This week, entirely by accident, I read only historical fiction. This is a genre that I love, but which I know can sometimes be a tricky sell to middle grade readers. As a librarian, my favorite historical fiction books are those that my students can relate to on an emotional level, even if they can't entirely relate to the time period in which they are set. I think the books I read this week qualify!
Every Day After, by Laura Golden, takes place in Alabama during the Depression. Lizzie is desperately trying to keep things afloat at home and school, despite the fact that her father has left town, her mother has slipped into an almost catatonic depression and the local bully has Lizzie in her sights. Relying upon (and sometimes abusing) her relationship with her lifelong best friend Ben, Lizzie stubbornly struggles to maintain her equilibrium and independence, despite her growing fear that her precarious situation will be discovered and she will be sent to an orphanage. While this book is very deeply situated in the South, in the Depression, I think many contemporary kids will relate to Lizzie's predicament (especially the stress that she experiences in co-existing with the school bully) and will appreciate her fierce loyalty to her family.
Paperboy by Vince Vawter is also set in the South in the past (Memphis, 1959). The narrator (whose name we only know as "Little Man") takes over his friend’s paper route for the summer. He is excited about this (he plays baseball and thrills, initially, in chucking the papers onto porches), but his stutter deeply limits his ability to express himself and his mind is constantly seeking ways to avoid certain sounds and situations. The paper route gives him the opportunity to observe and interact with adults in new, sometimes unsettling, sometimes joyful, ways. Race relations in Memphis in the late 1950s play a big part in this fictionalized autobiography and in the narrator's growing awareness of both himself and the world around him. I really loved "Little Man" and appreciated his honest evolution.
Finally, Cynthia Voigt's newest offering, The Book of Lost Things (Mister Max #1) is a satisfying and entertaining mystery set in the early 1900s. Max’s rather flighty parents disappear, ostensibly on a boat headed for India, but clearly all is not as it seems. Max is left feeling bewildered and abandoned, under the care of his librarian grandmother. Together they try to figure out what happened to Max’s parents, and Max, finding himself embroiled in a number of mysteries, fashions himself as a “solutioneer,” part sleuth, part problem solver. Excellent characters, a compelling mystery (which isn’t solved, as this is the start of a trilogy), and a good dose of humor make this a fun read!
OOH. I had Every Day After on my TBR list but not Paperboy or The Book of Lost Things. They all look awesome. I totally know what you mean. Kids will always take mystery or fantasy or realistic recommendations ... but historical is a harder sell. It's true what you said. If they can connect emotionally with a character it helps.
ReplyDeleteI read A Million Shades of Gray this week ... about a little elephant keeper in Vietnam during the war. Will have to think about this. I liked it well enough but the whole time I couldn't think of a student I would recommend it to. :/
Thanks for stopping by! I want to read A Million Shades of Gray too... it's so interesting that adults tend to like historical fiction but for kids it isn't so automatic. I wonder if that's just because we have so much more background knowledge about the past? Or because as we get older, the past becomes more intriguing?
DeleteLike you, I love historical fiction. I am glad to read the reviews because they seem like such great books. Thank you for sharing with us! Have a great reading week! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Ricki - wishing you a great reading week as well!
DeleteThese look like great books! Thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteMichele
Coffee Cups and Lesson Plans
Thank you Michele!
DeleteGreat list! I always struggle with recommendations for my historical fiction fan students. This will help immensely! (theuninterruptedreader.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeleteExcellent, thank you Jen!
DeleteAll three of these books sound amazing. I know what you mean about historical fiction being a hard sell, but luckily there are a lot of books out there that have situations that students can connect with. Also, I love your blog name! I wish I had come up with something fun like that for mine. Have a great reading week!
ReplyDeleteAndrea, thank you for the feedback on the blog name! I was afraid it was too much of a mouthful. :)
DeleteI wasn't sure about The Book of Lost Things. Voigt is a REALLY hard sell in my library, as is historical fiction. May think about it for a while.
ReplyDeleteI think the humor in The Book of Lost Things makes it somewhat unique... I'm thinking I'll use that angle to book talk it initially and then hopefully it will sell itself! Thank you so much for stopping by.
DeleteEvery Day After and Paperboy are here and ready for me to read them when I get to them. They look so great!
ReplyDeleteGigi, knowing that goods books are close at hand and waiting to be read is such a wonderful feeling - enjoy!
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