439-02344-3
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Newbery Honor Book 2008, King Medal Award 2008, Coretta Scott King Award, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Elijah Freeman is the first free-born child of Buxton, Canada, a haven for slaves freeing the South in 1859. He uncovers a plot the evil plot of a preacher who steals money intended to buy a family's freedom. Eventually Elijah ends up out of Buxton and into the plot a little too deep. Readers of this novel will enjoy the excellent storytelling and will want to take their time with it in order to relish every page.
Jennifer Rozines Roy
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish, 2006
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5277-5
Grades: 5-8
Awards: Horn Book 2006, ALA Notable/Best Books 2007, Lamplighter Award Honor Book
Sylvia and her family are evacuated from their home and forced into the Lodz ghetto at the start of World War II. The book covers Sylvia's experiences from the ages of four to ten when her parents struggle to feed her and often have to hide her to protect her. Inspired by the author's aunt's life and her journals, this World War II novel tells Sylvia's story in free verse and fills in historical details in prose.
Kevin Crossley-Holland
Publisher: Aurther A Levine Books, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-545-05866-7
Grades: 5-8
Awards: Horn Book 2009, Kirkus Review Starred 2008
This novel focuses on Gatty, a supporting character in Crossley-Holland’s Arthur Trilogy. Gatty is selected by Lady Gwyneth to accompany her to the Holy Land. As they travel to Jerusalem and back, they encounter quite a bit of tragedy and triumph. After the excursion Gatty is transformed from a mere peasant girl into a girl of property and substance. This is a book for those who enjoy the Middle Ages and the Arthur Trilogy.
Den of Thieves
Julia Golding
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59643-444-8
Grades: 5-8
Awards: Horn Book 2009, Kirkus Review 2009
An installment of the Cat Royal Adventure series. When the theater Cat works for is closed, she is thrown out on the street and soon ends up in France. Here she is commissioned to send back street level reports of the French Revolution to her Patron Mr. Sheridan. In addition to reporting on the revolution, Cat needs to discover how to free her who were thrown in prison. Readers of this work will not only experience an entertaining tale, but also experience some of the many events of the French Revolution.
The Storm Before Atlanta
Karen Schwabach
Publisher: Random House, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-375-95866-3
Grades: 3-6
Awards: Horn Book 2011
A ten-year-old drummer boy named Johnny and a runaway slave, Dulcie, and form an alliance with Charlie, a Confederate soldier during the Civil War. Jeremy’s dreams of glory in the war deteriorate when he learns that war is not all as he thought it would be. This novel is more realistic than most Civil War novels, as there are graphic scenes of battle on the field and scenes in the hospital. A must read, though for lovers of the Civil War.
The Evolution of Clapurnia Tate*
Jaqueline Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8841-0
Grades: 5-8
Awards/Reviews: Newbery Medal Honor 2010, Horn Book 2009, Booklist Starred 2009
Jaqueline Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt, 2009
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8841-0
Grades: 5-8
Awards/Reviews: Newbery Medal Honor 2010, Horn Book 2009, Booklist Starred 2009
Calpurnia is growing up in rural Texas in 1899 and is interested in the river, animals, and keeping notes on what she observes. After creating a bond with her estranged grandfather, a notable naturalist, the two discover an unknown species of vetch. Alongside this discovery, Callie discovers herself and her love for science. The scientific processes and the story itself are true to the time and readers will be hoping for more once they are finished.
Ellen Levine, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Publisher: Scholastic Press, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-439-77733-9
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Caldecott Medal Honor 2008, Horn Book Starred 2007
This piece tells the story of Virginia slave Henry "Box" Brown to young readers. After being given to his master's son upon his master's death, Brown's life becomes increasingly worse. He later has himself mailed in a wooden box to Philadelphia where he gains his freedom. The book includes beautiful illustrations and bibliographical information to inform readers which parts of the story are true.
Matt Tavares
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2005
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2387-6
Grades: K-3
Awards/Reviews: Library Media Connection Starred 2005, Horn Book 2005
Andy Oyler, the shortest player for the Minneapolis Millers hits the ball in a during a very rainy game in 1903. However, no one can find where the ball went. Right as Andy crosses home plate, the second baseman trips over a "rock" and it is revealed that Oyler hits one of the shortest home runs in baseball history. This book includes vivid pencil shaded drawings an is for anyone who is wants to learn about a piece of baseball history.
Lois Peterson
Publisher: Orca Books, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-55469-280-4
Grades: 3-6
Awards/Reviews: Kirkus Review 2010, Library Media Connection 2011
Elise's father disappears during the Depression and she is forced to live inside a garage behind what used to be her family's home. After she is next abandoned by her mother, her friend Scoop decides to help her out even though he has problems of his own. Told from the point of view of Elise, readers are given a clear sense of what living in during the Depression might have been like from a child's perspective.
