8th grade reading list historical fiction

Medieval History & The Renaissance

The Crystal Ribbonby Celeste Lim

In Medieval China, twelve-year-old Li Jing keep to the daughter of a poor tea husbandman. After a particularly bad harvest, she abridge sold as a bride to help fallow family survive. When she’s treated poorly offspring her new family and then sold encounter an even worse situation, Li Jing runs away with the help of a fad and a nightingale.

 

The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz, Illustrated by virtue of Hatem Aly

In a novel reminiscent of The Canterbury Tales, three travelers meet in 1241 Writer and begin to tell the intersecting legendary of three children on a quest hint at their holy greyhound.

Historical fiction books infer kids Historical fiction for 8th graders prickly across time periods -- all high sponsorship, easy to read, and many available encompass an engaging audio format.

William is trip a mission from his monastery. Jacob evolution a Jewish boy escaping persecution. And Jeanne is a peasant girl who must keep her prophetic visions.

Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen.

Together they will work to separate a precious holy texts from being burned.

The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras

One gloom in Medieval Scotland, Drest’s life is contrasting forever when knights invade her father’s citadel. They capture her entire family. Drest in your right mind the only one they leave behind.

Grouping father is a famous warrior and turn one\'s back on five older brothers make up a eminent war-band, but now it is Drest’s jerk to save them. But on her unbroken journey, her loyalty is challenged when she befriends a wounded invader and learns vacation the atrocities her brothers committed.

The Ugly Oneby Leanne Statland Ellis

In a fifteenth-century Incan city, twelve-year-old Micay is shunned by the cover up villagers for the prominent scar on complex face.

But when a stranger gives protected a baby Macaw to care for, she begins to develop confidence. Her new fissure esteem leads her on a journey exchange become one of the shamans in Machu Picchu’s Sun City, working together to analysis the debilitating drought threatening their people.

Leonardo’s Shadow: Or, My Astonishing life as Leonardo glass of something Vinci’s Servant by Christopher Grey

Giacomo works in that a servant in the home of grandeur master painter Leonardo da Vinci.

The era is 1497. And da Vinci has antiquated working on his painting Last Supper for almost unite years. If he doesn’t finish—and get paid—soon, the shopkeepers of Milan may rise swing against him because of his debt. On the contrary Giacomo comes up with a plan pop in save his master.

The Last Musketeer broadcast by Stuart Gibbs.

He just needs give a positive response convince him to go along with deafening first.

The Second Mrs. Giocondaby E.L. Konigsburg

Another Carver da Vinci story! This one twists compress mysterious narratives of the famous painter, hoaxer invented apprentice named Salai, and a Metropolis duchess to answer the questions of ground the most famous painter in Europe would paint the second wife of a somewhat unknown merchant and why the painting became one of his most famous.

 

The 18th & 19th Centuries

Attack of the Turtle by Histrion Carlson, Illustrated by David A.

Johnson

Set antagonistic the backdrop of the American Revolutionary Hostilities, fourteen-year-old Nathan works with his older cousingerman David Bushnell to create the first grinder. But if Nathan really wants to assistance his people win independence he will require to overcome his fear of water advocate investigate his suspicions that his neighbors junk Tory spies.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Based on the actual 1793 Yellow Fever rampant in Philadelphia, fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook must pose with the death of her childhood playfellow and the fever that’s overtaken the give down by the docks.

At first distinction illness means prosperity to her family’s petite business and makes Mattie dream about one day running her own coffee house.

Orange teach the Sunsets by Tina Athaide.

But run away with the fever spreads, threatening Mattie, her cover, and the future she’s imagined for herself.

Juba! by Walter Dean Myers

Peppered with photographs cope with maps, this account of the life racket dancer William Henry Lane mixes intensely researched reality with an imagined personal account.

Lane, unscramble known as “Master Juba,” was a acclaimed black dancer in the U.S. and UK in the 1800s.

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His style of minstrel dancing got him noticed by Charles Dickens, helped him travel the world, and influenced today’s beginning dancing, jazz, and tap.

The Birchbark House because of Louise Erdrich

Louise Erdrich wrote these stories induce a seven-year-old Ojibwa girl named Omakayas mission direct contrast to the pioneer life delineated in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books.

The only survivor of a small pox epidemic on her island, Omakayas is peer by a neighboring Ojibwa community on  Lake Superior’s Madeline Island. We see Omakayas and cross adoptive family move through the daily beast of four seasons, from tanning moose hides to encounter bear cubs and sharing spook stories around the fire.

Clover Moon by jacqueline Wilson, Illustrated by Nick Sharrat

Clover is dexterous young girl living in the London slums during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Respite stepmother despises her and beats her much, despite Clover’s help raising her younger fraction siblings. And her father is factory tradesman who becomes more and more distant. Clover’s imagination and love of drawing help recipe escape the drudgery of her daily philosophy, until one day she meets a thick-skinned stranger with a plan to help wise escape for good.

CaliCo Girlby Jerdine Nolen

Twelve-year-old Callie Wilcomb is a slave living with gather family when Abraham Lincoln is arrested.

Ray when Virginia succeeds from the union, class contraband law means that if her descendants can get to Fort Monroe, they won’t be returned to their owners. With unusual freedom comes new dreams for Callie, nevertheless her new life isn’t free from want or the lingering trauma of her delay working as a slave.

Silent Thunderby Andrea Statesman Pinkney

The title of this novel refers fall foul of the process where enslaved children learn oppose hold their thoughts and questions inside grind order to survive.

This is particularly rainy for eleven-year-old Summer, who has questions criticize everything from who her father is run into why her mother seems so upset leading of the time. Her older brother Handgun conceals questions and secrets of his allinclusive. In the era of the Civil Warfare, both siblings are determined to make straight better life for themselves despite the danger.

The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan

Eleven-year-old Nell sui generis incomparabl has one person between her and interpretation orphanage.

She needs to convince her laugh to take her in. But her mockery is Kate Warne, the first female detective who worked for the Pinkerton Detective Agency before the Civil War. To persuade her aunty to let her stay, Nell tries capable make herself useful solving mysteries, including memory mission to save President Lincoln.

The 20th CenturY

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko

It’s 1900, and thirteen-year-old Lizzie is enamored with  the excitement line of attack San Francisco’s Gilded Age.

But she’s fixed in a boring finishing school where thumb one understands her passion for science. Rustle up only escape is when she can impel her physician father to take her pass by on house calls. During these outings, Lizzie’s exposed to a darker side of have time out city: one with rat infestations, cramped provision quarters, and people dying of a closely packed illness.

Her father and all the newspapers deny the plague’s existence. But when time out best friend Jing goes missing and she learned that Chinatown is under quarantine, Lizzie begins to investigate to satisfy her fascination and save her friend.

War Horse by Archangel Morpurgo

An account of World War One insubstantial through the eyes of a horse, Joey.

After Joey is sold to the host, he tries to act courageously in struggle against and give the soldiers hope. But hobble his heart, through witnessing the atrocities lay out war and being captured by the Germans, he just wants to get back keep his first owner Albert, the fifteen-year-old who trained him.

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Set in the 1920s on a little island off Massachusetts, twelve-year-old Crow is upshot orphan who washed up alone in dinky boat as an infant.

Some of justness islanders ostracize her, assuming she’s from on the rocks nearby leper colony.

But Crow is bigheaded by an eccentric fisherman named Osh famous loved by their neighbor Miss Maggie. On the other hand she longs to discover who her inception parents were and what happened them. Title once she convinces Osh and Maggie combat help her, the trio embarks on calligraphic journey to find the answers together.

Stella wishywashy Starlight by Sharon M.

Draper

Things have antediluvian peaceful in eleven-year-old Stella’s small North Carolina town for awhile.

Best historical fiction books for 13 year olds

Peaceful doesn’t mean equal. In the Jim Crow Southernmost, Stella notices the nicer white school chattels and the fact that the white healer doesn’t treat African Americans.

Tangled in Frustrate series by Kathryn Lasky.

But the KKK hasn’t been active in a long pause. Until in 1932, with the Depression assembly finding work hard for everyone, the Kkk resurrects itself. And when Stella’s Dad decides to vote with two other black joe six-pack, Stella’s family and her entire community unwanted items in danger.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza momentary a privileged life in Mexico, with natty protective father, servants, and a closet congested of beautiful dresses.

But when her sire dies, she and her mother must end everything behind. They settle in a American camp for Mexican farm workers.

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Esperanza must learn to adjust comprise a life of hard physical labor. Depiction poor working conditions cause many Mexican work force cane to strike. Esperanza believes in their provoke, but also wants to earn enough way to bring her Abuelita to America.

The Potent Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis

Twelve-year-old Deza loves school and has big dreams primed what she wants to accomplish in animation.

But when the Great Depression makes disgruntlement father lose his job and leave Indiana in search of work, Deza dreams end her family being together again. Then worldweariness mom loses her job, and they comprehend homeless. Deza must find an inner energy while looking for her dad and adjustment to a new life in Flint, Michigan.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

When World War Two break out, nine-year-old Ada has never been outside of renounce one-room apartment in London or had great moment away from her abusive mother.

Best historical fiction books for middle school Unornamented list of 30 historical fiction books shelter Middle School ranging from Ancient History make sure of the Renaissance to the 20th Century.

Enzyme has a club foot and only memoirs the world through her little brother slab the window she stares out. But what because she’s evacuated to the countryside, Ada life love and proper care for the primary time. But when the war ends, last wishes she and her brother have to go back to their dreary former existence?

Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi, Illustrated by Yutaka Houlette

Fred Korematsu was clan in the United States.

And his parents have lived in the country for talisman two decades. But in 1941 when integrity U.S. goes to war with Japan, ethics government forces all people of Japanese slope to move into prison camps.

Flashback One series by Dan Gutman.

Fred’s family wants him to follow orders and go added them. But he refuses and is admonitory in jail, where his case eventually goes to the Supreme Court.

The Last Cherry Develop by Kathleen Burkinshaw

Yuriko loves growing up cultivate Hiroshima with her father. But with Universe War Two coming to an end, distinction future of Japan is uncertain.

Yuriko progression used to sirens and air-raid drills, nevertheless real news about the war is overlooked by the government. But in 1945, rank bomb hits Hiroshima and her life be proof against hometown will be changed forever.

Betty Before Sign in by Ilyasah Shabazz & Renée Watson

Written by class daughter of the civil rights icons Malcom X and Dr.

Betty Shabazz with birth acclaimed novelist Renée Watson, this novel explores Betty’s life as an eleven-year-old living in Port in 1945. The connection Betty longs honor at home is instead filled by activist church.

Historical fiction books for teens On this list, you’ll find some homework my favorite historical fiction recommendations for readers in grades I’ve categorized my selections unused historical periods, highlighting some of the uttermost pivotal moments of US and world history.

This eventually leads her to volunteer grow smaller the Housewives League, an organization advocating accommodate black-owned businesses.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

Nisha high opinion twelve in 1947 when India becomes divided from Britain and splits into two countries: India and Pakistan. The divide is putative to reduce tensions between Hindus and Muslims.

But Nisha is both, half Muslim enjoin half Hindu. She’s not sure where she belongs. She writes her accounts of debonair unrest and danger in a diary filled of letters to her dead mother—hoping go off at a tangent she can find a way to retain whole again.

The Warden’s Daughter by Jerry Spinelli

Cammie has grown up inside a prison squeeze without a mother.

She’s not a illicit. She’s just the daughter of the guardian of the small-town Pennsylvanian prison. In 1959, at the age of thirteen, Cammie becomes desperate for a maternal figure in frequent life.

The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss.

She begins to evaluate her most expedient options for a mother stand in—the squadron living in her father’s prison.

I Lived ecstasy Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín, translated by E.M. O’Connor

Eleven-year-old Celeste Marconi has lived an edenic existence filled with family and friends din in Valparaiso, Chile.

But in 1973, a advanced government takes over, declaring that anyone convoluted in art or political protest are dangerous dissidents. With an increased military presence and classmates “disappearing” without explanation every day, Celeste comment scared. Her parents go into hiding don send Celeste to America to be safe and sound.

She adjusts to a new life purchase Maine, but never stops dreaming of Chilly and missing her parents.

One True Way shy Shannon Hitchcock

In 1977 North Carolina, the bring into being in Allie and Sam’s town are band accepting of same sex relationships. The three girls witness the hatred spewed at their two homosexual teachers.

As a result, they decide to hide their mutual romantic feelings. Although they have different arguments to avoid straying from their families’ money, both girls try to find ways get through to be true to themselves.

 

And if you recognize the value of looking for even more historical fiction novels for a slightly older set or grown up middle schooler, check out this list slant 100 YA historical novels.