Take a Journey to the Past!

Discover a time when things were different; run through the woods during the American Revolution; meet strange characters while avoiding the armies of the Civil War; meet Shakespeare; or understand the intolerance of World War II. Chosen by the staff in the Children's Room, these historical fiction novels are new to the New Canaan Library, and will take us on a journey to the past.

(And, don't forget to check out the Historical Fiction booklist while at the library. It has even more recommendations of historical fiction chapter books, both old and new titles!)

 

 

 

Jefferson's Sons
by Kimberely Brubaker Bradley

Beverley, Harriet, Madison and Eston are Thomas Jefferson's children by one of his slaves, Sally Hemmings. While they do get special treatment, they are still slaves and are never to mention who their father is. As each child grows up, their questions about slavery and freedom become tougher as the lighter skinned children are promised a chance to escape into white society, but those looking more like their mother are not.

Told through the viewpoints of three slaves - two of Jefferson's children and a good friend of the Hemmings family - the book sheds light on what life was like as one of Jefferson's invisible offspring.

 

Born to Fly
by Michael Ferrari

Set during the 1940's, Bird has always loved to fly with her mechanic dad in her Rhode Island town. When Kenji, a young Japanese-American boy, joins her class, everyone suspects him as a spy. It's up to Bird and Kenji to discover the real spies. With well developed characters, Born to Fly, make this story of friendship amid hostilities shine.

 

 

The Lost Crown
by Sarah Miller

Follow the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the daughters of the Tsar, and the daughters of the last royal family of Russia. Told in alternating chapers, it tells how their privilaged lives are transformed by a world war and revolution.

A book for our older readers as it is found in both our Young Adult and Children's Room, The Lost Crown, is sure to stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

 

   

Escape by Night: a Civil War Adventure
by Laurie Myers

   Living in Augusta, Georgia, during the Civil War, ten-year-old Tommy and his sister Annie are intrigued by the soldiers marching through their town. When his faithful dog, Samson, retrives a notebook dropped by a soldier, Tommy is faced with one the hardest decisions he'll ever have to make: does he help a Yankee soldier escape to find his way back home?

Inspired by the childhood of Woodrow Wilson, Escape by Night, is told in short chapters filled with historical events and questions.

 

Woods Runner
by Gary Paulsen

A new historical fiction novel from the author of Hatchet, Woods Runner, follows Samuel - a thirteen-year-old skilled woodsman. From his 1776 Pennsylvania homestead, he sets off to New York City to rescue his parents from the band of British soldiers and Indians who kidnapped them. The fast-paced novel alternates between Samuel's story and historical notes that illuminate the often harsh realities of the American Revolution.

 

 

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
by Rodman Philbrick

After Homer's older brother is illegally sold into the Union Army, Homer sets off to find him. Along the way he meets strange, but real, people from that era: tricksters, a snake-oil salesman, a hot-air balloonist, and finally, the Maine Regiment who saved Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. With a mixture of humor and adventure, this book is sure to appeal to all.

 

 

The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt

As the only Presbyterian student in his year in 1967, seventh-grader Holling Hoodwood stays in the classroom of Mrs. Baker while all his classmates attend Catechism or Hebrew school. He's convinced Mrs. Baker hates him, especially after she assigns the plays of William Shakespeare. But after some unexpected help and guidance from his teacher, Holling soon learns the value of hope amidst the violent and turbulent world that is the 1960's.

 

 

The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
by Lauren Tarshis

Sand flew in Danny's eyes. And, then from behind him, a huge explosion seemed to shatter the world. The force lifted Danny off his feet and then threw him back to the ground. And, then... Danny couldn't hear anything. When he is found on a beach in Hawaii, Danny's world is changed forever when World War II officially hits the United States.

The fourth book in the I Survived... series, readers are taken on an action packed adventure through the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

 

A Faraway Island
by Annika Thor

It's the summer of 1939 and two Jewish sisters from Vienna - 12-year-old Stephie and 8-year-old Nellie - are sent to Sweden to escape the Nazis. They are placed in seperate foster homes, with hopes to join their parents in America in six months. But, when the war intensifies, the girls remain in their homes and must learn to adapt to the new settings. Nellie is able to settle in quickly, but Stephie feels stranded and alone.

A gripping tale about family, learning to understand intolerance, and growing up, A Faraway Island, is a wonderful translated work from Sweden.

 

All the World's a Stage: A Novel in Five Acts
by Gretchen Woelfe

Kit is a penniless twelve-year-old in 1590's London. After he is caught stealing from the audience members at a theatre, he agrees to work for Lord Chamberlain's Men to avoid prison. From there, Kit is swept up in the drama and theatrics of the acting company. The excitement continues with construction of the Globe Theatre.

Told in acts and scenes and with a handful of colorful characters, All the World's a Stage, is a dramatic insight to Elizabethan England.