My third place historical fiction pick of 2016… This is the one that started me on a historical turn this year. I grabbed it along for spring break road trip and it ruined every other book I brought with me. The rest simply couldn’t compare. It is adult fiction, not young adult, with a bit […]
Zion Covenant Series, by Bodie Thoene
The bulk of my reading tends to be middle grade, supplemented by a hearty dose of young adult, but this year found me picking up more volumes of higher-level historical fiction. To cap off the year and carry me through the holiday season, I’m going to introduce you to my top four historical picks for […]
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! by Laura Amy Schlitz
I’ve avoided this book for years. It was published in 2007 and won the Newbery in 2008, but it didn’t appeal to me. I like the history of the middle ages; it was one of my favorite courses in college. Still, I never picked this one up. Maybe it was the cover image. More likely, […]
The Captain's Dog, by Roland Smith
This is the story of Lewis and Clark as told by Seaman, Captain Lewis’s Newfoundland dog who accompanied the Corps of Discovery on their epic journey to the Pacific Ocean in 1804-6. I’d seen this book before and was very intrigued. I love history. I’ve taught this subject several times for homeschool as each of […]
Echo, by Pam Munoz Ryan
I’ve seen this one on a few different sites lately, particularly on the review blog of Patricia Tilton, who always has great taste, so I picked it up. It’s Ms. Ryan’s newest, released only last year, and it lives up to her classic style. It claimed Newbery honors this year. Being a writer myself, I […]
The Break (Tales of a Revolution), by Lars D. Hedbor
As you know by now, I’m a history addict and a fan of Lars Hedbor’s historical fiction series, Tales of a Revolution. Over spring break, I had the honor of reading two of his latest releases. The first, The Wind, posted right after I read it. This is the second. It’s sort of fitting that it’s posting on […]
The Wind, by Lars D. Hedbor
Before I start a four-post series about the research of Blood Moon next week, I’m sneaking in a review of my favorite book I’ve read since finishing the manuscript. And I’m reading a LOT of them right now. I’ve become a dedicated Lars Hedbor fan. In his Tales of a Revolution series, he takes little-known stories of […]
Flying the Dragon, by Natalie Dias Lorenzi
Skye has a cousin, Hiroshi, she has never met. Because Hiroshi lives in Japan, and Skye was born in America. But when Grandfather grows ill, Skye’s Japanese relatives move to America for Grandfather’s treatment. Skye is embarrassed to have Hiroshi in class with her. He can’t speak English well. He’s completely unaware how “uncool” he […]
Blood on the River, by Elisa Carbone
I discovered this book several years ago, when I was looking for historical fiction to suppliment an American history class I was teaching to my then-homeschooled daughter. I’ve just finished reading it with both of my boys for the same class. I’m still impressed. This is the story of Jamestown, told through the eyes of […]
Constance, A Story of Early Plymouth, by Patricia Clapp, 1968
Constance Hopkins was a passenger onboard the Mayflower. The daughter of Stephen Hopkins, neither she nor her father were part of the congregation of Separatist we commonly call Pilgrims but members of the Virginia Company. At least Steven was. Constance was merely fourteen when she made the journey. This is her story, the tale of […]