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SchoolTube - Safe video sharing and management for K12

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Review what makes historical fiction so special, and analyze the story elements in Redcoats and Petticoats. Pencil and paper are optional for this lesson.

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Children's historical fiction chapter books transport kids into the past through the relatable eyes of a story about other kids. Readers learn so much about history when immersed in a story than in a nonfiction textbook or memorizing maps and dates.

In this list, you'll discover well-written chapter book favorites that kids can't put down.

Each book takes place in a time in history - whether it's World War II or ancient Egypt or the American Civil War or colonialism in India. As children are reading the story, they'll learn about that historical period through the eyes of the main characters in the book.

Readers will learn about different countries and cultures, too including Russia, Lithuania, Pakistan, England, Syria, China, and others.

Through this historical lens, readers will also learn about themselves. As we know, books help us know others and ourselves. Which is an amazing and valuable thing, isn't it?

First, find chapter books for beginning readers in first grade through third grade.

Then, you'll find middle-grade chapter books for more advanced readers in upper elementary.

Finally, find even more books for middle school students and young adult books for teens in high school.

Ready to find your next favorite historical fiction book?

Beginning Chapter Books: Historical Fiction

The Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne (ages 6 - 9)
A MUST-READ series for all kids! These combine mystery, history, magic, and adventure as siblings Jack and Annie adventure through time.

I Survived by Lauren Tarshis (ages 7 - 10)
Excellent, fast-paced adventures set during significant historical events! Your kids will zip through these fascinating adventures. The books always are about a young boy trying to survive a historically important, life-changing event. GREAT for reluctant readers since these are easier to read than the other books on this list.

Ranger in Time #1: Rescue on the Oregon Trail by Kate Messner, illustrated by Kelley McMorris (ages 6 - 9)
Ranger, a golden retriever trained for search-and-rescue, travels back to the Oregon Trail to help a family in need. It's a simple story that introduces the ups and downs of traveling on the Oregon Trail. The pacing is a bit slow but I'd still give it a chance.

by Bill Doyle, illustrated by Sarah Sax & You (ages 7 -10)
Interactive, educational, and fun! This book is an enticing doodle, activity, first-person choose-your-own-adventure book that will make you an expert on ancient Egypt.

Middle-Grade Chapter Books: Historical Fiction

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
Park writes a wonderfully touching multilayered story about a young half-Asian girl's life during western expansion, frontier times. After Hana's mother dies, her father moves the two of them to a small midwestern town. Park sets the scene with care and you'll see a realistic portrayal of life in the 1880s from the point of view from someone who is experiencing racism. Despite many unfair things, Hana stays resilient and determined to graduate from school and help her father in his shop.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Ada and her brother escape their mother's abuse when the London children are evacuated during WWII and go to live with a grieving woman in a small country town. It's difficult for both the woman and children to trust but slowly the trust grows and all three regain something lost - hope and love. " I slipped my hand into hers. A strange and unfamiliar feeling rand through me. It felt like the ocean, like sunlight, like horses. Like love. I searched my mind and found the name for it. Joy. " I can't recommend this book enough, it just touched my heart at such a deep level.

by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Following the first book, The War That Saved My Life, this captivating story continues during the War. Ada and her brother live with their new guardian, Susan. After Susan's home is bombed, they move to a small cottage that they share with Lady Thorton and a German Jewish girl named Ruth. It's not an ideal situation. Partly because Lady Thorton doesn't understand how to help around the house and she's prejudiced against Ruth. But we realize that in hard times, complicated people do the best they can. It's a bittersweet and profoundly moving story of loss and healing.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Forced to flee a dangerous situation in Mexico, Esperanza and her mother arrive in California and start working as migrant farm workers. The back-breaking work is only part of their new, challenging life. In this beautifully written, soulful novel, Esperanza learns to thrive no matter what her circumstances.

by Diane Magras
Set in medieval Scotland, this is an action-packed adventure of a strong female protagonist, medieval and mythical elements, plus an exciting plot. When Drest's war-band family is kidnapped by knights she sets off in pursuit, taking a wounded soldier hostage. Throughout their travels, the two develop a complicated friendship and Drest learns many uncomfortable truths about her family. First of all, I love when a girl rescues boys from death! You won't be able to put this excellent story down - I highly recommend it and the sequel, The Hunt for Mad Wolf's Daughter.

Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
Set in Victorian London, this is a beautiful, bittersweet story about a plucky girl and her protector golem which illuminates the horrifying lives of chimney sweep kids as well as the world's anti-semitism. Nan works for a cruel chimney sweep. When another sweep tries to burn Nan alive, a charcoal golem, formerly a piece of charcoal left to her by her adopted father Sweep, comes to life to save her. She and her growing protector golem, Char, find a new place to live but must stay vigilant so her old master doesn't find them. On their own, they are helped by a street boy and a kind Jewish teacher. It's an irresistible story that will expand your heart...and your definition of what makes a monster.

by Alan Gratz
Written from many different voices about one day in history, readers easily can see the massive amount of cooperation, planning. and troops from different countries involved in D-Day (when the Allies invaded France at Normandy.) We hear from an American teenager soldier who was born in Germany, a French Algerian girl whose mom is a recently captured spy, a Canadian paratrooper who lands in the wrong spot, and an American black medic. It's violent and disheartening yet despite terrible losses, racism, and injuries, the fighters persist despite everything to accomplish their goal - to take back the area for the Allies. What an incredible retelling of this day, appropriate for middle-grade readers.

by Charlene Willing McManis and Traci Sorell
Indian No More is an emotional, important story about when the U.S. government arbitrarily made certain Native American tribes no longer tribes without reservations or legal rights. It also shows the historical landscape of prejudice and stereotypes towards people of color. I love the close-knit, loving family based on the author's own life, a family who values each other and their survival. This book is a must-read and must-own for all schools and libraries and would make an excellent book club selection. Also on OwnVoices Historical Fiction Chapter Books.

Brothers Keeper by Julie Lee
Based on her grandmother's escape from North Korea, this historical fiction is a powerful read that captures the fearful culture of North Korea, the marginalization of females, and the bond between siblings. As war erupts with South Korea, Sora and her family decide to flee from North Korea while they might still have a chance. Sora and her little brother are separated from their family yet continue on to the south. They experience death, kidnapping, starvation, killings, winter's brutal cold, all the while the Red Army marches right behind them, and her brother, Youngsoo gets sicker and sicker. The siblings' journey is interspersed with memories of her childhood including her mother's disdain and criticism and how she was forced to leave school to care for her little brothers. Amazingly, the two make it to the south where they're reunited with the rest of their family but it's a bittersweet ending.

by Ann Clare LeZotte
This mesmerizing historical fiction story takes place in the community of Chilmark with a high percentage of deaf individuals. Mary's a smart girl who speaks in sign language. She's easily able to communicate with other islanders because everyone signs. She struggles with her friend Nancy's prejudice against the "Indians" and notices the injustice of how the Native Americans are treated. Then, a researcher arrives with preconceived notations of the "infirmity" of deaf people and he kidnaps Mary as a live specimen. For months she's imprisoned and forced to work, then locked in a room and studied. Eventually, she escapes and is reunited with her family. This is an eye-opening, must-read story about the historical treatment and prejudice towards the deaf and, echoing that, the Wampanoag.

by R.J. Palacio
Pony is a deeply moving story set in western frontier times about a boy who, with a remarkable pony and ghostly best friend, sets off from home in pursuit of his kidnapped father. Silas lives with his genius father whose been a bootmaker but now is an innovative photographer, improving on the daguerrotypes using his own scientific experimentation. After a group of counterfeiting bandits kidnaps Silas's dad, a mysterious Arabian horse returns back to Silas's house; he sees this as a sign and leaves his home on "Pony" to find his father. In a haunted woods, Silas meets a U.S. marshall who is also tracking the group and who abrasively teaches Silas how to survive. The two track the bandits to a cave - and things get even more complicated with the marshall and his horse are badly hurt. Silas must ride to the nearest town and hope that he can convince the sheriff to gather a posse to rescue his dad and capture the bad guys. Ultimately, Pony is a story of courage, love, and the ties that bind us together, even after death.

A page-turning historical ghost mystery about racism, justice, bravery, and friendship. When her father Is murdered by white men in Georgia in 1922, his ghost appears to Ophelia warning she and her mom to escape. After that, Ophie sees ghosts everywhere, even in their new home of Pittsburg. When she's forced to drop out of school to work, she works for the same rich family as her mom. At her new job, she meets a beautiful, charming ghost named Clara who was murdered but can't remember it. Ophie wants to discover the truth and help her new friend. But ghosts don't have good intentions and will do anything, including possessing someone, to get their revenge. Ophie needs to be careful...

by Alda P. Dobbs
Based on the true history of the author's great-grandmother, this is a beautiful and important story of hope, resiliency, and family set in historical Mexico, 1913. Petra Luna, her Abuela, her little sister, and her baby brother flee their home when Federales burn the village. Petra's Abuelita calls reading and writing barefoot dreams, meaning they're not meant to go far but when they're helped by a female rebel captain, Petra reaffirms that she can be more than her Abuelita thinks - that she can keep her promise to save her family and realize her barefoot dreams, too. Their trials culminate in a harrowing and life-threatening experience as they wait with throngs of other people trying to cross the bridge into the United States before the Federales arrive on the Mexican side. Exciting, interesting, and inspiring.

Ground Zero by Alan Gratz
Disturbing. This first-person story is about a boy named Brandon whose dad took him to work in the Twin Towers on 9/11 and recounts his confusion, fear, and horror during the terrorist event. Sensitive readers, be aware that this book does include real events like the wall of fire and the people jumping off the building, and the death of Brandon's dad. But, it also shows a complete stranger taking responsibility and care of Brandon, ultimately getting him to safety. Simultaneously, we read a first-person story about a girl in Afghanistan who helps an American soldier against the Taliban's wishes.

Ahisma by Supriya Kelkar
Not only did I learn a lot (a lot!!) about Indian history during the time of Gandhi, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this incredible, passion-filled story. Anjali's parents join the freedom movement against the British government. Through her parents, Anjali begins to see her world differently including the poverty-stricken caste of many people call "the Untouchables". Other Indian families do not like the changes her family is making. Then, Anjali's mom is thrown in jail! I couldn't put this book down.

by Lauren Wolk
When Ellie's family loses everything in the Great Depression, they move to a Maine mountain. She loves the mountain and their new hard-scrabble life but a terrible accident leaves her father in a coma and it's harder than ever. She takes the blame for the accident, works hard to find food, and tries to get along with her mother and siblings. A mangy dog leads her to the "hag", an older woman who is very ill. She helps the woman's grandson with remedies which gives her ideas to help her father. Echo Mountain is a heartfelt story about survival, finding and accepting yourself, healing emotionally and physically, kindness to animals and strangers with rich character development.

by Ilyasha Shabazz and Renee Watson
I devoured this compelling, well-written story about a year in the teen life of Betty who later became well known for being the wife of Malcolm X. Betty's mother seemed to despise her but Betty had good friends and younger siblings who loved her. Eventually, kind church friends took her in and adopted Betty. During this period of her life, we see the importance of church, counting her blessings, the activist housewives group she belonged to, and how a family is what you make it. Reading this account made me want to know more about the rest of her life! Excellent!!!

by Daniel Jose Older
Take a thrilling ride through Civil War history - with DINOSAURS! In this exciting adventure with diversity, slavers kidnap most of the orphans in NYC's Colored Orphan Asylum but the small group of kids that escapes to join with the Vigilance Committee to fight back and rescue their kidnapped friends. What I LOVE about this book:
* action-packed plot

* both reimagined & actual history

* the diversity of the main characters

* that dinosaurs and dactyls still exist!! - and are used as air, land, and sea transportation * couldn't put it down!

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Written in a diary as letters to her Mama, Nisha shares how her life is turned upside down when the British rule of India ends in 1947, splitting the country into two - the Muslim north where she lives becomes Pakistan and the Hindu south remains India. Even though Nisha's mom was Muslim, Nisha, her brother, her doctor Papa and her grandmother are forced to leave their home in the north because they are Hindu. There's violence everywhere; nowhere is safe, not even the trains. It's a harrowing journey and confusing time. This story, filled with historical significance, is masterfully told. You won't want to put this one down.

by Saadia Faruqi
Step into the shoes of Yusef around the 20th anniversary of 9/11, a Pakistani-American Muslim who lives in a small Texas town. He's bullied at his middle school with hateful notes and his small community is besieged with hate and anger from the Patriot Sons group. Yusef tries to focus on his robotics team and his family but when a robotic toy that he made for his sister gets him accused of bomb-making and detained at the jail for twelve hours, he has to decide how he'll respond. Assimilate, leave, only befriend other Muslims, or stand up to the bullies. He decides to take his father's advice and try using love to overcome hate... Growing up is hard but in this is a powerful story inspired by true events, you will feel deep empathy and sorrow for what Yusef experiences because of his religious beliefs.

The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and A Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson
Wow. I not only learned a TON from this historical fiction novel, but it was thoroughly mesmerizing! Eel's an orphan who turns one of his odd jobs into saving lives when he helps a real historical person, Dr. Snow, determine if the water pump in Eel's neighborhood is the source of deadly cholera.

Running Out of Night by Sharon Lovejoy
I highly recommend this powerful story of two maltreated girls who hope for a better future. The narrator is a white girl in the south who is nothing more than a slave to her family, she doesn't even have a name. She meets and joins a runaway slave who is escaping the horrific brutality of slavery and separation from her family. Together they find kindness and hope with a Quaker family.

The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts by Avi
Action-packed from the first page, this is one historical fiction novel you don't want to miss. Oliver wakes to find his house flooded and his father missing. After being thrown in the poorhouse for orphans, he manages to escape with stolen money only to be accosted by a highwayman. It's one misfortune after another but Oliver is determined to find his father and sister in London. Somehow.

by N.H. Senzai
There's nothing that illuminates a situation more than reading a story about someone who is living it. The story alternates between when the 2010 violence erupted in Syria and the "present" time in 2013 when Nadia's home is bombed and she escapes. Only her family accidentally thinks she's dead and leaves her behind. Nadia meets an old man and two orphans. They navigate through the checkpoints and bombings, seeing that the old man has many identities and even though he's sick, he's trying to rescue historical artifacts from the war. It's a powerful story about a country and people in crisis.

Anne of Green Gables (A Graphic Novel) adapted by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler (ages 8 - 12)
Having just watched this series on Netflix ( "Anne with an E") with my daughter, we liked this graphic novel adaptation of orphan Anne's life in Canada at Green Gables but longed for the details that only the show or, even better, the actual novel could provide. However, this is a great introduction to the series and hopefully, the stories selected in this graphic novel will inspire kids to read the original books by L.M. Montgomery.

Chains, Forge, Ashes (Seeds of America) by Laurie Halse Anderson (ages 10+)
I'm writing this after just closing Ashes, the final book of this historical fiction series about the time of the Revolutionary War as experienced through the eyes of an African-American girl named Isabel and her friend, Cuzon. Enslaved, escaped, or enlisted, these two are determined survivors. The writing is amazing and the stories, captivating. I love and highly recommend these books!

by Ellen Oh
This incredible book packs a big punch because it sensitively and truthfully addresses depression, racism, family relationships, friendship, and strength to stand up against injustice as well as recounts the Korean War from the perspectives of two children, Junie's grandparents. In the present day, Junie faces bullying and microaggressions, then her friends drop her for being too negative. Her sadness and fatigue lead to suicidal thoughts then medication and therapy. Even more helpful are Junie's interviews with her grandparents, immigrants from South Korea who faced their war-filled childhood hardships with determination and courage. Her grandpa's story helps Junie find her strength, helping her see that silence against injustice is complicity and that being a good friend is important. Moving, important, and beautiful. *SENSITIVE READERS: This book includes suicidal thoughts, the violence of war, and a couple of bad words.

The Lost Kingdomby Matthew J. Kirby
The wild west plus fantastical elements combine in this marvelous adventure of an expedition to find the lost people of the Welsh Prince Madoc. This is the wild west like you've never imagined. And you'll love it.

The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett
Tissue alert - this story made me weep. A lot. Racking sobs, I'm not kidding. It's a breathtaking story; a fable about life set in Nazi Germany. We follow three Gypsy siblings who have witnessed the capture of their family and friends. While walking and searching for food, they find an abandoned zoo, with talking animals. That's all I'll reveal. You NEED to read this beautiful story. It will change your life.

The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford, illustrated by Kelly Murphy
The girl-centric history is really interesting (and empowering), the characters are so well-developed you feel as if you know them, and the plot is a grand adventure! The author imagines a friendship between Ada Byron, genius daughter of Lord Byron and the world's first computer programmer, and Mary Shelley, the world's first science-fiction author. Mary joins Ada to study with Ada's tutor and the two girls form a detective agency. In this first adventure, Mary and Ada learn about another historical figure who invented hypnotism and solve the case of a stolen heirloom.

The Girl in the Torch by Robert Sharenow
The Girl in the Torch is a touching middle-grade historical fiction novel that follows an orphaned girl's journey to America. For a while, she hides out in the Statue of Liberty, then the watchman finds her and lets her stay at his boarding house. This is very well-written and shows a glimpse into the history of immigrants. I didn't want to put it down once!

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III, illustrated by James Mark Yellowhawk
Jimmy McClean's grandfather takes him on a road trip where he shares the stories of Crazy Horse - his life and battles up to his death. They travel from the Dakotas (home of the Lakota) to Wyoming and other places significant to Crazy Horse's life. I thought that following the duo traveling to the sites and then hearing the grandfather's mesmerizing stories made this book easy to follow and very interesting. I actually wish they had included a map so I could picture it in my head and maybe take my own kids. It's a sobering true story and one that will stick with me.

The Watcher by Joan Hiatt Harlow
American-raised Wendy's Nazi-spy mom takes her to live in Germany during World War II. Wendy doesn't even speak the language and feels overwhelmed with her mother's zeal for Hitler. When Wendy starts working at Lebensborn, the place where only Aryan children live - many who were forcibly removed from their parents - she learns from her new friend about standing up for what's right.

Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson
This author has her own story, her own style of writing, and masterfully brings the two together in a story that makes the history of the 1950s in Mississippi come to life through her compelling characters. Rose Lee Carter is a girl who is raised by her grandma and father, works in the cotton fields, and is best friends with the preacher's son. She dreams of leaving Mississippi for the north like her mom and aunt, especially after the white men who killed Emmett Till are found not guilty in a real-life historical trial.

by Brian Eames
Set in 17th century England, Kitto must travel with his pirate uncle after his dad is murdered. The story is suspenseful as Kitto tries to discover his family's secret history and survive life among pirates. Tons of great action!

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Lowry does an excellent job at writing about WWII in a way that isn't too scary or inappropriate for kids. Annemarie's best friend hides Annemarie's Jewish family. The tension is high as the Nazis are everywhere looking for Jews or Jewish sympathizers. It's challenging to hide knowing that every day you could be caught and sent to a death camp. Finally, the family escapes to Sweden where they will be safe from the Nazis.

Walk by Sandra Dallas
The story follows Emmy and her parents' trip from Illinois to Colorado by covered wagon. Dallas does a great job of character development, so we become just as concerned as Emmy when we see a fellow traveler being mistreated by her husband. We worry when Emmy finds a dog - and hope her father lets her keep it.

by Angie Frazier
My 12-year old says this is a GREAT mystery. Set in 1905 in New Brunswick, Suzanna works at her family's inn. When a young guest disappears, Suzanna's detective uncle arrives for the search. But, Zanna finds clues of her own that lead her to think there is more than one mystery going on.

Gladiator School Book 1 Blood Oath by Dan Scott
This is an ancient Roman historical fiction adventure (and mystery) about a young boy named Lucius whose father is accused of a crime. When the family loses everything, the oldest brother decides to be a gladiator - which is equivalent to slave status and a good way to die young.

Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier by Ying Chang Compestine and Vinson Composting
If your kids aren't interested in Chinese history, they will be after reading this novel. Ming lives in rural communist China with his father, who finds artifacts for the museum. A discovered terra-cotta soldier who comes to life and befriends Ming. They must work together to protect the soldiers and Emperor Qin's tomb. I like how the authors wove in historical photos and information. It sounds like a silly premise for a story but it worked - and was very good.

by Gigi Amateau
Based on the true story of a plantation slave named Gabriel, this story imagines his childhood growing up with the master's son, learning the blacksmith trade, and later planning a rebellion. It gives readers a glimpse into the grim realities of slavery and growing up in the most difficult of circumstances.

Heart of a Samuraiby Margi Preus
An award-winning historical fiction adventure set in the late 1800s about Manjiro, a shipwrecked 14-year old Japanese boy who is rescued and adopted by an American ship's captain. Americans are very prejudiced against the Japanese but when he returns to Japan, he's rejected as an outsider there and imprisoned. Excellent.

by Caroline Lawrence
12-year old P.K., a private eye, lives in the wild west and is a brilliant individual who is hired to solve the murder. P.K.'s characteristics will make adults think of Aspergers - brilliant, prefers to be alone, collects cigars. It's an entertaining mystery with a fun historical bent.

by Brenda Woods
Mr. Meriwether Hunter saves Gabriel from the path of an oncoming car. That begins a relationship between a young white boy and a black WWI vet. Gabriel's eyes become slowly opened to the discrimination that his new friend and his family face - including why he doesn't talk about being a soldier. It's a realistic, historical narrative that introduces kids to the south's prejudices as well as the treatment of soldiers after WWII.

Finding Langston by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Langston is a former country boy who moves with his dad to Chicago in the 1940s after his mother passes. It's a hard transition yet when he discovers the library, he also discovers himself through the poetry of Langston Hughes. This is a beautiful story of redemption, healing, and the power of words.

by Rob Lloyd Jones
London, 1842. This second book in the series makes me so eager to read the first book - it's really a fascinating story with its absolutely excellent character development and an intriguing plot. Wild Boy is literally covered in fur - yes, literally. He now lives with the Gentlemen who rescued he and his best friend, Clarissa, from the circus and the crazed Londoners who believed him to be a dangerous murderer. The Queen of England ask Wild Boy to solve the mystery of a most frightening terror that scares people to death - again, seemingly literally. Is is a really a demon's curse or something more human at work?

The Dollmaker of Krakow by Rachael Romero
A magical, live doll and a Polish magician toy store owner during WWII develop a beautiful friendship. Later, a friendship develops between the doll, the magician, a Jewish father, and his daughter. When the Nazis force the Jews into a ghetto, the doll encourages the magician to save as many children as he can by turning them into dolls for a short time. We only get a glimpse of the actual WWII horror; the story instead focuses on the relationships. The ending is heart-breaking but also life-affirming as we see the power of love and friendship.

The Many Reflections of Miss Jane Deming by J. Anderson Coats
Jane's haughty stepmom drags Jane and her younger brother on a ship traveling from the East coast to Washington Territory in search of a new, rich husband. Only the muddy street outpost of Seattle is not what they expected, nor are the men. Fortunately for Jane, her stepmom becomes desperate, marrying a kind man who welcomes the three of them into his small, rural home. It's an uplifting story with a vivid historical setting.

Young Adult Chapter Books: Historical Fiction

The Agency 3: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee (ages 13+)
Finally, a historical fiction - mystery SERIES to love! This third book in the stellar Mary Quinn mystery series is a delightful story. The premise is an orphan, Mary, is recruited by a clandestine detective agency of women, an agency that is very successful because no one would suspect women to be spies. Mary goes undercover in Queen Victoria's palace while facing other issues - one of a love interest and one that her long-lost father isn't so long lost after all.

KEEP READING THE BEST Mystery Chapter Books for Kids

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The Best Historical Fiction Chapter Books for Kids

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Children's historical fiction chapter books transport kids into the past through the relatable eyes of a story about other kids. Readers learn so much about history when immersed in a story than in a nonfiction textbook or memorizing maps and dates. In this list, you'll discover well-written chapter book favorites that kids can't put down.

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I love historical fiction because authors have a wonderful talent for making history come alive. History is so much more than dates and facts-it's stories and real people and how they lived and what they felt. Teaching kids about history through historical fiction is a great way to get them excited, and help them draw connections to their present. These 50 must-read historical fiction books for kids show a wide spectrum of time periods and experiences, and will hopefully make history come alive!

For more historical fiction, check out this list of 30 fascinating historical fiction books for middle school readers! Or, this list of the 50 best historical fiction books for adults.

The best historical fiction books for kids

This is the book I hand kids and parents who tell me they love Little House on the Prairie. Set in the 1840s, it's about an Ojibway family living near Lake Superior. Erdrich's book (the first in a series) is an important perspective on history and a great way for kids to learn about the past from a Native perspective.

When Esperanza and her family are forced to flee their privileged lives on a ranch in Mexico to a farm camp in California during the Great Depression, Esperanza must adapt to a new life of hard work and rise to meet the challenges of her new home.

Jobs are scarce in the 1930s, so when Turtle's mama gets a job as a housekeeper for a lady who doesn't like children, she's sent to live with family she's never met in Key West, Florida. Key West is full of adventure, cousins, and family secrets that Turtle is quick to uncover.

When sisters Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern are sent to stay with their mother, Cecile, in Oakland, California, for the summer, they're excited for Disneyland and reconnecting with their mother. But Cecile isn't the mother they expect, and puts them into a day camp run by the Black Panthers, opening their eyes to their family history and futures.

Set in 1242 France, this book with multiple stories is like a Canterbury Tales for kids. The tales of William, Jacob, Jeanne, and her dog Gwenforte all wind together to tell an extraordinary story about escaping prejudice and justice.

When the Nazis occupy Denmark, Annemarie and her family take in her best friend Ellen, who is Jewish, and pass her off as a member of the family until they are able to smuggle her out of the country to Sweden.

Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Sugar lives on the River Road sugar plantation, where slavery is over but life is far from easy. When a group of Chinese workers are brought in to help on the plantation, not everyone is happy. But Sugar befriends one of the young Chinese workers, and discovers that she just might be able to bridge the cultural gap.

Set during the Great Migration in the 1940s, this book tells the story of Langston, who moves from Alabama to Chicago. Once in Chicago, Langston discovers the library, which is open to everyone, and another Langston-the poet Langston Hughes.

Sun-hee and her family live in Korea, which is under Japanese occupation. Their own cultures, language, even their names are forbidden by the Japanese. But when WWII comes, the Koreans are expected to fight by Japan's side, and Sun-hee's brother enlists even as her family keeps secrets about the Korean resistance.

The first in the Mystery of Maisie Hutchins series, this book is about Maisie, convinced she'd make an excellent detective if just given the chance. Maisie keeps track of the comings and goings in her Victorian London boarding house until she observes a crime go unpunished and sets out to seek justice herself.

The first in the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series, this book follows young Lady Ada Byron and Mary Godwin, clever girls and best friends who form a detective agency to apprehend exceptionally clever criminals.

If your kid doesn't quite have the reading stamina for Anne of Green Gables, or is just wild for graphic novels, then this gorgeous adaptation of the L.M. Montgomery classic is perfect. Orphan Anne is accidentally sent to live on a farm on Prince Edward Island with two elderly siblings who wanted a boy, but is able to charm her way into their hearts with her vivid imagination and passionate loyalty.

In an alternate past, dinosaurs roam Civil War-era New York. Magdalys and her friends are orphans at the Colored Orphans Asylum, and when their friends are kidnapped, they flee to Dactyl Hill in Brooklyn, where they learn to ride dactylback and plot to rescue their kidnapped friends.

When sheltered Winnie Foster discovers a boy drinking from a mysterious spring under a tree in the woods, she meets the Tucks, an immortal family who have lived for years. As she learns about their story, the wonders they've seen, and the dangers they face, she must make a life-altering choice.

Based on a true story, the polar bear sent by the King of Sweden to the King of England as a gift. Arthur is put in the bear's cage as punishment, but shockingly she doesn't harm him. He's somehow able to handle her, and that makes him valuable on the perilous journey to the bear's new home.

Someone is plotting to kill George Washington, and it's up to young Phoebe, a spy placed in his home as a housekeeper, to figure out who before it's too late!

Segregation is just a way of life in Stella's small North Carolina town, and she navigates it the best she can. But when she's out late one night and sees something she's not supposed to, Stella is propelled to take a stand.

In 1927 Vermont, 10-year-old Donut is recently an orphan. Her aunt comes to stay with her, and a plan to whisk Donut off to Boston. But Donut loves the natural beauty of her Vermont home, and together with her friend Tiny hatches a plan to stay.

Turner Buckminster is the son of the new preacher in Phippsburg, Maine, and he hates it there. The only interesting person is Lizzie Bright, who lives on an island just off the coast, with a community founded by former slaves. When the townspeople formulate a plan to get Lizzie's community to evacuate the island and make way for tourism, Turner is left to bear witness to the tragedy that unfolds.

This novel in verse tells the story of Grace, whose family warns her to keep her mouth shut and her head down when she's sent to work in the big house. But the injustice proves to be too much, and when Grace says something that she an't take back, she and her family are forced flee slavery into the swamps, where they must dodge danger in pursuit of freedom.

In this illustrated chapter book adaptation of the Newbery Honor book The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, Calpurnia's little brother discovers a baby skunk in need of a home. Keeping the baby skunk a secret from Mother is easy enough...until his littermate shows up, also in need of help! This is the first in a series!

All 9-year-old Maria Singh wants is to be on the first girls' softball team in her California town in 1945. But as she and her teacher fight for the right to play, Maria's eyes are opened to the racism and prejudice that plague not just her Indian-Mexican-American family, but many families in her community perceived as different.

Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut

This novelization expands on the story of Winnie, the bear that was born in Canada, adopted by Captain Harry Colebourn and taken to Europe to travel with the Veterinary Corps during WWI, and would eventually find a home in the London Zoo, where she met Christopher Robin Milne and became the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh.

Rachel lives with her parents in British-occupied East Africa, where they serve as missionaries. When her parents die from influenza, Rachel is tricked by her scheming neighbors into being sent back to England, but she cannot give up her dream of building her parents' mission hospital.

Set in 1945 Detroit, Betty Before X is a novelization of the true story of Dr. Betty Shabazz's girlhood. Growing up feeling unloved, Betty turns to church and social justice movements to find her purpose, setting the foundation for growing up and meeting Malcolm X and becoming a civil rights icon in her own right.

Eleven-year-old Viviana lives in one of the apartments in the New York Public Library and knows almost everything there is to know about it. But when her claim that the library is haunted backfires on her, it's up to Viviani and her friends to solve not one, but two mysteries in the library!

Kenny and his family take a trip from their home in Flint to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit their grandmother in the hopes that she can straighten out his older brother. They arrive just as her church is bombed in one of the darker moments in the Civil Rights movement.

Little Man is great at baseball, but not so great at interacting with others thanks to his stutter. But when he takes over his friend's paper route one summer, he finds that talking with certain people is absolutely unavoidable.

Audacity is an orphan living at Miss Maisie's Home for Wayward Girls in the early 1910s. She longs for adventure beyond always getting in trouble, and gets her wish when Commodore Crutchfield mysteriously brings her to Washington, D.C., where she inadvertently becomes embroiled in a plot against President Taft.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

Twelve-year-old Glory has to deal with ever-shifting friendships and loyalties as her town decides whether or not to keep the segregated community pool open in their small Mississippi town in 1964.

This novel in verse tells the story of young Hà, who witnesses the fall of Saigon and immigrates to Alabama with her family. Alabama is so different from their homeland, and while it's full of excitement, Hà longs for her home and to know what happened to her missing father.

Starting middle school in 1958 is terrifying for Marlee, but luckily for her she makes a friend in Liz, who makes everything a little less scary. But when Liz leaves school abruptly and rumor says it's because she was passing for white, Marlee must summon her courage and fight to get her friend back.

Based on a true story, Sylvia and Aki are two young girls living in California whose stories intersect in a landmark case that paved the way for desegregation in U.S. schools.

Lily and her family spend every summer at her family's beach house in Rockaway, but this year is different: her father is about to head off to war, and her best friend has moved. Lily strikes up a friendship with Albert, a refugee from the war, but the lies they both tell may cost Albert his life.

Avi's Newbery-winning novel is about 13-year-old Crispin, who must flee his village when he's accused of a crime he didn't commit and his life is at stake. He's running from danger, but headlong into a mystery about his parents and past. This is the first in a series.

Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Set in the 1970s, Sunny is sent to live with her grandfather in Florida to keep her from a secret back at home.

Ten-year-old Sasha is looking forward to finally joining the Young Pioneers, the Communist Party's group for young people, but finds everything going awry when the time comes in this Newbery Honor book.

It's post-WWII in New Jersey and Penny is looking forward to a carefree summer when she learns firsthand the realities of prejudice and the lingering after effects of war, even in her own family.

Shirley Temple Wong is struggling to make friends in her new home when Jackie Robinson and his tremendous success in the 1947 season give her a way to connect with her peers.

Anna and her brother Caleb wait in anticipation for someone to answer their father's newspaper advertisement for a new wife and mother.

Wood kicks off the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series with this novel about young Miss Penelope Lumley, who becomes a governess for three children who have been raised by wolves.

Boy is an outcast in his village, until one day a mysterious pilgrim recruits Boy on his quest across Europe to collect the relics of Saint Peter.

Abilene Tucker feels abandoned by her father when he sends her to live with a friend while he takes a job, so she heads to his hometown to learn about his history-and her own.

Ten-year-old Anjali is shocked when her mother joins Gandhi's freedom movement, and must learn to re-think the meaning of bravery and freedom when her mother's methods go against convention.

Suzanna works at her family's inn in New Brunswick when a girl goes missing. Her uncle, a detective, comes to solve the case, but Suzanna can tell that something isn't quite adding up...

Franny isn't too bothered by WWII, until some neighbor children move in with her family while their mother goes off to find their father, a mechanic at a nearby base who might be involved in something dangerous, and the kids get swept up in the mystery.

Best friends Daisy and Hazel establish a detective agency in their 1930s boarding school when their science teacher dies and her body mysteriously disappears.

Bicycle-loving Marcel is upset when the Nazi invasion of France cancels the Tour de France, but when he stumbles upon some secrets that put his family at danger, he's given an opportunity to make a most dangerous bicycle journey to pass long important information.

When all non-sheepherding dogs are banned, Maggie hides her beloved Newfoundland, Sirius, to keep him with her. But when a steamer crashes off the coast, she's faced with a difficult choice: use Sirius to rescue the survivors and risk his getting discovered, or continue keeping him a secret?

A fictionalization of Zora O'Neale Hurston's early years, this book follows young Zora, who discovers what happens when her tall tales begin to take on a life of their own.

What are your favorite historical fiction books for kids?

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50 Must-Read Historical Fiction Books for Kids | Book Riot

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I love historical fiction because authors have a wonderful talent for making history come alive. History is so much more than dates and facts-it's stories and real people and how they lived and what they felt. Teaching kids about history through historical fiction is a great way to get them excited, and help them draw connections to their present.