Historical Fiction

A list of suggested titles for this summer's Reading is an Adventure Challenge: Historical. Features books set during the Middle Ages, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, and World War II.

Updated June 21, 2024
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Mary Bowser and the Civil War spy ring
Alberti, Enigma
Paper Book
Your Mission: Find Mary's secret diary using spycraft stools to uncover hidden codes! It's a true story of bravery: Mary Bowser was an African American spy for the Union who worked as a maid in the mansion of Confederate Jefferson Davis. From hair-raising close...

Civil War

Iron thunder : the battle between the Monitor & the Merrimac : a Civil War novel
Avi
Paper Book
After his father is killed, 13-year-old Tom Carroll takes a job at a Brooklyn ironworks. Tom learns that the men are building a ship from iron to be used by the Union Army against the Confederate ironclad called the Merrimac. Illustrated with period photos, drawings, and maps.

Civil War

Sophia's war :
Avi,
Paper Book
Lives hang in the balance in this gripping Revolutionary War adventure from a beloved Newbery Medalist. In 1776, young Sophia Calderwood witnesses the execution of Nathan Hale in New York City, which is newly occupied by the British army. Sophia is horrified by the event and...

Revolutionary War

Catherine's war /
Billet, Julia,
Paper Book
"A shining story of a young girl who struggles to come of age and find her place in a world fraught with danger." --Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hitler Youth * Winner of the Youth Prize at the Angoulême International Comics Festival (voted by readers) * Winner...

World War II

The war that saved my life /
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker.
Paper Book
*Newbery Honor book *Winner of the Schneider Family Book Award  *Forbes 25 Top Historical Fiction Books Of All Time selection This #1 New York Times bestseller is an exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War II,...

World War II

Overboard /
Brezenoff, Steven.
Ebook
Best friends Maya and Tucker didn't expect to spend their spring break onboard the Titanic -- in 1912. But now that they've discovered a special collection of artifacts has the power to send them back in time, they're on a mission. They must travel back in time again to save their friend Liam and...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Stowaways /
Brezenoff, Steven.
Ebook
After Tucker and Maya are jolted back to the present by Titanic's iceberg collision, they don't know what will happen to their new friend, Liam, who is still trapped onboard. They travel back to 1912 again to make sure Liam and his parents, all third-class passengers, make it to the lifeboats in...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Time voyage /
Brezenoff, Steven.
Ebook
On the first day of their spring break, best friends Tucker and Maya discover a "Special Collection" of Titanic artifacts at the local museum. But the artifacts have more power than they know. When they touch a magic ticket, Tucker and Maya find themselves transported 100 years in the past -- to...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

An unsinkable ship /
Brezenoff, Steven.
Ebook
After Tucker and Maya are jolted back to the present by Titanic's iceberg collision, they don't know what will happen to their new friend, Liam, who is still trapped onboard. They travel back to 1912 again to make sure Liam and his parents, all third-class passengers, make it to the lifeboats in...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

The arrow over the door /
Bruchac, Joseph,
Paper Book
For young Samuel Russell, the summer of 1777 is a time of fear. The British Army is approaching, and the Indians in the area seem ready to attack. To Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian scouting for King George, Americans are dangerous enemies who threaten his family and home. When Stands...

Revolutionary War

Code talker :
Bruchac, Joseph,
Paper Book
"Readers who choose the book for the attraction of Navajo code talking and the heat of battle will come away with more than they ever expected to find."-Booklist, starred review Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a...

World War II

The Titanic
Charman, Katrina
Paper Book
Pets face danger on the Titanic in the first thrilling installment of the Survival Tails, perfect for readers of the I Survived and Ranger in Time series! When loyal dog Mutt discovers that his owner and best friend Alice is set to board the RMS Titanic without...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

My brother Sam is dead /
Collier, James Lincoln,
Paper Book
Winner of the Newbery Honor, the Revolutionary War comes alive in this contemporary classic for young adults. The Revolutionary War had no clear-cut loyalties--it divided families, friends, and towns. Young Tim Meeker's sixteen-year-old brother goes off to fight with the Patriots...

Revolutionary War

The journey of little Charlie
Curtis, Christopher Paul
Paper Book
Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis brings his trademark humor and heart to the story of a boy struggling to do right in the face of history's cruelest evils.The National Book Award finalist by Christopher Paul Curtis!Twelve-year-old Charlie is down on his luck: His sharecropper father...

Civil War

Catherine, called Birdy
Cushman, Karen.
Paper Book
A 1995 Newbery Honor Book  Catherine, a spirited and inquisitive young woman of good family, narrates in diary form the story of her fourteenth year--the year 1290. A Newbery Honor Book.

Middle Ages

When will this cruel war be over? :
Denenberg, Barry.
Paper Book
The peaceful Southern life that Emma Simpson and her family have always known is shattered when the Civil War begins. Emma's father and brother are called to battle, but her family believes the Confederacy will quickly win the War between the States. However, as the months drag on, the harsh...

Civil War

Johnny Tremain /
Forbes, Esther.
Paper Book
Johnny Tremain, a young apprentice silversmith, is caught up in the danger and excitement of 1775 Boston, just before the Revolutionary War. But even more gripping than living through the drama of Revolutionary Boston is the important discovery Johnny makes in his own life.

Revolutionary War

The inquisitor's tale, or, The three magical children and their holy dog
Gidwitz, Adam
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book Winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award An exciting and hilarious medieval adventure from the bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm. Beautifully illustrated throughout by Hatem Aly!  ★ A New York Times...

Middle Ages

Genevieve's war /
Giff, Patricia Reilly.
Paper Book
In this companion to the Newbery Honor-winning Lily's Crossing, thirteen-year-old Genevieve risks everything to defy the Nazis and join the French Resistance. Winner of the Christopher Award! It's not always thinking of being happy. Doing the...

World War II

Lily's crossing /
Giff, Patricia Reilly.
Paper Book
This "brilliantly told" (New York Times) Newbery Honor Book gives readers a sense of what it was like to be on the American home front while our soldiers were away fighting in World War II.   As in past years, Lily will spend the summer in Rockaway, in her family's...

World War II

Allies /
Gratz, Alan,
Paper Book
  "A rousing and humane tribute to D-Day troops" -New York Times Book Review From Alan Gratz, the highly acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of the blockbuster Refugee, comes another thrilling multi-perspective novel, this time centered around D-Day. D-Day,...

World War II

Grenade /
Gratz, Alan,
Paper Book
Here it is! The hugely anticipated follow-up to Gratz's NYT bestselling, critically acclaimed phenomenon REFUGEE. This is another searing and heart-pounding look at kids making their way through war.A New York Times bestseller!It's 1945, and the world is in the grip of war.Hideki lives...

World War II

Hear the wind blow
Hahn, Mary Downing.
Paper Book
On a cold, snowy night, Haswell Magruder makes a decision that will have a profound effect on his own life as well as the lives of all those he loves. A wounded Confederate soldier appears at the family’s Virginia farm, and Haswell convinces his mother and sister to take the man in, despite...

Civil War

Lafayette! :
Hale, Nathan,
Paper Book
Meet French nobleman and American Revolutionary War hero the Marquis de Lafayette in author-illustrator Nathan Hale's New York Times bestselling Hazard Tales graphic novel series. STARRED REVIEW *"Action-packed. . . . A must-buy." --School Library Journal...

Revolutionary War

Treaties, trenches, mud, and blood /
Hale, Nathan,
Paper Book
Learn about the most well-known battles (and little-known secrets) of World War I with author-illustrator Nathan Hale's Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood, a Hazardous Tale from the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series. "These books are, quite...

World War I

Ghosts of the Civil War
Harness, Cheryl.
Paper Book
Lindsey couldn't have cared less about the Civil War, let alone a battle reenactment. After all, who cares about a boring old war that happened more than a hundred years ago?And then she meets Willie -- but he's not just another kid, he's actually Willie Lincoln, and he's traveled back to the...

Civil War

A light in the storm :
Hesse, Karen.
Paper Book
Newbery Medal winner Karen Hesse's Civil War diary, A LIGHT IN THE STORM, is now back in print with a beautiful new cover! In 1861, Amelia Martin's father is stripped of his post as a ship's captain when he is caught harboring the leader of a slave rebellion. Now he is an assistant...

Civil War

The plot to kill a queen :
Hopkinson, Deborah.
Paper Book
Publishers Weekly calls this utterly charming, deftly crafted mystery about an intrepid young girl's quest to foil a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I "worthy of a standing ovation". Emilia Bassano is a girl who relishes the music of words. Although she plays the lute and...

Middle Ages

Hero on a bicycle /
Hughes, Shirley,
Paper Book
In her first novel, beloved author Shirley Hughes presents a World War II adventure proving that in extraordinary circumstances, people are capable of extraordinary things. Italy, 1944: Florence is occupied by Nazi forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope,...

World War II

Whistling in the dark /
Hughes, Shirley,
Paper Book
Legendary author Shirley Hughes draws on her young teenage memories for a compelling novel of friendship and mysteries set in Liverpool during the Blitz. Liverpool, 1940: Thirteen-year-old Joan's home is under constant threat from the Nazis' terrifying nightly air raids. Everyone...

World War II

Across five Aprils /
Hunt, Irene.
Paper Book
The Newbery Award-winning author of Up a Road Slowly presents the unforgettable story of Jethro Creighton--a brave boy who comes of age during the turbulent years of the Civil War. In 1861, America is on the cusp of war, and young Jethro Creighton is just nine-years...

Civil War

Secret soldiers
Hutton, Keely
Paper Book
A 2020 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year A 2020 Children's Book Council Notable Social Studies Book for Young People Over a quarter million underage British boys fought on the Allied front lines of the Great War, but not all of them fought on the...

World War I

A place to belong
Kadohata, Cynthia
Paper Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 A Japanese-American family, reeling from their ill treatment in the Japanese internment camps, gives up their American citizenship to move back to Hiroshima, unaware of the devastation wreaked by the atomic bomb in this...

World War II

Dogs of war
Keenan, Sheila.
Paper Book
Sheila Keenan's captivating stories and Nathan Fox's stunning art bring the heroic military dogs to life Some war heroes heard wind whistling over a hidden trip wire. Some war heroes sniffed out a sniper 1,000 yards away. Some war heroes stood tall...on four legs! ...

World War I and World War II

Rifles for Watie
Keith, Harold
Paper Book
Winner of the Newbery Medal * An ALA Notable Children's Book * Winner of the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award A captivating and richly detailed novel about one young soldier who saw the Civil War from both sides and lived to tell the tale. Earnest, plain-spoken sixteen-year-old Jeff Bussey...

Civil War

Tennessee Rose /
Kendall, Jane F.
Paper Book
Alabama, 1856. Tennessee Rose is a dark bay Tennessee Walking Horse with a rose-shaped marking on her forehead. She loves dashing around the plantation in the running walk that her breed is famous for, then coming back to her comfortable stall and her friend Levi, the slave boy who is her groom. But...

Civil War

Unsinkable /
Korman, Gordon.
Paper Book
The ultimate action/adventure trilogy begins, with #1 bestselling author Gordon Korman plunging readers into the heart of the Titanic.The Titanic is meant to be unsinkable, but as it begins its maiden voyage, there's plenty of danger waiting for four of its young passengers. Paddy is a stowaway,...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Dash /
Larson, Kirby.
Paper Book
New from Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson, the moving story of a Japanese-American girl who is separated from her dog upon being sent to an incarceration camp during WWII.Although Mitsi Kashino and her family are swept up in the wave of anti-Japanese sentiment following the attack on Pearl...

World War II

Duke
Larson, Kirby.
Paper Book
A poignant World War II story about a boy and his dog and his dad, and the many meanings of bravery, from Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson.With World War II raging and his father fighting overseas in Europe, eleven-year-old Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part to help his family and his...

World War II

Faceless
Lasky, Kathryn
Paper Book
Newbery Honor winner Kathryn Lasky, author of the Guardians of Ga'hoole series, delivers a riveting adventure about young British spies on a secret mission in Germany in WWII.  "Fascinating and riveting, especially for history buffs and spy aficionados." --Kirkus ...

World War II

A ceiling made of eggshells
Levine, Gail Carson
Paper Book
In A Ceiling Made of Eggshells, Newbery Honor-winning author Gail Carson Levine tells a moving and ambitious story set during the expulsion of Jews from Spain, about a young Jewish girl full of heart who must play her own role in her people's epic history--no matter the sacrifice.<...

Middle Ages

Number the stars.
Lowry, Lois,
Paper Book
The unforgettable Newbery Medal-winning novel from Lois Lowry. As the German troops begin their campaign to "relocate" all the Jews of Denmark, Annemarie Johansen's family takes in Annemarie's best friend, Ellen Rosen, and conceals her as part of the family. Through the eyes of ten-year...

World War II

The Mad Wolf's daughter
Magras, Diane
Paper Book
***A New York Times Editors' Choice*** A Scottish medieval adventure about the youngest in a war-band who must free her family from a castle prison after knights attack her home--with all the excitement of Ranger's Apprentice and perfect for fans of heroines like Alanna from...

Middle Ages

Winnie's great war /
Mattick, Lindsay.
Paper Book
From the creative team behind the bestselling, Caldecott Medal--winning Finding Winnie comes an extraordinary wartime adventure seen through the eyes of the world's most beloved bear. Here is a heartwarming imagining of the real journey undertaken by the extraordinary bear...

World War I

The bicycle spy
McDonough, Yona Zeldis
Paper Book
Can Marcel make the ride of his life?Marcel loves riding his bicycle, whether he's racing through the streets of his small town in France or making bread deliveries for his parents' bakery. He dreams of someday competing in the Tour de France, the greatest bicycle race. But ever since Germany's...

World War II

Love to everyone /
McKay, Hilary.
Paper Book
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2018 A Horn Book Best Book of 2018 "Vivid, hilarious, and heartbreaking." --Elizabeth Wein, New York Times bestselling author of Code Name Verity "The best children's book I've read this...

World War I

D-Day : battle on the beach
Messner, Kate
Paper Book
Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, heads to Normandy during World War II!In this adventure, Ranger heads to Normandy on the morning of the D-Day invasion and finds himself in the middle of one of the fiercest battles of World War II. Ranger meets Leo, a...

World War II

Disaster on the Titanic /
Messner, Kate.
Paper Book
Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, finds himself in 1912... on board the Titanic!Everyone says the Titanic is unsinkable, and Patrick Murphy believes this most of all. He grew up near the shipyard where the magnificent ship was built and...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

The day the world stopped turning
Morpurgo, Michael
Paper Book
Michael Morpurgo's The Day the World Stopped Turning is a middle-grade novel about an extraordinary boy who sees the world differently. In the unique landscape of the Camargue (France) during World War II, Lorenzo lives among the salt flats and the flamingos. There are...

World War II

War horse
Morpurgo, Michael.
Paper Book
An unforgettable tale of war, redemption, and a hero's journey.It is 1914, and Joey, a farm horse, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of World War I on the Western Front. When Joey is dragged away, his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he is forced to leave behind.In the...

World War I

Iceberg
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Paper Book
As disaster looms on the horizon, a young stowaway onboard the Titanic will need all her courage and wits to stay alive. A thrilling tale from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen! Hazel Rothbury is traveling all alone from her home in England aboard...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Lines of courage /
Nielsen, Jennifer A.
Stand-alone player
World War I stretches its cruel fingers across Europe, where five young people, each from different backgrounds and nations, facethe terror of battle, the deprivations of hunger, and all the awful challenges of war.Felix, from Austria-Hungary, longs for the bravery to resist Jewish deportations...

World War I

White bird :
Palacio, R. J.
Paper Book
Soon to be a major motion picture, starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson! R. J. Palacio's unforgettable graphic novel debut is a story about the power of kindness and unrelenting courage in a time of war. SYDNEY TAYLOR AWARD WINNER * A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF...

World War II

Last of the name
Parry, Rosanne
Paper Book
Twelve-year-old Danny O'Carolan and his sister, Kathleen, arrive in New York City in 1863, at the height of the Civil War. Kathleen finds a job in domestic service for herself and Danny, hoping to keep Danny from being drafted into the US Army as a drummer boy. As he explores the city and shares...

Civil War

Woods runner /
Paulsen, Gary,
Ebook
Samuel, 13, spends his days in the forest, hunting for food for his family. He has grown up on the frontier of a British colony, America. Far from any town, or news of the war against the King that American patriots have begun near Boston. But the war comes to them. British soldiers and...

Revolutionary War

The mostly true adventures of Homer P. Figg /
Philbrick, Rodman (W. Rodman),
Paper Book
A dramatic, witty Civil War tale from bestselling author Rodman Philbrick Master storyteller Rodman Philbrick takes readers on a colorful journey as young Homer Figg sets off to follow his brother into the thick of the Civil War. Through a series of fascinating events, Homer's...

Civil War

A whale in Paris :
Presley, Daniel,
Paper Book
A hopeful and heroic girl befriends a small, lost whale during World War II and together they embark on a journey to liberate France and find their families in this charming debut novel. Ever since the Germans became the unwelcome "guests" of Paris in the early days of World War...

World War II

Village of scoundrels : based on a true story of courage during WWII
Preus, Margi
Paper Book
Newbery Honor recipient Margi Preus tells the incredible true story of a group of French teenagers who helped save refugees in WWII Based on the true story of the French villagers in WWII who saved thousands of Jews, this novel tells how a group of young teenagers stood up for what is right. Among...

World War II

Don't tell the Nazis :
Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk.
Paper Book
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (author of Making Bombs for Hitler) crafts a story of ultimate compassion and sacrifice based on true events during WWII.The year is 1941. Krystia lives in a small Ukrainian village under the cruel -- sometimes violent -- occupation of the Soviets. So when the Nazis march...

World War II

Stolen girl :
Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk.
Paper Book
A companion to Making Bombs for Hitler and The War Below, this novel follows a Ukrainian girl who was kidnapped as a child to be raised by a Nazi family.Nadia is haunted by World War II. Her memories of the war are messy, coming back to her in pieces and flashes she can't control....

World War II

Trapped in Hitler's web /
Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk.
Paper Book
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch (author of Making Bombs for Hitler and Stolen Girl) delivers a gripping story about the bonds of friendship forged in the perils of war.In the grip of World War II, Maria has realized that her Nazi-occupied Ukrainian town is no longer safe. Though she and her...

World War II

The war below :
Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk.
Paper Book

World War II

Noelle at sea : a Titanic survival story
Smith, Nikki Shannon
Paper Book
Thirteen-year-old Noelle feels like the luckiest girl in the world to be cruising the Atlantic aboard the famed Titanic. The trip is made even better by her new friend, Pauline, a girl who is traveling with her father to live in America. The girls spend the first days of the journey exploring, but...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

The sinking of the Titanic, 1912 /
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
Ten-year-old George Calder can't believe his luck- he and his little sister, Phoebe, are on the famous Titanic, crossing the ocean with their Aunt Daisy. The ship is full of exciting places to explore, but when George ventures into the first class storage cabin, a terrible boom shakes the entire...

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

I survived the American Revolution, 1776 /
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
Bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tackles the American Revolution in this latest installment of the groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling I Survived series.British soldiers were everywhere. There was no escape.Nathaniel Fox never imagined he'd find himself in the middle of a blood...

Revolutionary War

I survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 /
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
The bloodiest battle in American history is under way . . .It's 1863, and Thomas and his little sister, Birdie, have fled the farm where they were born and raised as slaves. Following the North Star, looking for freedom, they soon cross paths with a Union soldier. Everything changes: Corporal Henry...

Civil War

I survived the Nazi invasion, 1944 :
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
A beautifully rendered graphic novel adaptation of Lauren Tarshis's bestselling I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944, with text adapted by Georgia Ball and art by Alvaro Sarraseca. It's been years since the Nazis invaded Max Rosen's home country of Poland. All the Jewish people, including...

World War II

I survived the Nazi invasion,1944 /
Tarshis, Lauren.
Paper Book
One of the darkest periods in history...In a Jewish ghetto, Max Rosen and his sister Zena struggle to live after their father is taken away by the Nazis. With barely enough food to survive, the siblings make a daring escape from Nazi soldiers into the nearby forest.Max and Zena are brought to a safe...

World War II

Voyage on the great Titanic :
White, Ellen Emerson.
Paper Book
Written from the point of view of a young passenger aboard the ill-fated Titanic, this title combines an award-winning series with the "disaster of the century".

The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

Wolf Hollow : a novel
Wolk, Lauren
Paper Book
A Newbery Honor Book New York Times Bestseller "Wolf Hollow has stayed with me long after I closed the book. It has the feel of an instant classic." --Linda Sue Park, Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestselling author of ...

World War I


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