I love how historical fiction has revolutionized our homeschool. The genre truly has a way of bringing history to life. Over the years, we've really dove into historical fiction to supplement our studies and make history more relatable. These are our top 10 Favorite Historical Fiction Books and Series:
1. Magic Tree House Books
From around 2nd grade these Magic Tree House books became a staple in our house. They're great for read alouds in a unit or assigned as independent reading. My kids loved them and have traveled all over the world through these stories.
2. American Girl Books
The historical American Girl books have taken my daughter all the way from the American colonies to World War II. Not only are the American Girl books full of historical facts, but the girls are also great role models.
3. Dear America Books
Dear America books are written in a diary style. Similar to the American Girl books, Dear America lets the reader hear the story in first person, taking on adventures from the colonies to the prairie to the wild west.
4. Royal Diaries
Like the Dear America books, the Royal Diaries are written in first person journal entries. Taking the reader all over the world, these books focus on real royal figures in history.
5. Little House on the Prairie series
This series was my children's first introduction to historical fiction. Following the growing years of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Little House on the Prairie series takes readers from the cabin the woods across the American frontier.
6. Island of the Blue Dolphins
Island of the Blue Dolphin tells the story of a Karana, a girl left on her home island as her family leaves for mainland California. It's the story of native California people and what their life was like before the missions.
7. Esperanza Rising
Through a cruel turn of events, Esperanza and her mother must flee Mexico and a thriving farm. When they arrive in California, her mother works in the fields while Esperanza learns what camp life is like. Desperate for her old life, Esperanza struggles to embrace both the good and the bad of her new life in America.
8. By the Great Horn Spoon
Full of comedy and adventure, By the Great Horn Spoon follows a young boy and his butler as search for riches in the gold fields of California. A humorous look into a time before California became a state, this book is also a great study in literary devices and character development.
9. Blue Willow
The daughter of a migrant worker during the Dust Bowl, Janey Larkin carries with her the most valuable treasure she owns: a Blue Willow plate. The scene, a tranquil home, is an ever present reminder of the thing she longs for most: home and the last relationships that come from putting down roots.
10. The War That Saved My Life
Ada has never left her one room apartment in London because her mother is too ashamed of her club foot. When London is evacuated during WWII, Ada and her brother, Jamie, sneak into a group of children headed for the countryside. What unfolds is a tale of war, friendship, and two people that save each other through the bond of family.
What would you add to the list?
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