12 Captivating Historical Fiction Books for Kids

This award winner by Lois Lowry is a great book for middle schoolers, and brings the terror of the Holocaust in a way that is age appropriate and accessible for young readers.

Juan L.:  One of the best historical fiction books for middle schoolers, a young girl in World War II Germany tries to make the best of her bleak situation by cultivating a love of books and an optimistic outlook on life despite the destruction around her. Her family takes in a Jewish boy in hiding and their friendship becomes the stuff of legend.

A tragedy in Esperanza's life causes her to flee from her upper class home in Mexico to a farm labor camp in California during the Great Depression. Pam Muñoz Ryan tells a captivating story that will inspire kids to think more deeply about human dignity, immigration, and the incredible challenges faced by families during this time in history.

Kelly R:  Eleven-year-old Turtle, a wonderfully strong female lead, is sent to live with her aunt and cousins in Depression-Era Key West in this story that fully immerses the reader into a different time and place. Jennifer L. Holm wrote this book inspired by stories of her own family's experience living in Key West during the Great Depression, and these details are explored within the Author's Note.

Alexandra F.:  Alan Gratz masterfully tells three distinct stories, all taking place in different times and places, about three children trying to escape hardship and persecution in their home countries and seeking refuge elsewhere. A gripping and eye-opening read that offers a powerful glimpse into the timeless and timely issue of migration.

Kelly R:  The I Survived books present fictional stories of kids who survive real disasters in history like the sinking of the Titanic, the Great Chicago Fire, and the September 11 attacks. These historical fiction books for kids are a big hit with my history-loving child. Difficult and historically-accurate details about the events are tempered by the inspiring messages of bravery and survival.

Kelly R:  A young boy devoted to Communism questions his sincerest beliefs as he witnesses the fear and suspicion of Stalin's Moscow. Kids can gain a better understanding of this period of history with this eye-opening story based on author Eugene Yelchin's own experiences. It is a quick read complemented by dramatic illustrations that come together to convey the story in a riveting way.

Kelly R:  In this engaging work of historical fiction for kids, a motherless 10-year-old boy sets out on a journey to find his father during the Great Depression. It's a valuable look at how people coped during one of the most difficult times in history, and especially powerful for kids to experience this though the eyes of a kid their own age.

Alexandra F.:  My tween really enjoyed this stand-alone historical fiction novel from the author of the popular middle school books series, The Missing, about a girl who learns she has been living her whole life as part of an elaborate living history museum in Indiana. When a deadly illness strikes the children in her (fake) 1840s frontier village, her mother reveals the truth, and helps her escape into the real world in 1996 to bring back a modern cure.

Kelly R:  In these historical fiction books for kids, Jack and Annie travel around the world to different periods in time through a magical tree house. Kids will learn about dinosaurs, ancient Egypt, the Civil War and more as Jack and Annie complete their missions. These are wonderful chapter books for early readers and there are many books in the series, so kids who enjoy it will always have more books to read!

Kelly R:  Set at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, 13-year-old Isabel and her sister are promised freedom but instead become the property of a cruel couple in New York City. Can Isabel find a way out by spying on her owners? This is the first in a series of realistic historical fiction books for kids, and readers who want to continue with the characters can read the rest of the Seeds of America trilogy. Make sure your young reader is ready for the cruel, violent and realistic portrayal of what life was like as a slave.

Kelly R:  In the summer of 1968, an 11-year-old black girl and her two younger sisters travel from Brooklyn to California to visit the mother who abandoned them years ago. The girls are sent to a Black Panther day camp, where they learn about organizing demonstrations and standing up for their rights. Kids will gain a unique perspective into what life was like through the eyes of a child in this historical fiction book about black history.