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Historical fiction for 8-10... long shot I know.

TerriPray
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Historical fiction for 8-10... long shot I know.

Post by TerriPray » Thu August 28th, 2008, 12:18 am

Yes, I know that's a little young, but she's an avid reader and eager to learn more about history. Are there actual chapter books for this age range that would be classed as historical fiction. She's torn through the 'magic tree house' series where they go from one time period to the next, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

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MLE (Emily Cotton)
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Interest in HF: started in childhood with the classics, which, IMHO are HF even if they were contemporary when written.
Favourite HF book: Prince of Foxes, by Samuel Shellabarger
Preferred HF: Currently prefer 1600 and earlier, but I'll read anything that keeps me turning the page.
Location: California Bay Area

Post by MLE (Emily Cotton) » Thu August 28th, 2008, 12:29 am

'The Borrowers' series is set in Victorian England, although it has a little-people fantasy element, it's not magical.
Also, you can't go wrong with the Little House series, graduated in age range according to the age of Laura Ingalls. I read that one aloud to the kids and they kept listening right up to the end, even though they were around that age and by the last book it is written at a Jr. High reading level.
There is a series of books out that are fictional autobiographies of Princesses. I read the one on Elizabeth, and it was quite entertaining.

Catherine, called Birdie, is excellent, also the other books by the same author.

Even better, go look up Sid Fleishman. The Whipping Boy is both funny and touching, although it uses historical ambiance more than any particular era. But he does the California Gold Rush in By the Great Horn Spoon, an excellent read, and a traveling magic show in Mr. Mysterious and Company. He has some others based in the American West, can't remember their names, but my kids devoured all of them.

TerriPray
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Post by TerriPray » Thu August 28th, 2008, 12:43 am

Thank you! Will see what the local library has. I'd forgotten about The Borrowers, I read those as a child.

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Post by Ash » Thu August 28th, 2008, 12:48 am

Oh yes; I loved HF at that age. One of my favorites was One of a Kind Family, a series about a Jewish famiy started in the early 1900s. I also remember reading a fascinating novel about Daniel Boone and Marie Antoinette (actually it was about her daughter) but this was back in the 60s and I am sure there are others out there.

There is also the American Girl series, tho I have heard them disparged for one reason or another. But I think thats the target audience.

My neice is just a little older and probably has read some others, I'll check with her.

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diamondlil
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Post by diamondlil » Thu August 28th, 2008, 10:09 am

There was a HF book that won the Whitbread prize last year. Not sure what age it was aimed at thought. I will see if I can find what it was called.

Found it! Good Masters, Sweet Ladies, Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz


There are also a series of books that Scholastic puts out written in the form of diaries - check the different series out here

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Melisende
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Post by Melisende » Thu August 28th, 2008, 10:26 am

"The Gryphon Quest" by Margaret Greaves
"For my part, I adhere to the maxim of antiquity: The throne is a glorious sepulchre."

Women of History

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diamondlil
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Post by diamondlil » Mon September 22nd, 2008, 9:09 pm

I saw this series mentioned on a blog this morning and thought I would mention it here. There does seem to be quite a few books in the series so there could be something that would interest everyone.

The Young Patriot series
My Blog - Reading Adventures

All things Historical Fiction - Historical Tapestry


There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

Edith Wharton

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Kveto from Prague
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door in the wall

Post by Kveto from Prague » Fri September 26th, 2008, 10:29 pm

i liked "the door in the wall" when i was that age. set in about 1351 (black plague) england. cant recall the author at the moment. french female i think.

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Post by Eigon » Thu October 23rd, 2008, 8:35 pm

What about the Green Knowe books, by Lucy Boston? The young hero goes to stay with an aged relative in a wonderful old house, and learns about the history of the house by meeting the ghosts of children who have lived there. Wonderful series, and the house is real - it's really called Hemingford Greys and Lucy Boston lived there and renovated it shortly before the Second World War.

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Post by Forskande » Tue March 10th, 2009, 3:40 am

I think that "Freedom Crossing" by Margaret Goff Clark is age appropriate and really good. You should check it out!

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