For this post, we've scoured our shelves and carefully selected 20 of the best (and our personal favorite) historical fiction books for tweens & teens! Whether you love sweet stories from the 19th century or prefer a thrilling revolutionary-era tale, we think that every reader will find something new to enjoy in this list! A's Favorites: Photo courtesy of christianbook.com They Loved to Laugh By: Kathryn Worth Time Period: 1830's ______ They Loved to Laugh is a moving story about Martitia, an orphaned teen, who goes to live with a strange family. While she's there, Martitia has to learn how to take care of herself, how to stand up to criticism, and how to laugh. This is an incredible, sweet book - I think you’ll enjoy it! Photo courtesy of scholastic.com The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle By: Avi Time Period: 1830's ______ f you love historical fiction, murder, and mysteries, then the True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is for you! Told by a teenage girl sailing to America in the 1830s, this book will hold you captive from the first to the last page. Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com A Long Way From Chicago By: Richard Peck Time Period: 1930's ______ Mary Alice is a quiet, happy high schooler from Chicago during the Great Depression. However, the depression hits her family hard, and Mary Alice is dismissed to a small Illinois town to live with her formidable grandma Dowdel. Will Mary and Grandma survive the next year together? You'll have to read this funny book to find out! Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Little Women By: Louisa May Alcott Time Period: 1860's ______ Little Women is a charming book about 4 teen sisters growing up together during the civil war. The book talks all about their adventures, new friendships, and hard lessons learned. It is a wonderful read for girls of almost any age! Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Homesick By: Jean Fritz Time Period: 1920's ______ Homesick is a fictional tale, based on truth, about the author’s childhood in China. She vividly describes meeting and losing friends and always longing for America - a land she has never seen, but always loved. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! Photo courtesy of christianbook.com Escape into the Night By: Lois Walfrid Johnson Time Period: 1850's ______ Do you love adventure and history? If so, the incredibly thrilling book Escape Into the Night is for you! It’s all about a riverboat captain’s daughter who discovers a young runaway slave on the boat. Will she hide him, or let him be discovered? You’ll have to find out yourself! Photo courtesy of amazon.com Leyla: The Black Tulip By: Alev Lytle Croutier Time Period: 1720's ______ Leyla: The Black Tulip is about a young woman who becomes a servant in a Turkish Harem. It’s a very interesting, eye-opening tale of time periods and cultures that are very different from ours, and I would strongly recommend it! Photo courtsey of penguinrandomhouse.com Like a River By: Kathy Cannon Wiechman Time Period: 1860's ______ Like A River is told from the point of view of two different characters, and it will open your eyes to some of the realities of the civil war. It is one of the most interesting, un-put-downable books I read this year! B's Favorites: Photo courtesy of scholastic.com Standing in the Light By: Mary Pope Osborne Time Period: 1760's Rumors have it that Indians are causing trouble in the area. It seems that they haven’t been causing too much trouble, but when a girl and her brother go missing, can they escape? Photo courtesy of americangirl.com Intruders at Rivermead Manor By: Kathryn Reiss Time Period: 1930's If you would ask any of Kit's friends to describe her, they would say that she was curious, happy, and always in on the scoop. After all, she was a junior reporter. Now, all of her characteristics have to be used ifs he wants to solve the Mystery at Rivermead Manor. Photo courtsey of Amazon.com My Name is America: The Journal of James Edmond Pease By: Jim Murphy Time Period: 1860's John Edmond Pease Reporting for duty! This boy is running from his rough past (and his cruel guardians) as he signs up to fight in the civil war. Photo courtesy of barnesandnoble.com Cleopatra VII By: Kristiana Gregory Time Period: 57 B.C. Read the thoughts of Egypt’s most famous queen as she tells you all her secrets. Discover the many twists that make her life so interesting! Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Lost Tunnel By: Franklin W. Dixon Time Period: 1930's In this addition of the series about the boy detectives, Frank and Joe stumble on to the trail of hidden gold. Can they find it before their efforts get sabotaged? Photo courtesy of scholastic.com Color Me Dark By: Patricia McKissack Time Period: 1910's This is the diary of Nellie Love. She is a colored girl who has been witnessing the bad treatment of people of her color. Nellie is very determined to change that. Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Nancy Drew: The Hidden Window Mystery By: Carolyn Keene Time Period: 1930's Nancy Drew has had a knack for sniffing out mystery, but this one seems to seek her out. It all starts with a mysterious newspaper ad that advertises a reward for information on a window that has been missing. Yes, I said a window. Books We Both Love: Photo courtesy of scholastic.com Dust of Eden By: Mariko Nagai Time Period: 1940's Dust of Eden will make you gasp and cry at the same time. It is a very short book told through poems, and is about a young girl and her family World War II. It is emotional and absolutely beautiful - we would totally reccomend reading it! Photo courtesy of hmhbooks.com Johnny Tremain By: Esther Forbes Time Period: 1770's Meet Johnny, a striving silversmith who is thirsty for adventure. Unfortunately, Johnny has a bad hand, but he tries to keep that from hindering him. Photo courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery Time Period: 1870's If you have a good imagination you will fit right in with Anne Shirley. Red-headed Anne takes on the world with her imagination and spunk. Photo courtesy of katherinewoodfine.co.uk The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow By: Katherine Woodfine Time Period: 1910's This is a MUST READ! Join Lil, Sophie, Joe and Billy as they sip tea and stop London’s most notorious villains. Photo courtesy of katherinewoodfine.co.uk Peril in Paris By: Katherine Woodfine Time Period: 1910's Peril in Paris is the first book in a follow-up series to the Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow. Join Sophie and Lil on their first undercover mission, where they must use their wits in an exciting, sophisticated city abroad. Thank you so much for joining us! We hope that you found some books that you will absolutely love. With Love, A & B You may also like:
0 Comments
3/13/2020 0 Comments Anne of green gablesPhoto courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com Meet Anne (notice the e). She is a spunky red-headed orphan with tons of imagination. Anne has had a rough past and all she wants is a proper home. Finally, her chance comes. A lady decides to take her back to some friends in a small town called Avonlea. When Anne arrives, the kind lady has to leave but tells her that her new parents will pick her up. At last, an elderly gentleman arrives. Anne is SO excited but that happy bubble is quickly burst. When she arrives “home” the lady of the house, Marilla, is horrified. She wanted a little boy! Anne begs to stay, but will she be allowed?
I would recommend this book for any tweens or teens. I have seen a few movie remakes of the series and they are also AMAZING, but as you probably know, the book is always the best. Have fun! -B Image courtesy of Barnesandnoble.com It is my favorite day of the week….when B and I let you peek at our bookshelves and see what we are reading! This week, I am going to show you a book that has enthralled me for months! The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel, is a very interesting mystery that takes place in England. It is the first book in a series, and the next book (The Mystery of White Stone Gate) came out just a few days ago!
The Mystery of Black Hollow lane is about 12-year-old Emmeline (“Emmy”), who loves to play soccer. When Emmy was three, her father mysteriously disappeared, so Emmy’s mom, a famous author and “child expert” raised her alone. Mom keeps transferring Emmy to different schools, but a boarding school - all the way on the other side of the ocean - might be the most drastic change yet. Quiet Emmy finds new friends, as well as a few enemies, within her first week at the boarding school. However, mysterious letters keep falling into her hands, and she starts seeing links to her father everywhere, like in her new school’s records and in conversations with the groundskeeper. Will Emmy’s investigations lead her and her friends into harm’s way? And will she find her father? You’ll have to read this delightful, fresh book full of relatable school experiences, funny conversations, and narrow escapes to find out! This book is relatively face-paced, with true-to-life characters and lovely English dialogue. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do! With love, A P.S. - Loved this book? Make sure to check out its incredible new sequel, The Mystery of White Stone Gate! 2/27/2020 0 Comments The Maggie Brooklyn SeriesImage courtesy of bloomsbury.com Meet Maggie Brooklyn. She is a curious and energetic tween who is just like any other girl. She lives in New York, hangs out with friends and runs a small dog walking business. The only thing that makes her really stand out is her knack for mysteries. I mean a serious knack.
In “A Girl’s Best Friend” a new veterinarian moves in to town. About the same time, dogs start to disappear. Is there a connection? Maggie quickly becomes involved because the lack of dogs is affecting her business and her clients are heart broken. Can the pups be saved before it’s too late? In “Vanishing Acts” a movie is going to be filmed in Maggie’s hometown! The best part about it is that her favorite movie star is going to be the main character! Her and her friends quickly try out for parts as extras. Just as it seems that things couldn’t be much better, it takes a turn for the worst. The main actor goes missing. A few people around town have been grumpy about the hubbub the film has brought but would they go as far as kidnapping a boy? Happy reading! -B 2/16/2020 0 Comments The Lucy SeriesImage from the ZonderKidz website. Pictured is book 1, Lucy Doesn't Wear Pink Where does soccer, friendships, and faith in God combine? In the Lucy book series by Nancy Rue! Lucy Doesn’t Wear Pink is the first book in this 4-volume series full of fun.
When the first book opens, 12-year-old Lucy Rooney lives in New Mexico with her father, who is blind, and several cats. Lucy loves to play soccer and ride her bike, and she also likes to hang out with friends. She thrives on being left alone and having time to think and write in a book of lists that her mom had had. Unfortunately for Lucy, take-charge Aunt Karen swoops into their house one day and has a “serious talk” with Lucy’s father. The talk results in the Rooney's hiring a housekeeper - one who will do a Bible study with Lucy, much to Lucy’s chagrin. While Lucy adjusts to these changes at home, a real soccer team has been created at school, but will having a real team and practices make the game lose its fun? The rest of the books in the series help to answer these questions, and they chronicle Lucy's adventures regarding healthy friendships and God’s definition of beauty. The books are very fun to read, and I especially love how each one centers around a specific woman from the Bible, including Ruth, Esther, and Mary. I was able to relate to Lucy and her struggles, and I think that many girls will feel the same way. Have you read this series? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments! With Love, A 2/13/2020 0 Comments BradyPhoto courtesy of the Penguin Random House website As you have probably noticed, both A and I love historical fiction. It’s a wonderful genre that is both educational and fun! Now take a break from plowing your field, mending a dress or cooking with your wood burning stove to hear a story about Brady Minton.
Brady was a boy that lived before the civil war, but he could feel it in the air that war was coming. He lived right on the border of the north and south, so the town was filled with people from both parts of the country. Unfortunately, his mother was from Virginia and his father was from the north, which made the dinner table pretty tense. Mr. Minton was a preacher so he didn’t care what anyone said, only what God said mattered. As for Mrs. Minton, she didn’t think God minded slavery. Even though war was coming and he knew it, Brady didn’t care much. He still thought that it seemed very far off. He just wanted to have a fun summer, so the first thing he did was buddy up with his friend Range and head off into the woods. Deep in the heart of the woods lived an old hermit named Drover Hull. He was a strange old man and rumors went around that he was a witch. Quick as a flash they ducked from tree to tree and into the underbrush by Mr. Hull’s cabin. At the cabin, they saw the most amazing thing. A couple of slaves were working in Drover Hull’s field! But oddly enough, it became clear that they were not Drover Hull’s slaves. They were runaways and the cabin was an Underground Railroad station. What should Brady say? What should he do? Read this book to find out! Enjoy! -B 2/6/2020 0 Comments Lena in the spotlightPhoto courtesy of the Faithgirlz website. Pictured is Hello Stars (book 1) Today, we are spotlighting a book series called ...Lena in the Spotlight! This three-book series is written by a Christian, teen author (Winter Pitts), and the books are perfect for girls ages 9-12. The series centers around the adventures of 5th grader Lena Daniels. Lena is the oldest of four girls, and she loves to spend time with her sisters and friends, and especially enjoys listening to music by her favorite singer, Mallory Winston. When Mallory stars in a movie, she advertises for a tween girl to be in it with her. Lena sends in an audition video, but does not expect to get a part. A surprise phone call just may change Lena’s life forever.
Throughout the rest of the series, Lena must use her God-given talents to help those in need, while also balancing her time between God, family, friends and schoolwork. She must also use her problem solving and leadership skills to help when unexpected circumstances threaten to derail her plans. The lessons and humorous adventures (hint: escaping chickens!) are perfect for girls just like us to read. I found the books quick and fun, and they helped me grow in my faith. It’s like being a guest with a front-row view of Lena’s adventures! Make sure to pick up or order your own copy and check out this fun series! WIth Love, A 1/30/2020 0 Comments a wrinkle in timePhoto from us.macmillan.com Ok, girls. I just read A Wrinkle in Time and the other 4 books that accompany it and they are great!! They are all about the Murry and O’Keefe families (mainly the children) and all their adventures. They live on planet earth but have had many experiences in other parts of the galaxy. It all begins when Mr. Murry disappears. Nobody knows what happened. He seemed to have just dropped of the face of the earth and the Murry kids are determined to find out the truth. These adventures are just the beginning. Later: the boys get zapped back in time to who knows where and can’t get out. To make matters worse, a worldwide flood is coming and if they don’t get back to their own time soon, they will be washed away and forever alter the future.
A Wrinkle in time starts all the fun and the excitement never dies during the following books. The series is completely fictional but the stories are almost believable (almost) in a far fetched kind of way. Each crazy event has a “scientific” explanation yet is impossible for the mind to comprehend. You have to read these books to be able to understand. Have fun reading! -B 1/24/2020 0 Comments a picture of freedomPhoto courtesy Barnesandnoble.com Today’s book review takes us to Belmont Plantation, Virginia in 1859. Hold on to your bonnet!
Meet Clotee, a 12 year old orphan who was born into slavery. What’s so special about her? Clotee has the bravery to learn to read, write, spell, and solve math problems as a slave - something highly dangerous in her day. She learns all of this by fanning the master’s son while he studied his lessons every day, but when a tutor comes to stay, she worries that she will no longer be needed during lessons. However, there a few interesting surprises in store for Clotee that will change her life and her outlook on it. Throughout the book, we learn first-hand lessons from Clotee about what life was like in slavery. We watch a girl get married to a man on a plantation miles away, because that was the owner’s will. Clotee tells us about her own experiences working all day from sunup to sundown, and how the plantation owners treat her like she is not there. She also struggles through challenges that almost all girls can relate to - like trying to build lasting friendships. In the end, Clotee must make a life-defining decision between her own freedom or helping other slaves find theirs. Which did she choose? “A Picture of Freedom” will tell you! I can’t say enough about how wonderful Clotee’s story is. It will make you question your priorities, it will show you the hardships that slaves faced every day, and it will force you to make your own choices about what true freedom means. Every girl needs the book in her life - I promise that you won’t be disappointed! Love, A 1/17/2020 0 Comments Winnie the horse gentlerImage from tyndale.com Pictured is Book 2, Eager Star Are you are horse lover? If so, you will soon be a Winnie the Horse Gentler lover. This is a fictional Christian series about a girl named Winnie. Winnie has a passion for horses and loves to tame any breed. Unfortunately, Winnie has always struggled in social settings and at school. Her sister does just fine, but that is not a family trait. The books are well thought out and are great for most ages. You might like reading them in order better, but reading them not in order is fine too.
Love, B |