Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird Historical Fiction Tween/Grades 4-8 * * * Stars (Pretty good) 12-year-old Suzy Bowles wants to see the world, but she’s stuck on a farm in a small town in Michigan where no one ever seems to leave (or even wants to). When her uncle and his family come to live with them, she makes it her business to find out where he disappears to every morning before … Read more
Lovely War by Julie Berry Adventure Historical Fiction Romance Teen * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) In a Manhattan hotel on the eve of World War II, Hephaestus catches his wife, Aphrodite, in a compromising position with his brother Ares. To clear herself of the crime of adultery, she weaves an intricate tale of mortal love during wartime that demonstrates the endurance of the human spirit. This book is intelligently and incredibly well written, … Read more
Sunny Makes a Splash Sunny #4 by Jennifer and Matthew Holm Graphic Novel Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Tween (grades 4+) * * * * Stars (Great!) Summer is here! And most of Sunny’s friends are off doing other things while Sunny is home babysitting her little brother. Until she lucks into a job at the pool working at the concession stand. She makes lots of new friends there among the life guards and gets to … Read more
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig Adventure Historical Fiction Romance Science Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Nix and her father are navigators – they can travel through space and time on their ship, The Temptation, if they have an accurate map which they’ve never used before. Captain Slate, Nix’s father, is desperate to find a way back to the time before his wife’s death – he’ll pay anything, do anything, for a … Read more
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Why is a book with a loving family in it more enjoyable to read? In a place to hang the moon by Kate Albus, there are three siblings named William, Edmund, and Anna who live in London, England. When their grandmother dies, they have to come up with a plan to find someone … Read more
My Brigadista Year by Katherine Paterson Historical Fiction Juvenile Fiction (grades 5-8) * * * * Stars (Great!) It’s 1961 and Lora, who has grown up in Havana, Cuba, wants to become a brigadista, and teach people in faraway rural communities how to read and write. Her parents want to refuse (she’s too young, it’s too dangerous), but her grandmother persuades them to let her go, even though Lora is only thirteen. Lora receives training … Read more
The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore Adventure Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This book is absolutely amazing! Hazel Kaplansky loves detective work. But in a small town in Vermont, there isn’t usually a lot. Until Mr. Jones moves in. Set in the 1950s, this book revolves around the Cold War. When there is an investigation being conducted at a nearby factory, Hazel’s mind … Read more
Through Russian Snows by G.A. Henty Historical Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This book is about Napoleon’s retreat through Russia. There are two brothers, named Julian and Frank. Julian enlists with the French because he was captured by smugglers. Frank enlists with the English because his father was in the army. Will the two boys survive the numerous battles? This book will pull you in and have you wanting to … Read more
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Adventure Classic Historical Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is about a young boy and an African American slave who escape town to the free states. Along the way they face many obstacles such as prejudice against color. Although this book has an older style of writing, I enjoyed it very much. I liked reading the various forms of … Read more
Cinders and Sapphires At Somerton #1 by Leila Rasheed Historical Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Ada, the main character, is coming back from India and along the way she meets a guy named Ravi. She gets her first kiss and can’t stop thinking about him. Until one day, he appears at her house for a party and the whole whirlwind romance continues.