Read-at-Home Mom's Recommended Historical Fiction

This is a list of historical fiction middle grade novels that are most appropriate for ages 9 to 14. Some may work for younger audiences as well. If a book has sequels that I can recommend, I have made a note of them. If a book has a sequel, but I haven't mentioned it, it's because I can't recommend the sequel either because I haven't read it, or because there is something about the book that I feel would be detrimental to young readers. I kept Catholic families in mind as I made this list, and excluded any books that I felt would not be appropriate for Catholic readers. 

Books are categorized by historical time period and these sub-lists are ordered chronologically, but individual titles are listed alphabetically by author within each category. I am in the process of updating this list to include links to my reviews here on the blog and on Goodreads.  


Ancient History

  • The Winged Girl of Knossos by Erick Berry
  • The Three Brothers of Ur by J.G. Fyson
  • The Last Girls of Pompeii by Kathryn Lasky 
  • The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw 
  • The White Stag by Kate Seredy
  • The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare 
  • The Dream Time by Henry Treece
  • The Windswept City by Henry Treece 
  • Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld 

Medieval & Renaissance 

  • The Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood 
  • Casilda of the Rising Moon by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
  • I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino
  • Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
  • The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli 
  • The Trumpeter of Krakow by Eric Kelly 
  • The Second Mrs. Gioconda by E.L. Konigsburg
  • The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean 
  • The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park 
  • A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park 
  • Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz
  • Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray Vining


Early Modern

  • A Gathering of Days by Joan Blos
  • Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
  • Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone 
  • My Brother Sam is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
  • Weasel by Cynthia DeFelice 
  • The Matchlock Gun by Walter D. Edmonds 
  • Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich 
  • By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman
  • The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman
  • Boy with a Pack by Stephen W. Meader
  • Lyddie by Katherine Paterson 

Slavery 

  • Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox 
  • Jip: His Story by Katherine Paterson
  • Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates


Civil War 

  • Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
  • The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick


Late 19th/Early 20th Century

  • Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary
  • Those Miller Girls by Alberta Wilson Constant (and sequels)
  • The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis
  • The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald 
  • Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace (and sequels)
  • Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (and sequels)
  • Maudie in the Middle by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
  • The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy
  • The Good Master by Kate Seredy
  • Johnny Swanson by Eleanor Updale 
  • Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk
  • All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor (and sequels)


Great Depression

  • The Nickel Plated Beauty by Patricia Beatty
  • Winterbound by Margery Williams Bianco
  • Queenie Peavey by Robert J. Burch
  • Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis 
  • Blue Willow by Doris Gates 
  • Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse 
  • A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
  • Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
  • Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk 


World War II

  • Twenty and Ten by Clare Huchet Bishop
  • Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
  • The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson 
  • The Chestry Oak by Kate Seredy 
  • Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk 
  • The Winged Watchman by Hilda van Stockum


Post-1945

  • The Watsons Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis 
  • Twerp by Mark M. Goldblatt 
  • The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (and sequel)
  • Countdown by Deborah Wiles (and sequels)
  • Until Tomorrow, Mr. Marsworth by Sheila O'Connor 
  • Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
  • Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet 
  • Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2023 at 8:19 PM

    This is an extremely helpful list! Thank you. :-)

    ReplyDelete

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