In The Scarlet Stockings Spy, young Maddy Rose uses laundry as a secret code to spy on British ships, helping the Patriot cause during the American Revolution.
Tag: Historical Fiction
Lily’s Victory Garden
Lily’s Victory Garden follows Lily’s WWII journey to start a garden, bringing healing and hope to a grieving neighbor. A heartwarming tale of patriotism and neighborliness.
Brooklyn Rose – Cautionary Review
Brooklyn Rose is a disappointing historical fiction novel with less than ideal themes for young readers.
Homeless Bird
In Homeless Bird, a middle-grade novel, Koly faces teen widowhood, hardship, and cruelty in India, finding hope and strength through unexpected kindnesses.
Small Acts of Amazing Courage
Small Acts of Amazing Courage follows Rosalind, a brave English girl in post-WWI India, challenging societal norms and British colonial rule with compassion.
Angel On The Square
Angel in the Square is a gripping tale of a young Russian girl witnessing WWI, the Russian Revolution, and the fall of aristocracy, perfect for middle grades and fans of Jennifer Nielsen.
The Silver Sword
When the Nazis came to Poland, they did not close Joseph’s school. Instead, they removed the Polish textbooks and banished the Polish language from the school. They also hung portraits of Hitler in all of the classrooms. When, during a Scripture lesson, Joseph turned Hitler’s picture to the wall, someone reported him. A few nights later, the Nazi stormtroopers came for Joseph and took him to Zakyna. Margrit and the children were left to fend for themselves. After many trials and failed escape attempts, Joseph finally escaped out of the prison camp. It was then that the Nazis came for Margrit.
Lines of Courage
Nielsen makes us care about each of these characters, and she connects them in ways that were, to me, plausible and interesting. I am the product of the schools of my time, and I was taught next to nothing about WWI. This book gave me a fascinating look into this confusing and tragic war. Like Nielsen’s other books that I have read, this book is squeaky clean, historically interesting, and well-told. I think that this could be a wonderful teen book club because there are a lot of layers to all of this.
Resistance
“Defense in the ghetto has become a fact. Armed Jewish resistance and revenge are actually happening. I have witnessed the glorious and heroic combat of the Jewish fighters.” -Excerpt from the last letter of Mordecai Anielewicz, April 23, 1943
The Spear
“He saluted courteously and went on. He heard her weeping softly as she returned to her rooms. The death of the old life was amazingly easy. But birth was slow and painful beyond belief.” – The Spear, Louis de Wohl In The Spear by Louis de Wohl and published by Ignatius Press, Cassius Longinus was…
The Reb and the Redcoats
I am always on the lookout for books that would be great as book club books. That special kind of book that will please the target audience while also challenging them. A book that is easy to want to read even if it isn’t always easy to read. A book that is well-written and thought-provoking….
Down the Big River
“His over forty books cover genres of adventure, biographical fiction, nautical historical fiction, entrepreneurial or occupational fiction, environmental fiction, sports, mystery and war. His books were meant to educate the mind and cultivate the character as well as entertain which make them books we highly recommend.” – taken from the Biblioguides author profile of Stephen…
Sun Slower Sun Faster
This novel is, as the note to the reader indicates, lively and exciting. I would whole-heartedly recommend Sun Slower Sun Faster to any reader who likes a good historical adventure. Exciting and well-written like the We Were There books, this one is written in a style more reminiscent of something like Edith Nesbit or The Secret Garden or the early parts of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe when the children are exploring the country house.
The Strange Intruder
As a boy mom, a small part of my regular reading diet includes previewing books that come from trustworthy sources as possible reads for the often difficult-to-please 8-14-year-old boy niche. In this book list article, Diane and I mention that, in our experience as teachers, boy moms, and encouragers of readers, we have learned that…
The Virginian
This is part of Diane’s Literature Course I Series Owen Wister’s The Virginian Oh, that old thing? Why, yes, it’s been one of my favorites for many years. I noticed, though, while doing research for our American literature class, that it seems to be going out of style. Too trite and formulaic, perhaps? Wait! Please note…