Historical Fiction

Historical fiction a is type of realistic fiction that is set in the past.  Historical fiction may be set at a specific time or during a general era of time.  Some authors choose to write fictionalized accounts of actual people from the past.  Many times, authors will write about their own life or one of their ancestors. 

Many older contemporary realistic fiction books have been re-categorized as historical fiction because of their age. 

Whatever the setting, it is important that the setting and characters be realistic and credible.  The best historical fiction has been thoroughly researched by the author.  Often, actual historical events and people will be woven into the fictional story.  Some authors choose to try to use authentic language, however, many will modify it because it is often difficult to read by modern readers.  If the books contain illustrations, these should be historically accurate as well.

- Information taken from Galda and Cullinan's Literature and the Child

Newbery books that are historical fiction:

• One Came Home (Wisconsin - 1871) - Amy Timberlake (2014)
• Paperboy (Memphis - 1959) - Vince Vawter (2014)
• Dead End in Norvelt (Norvelt, Pennsylvania - 1960s) - Jack Gantos (2012)
• Inside Out & Back Again (Saigon/U.S. - Vietnam War) - Thanhha Lai (2012)
• Breaking Stalin's Nose (USSR - Cold War) - Eugene Yelchin (2012)
• Moon Over Manifest (Manifest, KS - 1918/1936) - Clare Vanderpool (2011)
• Turtle in Paradise (Key West - 1935) - Jennifer L. Holm (2011)
• Heart of a Samurai (Imperial Japan - 1841) - Margi Preus (2011)
• One Crazy Summer (Oakland, CA - 1968) - Rita Williams-Garcia (2011)
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate (Fentress, Texas - 1899) - Jacqueline Kelly (2010)
• The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg (Civil War) - Rodman Philbrick (2010)
• Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village (Europe - Middle Ages) - Laura Amy Schlitz (2008)
• Elijah of Buxton (Buxton, Canada - mid-1800s) - Christopher Paul Curtis (2008)
• The Wednesday Wars (Long Island, NY - 1967) - Gary D. Schmidt (2008)
• Penny from Heaven (Brooklyn - 1953) - Jennifer L. Holm (2007)
• Hattie Big Sky (Montana - 1917) - Kirby Larson (2007)
• Kira-Kira (Georgia - 1950s) - Cynthia Kadohata (2005)
• Al Capone Does My Shirts (Alcatraz Island - 1935) - Gennifer Choldenko (2005)
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (Malaga Island, Maine - 1911) - Gary D. Schmidt (2005)
• Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Europe - Middle Ages) - Avi (2003)
• A Single Shard (Imperial Japan) - Linda Sue Park (2002)
• A Year Down Yonder (rural Illinois - 1937) - Richard Peck (2001)
• Bud, Not Buddy (Flint - Great Depression) - Christopher Paul Curtis (2000)
• Our Only May Amelia (Washington - 1899) - Jennifer L. Holm (2000)
• A Long Way from Chicago (rural Illinois - 1929-1942) - Richard Peck (1999)
• Out of the Dust (Oklahoma - 1934-1935) - Karen Hesse (1998)
• The Midwife's Apprentice (Europe - Middle Ages) - Karen Cushman (1996)
• Catherine Called Birdy (Europe - Middle Ages) - Karen Cushman (1995)
• Dragon's Gate (California - 1867) - Laurence Yep (1993)
• The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (Atlantic Ocean - 19th century) - Avi (1991)
• Number the Stars (Copenhagen - 1943) - Lois Lowry (1990)
• Sarah, Plain and Tall (western U.S. - late 19th century) - Patricia MacLachlan (1986)
• The Sign of the Beaver (North America - 18th century) - Elizabeth George Speare (1984)
• Homesick: My Own Story (China - 1920s) - Jean Fritz (1983)
• A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl's Journal, 1830-1832 (1830-1832 - New Hampshire) - Joan W. Blos (1980)
• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (Mississippi - 1933) - Mildred D. Taylor (1977)
• Sing Down the Moon (New Mexico - 1800s) - Scott O'Dell (1971)
• Sounder (Deep South - 19th Century) - William H. Armstrong (1970)
• The Black Pearl (Mexico) - Scott O'Dell (1968)
• Up a Road Slowly (U.S. - mid 20th century) - Irene Hunt (1967)
• Shadow of a Bull (Spain - mid 20th century) - Maia Wojciechowska (1965)
• Across Five Aprils (Ohio - American Civil War) - Irene Hunt (1965)
• Men of Athens (Ancient Greece) - Olivia Coolidge (1963)
• The Bronze Bow (Judea - time of Christ) - Elizabeth George Speare (1962)
• Island of the Blue Dolphins (Channel Islands - 1800s) - Scott O'Dell (1961)
• The Witch of Blackbird Pond (Wethersfield, Connecticut - 1687) - Elizabeth George Speare (1959)
• The Family Under the Bridge (Paris) - Natalie Savage Carlson (1959)
• Rifles for Watie (Kansas - American Civil War) - Harold Keith (1958)
• Miracles on Maple Hill (Edinboro, Pennsylvania - 1950s) - Virginia Sorensen (1957)
• Courage of Sarah Noble (Connecticut - 18th century) - Alice Dalgliesh (1955)
• King of the Wind (Arabia - 1700s) - Marguerite Henry (1949)
• These Happy Golden Years (De Smet, South Dakota - 1882-1885) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1944)
• Rufus M. (Cranbury, Connecticut - World War I) - Eleanor Estes (1944)
• The Middle Moffat (Cranbury, Connecticut - World War I) - Eleanor Estes (1944)
• Little Town on the Prairie (De Smet, South Dakota - 1880-1881) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1942)
• Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison () - Lois Lenski (1942)
• Call it Courage (Pacific Islands) - Armstrong Sperry (1941)
• The Long Winter (De Smet, South Dakota - 1881) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1941)
• By the Shores of Silver Lake  (De Smet, South Dakota - 1870s) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1940)
• On the Banks of Plum Creek (Plum Creek, Minnesota - 1870s) - Laura Ingalls Wilder (1938)
• Caddie Woodlawn (Dunnville, Wisconsin - 1860s) - Carol Ryrie Brink (1936)
• Day on Skates: The Story of a Dutch Picnic (Holland) - Hilda Von Stockum (1935)
• Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (China - 1920s) - Elizabeth Lewis (1933)
• Calico Bush (Maine - Pioneer era) - Rachel Field (1932)