Check out the selection of historical fiction books below, or visit your Learning Commons today to find more titles. If you are having trouble finding a book or logging into eBooks, we are here to help.
Day of Tears by
Presents an historical fiction written in first-person format that follows Emma, the slave of Pierce Butler, through a series of events in her life as her master hosts the largest slave auction in American history in Savannah, Georgia in 1859 in order to pay off his mounting gambling debts.
Finding Langston by
After his mother's death in 1946, eleven-year-old Langston and his father leave behind their quiet life in Alabama and move to Chicago. Struggling to fit in and missing his mother, Langston finds refuge at the local library where, unlike his library in Alabama, blacks are just as welcome as whites to use. There he discovers the poetry of Langston Hughes and a secret--he was named after this very poet whose work his mother loved.
Fire from the Rock by
Life is normal in Little Rock, Arkansas, but things are about to change. It's 1957, and rumors of integrating Little Rock Central High School have caused turmoil in the town. Eighth grader Sylvia thinks being the first black student at the school is an honor, but she soon realizes that the blacks who plan to attend Central will be in grave danger. When violence strikes Sylvia's family, she is torn between her parents' nonviolent stance and her brother's suggestion of revenge.
The Hero Two Doors Down by
Eight-year-old Steve Satlow is thrilled when Jackie Robinson moves into his Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn in 1948, although many of his neighbors are not, and when Steve actually meets his hero he is even more excited--and worried that a misunderstanding over a Christmas tree could damage his new friendship.
The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones by
In 1955, biracial Ethan, who was raised in Washington state, is sent to live with his grandparents in Alabama for the summer. Ethan's eyes are opened to blatant racism for the first time, but also to kindness, when a young red-head named Juniper Jones befriends him and they spend the summer exploring the town and having adventures. Their friendship becomes a lifeline for Ethan when the town's ugliness turns deadly.
One Crazy Summer by
In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicatedpoet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.
The Parker Inheritance by
When Candice finds the letter addressed to her grandmother inside a box in the attic, she's not sure she should read it. But curiosity pulls Candice into a mystery generations before her time. And with the help of her neighbor, Brandon, she is determined to find the truth even if it means revealing her own deep secrets in the process.
Becoming Muhammad Ali by
Provides a biography of the early life of boxer and activist Muhammad Ali through verse written from his perspective and first-person essays told by his best friend Lucky. Discusses what it was like growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky, the important family members in his life, and how he began training at the Columbia Boxing Gym at age twelve.
