Children's Booklists: Historical Fiction

HISTORICAL FICTION for Children

General Historical Fiction Booklists
Ancient/Prehistory
Medieval
North American (incl. U.S.) History
Wars of the 20th Century

General Historical Fiction Booklists

Juvenile Historical Fiction Series and Sequels (Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO): About 100 series listed, with links to catalog card info for each.

Fiction for Grades 1-9: Historical Eras (Zuckerman's Barn, Massachusetts): Author, title, summary for over 500 historical fiction titles for children in grades 1-9, arranged not by historical era but in alphabetical order. Grade levels are listed once you click on the book.

Bibliography: Historical Fiction for Children and Young Adults (Wendy E. Betts, Notes from the Windowsill): Cover images, author, title, publication info, suggested reading levels, detailed descriptions for about 50 books, in three reading levels (picture books - just one; chapter books; and YA books). Updated Oct. 2005.

Historical Fiction (Canton Public Library, Canton, MI): Provides author, title, grade level, and one-line summary for books in these time periods: Prehistoric-399 AD (4 books); Middle Ages and Renaissance (400-1599 AD; 9 books); Colonial (1600-1770; 12 books); Revolutionary War-1799 (14 books); 1800-1859 (35 books); Civil War (1860-1865; 22 books); 1870-1913 (about 50 books); World War I-1939 (22 books); and World War II (1939-1945; 21 books). Links are to web catalog listings.

Historical Fiction (Multnomah County Library, OR): Author, title, publication year, summary for more than 100 children's historical novels in these categories: Prehistoric and Ancient Times, The Middle Ages and Renaissance, Colonial America, The American Revolution, Frontier and Pioneer Fiction, The Civil War, Early Twentieth Century, World War II, The Holocaust, U.S. Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam War.

Historical Fiction: The Old World (Ann Arbor District Library, MI): Compiled March 1996. Author, title, publication info, summary for about 80 books in these categories, with appropriate reading levels noted for each: Prehistory and Ancient Kingdoms; Roman Empire; Dark Ages: Sixth through Tenth Centuries; Middle Ages: Eleventh through Fourteenth Centuries; Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries; Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries; Nineteenth Century; Twentieth Century: 1901-1938; and Twentieth Century: World War II and Beyond.

Historical Fiction (Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO): Author, title, recommended grade level, and summary for about 35 works of historical fiction, listed by time period: Early Times; Early Europe; Colonial Times; Nineteenth Century; and Twentieth Century.

Historical Fiction: Works Listed By Date (Candace Baxter, Fairfax County Public Schools): "Bibliography of fiction arranged chronologically by the date the story takes place. This is helpful if a student is trying to find a story set during a certain year or during a certain time period such as the Middle Ages or The Great Depression." Date, author, and title are given.

Historical Fiction for Kids (Houston Public Library): Lists authors, titles, brief summary, grade level.

Historical Fiction (Los Angeles Public Library): Author, title, and one-line summary of about 20 works of historical fiction for younger readers (from Haemi Balgassi's Peacebound Trains to Paul Yee's Roses Sing on New Snow) and about 25 books for older readers (from Clyde Bulla's A Lion to Guard Us to Jane Yolen's The Devil’s Arithmetic).

Youth Historical Fiction (Novi Public Library, MI): Author, title, grade level (from grades K-9), summary for about 100 works of historical fiction, from Elizabeth Adler's The King's Shadow to Elvira Woodruff's Dear Levi: Letters from the Overland Trail.

Historical Fiction: Stories set in the Past (Calgary Public Library, Alberta, Canada): List of about 65 titles, in alpha order by author's last name, with century/year/war listed for each. No summaries or grade levels noted. Compiled Jan. 2001.

Tales from Long Ago (Hamilton Public Library, Ontario, CANADA): Author, title, summary for a dozen children's historical fiction titles, from Avi's True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie Woods.

Historical Fiction for Grades 1-3 (Nola Magneson, Kearns Library, Salt Lake County Library System, UT): Author, title, one-line summary, grade recommendation, page count for each of over 100 books, arranged by time period: Ancient civilizations, Middle Ages, Columbus, The Elizabethan Era, The 1600s/Pilgrims, The 1700s/Colonial Times, Revolutionary War, Early 1800s, Pioneers and Indians, Civil War, Late 1800s, Early 1900s/WWI, 1930s/Great Depression, WWII, 1950s/Civil Rights Movement, and Vietnam War.

Historical Fiction for Grades 4-6 (Nola Magneson, Kearns Library, Salt Lake County Library System, UT): Author, title, one-line summary, grade recommendation, page count for each of almost 200 books, arranged by time period: Prehistoric, Ancient civilizations, Middle Ages, Columbus, The Elizabethan Era, The 1600s/Pilgrims, The 1700s/Colonial Times, Revolutionary War, Early 1800s, Pioneers and Indians, Civil War, Late 1800s, Early 1900s/WWI, 1930s/Great Depression, WWII, 1950s/Civil Rights Movement, and mid-1900s/Vietnam War.

Journey to the Past for 4th-6th Graders (Ms. Helen, Kansas City Public Library, KS): Author, title, and summary of each of 12 books that take place from the Middle Ages to the 1900s.

Historical Fiction for Grades 3 and 4 (Mt. Lebanon Public Library, PA): Title, author, summary, webcat link, and time period/place listed for almost 30 novels, from Karen Ackerman's The Night Crossing (1930s, Europe) to Jane Yolen's The Ballad of the Pirate Queens (1700s, Americas).

Historical Fiction for Grades 5 and 6 (Mt. Lebanon Public Library, PA): Title, author, summary, webcat link, and time period/place listed for over 25 novels, from Louisa M. Alcott's Little Women (1800s, USA) to Laurence Yep's Dragonwings (1900s, USA).

Books Set in the Past (Reading Matters, UK): About 10 books recommended for younger readers and 12 for older readers, with titles, authors, summaries. Includes The Machine-Gunners by Robert Westall, Arthur: The Seeing Stone by Kevin Crossley-Holland, Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster, I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson.

Historical Fiction for grades 4-8 (Reading Is Fundamental): Title, author, publication year, grade level, one-line summary for each of 18 books, from Adaline Falling Star by Mary Pope Osborne to The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill.

Grade 5 Historical Fiction (Harford County Public Library, MD): Author and title only for over 40 fifth grade historical fiction books organised by time period: Stone Age, American Revolution, U.S. Civil War Era, 18th and 19th Century, World War II, 20th Century.

Old Fashioned Girls (Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO): Author, title, summary for each of almost 20 stories about girls from the past.

If You Like 'Our Canadian Girl' (Kitchener Public Library, Ontario, Canada): Provides author and title for a dozen books similar to this historical fiction series.

Ancient Times/Prehistory

Fiction for Grades 1-9: Ancient History (Zuckerman's Barn, Massachusetts): Author, title, summary for about 55 ancient historical fiction titles, for children in grades 1-9, in alpha order. Includes Egypt/Middle East, Greece, Rome, early Britain, prehistoric times.

Historical Fiction: Prehistory and Ancient Civilizations (The Logan Library - Utah): Author, title of book, and civilization/era listed. Arranged by interest age group, ages 9-13, and 13+.

Archaeology in Children's Books (The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH): Author, title, summary for 5 picture books, 9 children's non-fiction books and 6 children's fiction books that feature archaeology or archaeologists, from A Puzzling Day in the Land of the Pharaohs by Scoular Anderson to Place in the Sun by Jill Rubalcaba.

Medieval Period/Middle Ages

Fiction for Grades 1-9: Medieval Historical Fiction (Zuckerman's Barn, Massachusetts): Author, title, summary for about 60 historical fiction titles set in the Middle Ages, for children in grades 1-9, in alpha order from Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Gray to You Never Knew Her as I Did by Mollie Hunter. Grade levels are listed once you click on the book.

Books About Medieval Times (Kansas City Public Library, KS): Author, title, and summary of non-fiction books, and fiction for Preschool-Age 8, Ages 8-10, and Ages 10 and up. About 15 books in all.

Historical Fiction - The Middle Ages, A.D. 400-1500 (The Logan Library - Utah): Author and title of book listed. Arranged by interest age group, ages 8-13, and 13+.

North American (incl. United States) History

Fiction for Grades 1-9: Historic Eras: USA (Zuckerman's Barn, Massachusetts): Author, title, summary for about 270 historical fiction titles set in the U.S., for children in grades 1-9, in alpha order. Also available in time period order in various lists: Colonial period (about 40 books); Revolutionary War era (about 40 books); 1800-1860 (about 65 books); American Civil War (about 25 books); Post-Civil War era (about 30 books); Turn-of-the-Century U.S. (15 books); U.S. WWI era (15 books); The Great Depression (about 35 books); World War II (about 65 books).

American Historical Fiction (Stanly County Public Library, NC): Extensive list spanning several pages. Author, title, publication year, page count, summary for each book. Sections: Pre-History to the the Colonial Period (48 books); 1775-1783 (The Revolutionary War) (35 books); 1783-1861 (76 books); 1861-1864 (The Civil War) (44 books); 1864-1898 (52 books); 1898-1929 (56 books); 1929-1941 (Mostly the Great Depression); 1941-1949 (Mostly World War II) (42 books); 1950s, 60s, and 70s (23 books). Most are suitable for grades 4-6.

Historical Fiction in America (Ann Arbor District Library, MI): Compiled 1996. Author, title, publication info, summary for over 120 books in these categories, with appropriate reading levels noted for each: The New World; Colonial America; Revolutionary America/The New Republic; The Nineteenth Century: Antebellum; The Civil War: 1861-1865; The Later Nineteenth Century; The Twentieth Century: 1901 to 1938; and World War II and Beyond.

If You Like the Dear America series.... (Elaine Garnache, Cary Memorial Library, Lexington, MA): Provides title, author, webcatalog link, and time/setting for about 55 books with themes similar to the Dear America books. Also lists the titles in the Dear America and My Name is America series (including time/setting for each). Compiled January 1999.

Historical Series Fiction (Kansas City Public Library, KS): Lists and describes 12 series, all about American history.

American History Through Picture Story Books (Mid-Continent Public Library, Independence, MO): Author, title, and Dewey number only. Books listed in these subsections: General (6 books); Pre-Revolutionary Period (4 books); 1800s (11 books); Immigrant Experience (5 books); Twentieth Century (9 books); and America At War (9 books). List adapted from Evelyn Vanek, Nichols Library, Naperville, IL, Nov. 1995.

Time Travel Through Time (Virginia Richey, Monroe County Public Library, IN): Excellent page. "Visit different times in United States history!" From 1052 - 1989. About 300 books listed, with author, title, and summary of each. Compiled January 1997.

Historic Fiction Reading List for Elementary and Intermediate Grades (Springfield Library, Springfield, MA): Focuses mostly on American history. Author, title, and grade level listed for books in these time periods: THE COLONIAL PERIOD (16th - 18th centuries), The Revolutionary Period (1775 -1783), The New Nation (1783 - 1815), Expanding the Frontier (1815 - about 1860), The Civil War (1861 - 1865), The Closing Frontier (1865 - 1900), 20th Century.

Traveling Through American History: 3rd and 4th Grade Juvenile Fiction (Fairfax County Public Library, VA): Chronological list of about 125 books. Also available indexed alphabetically. From 1492 (Columbus books) through the Mayflower, Colonial Era, etc., to Westward Expansion, Immigration, the 20th century wars, Segregation, and into the 1990s. Author, title, and summary for each.

A Country Grows Up (Bay Shore Brightwaters Public Library, NY): Author, title, summary, publication year, and page count for historical fiction books, in time periods of COLONIAL TIMES 1600-1775 (5 books); REVOLUTIONARY WAR 1775-1783 (9 books); WAR OF 1812 (1 book); FRONTIER AND PIONEER LIFE (17 books).

Historical Fiction of the United States (Tempe Public Library, AZ): Lists author and title only, by period of history: The New World; American Colonial; Revolutionary War; Westward Movement; Slavery/Civil War; Industrialization; Women's Sufferage and WWI; Depression Era; Immigration; WWII; Civil Rights; and Vietnam.

Historical Fiction: Colonial Period (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): Over 70 books, with author, title, summary, from Lillie Albrecht's Susanna's Candlestick to Sharon Dennis Wyeth's Once On This River. For grades 5-8.

Colonial America (St. Charles Public Library, IL): This list of 32 books is subdivided by reading level: Grades 2-3, grades 3-6, and grades 6-8. Compiled Sept. 2001.

Books About Colonial Times (Kansas City Public Library, KS): Author, title, summary of 18 books (mostly fiction) about colonial American.

Historical Fiction: Revolutionary War (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): About 60 books, with author, title, summary, from Avi's The Fighting Ground to David B. Weems's Son Of An Earl - Sold For A Slave. For grades 5-8.

Revolutionary War Reading List (Louisville Free Public Library, KY): Author, title, summary for over 20 chapter books, easy readers, and picture books about the American Revolution, from 18 Penny Goose by Sally M. Walker to Winter of Red Snow by Kristiana Gregory.

U.S. Revolutionary War Fiction for Children (Boulder Public Library - Children's Library): List of about 25 books, in alpha order by author's name. Title, author, date. List compiled 1995.

Historical Fiction: The American Revolution (The Logan Library - Utah): Author and title of book listed. Arranged by interest age group, ages 8-13 and 13+.

American Revolution Fiction (Winona Public Library, Minn.): Listed by author, includes title, date published, and short description of book. Adult books listed first, then children's. Compiled 1996.

Lewis and Clark (Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR): Links to lots of online resources, plus lists -- with author, title, publication year, and webcat links -- for juvenile fiction and non-fiction titles, juvenile biographies, books about maps and mapmaking, and multimedia resources. About 65 books listed in all.

Lewis & Clark Books (Elmhurst Public Library, IL): 2-pp. PDF. Author and title only for about 55 books, organised by grade level, from read-aloud to middle school. Includes both fiction and non-fiction (noted). Compiled 2004.

Historical Fiction: Between the Revolution and the War of 1812 (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): About 40 books, with author, title, summary, from Joan Anderson's 1787: A Novel to Roger Zelazny's Wilderness. For grades 5-8.

American History 1800s Booklist (Kansas City Public Library, KS): Author, title, summary of over 25 fiction and non-fiction titles about American history of the 19th century.

American History 1900s Booklist (Kansas City Public Library, KS): Author, title, summary of over 25 fiction and non-fiction titles about American history of the 20th century.

Historical Fiction: Civil War (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): About 90 books, with author, title, and summary of each, from Merritt Allen's Blow, Bugles, Blow to G. Clifton Wisler's Thunder on the Tennessee. For grades 5-8.

Civil War Fiction for Children (Boulder Public Library - Children's Library): List of over 30 books, in alpha order by author's name. Title, author, date. List compiled 1995.

A Nation Divided: Fiction Set During the Civil War (St. Charles Public Library, IL): Lists 31 books by grade level (grade 2-3, 3-6, and 6-8), with summaries and page counts. Compiled Nov. 1998.

Slavery and Underground Railroad Booklist (Friends of Freedom Society, Inc.): In alphabetical order by author, list of fiction and non-fiction books for children on these topics, with publication info (no summaries). About 165 titles.

Historical Fiction: The Civil War (The Logan Library - Utah): Author and title of book listed. Arranged by interest age group - picture books, easy readers, and novels for ages 8-13.

Historical Fiction: Frontier and Pioneer Life - The U.S. West (The Logan Library - Utah): Author and title of book listed. Arranged by interest age group - picture books, easy readers, and novels for ages 8-13.

Chapter Books about Frontier and Pioneer Life (Sarah S. Wright, Monroe County Public Library, IN): Provides author, title, and brief summary of about 45 books. Compiled April 1999.

Pioneers in Pictures: Visiting the Past in Picturebooks (Penticton Public Library, British Columbia): Provides author and title only for abour 20 books about pioneers, with an emphasis on the Canadian frontier, from Ida and the Wool Smugglers by Sue Ann Alderson to The Prairie Train by Antoine O'Flatharta.

Pioneers (Salt Lake City Public Library, UT): Author, title, summary for more than 30 books about pioneers, from All the Stars in the Sky: the Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mack Rider by Megan McDonald to Weasel by Cynthia DeFelice.

Historical Fiction: Overland Journeys to the West (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): Over 25, with author, title, summary, from Joan Anderson's Joshua's Westward Journal to Elizabeth Yates' Carolina's Courage. For grades 5-8.

Historical Fiction: The Thirties & The Great Depression (Bishop Learning Center, Punahou Educational Technology Center, Honolulu, HI): Over 45 books, with author, title, and summary of each, from Chester Aaron's Lackawanna: A Novel to Jane Yolen's Letting Swift River Go. For grades 5-8.

Children's Fiction Set in 1930s America (The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH): Author and title only for about 10 Easy books and about 20 Junior Fiction books set in American in the 1930s, from Karen Ackerman's Moveable Mabeline to Patricia Willis's The Barn Burner. Also over 20 non-fiction titles.

African American Historical Fiction (The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH): Author and title only for 6 Easy, 18 Junior Fiction, and 7 books of Folktales, from Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner to Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World by Mildred Pitts Walter.

Girls from America's Past (St. Charles Public Library, IL): Lists title and author of the Dear America series books, the American Diaries series books, and another 29 books and series featuring girls in American historical fiction. Compiled Sept. 1998.

Top 100 Children's Books in American History: First, turn off their background or you won't be able to read anything! Author, title, grade level, and short summary for most books listed, organised by topic - citizenship, immigration, presidential history, pioneers, etc.

Braving the New World--Stories of Immigration (Penticton Public Library, British Columbia): Provides author, title, summary for 15 books about immigration to Canada, from Skateway To Freedom by Ann Alma to Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker.

Canadian Juvenile Historical Fiction (Edmonton Public Library, Canada): Author, title, webcat link for about 60 works of historical fiction of Canada, organised by time period: To 1763 (New France); 1763-1867 (Confederation); 1867-1914 (World War I); 1914-1945 (World War II).

Wars of the 20th Century

World War II (Stanly County Public Library, NC): These books are not set in the U.S. (for those, see here.) Author, title, page count, publication year, summary (for most) for about 60 books, from Chester Aaron's Gideon to Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic.

In Flanders Field...Books About War (Dale Smith, Morse Institute Library, Natick, MA): Provides title, author, short summary, webcatalog link for 10 picture books, 9 fiction books, and 7 non-fiction books about wars in which the U.S. has fought. Includes Civil War, Revolutionary War, Vietnam War, WWII. Compiled Nov. 1999.

Historical Fiction: The World Wars and the Holocaust (The Logan Library - Utah): Author and title of book listed. Arranged by event, and by age groups (8-12, 12+) within each event.

World War II Fiction and Non-Fiction Bibliography (Carol Hurst): Mostly for grades 3-9, list of pertinent books with author, title, publication info, ISBNs, ordering links, grade recommendations, and summary of books.

World War II Chapter Books (Boulder Public Library - Childrens Library): Alphabetical list (by author) of chapter books concerning WWII. With links to picture books on WWII, as well as books on the HOLOCAUST. Lists compiled 1999.

Books About World War II (Sarah S. Wright, Monroe County Public Library, IN): Author, title, and summary for 8 picture books, 12 chapter books, and 8 non-fiction/biographies. Compiled May 1999.

World War II: Young Adult and Children's Fiction (Voorheesville Public Library, NY): Author, title, summary of 10 novels about WWII, from Martin Booth's War Dog to Graham Salisbury's Under the Blood Red Sun.

Holocaust Booklist for Young People (Carrie Kelley, Sandy Library, Salt Lake County Library System, UT): Author, title, summary, page count for each of about 60 books, arranged by reading age level: Picture books, Juvenile fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Anne Frank/Other Witnesses, Eyewitness Accounts for Older Readers, General Overview (non-fiction), videos. Compiled Jan. 2001.

Holocaust Books (Northbrook Public Library, IL): By reading level (Easy, Junior, YA), a list of titles (with authors, page counts, and summaries) of over 115 fiction books on the Holocaust, and about 150 non-fiction.

Holocaust Fiction Titles (Naperville Public Library, IL): Author's last name, title, publication year, and summary for about 40 books, from Karen Ackerman's Night Crossing to Jane Yolen's The Devil's Arithmetic.

Holocaust Booklist (Becky White - Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, IN): Author, title, publication year, summary for 17 books about the WWII Holocaust. Updated Feb. 2006.

Relocation and Internment in Children's Books (Cynthia Leitich Smith - Children's Literature Resources): Eight books suggested, with authors, titles, publication info, suggested age ranges, summaries. Also some oinline resources concerning Japanese internment in the U.S. during WWII.