Historical Fiction Books for Kids
As a bookworm, passing down my love of reading to all the kids in my life is something I consider my sacred duty. That’s not a hard task at the moment, considering my oldest nephew loves to read. (He keeps two books in his crib at all times as part of his collection of loveys.) I love reading picture books to him these days and look forward to helping him find chapter books he’ll love when he’s a little older. I hope a love of books is something we’ll be able to share.
Reading is so important for kids. Books aren’t only helpful in learning and education, they also open up the whole world beyond the narrow parameters of our daily lives. That can mean expanding your imagination with fantasy, your innovation with science fiction, or your knowledge of the world and its history with historical fiction. The historical fiction books I’m going to share with you are perfect for kids, yes, but they’re also great for adults. I read all three of them as an adult and learned about regions and periods I didn’t know very much about. Who knows, maybe you can even read them alongside the kids in your life and learn something new together.
But first! A bookish treat from Etsy and some new releases.
Bookish Goods
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New Releases
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
Release date: August 20, 2024
On the banks of the Tigris River, the ancient city of Nineveh becomes the birthplace of an epic story: The Epic of Gilgamesh. Centuries later, the lives of three outsiders—a poor publishing apprentice in 1840s London, a ten-year-old girl losing her hearing in 2014 Turkey, and a divorcée living on a houseboat on the River Thames—are brought together by the rivers they live alongside and the stories that transcend time.
A Pair of Wings by Carole Hopson
Release date: August 20, 2024
Learn about the life of pioneering Black aviatrix Bessie Coleman. The daughter of a once-enslaved woman, Bessie first saw a plane fly overhead when she was working alongside her parents in a Texas cotton field. From that moment on, Bessie was hooked. But even with the backing of two wealthy, powerful Black men she meets in Chicago, no one in the United States will train a Black woman to fly. So Bessie learns French and finds herself a teacher in Europe instead. No matter the barriers, no matter the setbacks, Bessie is determined to fly. Not even a plane crash can keep her down.
For a more comprehensive list of new releases, check out our New Books newsletter
Riot Recommendations
These historical fiction books for kids are so good and enlightening you’ll want to read them, too.
The Hundred Choices Department Store by Ginger Park
In 1944, the Pang family own a thriving department store that caters to the Japanese in northern Korea. Miyook Pang has spent years under Japanese Occupation, but when Japan loses the war and Russian soldiers overtake her hometown, her situation finally becomes desperate. Her family’s only hope is to flee south, but that path is filled with danger. War is looming once again and the newly formed North Korean Army guards the 38th parallel. It’s here she encounters a boy she once knew, working alongside him in a dangerous dye factory, in a split-second that will shatter the remains of her life.
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri and Daniel Miyares
Set off for an exciting adventure along the Silk Road with a young monk and his newfound guardian, Samir. Samir may be a fast-talking scammer, a so-called “seller of dreams,” but he also saved the boy he’s taken to calling “Monkey” from being stoned, and there’s a certain level of loyalty that comes with that. Not everyone has taken so kindly to Samir’s antics, though. There are seven hired assassins after him, and now Monkey’s in their crosshairs, too. Whether Samir will be able to outsmart them all and retain Monkey’s loyalty while outrunning all these assassins is very much in question.
The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw
Written by the daughter of a Hiroshima survivor, this middle grade historical fiction novel follows a young girl living in Japan during WWII. Yuriko is used to the air raid sirens that have become a part of normal life in Hiroshima in the mid-1940s. The country may be at war, but she still goes to school and spends time with her family preparing for upcoming weddings. Like most Japanese people, Yuriko doesn’t really know what’s going on outside of Japan since lost battles aren’t reported in newspapers. She only knows many of her neighbors who left for war have stopped returning. Then, an atomic bomb is dropped on her city and life is never the same.
This novel obviously deals with dark themes and depicts violent imagery, but it’s also an accurate historical account of what it was like to live in Japan during WWII and survive an atomic bomb.
If you want to talk books, historical or otherwise, you can find me @rachelsbrittain on most social media, including Instagram, Goodreads, and Litsy.
Right now I’m reading The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, inspired by my deep dive into historical fiction about cryptanalysts last week.
