For Fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer Nielsen…
Jennifer Nielsen and Alan Gratz write enveloping historical fiction, a genre that I love (see these previous posts). Lindsay B.’s tween is a big fan of both authors, and Lindsay asked for recommendations of more books for her voracious reader. Below are middle grade and young adults historical novels that should be great next reads for anyone who wants to be transported through time.
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (2016)
This novel focuses on the experience of Ada as she and her brother are evacuated from London to the English countryside. Ada’s life up to that point has been hard and limited, due to her controlling mother and Ada’s malformed foot. Though the woman who takes them in isn’t very welcoming, Ada begins to flourish in her new life. The sequel, The War I Finally Won, is also great.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani (2019)
Set in 1947, this book tells the story of the partition between India and Pakistan through the lens of a 12-year-old who is half-Muslim and half-Hindu. Where does her family belong? Can they survive long enough to get there? Beautifully written; it won a 2019 Newbery Honor.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (2020)
Amal is forced into servitude in Pakistan. She recognizes the big problems with the system imposed by the ruling family of their village. She slowly finds ways to ally with her fellow servants and push back against the status quo.
Show Me a Sign series by Ann Clare LeZotte (started 2020)
This trilogy is set within the Deaf community of Martha’s Vineyard in the 19th century. In the first book, Mary’s life is unsettled when her brother dies and a scientist comes to the island to find the origin of the community’s deafness. The second book focuses on Mary’s helping a young, isolated deaf child learn to communicate. The final book takes her abroad to France to connect with the pioneering deaf school there.
The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein (2020)
I recommend all of Wein’s historical YA books set during World War II. This book involves solving the mystery of Enigma machines. Louisa, who is half-Jamaican, gets a job taking care of an elderly German woman in Scotland near a British army base. When a German pilot and an Enigma machine cross Louisa’s path, she is entwined in the mystery to understand the machine and help the British win the war.
The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (2024)
This bestselling novel is a great read set in England in World War II. It is told in the dual perspectives of siblings Lizzie and Jakob. Jakob, just out of school, is working at Bletchley Park as a codebreaker. Lizzie joins him there determined to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. If you like this one, be sure to check out other amazing books by the author — YA fiction by Sepetys and non-fiction by Sheinkin.