Home

Children's
Books

In Historical Fiction, stories portray a particular time in history or convey information about an historical event. The information must be accurate, authentic, or both. Characters are either imaginary or real, having lived during the time. The plot may be documented events or fictional, however, it must be portrayed as if it actually could have happened.

Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road, written by Sandra Markle, illus. by Daniela Terrazzini, (Chronicle Books, 2009), 48p, Ages 7-10.
Sandra Markle takes readers back in time to 1271 and Marco Polo's adventures on the famous Silk Road. To learn more about his family's silk cloth business, Marco, along with his father and uncle, travel by caravan through Eastern Europe, Middle East, across Mt. Ararat, and into the Far East, where he meets the great emperor of China-Kublai Khan. They encounter amazing people, exotic landscapes, and unusual animals, along with massive dust storms, bandits, a black liquid that bubbles from the ground, the beauty of the Persian Gulf, Tajikistan's cold winter, harsh deserts, and the horsemen of Mongolia. Side notes explain the origins of silk cloth, oil, passport tablets, and unusual animals never before seen-jackals, Van cats, Zebu oxen, Persian lions, Snow cats, porcupines, yaks, mountain sheep, Arabian camels, and Gray Whales. Years later while in prison, Marco shared his adventures with fellow prisoners, which were eventually written down in a collection called The Description of the World. "Suddenly, people wanted to know more about the world. Many European countries sent people out to explore. New interactions between the West and East had begun. For better and for worse, they would change the world forever."

Blood Red Horse: Book One of the Grandville Trilogy, written by K. M. Grant, (Walker Books, 2006), 220p, Ages 11-14.
The first book in the De Granville Trilogy surrounds two brothers, Gavin and William, who join England's King Richard I on his Crusade into the battlefields of the Middle East. Left behind is Ellie, raised with the brothers and promised to Gavin. Tying the story together is William's small red horse Hosanna who touches everyone's life in different ways, even the Muslim leader Saladin and his ward Kamil. With a futility of war theme, this historical novel will appeal to horse lovers and satisfy those to like battlefield drama and adventure.

The Boy Who Saved Cleveland, written by James Cross Giblin, illus. by Michael Dooling, (Henry Holt & Co., 2006), 80p, Ages 8-12.
Based on a true story, in the summer of 1798 ten-year-old Seth Doan helps families in his small settlement stay alive during a malaria epidemic. Seth assumes responsibility for grinding and carrying corn from the mill to everyone in the three-cabin settlement. Thanks to his heroic efforts no one died and the settlement went on to become Cleveland, Ohio, one of America's great cities. Author's note describes the real Seth Doan who grew up to become county sheriff.

The Cats in Krasinski Square, written by Karen Hesse, illus. by Wendy Watson, (Scholastic Press, 2004), 32p, Ages 7-10.
During World War II, Warsaw fell into the hands of the Germans, and Jewish people were forced to live on certain walled-in streets. A young girl and sister develop a plan to feed those trapped behind the Ghetto walls, using cats to trick the Gestapo.

Dinner in the Lions' Den, written by Bob Hartman, illus. by Tim Raglin, (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2007), 32p, Ages 4-8.
A family of hungry lions looks forward to a tasty meal, when Daniel is thrown into their den. Daniel prays to God; and an angel appears and convinces the lions that instead of dinnertime, it's scratching time, belly-rubbing time, and sleeping time. In the morning, Daniel is still safe, but now his enemies face a similar fate. Clever and amusing illustrations add to this classic story of faith and redemption.

Fox Walked Alone, written/illus. by Barbara Reid, (Albert Whitman & Co.), 32p, Ages 5-7.
"Night after night, Fox walked alone,/came home to a bed made of feathers and bone./He hunted at night and slept through the day./Fox walked alone; he liked it that way." On one unusual day, Fox awaken to find animals passing by in pairs. Curious, he follows at a distance. The growing procession travels over mountains and across deserts, resting at night as a group. As storm clouds begin to appear, more animals join the group. Feeling hungry, Fox detours to a deserted city but becomes lost. Upon discovering two doves in a cage, he releases them, and in gratitude, they lead him through streets and alleys to safety. The journey eventually leads to a huge boat resting on dry land and another fox waiting for him. "As Noah welcomed one and all, a steady rain began to fall." The illustrations are cleverly rendered in Plasticine clay.

Green Jasper: Book Two of the DeGranville Trilogy, written by K. M. Grant, (Walker Books, 2006), 248p, Ages 12+.
The de Grandville brothers, from "Blood Red Horse," return from the Crusades to a very unstable 12th century England. With King Richard the Lionheart imprisoned in Germany, his brother John coveting the throne, and Ellie kidnapped, Will and Gavin, make hard decisions that will affect their future and the future of England. Will and Gavin become estranged, and Hosanna, Will's beloved red horse, falls into the clutches of the evil Constable de Scabious. With themes of loyalty, romance, and political fervor, this second offering should not disappoint readers.

The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands, written by Louise Borden, illus. by Niki Daly, (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2004), 48p, Ages 8-12 yrs.
During World War II, a young boy in Holland leads two children to safety in Belgium. They skate 16 kilometers along the frozen canals to outwit and escape the German soldiers. Good historical fiction.

Zarafa: The Giraffe Who Walked to the King, written by Judith St. George, illus. by Britt Spencer, (Philomel Books, 2009), 40p, Ages 6-8.
In 1824, a gentle and beautiful African giraffe is given to the King of France as an offer of friendship by the Viceroy of Egypt. Captured in the wild as a baby, Zarafa is raised by natives until old enough to travel. Carried by camel to a Sudanese village, Zarafa begins her journey with three cows (for milk), several monkeys, sailors, and two helpers in a small felucca up the Nile River to Alexandra, where they board a larger ship and travel across the Mediterranean Sea to France. Her handlers cut a hole in the deck for her head to poke through and watch the scenery. They also secure a tent over her for protection from the sun and rain. Upon reaching France, Zarafa begins her 550-mile trek to Paris, wearing a raincoat especially made for her by a famous scientist, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire. At two miles an hour, the journey is long, and by the time they reach Paris, Zarafa has grown to over twelve feet. "She had traveled two hundred miles by camel. She had sailed two thousand miles down the Nile River, more than fifteen hundred miles across the Mediterranean Sea, and walked more than five hundred miles from Marseille to Paris on her own four feet." Based on a true story, endnotes explain the meaning of Zarafa's name, her unusual story, and her final home at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris until her death in 1845.