Category Archives: Historical

The Button Box by Bridget Hodder and Fawzia Gilani-William

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Katy K.

For the younger middle grade set comes this exciting time travel adventure set in early medieval Morocco. Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged Jewish, medieval, Morocco, Muslim, not quite middle grade, time travel, youth fantasy | 5 Comments

The Other Side of the River by Alda P. Dobbs

Posted on September 23, 2022 by Katy K.

This freshly imagined story of an immigrant girl, taking off from the author’s grandmother’s story, is filled with determination, hard-won joy, as well as hope and humor. Continue reading →

Posted in Historical, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged historical fiction, immigration, Latino/a, Latinx, Mexican-American, Texas, youth fiction | 2 Comments

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

Posted on July 3, 2022 by Katy K.

Here’s another lovely Thai-inspired historical fiction/fantasy book from Christina Soontornvat, whose earlier books A Wish in the Dark and All Thirteen won Newbery Honors the same year. Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade | Tagged Christina Soontornvat, exploration, historical fantasy, seafaring, Thailand, youth fantasy | 5 Comments

Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Katy K.

Here’s a beautiful and chewy historical novel that lives up to its slew of awards – a Cybils Young Adult Fiction finalist in addition to the four pictured on the cover. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo. … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Historical, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged Asian-American, award winners, Chinese-American, Emily Woo Zeller, LGBTQ, Malinda Lo, San Francisco, teen historical fiction | Leave a comment

Remixed Classics: So Many Beginnings, Clash of Steel, and Travelers Along the Way

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Katy K.

These first three books from Feiwel & Friends’ Remixed Classics series take the classics, still in their original time periods, and retell them from the point of view of people of color. The first three include retellings of Little Women, Treasure Island, and Robin Hood – all fabulous. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Historical, Print, Reviews, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged African-American, china, Civil War, Crusades, historical fiction, Middle Eastern, pirates, Robin Hood, teen historical fiction | 7 Comments

3 More Cybils Middle Grade Fiction Finalists

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Katy K.

Onwards with my reading of this year’s Cybils middle grade fiction finalists with reviews of Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas, A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus and Linked by Gordon Korman! Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Historical, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged Canada, Colorado, Cybils, England, Jewish, LGBTQ, Middle Grade, world war ii, youth fiction | 2 Comments

Four 2021 Cybils Middle Grade Graphic Novel Finalists

Posted on February 16, 2022 by Katy K.

Here are short reviews of four of the seven finalists in the elementary/middle grade graphic novel category of the 2021 Cybils Awards, including Borders, Chunky, Jukebox, and Salt Magic. Continue reading →