John D. Verdery Library

Middle School Historical Fiction

What is Historical Fiction?

Historical fiction is an imaginative story anchored by some historical event.  Though set in a time prior to the one in which we live, historical fiction is like contemporary realism in that it relates human experiences in the natural world.

Literature and the Child, 2nd. Edition, by Bernice E. Cullinan

 

Prehistory

Garcia, Ann O'Neal SPIRIT ON THE WALL

Howarth, Lesley THE PITS

Ancient

Carter, Dorothy Sharp HIS MAJESTY, QUEEN HATSHEPSUT

Davis, Lindsey SILVER PIGS

Speare, Elizabeth THE BRONZE BOW

Middle ages

Blackwood, Gary. THE SHAKESPEARE STEALER.

Bosse, Malcolm CAPTIVES OF TIME

Cushman, Karen CATHERINE, CALLED BIRDY

Cushman, Karen THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE

Dorris, Michael. MORNING GIRL

Dorris, Michael. SEES BEHIND TREES

Graham, Harriet. A BOY AND HIS BEAR.

Kirwan, Anna JULIET : A DREAM TAKES FLIGHT, ENGLAND, 1339 (GIRLHOOD JOURNEYS)

Konigsburg, E. L. A PROUD TASTE FOR SCARLET AND MINEVER

Laker, Rosalind CIRCLE OF PEARLS

Merino, Jose Maria THE GOLD OF DREAMS

Morris, Gerald THE SQUIRE'S TALE

Napoli, Donna Jo ZEL

Pierce, Tamora ALANNA: THE FIRST ADVENTURE

Sutcliffe, Rosemary THE SHINING COMPANY

Temple, Frances THE BEDUIN'S GAZELLE

Temple, Frances. THE RAMSAY SCALLOP

Thomas, Dawn C. Gill KAI : A MISSION FOR HER VILLAGE, AFRICA, 1440 (GIRLHOOD JOURNEYS)

Colonial

Allen, Hervey THE FOREST AND THE FORT

Clapp, Patricia CONSTANCE : A STORY OF EARLY PLYMOUTH

Clapp, Patricia WITCHES' CHILDREN : A STORY OF SALEM

Clifford, Mary Louise. WHEN THE GREAT CANOES CAME.

Duey, Kathleen SARAH ANNE HARTFORD, Massachesetts, 1631

Field, Rachel CALICO BUSH

Hawthorne, Nathaniel THE SCARLET LETTER

Jacobs, Paul Samuel JAMES PRINTER : A NOVEL OF REBELLION

Keehn, Sally M. I AM REGINA

Koller, Jackie French THE PRIMROSE WAY

Kudlinski, Kathleen V MARIE : AN INVITATION TO DANCE, PARIS, 1775 (GIRLHOOD JOURNEYS)

Lasky, Kathryn A JOURNEY TO THE NEW WORLD : THE DIARY OF REMEMBER PATIENCE WHIPPLE (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Latham, Jean Lee THIS DEAR-BOUGHT LAND

Ruemmler, John SMOKE ON THE WATER : A NOVEL OF JAMESTOWN AND THE POWHATANS

Speare, Elizabeth THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND

American Revolution

Anderson, Joan 1787

Avi FIGHTING GROUND

Berleth, Richard. SAMUEL'S CHOICE

Boyd, James. DRUMS

Cavanna, Betty RUFFLES AND DRUMS

Collier, James Lincoln JUMP SHIP TO FREEDOM

Collier, James Lincoln MY BROTHER SAM IS DEAD

Colllier, James Lincoln and Christopher Collier THE WINTER HERO

Denenberg, Barry THE JOURNAL OF WILLIAM THOMAS EMERSON : A REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOT, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,1774 (MY NAME IS AMERICA SERIES)

Duey, Kathleen MARY ALICE PEALE, Philadelphia, 1779

Gregory, Kristiana THE WINTER OF RED SNOW : THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR DIARY OF ABIGAIL JANE STEWART (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Latham, Jean Lee CARRY ON, MR. BOWDITCH

Lawrence, Iain. THE WRECKERS.

Rinaldi, Ann A RIDE INTO MORNING : THE STORY OF TEMPE WICK

Rinaldi, Ann A STITCH IN TIME (THE QUILT TRILOGY, 1)

1800's

Austen, Jane PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Berry, James. AJEEMAH AND HIS SON

Durbin, William. THE BROKEN BLADE

Johnson, Delores NOW LET ME FLY : THE STORY OF A SLAVE FAMILY

Lyons, Mary E. LETTERS FROM A SLAVE GIRL : THE STORY OF HARRIET E. JACOBS

O'Dell, Scott STREAMS OF THE RIVER, RIVER TO THE SEA : A NOVEL OF SACAJAWEA

Rinaldi, Ann BROKEN DAYS (THE QUILT TRILOGY, 2)

1830's

Blos, Joan A GATHERING OF DAYS : A NEW ENGLAND GIRL'S JOURNAL, 1830-1832.

Hugo, Victor LES MISERABLES

Wunderli, Stephen THE BLUE BETWEEN THE CLOUDS

1840's

DeFelice, Cynthia THE APPRENTICESHIP OF LUCAS WHITAKER

Denenberg, Barry SO FAR FROM HOME : THE DIARY OF MARY DRISCOLL, AN IRISH MILL GIRL (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Duey, Kathleen HURRICANE : OPEN SEAS, 1844

Fox, Paula THE SLAVE DANCER

Gregory, Kristiana ACROSS THE WIDE AND LONESOME PRAIRIE : THE OREGON TRAIL DIARY OF HATTIE CAMPBELL (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Hahn, Mary Downing. THE GENTLEMAN OUTLAW AND ME -- ELI : A STORY OF THE OLD WEST

Hotze, Sollace A CIRCLE UNBROKEN

Morrow, Honore SEVEN ALONE

Paterson, Katherine LYDDIE

Paulsen, Gary MR. TUCKET

Rinaldi, Ann THE BLUE DOOR (THE QUILT TRILOGY, 3)

1850's

Aldrich, Bess S.A LANTERN IN HER HAND

Crichton, Michael THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY

Crofford, Emily. BORN IN THE YEAR OF COURAGE

Duey, Kathleen ANISETT LUNDBERG, California Gold Fields, 1851

Duey, Kathleen EVIE PEACH, St. Louis, 1857

Duey, Kathleen WILLOW CHASE, Kansas territory 1857

Fleischman, Sid BANDIT'S MOON

Meyer, Carolyn WHERE THE BROKEN HEART STILL BEATS : THE STORY OF CYNTHIA ANN PARKER

Paterson, Katherine JIP, HIS STORY

Winter, Jeanette FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD

Civil War

Armstrong, Jennifer STEAL AWAY

Beatty, Patricia. JAYHAWKER

Beatty, Patricia TURN HOMEWARD, HANNALEE

Bradley, David THE CHANEYSVILLE INCIDENT

Brown, Rita Mae HIGH HEARTS

Clapp, Patricia THE TAMARACK TREE

Denenberg, Barry WHEN WILL THIS CRUEL WAR BE OVER? : THE CIVIL WAR DIARY OF EMMA SIMPSON (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Duey, Kathleen EMMA EILEEN GROVE, Mississippi River, 1865

Everett, Gwen JOHN BROWN : ONE MAN AGAINST SLAVERY

Fleischman, Paul BULL RUN

Hansen, Joyce I THOUGHT MY SOUL WOULD RISE AND FLY : THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA DIARY OF PATSY (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Hansen, Joyce OUT FROM THIS PLACE

Hopkinson, Deborah SWEET CLARA AND THE FREEDOM QUILT

Hunt, Irene ACROSS FIVE APRILS

Karr, Kathleen.THE GREAT TURKEY WALK.

McKissack, Pat A PICTURE OF FREEDOM : THE DIARY OF CLOTEE, A SLAVE GIRL (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Murphy, Jim. THE JOURNAL OF JAMES EDMOND PEASE : A CIVIL WAR UNION SOLDIER (MY NAME IS AMERICA SERIES)

Nixon, Joan Lowery KEEPING SECRETS : THE ORPHAN TRAIN ADVENTURES

O'Dell, Scott THE 290

Rinaldi, Ann AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH DARKNESS

Rinaldi, Ann MINE EYES HAVE SEEN

Stolz, Mary CEZANNE PINTO : A MEMOIR

Verne, Jules TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

Westward Expansion

Aldrich, Bess S. A LANTERN IN HER HAND

Arnold, Elliott THE CAMP GRANT MASSACRE

Blos, Joan BROTHERS OF THE HEART : A STORY OF THE OLD NORTHWEST 1837-1838.

Bohner, Charles BOLD JOURNEY : WEST WITH LEWIS AND CLARK

MacLachlan, Patricia SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL

1870's

Nixon, Joan Lowery CIRCLE OF LOVE : THE ORPHAN TRAIN ADVENTURES

O'Dell, Scott and Elizabeth Hall THUNDER ROLLING IN THE MOUNTAIN

Yep, Laurence DRAGON'S GATE

1880's

Duey, Kathleen ELLEN ELIZABETH HAWKINS, Mobeetie Texas, 1886

Kudlinski, Kathleen V SHANNON : A CHINATOWN ADVENTURE, SAN FRANCISCO, 1880 (GIRLHOOD JOURNEYS)

Montgomery, Lucy Maud ANNE OF AVONLEA

Murphy, Jim WEST TO A LAND OF PLENTY : DIARY OF TERESA ANGELINO VIS CARDI (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Myers, Walter Dean THE RIGHTEOUS REVENGE OF ARTEMIS BONNER

1890's

Fleischman, Sid JIM UGLY

Hobbs, Will JASON'S GOLD

Mazzio, Joann LEAVING ELDORADO

1900's

Duey, KathleenALEXA ELLERY FINSDALE, San Francisco, 1905

Johnston, Julie THE ONLY OUTCAST

Lasky, Kathryn DREAMS IN THE GOLDEN COUNTRY : THE DIARY OF ZIPPORAH FELDMAN, A JEWISH IMMIGRANT GIRL (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Medearis, Angela Shelf DANCING WITH THE INDIANS

Snyder, Zilpha Keatley GIB RIDES HOME

1910's

Brewster, Hugh ANASTASIA'S ALBUM

Bunting, Eve. SOS TITANIC

Ingold, Jeanette PICTURES, 1918

Menick, Stephen THE MUFFIN CHILD

White, Ellen Emerson VOYAGE ON THE TITANIC : THE DIARY OF MARGARET ANN BRADY (DEAR AMERICA SERIES)

Wilder, Laura Ingalls WEST FROM HOME : LETTERS OF LAURA INGALLS WILDER TO ALMANZO WILDER, SAN FRANCISCO, 1915

1920'S

Buchanan, Jane GRATEFULLY YOURS

Meyer, CarolynWHITE LILACS

O'Sullivan, Mark MELODY FOR NORA : ONE GIRL'S STORY IN THE CIVIL WAR

World War I

Hesse, Karen LETTERS FROM RIFKA

Hesse, KarenA TIME OF ANGELS

Ingold, Jeanette PICTURES, 1918

Rostkowski, Margaret I. AFTER THE DANCING DAYS

1930's

Crew, Linda FIRE ON THE WIND

Curtis, Christopher Paul BUD, NOT BUDDY

Hesse, Karen. OUT OF THE DUST

Taylor, Mildred D. THE MISSISSIPPI BRIDGE

Yep, Laurence THE STAR FISHER

World War II

Arnow, Harriette THE DOLLMAKER

Bawden, Nina CARRIE'S WAR

Burton, Hester IN SPITE OF ALL TERROR

Choi, Sook Nyul YEAR OF IMPOSSIBLE GOODBYES

Coerr, Eleanor. MIEKO AND THE FIFTH TREASURE

Collins, Max Allan SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

Doctorow, E. L. WORLD'S FAIR

Drucker, Malka and Michael Halperin JACOB'S RESCUE

Frank, Rudolf NO HERO FOR THE KAISER

Gaines, Ernest J. A LESSON BEFORE DYING

Giff, Patricia Reilly LILY'S CROSSING

Gold, Alison Leslie. MEMORIES OF ANNE FRANK : REFLECTIONS OF A CHILDHOOD FRIEND

Greene, Bette MORNING IS A LONG TIME COMING

Greene, Bette SUMMER OF MY GERMAN SOLDIER

Higginsen, Vy and Toyna Bolden MAMA, I WANT TO SING

Kinsey-Warnock, Natalie THE CANADA GEESE QUILT

Lowry, Lois NUMBER THE STARS

Mazer, Norma Fox GOOD NIGHT MAMAN

Patterson, Sarah THE DISTANT SUMMER

Reiss, Johanna THE UPSTAIRS ROOM

Richter, Hans Peter FRIEDRICH

Sachs, Marilyn MARV

Savin, Marcia THE MOON BRIDGE

Taylor, Mildred D. THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS

Taylor, Theodore TIMOTHY OF THE CAY

Van Steenwyk, Elizabeth A TRAITOR AMONG US

Watkins, Yoko Kawashima SO FAR FROM THE BAMBOO GROVE

Wharton, William A MIDNIGHT CLEAR

Yep, Laurence HIROSHIMA : A NOVELLA

1950's

Dizenzo, Patricia AN AMERICAN GIRL

Holt, Kimberly Willis MY LOUISIANA SKY

Kehret, Peg SMALL STEPS : THE YEAR I GOT POLIO

Taylor, Mildred D THE GOLD CADILLAC

Korean War

Choi, Sook Nyul ECHOES OF THE WHITE GIRAFFE

Watkins, Yoko Kawashima SO FAR FROM THE BAMBOO GROVE

1960's

Curtis, Christopher Paul THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM -- 1963 : A NOVEL

Davidson, Lionel SMITH'S GAZELLE

Davis, Ossie. JUST LIKE MARTIN

Grimes, Nikki JAZMIN'S NOTEBOOK

Moore, Yvette FREEDOM SONGS

Rorby, Ginny.DOLPHIN SKY

Vietnam War

Myers, Walter Dean FALLEN ANGELS

Paulsen, Gary THE CAR

 

* This list originated on the internet at http://rms.concord.k12.nh.us/booktalks/shistfic.htm