Historical Fiction Books

Picture Books

Milly and the Macy’s Parade by Shana Corey (Historical Fiction)

Summary: It's 1924 and the holidays are approaching. Milly lives in NYC with her Polish family and frolics daily in holiday displays at the Macy's store under the watchful eye of Mr. Macy. But Milly's family misses their homeland and traditions. In an effort to cheer people up, Milly convinces Mr. Macy to combine old country traditions with new American heritage in a celebration for all to enjoy. Everyone agrees that the resulting parade will become a wonderful new tradition. This heartwarming story beautifully captures the creation of a uniquely American event.  Concerned that the immigrant employees of New York City's Macy's department store are homesick at Christmas, a young girl inspires the store's head to hold the first Macy's Parade. Theme of this book is the Macy’s Parade. I liked this book because it was based on a true story. 

When Jessie Came Across The Sea by Amy Hest (Historical Fiction)

Summary: It is a story of a 13-year old girl Jessie who is an orphan and lives with her grandmother in a village in Europe. She always keeps her mother's marriage band close to her. She has a lovely relationship with her grandmother. Jessie teaches her grandmother to read and write while her grandmother teaches her to sew. They are happy in their own little world. But this soon changes with a big jolt when the Rabbi of the village selects Jessie to go to America on his ticket as he has to be in the village to perform his regular duties. Jessie and her grandmother are devastated even at the thought of being away from each other but then they both reconcile to this big change in their lives.  The day soon arrives when Jessie has to finally board the ship to New York. Jessie is unsure, afraid, alone and very sad but soon forgets her woes and gets herself busy in sewing laces for the women passengers on the ship. While on the ship, a young boy Lou becomes her friend. On arriving New York, Jessie is received by Rabbi's brother's widow who owns a dress shop. Jessie starts working there sewing beautiful laces and soon people begin to throng the dress shop for her special laces. Also, she starts school again and regularly writes letters to her grandmother narrating her experiences in the new city.  Three years fly away like this and one day she happens to meet her old friend Lou in the garden. They develop liking for each other and Lou proposes but Jessie wants some more time. By this time she had already saved enough money that she could buy a ticket for her grandmother to come to New York. Grandmother reaches America and blesses the young couple with the perfect gift which she had been entrusted with when Jessie came to America.  Illustrations are very mature and can be appreciated across all ages. The water color pictures are really life like and bring the inner feelings of the protagonist beautifully to the paper. The picture which is also on the cover, captures the moment when the ship of the immigrants reach the shores of America and Statue of Liberty is in the backdrop. It beautifully depicts the medley of emotions that the protagonist must be experiencing at that time - excitement of landing in an alien land, hopes to fulfill the dreams of a better future, apprehensions of the unknown and melancholy feeling of leaving the loved ones far behind. These are some of the feelings which are not alien to me and I am sure, not to many people who move from their place of birth to a new country, new surroundings and amidst new people leaving the comforts of known surroundings. Theme is to never give up. I liked this book because it shows that even if you are away from someone you love, you can always make other friends. 

Coming On Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson (Historical Fiction) 

Summary: Ada Ruth tries her best to be brave when her mother decides to go to Chicago to work on the railroads during World War II. Times are hard and Ada Ruth must remain at home with her grandmother. Ada Ruth knows her mother loves her more than rain and more than snow, but she still misses her more and more. She constantly waits for the arrival of a letter from her mother. When a stray kitten appears on the doorstep, she puts down a saucer of milk. As Grandmother softens towards the kitten, Ada Ruth sees how much her grandmother misses her mother as well. The three of them keep each other company as they await news from Chicago. Finally, a letter with some much- needed money from her mother arrives. The letter also includes the promise that her mother will be coming on home soon.  Woodson’s text is simple and spare, conveying pure emotion. The dialogue is written in italics, helping to keep the text clean of even punctuation. She repeats the phrase, “coming on home soon,” to reassure not only the characters but also the readers that mother will indeed reappear.  E. B. Lewis has filled the pages with watercolors full of light. Sometimes the light shines through the window or streams in an open door. It is always there to give the illustrations warmth despite the expressions of longing and hope on the faces of Ada Ruth and Grandmother. In one two-page spread, Lewis shows Ada Ruth curled up with the kitten on a rug in front of the fireplace; the fire glows red and orange casting a shadow on Ada Ruth’s face that deepens the look of loneliness. Theme is to have hope. I liked this book because it shows that having hope is helpful. 

The Memory Coat by Elvira Woodruff (Historical Fiction) 

Summary: When the Tsar's soldiers invade their Jewish community, Rachel and her family flee from Russia to America. But what they fear most is facing the inspection station at Ellis Island. For any wrong move there could cause one or all of them to be turned away. Hoping to make a good impression, the family pleads with cousin Grisha to let them replace his tattered old coat with a new one. But Grisha refuses. His mother had made the coat for him just before she died, and it still holds the powerful memory of her love. A harrowing experience upon their arrival threatens to separate the family. But it's Rachel's cleverness and Grisha's cherished coat that ultimately keep them together.  Theme is memories, tradition and family. I liked this book because it was about keeping memories and loved ones close to you.

Chapter Book

My America: Our Strange New Land by Patricia Hermes (Historical Fiction)

Summary: Elizabeth Barker is only nine years old when she and her parents leave Plymouth, England. They set sail with nine shiploads of other people, headed for a small colony in America --- Jamestown, Virginia. They have high hopes for a wonderful life in this brand new country, where they can own their own land and build their own house. Elizabeth misses her twin brother Caleb, who had to stay in England because of his weak lungs, so she keeps a journal for him, to tell him what their first months are like in this strange, beautiful country. The journey itself is very difficult. They lose five of their nine ships at sea in a terrible hurricane. They don't know whether the ships got blown off course, or if they sank in the storm. One of the ships carried their food. But when they arrive in Jamestown, Elizabeth is excited. She and Jessie, another girl her same age, become good friends. They explore the forest, splash in the river, and go fishing for clams and crabs. They see a raccoon and think it's a monkey! They sleep under the stars in a lean-to while their fathers build their houses. Elizabeth's father lets her help him; she gets to climb up on the roof and thatch it. And she and Jessie meet an Indian girl named Pocahontas, who becomes their friend. Elizabeth even gets to go with Captain John Smith to the Indians' camp. But amid the excitement of a new land, the colonists endure many hardships. Jamestown was built in a wet, humid marsh. The heat is terrible. Mosquitoes spread the "summer sickness," and many people die, including Jessie's mother. It reaches a point where at least two people die every day. They bury them at night so the Indians won't know how their numbers are dwindling. Rats that disembarked from the ships destroy the food in their storehouse. Eventually two of the ships thought lost in the storm make it to land. Elizabeth meets three new friends from these ships, but they also become very ill. Elizabeth's mother is going to have a baby, and Elizabeth is afraid that she might die in childbirth like some of the other women and their newborn babies. Along with the problems they encounter in their new country, the colonists bring some problems with them from England. Some of the men think that they are gentlemen --- and therefore too good to work. They kidnap and enslave the Indians to do their work for them. They also steal food from the Indians. The Indians, who were at first friendly and helpful, begin to fight back and kill the colonists.  Finally, in the autumn, Captain John Smith is seriously injured, and he must return to England. He takes some of the colonists back with him. The rest will stay in Jamestown for the winter. In May 1607, 3 ships sailed up the James River in Virginia. In the riverbank marshes, they made land and hung the flag--England's flag--establishing the first permanent English colony in Jamestown, Virginia. In 1609, the first ship carrying women and children arrived.  After 71 days at sea, nine-year-old Elizabeth Barker is thrilled to be on dry land. Lizzie keeps a journal for Caleb, her twin brother who stayed in England because of his weak lungs. In her buoyant entries,Lizzie tells of the abundant forests, trading with and learning from the Indians, and adventures with her new friends. Theme is history and travel. I did not like this book because am not a fan of history and social studies in general.