Historical Fiction
The Book Thief by Marcus Zuzak
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Nov.06, 2014, under Historical Fiction, Student Reviews, Teen Top 10, War, Writing, YRCA
Review by Jaden L.
Who would like this book? Anyone who is interested in history, particularly people who like to study the era of World War Two. This book is inspirational and will pull at the heart strings of any readers.
The goods on this book: The time is World War Two. Death, the narrator, has never been busier and will become busier still. He become captivated by a girl known as The Book Thief. Her name is Liesel Meminger. Her world as she knew it has been changed. She finds a book at her brother’s gravesite, before she has to go live with a new family. She soon becomes captivated by books and learns to read with the help of her foster father. She steals books from book burnings and the Mayor’s library. I strongly suggest you read this book.
The details: 552 pages; 2005 Review by Jaden
Promise the Night by Michaela MacColl
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.31, 2014, under Adventure, Historical Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Readers, grades 5 and up, looking for an exciting story of a wild girl growing up in Africa in the early 1900s who grows up to be the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean from England to Canada.
The goods on this book: As she was growing up on her father’s horse farm in British East Africa (Kenya), Beryl Markham’s goal was to become a warrior in the Nandi tribe with which she spent most of her time. Her mother had fled back to England soon after she was born, leaving her under the care of her father, who was pre-occupied with raising and training horses. Beryl’s experiences with the Nandi include all kinds of adventures in the jungle, but trouble looms as she grows from girl to woman. Her father’s various attempts to force her to become a proper British girl bring out her fierce spirit, which makes for captivating reading! Interspersed among the story of Beryl’s childhood are diary entries and newspaper articles that cover the momentous transatlantic flight that she made in 1936. Her tenacity and fearlessness link the two stories and one can’t help but be cheering for her all the way. If you like hair-raising adventure based on a true story, then this book is for you.
The details: 262 pages; 2011 Review by Samrarian
Shooting Kabul by N. H. Senzai
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Aug.16, 2014, under Battle of the Books 2014-2015, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? This book is important for anyone grades 6 and up to read because of its portrayal of the heart-wrenching experiences of an Afghan (Pukhtun) family.
The goods on this book: It’s July of 2001, and Fadi’s father has become so disillusioned with the Taliban that he decides to pay for his family to escape from Kabul, Afghanistan and settle in San Francisco, where Fadi’s father had earned a PhD when he was younger. The description of their escape is grueling, especially when their family suffers a tragedy. This tragedy dogs Fadi and his family as they attempt to begin a new life in California, and Fadi cannot stop from blaming himself. For an 11-year-old, it is a lot to handle. Then comes 9/11, and Fadi must deal with a new level of discrimination at school and more problems at home. Photography is what saves him, and there is also hope that photography might provide a way to resolve the family tragedy. Shooting Kabul is a worthwhile read both as a window into another culture that is vitally important for us to understand and as a riveting story of one boy’s struggle to make amends.
The details: 2010; 273 pages Review by Samrarian
This book is a 2014-2015 Battle of the Books selection.
Nation by Terry Pratchett
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jun.12, 2014, under Adventure, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, ORCA, Student Reviews, YRCA
Review by Nick Y.
Who would like this book? I recommend this book for children 12 years of age or older because of the mature content. If you like suspenseful adventure stories, then you would like this book.
The goods on this book: It was the day Mau would become a man, a true man of the Nation. Mau would finally get his tattoos and weapons, or will he not? The Nation was washed away by a tsunami which brought with it a large wooden ship named the Sweet Judy. The only people who survived the tsunami were Mau, the Nation boy, and Daphne, the girl from whatever wealthy empire she came from. These two children must now find a way to communicate with each other, understand each other and know each other. But how?
The details: 367 pages; 2010 Review by Nick Y.
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Jun.02, 2014, under Historical Fiction, Real life, Student Reviews
Review by Calin M.
Who would like this book? I think this would be a good book for both genders. I would personally recommend this book to others.
The goods on this book: This book is mainly about a family that moved to Alcatraz for their Dad’s work. The main characters in this book are Matthew, also called Moose; Natalie, Matthew’s sister; Piper, the Wardens daughter; Scout, Matthew’s friend; Cameron, Matthews Dad; Warden Williams, the warden; and Al Capone, the notorious criminal. Natalie gets sent to Esther P. Marinoff School, a school that would help Natalie with her education since she was a very challenged learner. This was really hard on Matthew’s family because they really cared about Natalie, and really worried that she wouldn’t make it at Esther P. Marinoff. If you would like an easy, but interesting read I think this is the book for you!
The details: 228 pages; 2004 Review by Calin M.
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on May.11, 2014, under Adventure, Animal, Historical Fiction, Student Reviews, War
Review by Nick Y.
Who would like this book? I recommend this book for children 9 years or older. People who like war – friendship stories would like this book.
The goods on this book: During the horrors of World War 1, a young farm horse named Joey goes through the impossible. Sold into the army, he is used for the Calvary at first; then he is later captured to pull weapons, large weapons. Making friends along the journey, Joey hopes to see his most true master and only friend again. Will they see each other again?
The details: 165 pages; 1982
The Green Mile by Stephen King
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on May.07, 2014, under Historical Fiction, Horror, Student Reviews
Review by Nick Y.
Who would like this book? I recommend this book for teenagers 14 years or older. There is some foul language here and there, and the story is very dark and takes place in a prison. But overall it is a great novel about friendship and mystery. Enjoy!
The goods on this book: Paul Edgecombe has seen many criminals die through the electric chair (or “Old Sparkey”) of Cold Mountain Penitentiary in E Block. Although he has never seen someone like John Coffey. John was accused of the deaths of two little girls he was found with near a riverbank. When the policemen found John, he was holding the two dead little girls in his arms and crying. A crying that sounds more like the howling of an animal. Later Paul Edgecombe will uncover the secret that hides within John Coffey… a secret which will change Paul’s life forever! This story might even change yours!
The details: 536 pages; 1999 Review by Nick Y.
For What It’s Worth by Janet Tashjian
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on May.05, 2014, under Historical Fiction, Real life, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone, 12 and up, who is interested in the life of a Southern California teen in 1971 – especially music – would love this book.
The goods on this book: Quinn could not be in a better place in a better time to indulge his obsession with music. Los Angeles’ Laurel Canyon in 1971 was the epicenter for amazing music. If you agree with that statement, then definitely read this book. Quinn writes a column, “For What It’s Worth,” for his high school newspaper in which he shares random factual stories about the musicians of the day, along with theme-based playlists that will have readers calling up songs on YouTube or Spotify. Though his love of music dominates the book, Quinn also has to navigate coming-of-age challenges and troubles that are specific to 1971. His first relationship with the level-headed Caroline gives him plenty to worry about, as do his parents’ problems and the dire situation of his sister’s friend, who is dodging the draft and needs Quinn’s help. The Ouija Board, a staple in the lives of many teens in the late 1960s and early 1970s, plays a significant role in the unfolding plot. The plot and the introduction of a number of well-known musicians into it stretches credulity in places, but the music still makes the book worthwhile to read.
The details: 279 pages; 2012 Review by Samrarian
Jefferson’s Sons: A Founding Father’s Secret Children by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Apr.14, 2014, under Historical Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Readers, 12 and up, who are interested in the lives of the slaves of Thomas Jefferson’s life at Monticello, especially the slaves that are also his sons.
The details: The incongruity of the author of the Declaration of Independence being a slaveholder is compounded by the fact that one of his slaves, Sally Heming, became the mother of four of his children. Jefferson’s Sons focuses on the lives of two of their sons, Beverly and Madison, and their good friend and fellow slave, the young Peter. Sally Heming raises her children to know their place as slaves yet gives them Jefferson’s promise that they will be free when they are 21. Beverly and Harriet, being light-skinned, plan to pass into White society and leave their family behind. The story starts with the oldest son, Beverly, and his efforts to gain the President’s attention when he is a little boy. Though Beverly must always appear as a slave and never a son, he knows that he is special when President Jefferson gives him a violin. Maddy’s story is different since he has a restless temper which is greatly aggravated when Jefferson sells Maddy’s best friend. This boy’s little brother Peter gives the final point of view as Jefferson’s days come to an end and the massive debt of Monticello is left behind. Based on thorough research, the subject matter of this book is difficult and the disturbing questions about Jefferson will need to be discussed. The pace of the book is slow in places, and the lives of the three boys at Monticello are serious. This book will show the reader what is what life was like for them.
The details: 360 pages; 2011 Review by Samrarian
No Crystal Stair: A Documentary Novel of the Life and Work of Lewis Michaux, Harlem Bookseller by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson
by Sam Arnold-Boyd on Mar.16, 2014, under Biography or Autobigraphy, Coretta Scott King, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Fiction, Sam's Reviews
Who would like this book? Anyone interested in Harlem or the history of Blacks during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond.
The goods on this book: This book is significant both for the historical events that it includes and for the format in which it is presented. The author meticulously researched the life of her great uncle, Lewis Michaux, through conducting interviews, digging into family archives, and combing through library records. Nelson focused on how Michaux, in 1939, responded to the racist comments of a white banker by starting a bookstore in Harlem with five books and $100. This bookstore, the National Memorial African Bookstore, became the center of intellectual life in Harlem for decades, frequented by leaders such as Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X. Instead of presenting these events in a nonfiction format, the author presents the story as a documentary, giving a series of first-hand narratives by Michaux and a broad range of other voices. This technique, along with the striking illustrations by R. Gregory Christie, paints a vivid picture of Michaux, his bookstore, and Harlem from the 1930s through the 1970s. It’s a fascinating presentation of historical events and biography in a fictional format.
The details: 188 pages; 2012
