The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy (2017)

A unique, suspenseful mystery-fantasy set in the 1940s.

Recommended grade level: 7 and up

Pages:   388 (for ISBN 9780544879362

Genre(s) and keywords: mystery, historical fiction, fantasy, romance, magical realism (yeah I know that’s like all the genres),

Tone/Style: mysterious, dark

Pace: leisurely to moderate

Topics: hidden past of a family member, curses, blame

Themes: grief and loss, alienation, romantic relationships, family

Summary: Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home–and the place where Juliet grew up.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang (2018)

An uplifting graphic novel about celebrating yourself.

Recommended grade level: 6 and up

Pages:   228 (for ISBN 9781626723634)

Genre(s) and keywords: graphic novel, LGBTQIA+, historical fiction

Tone/Style: stylish, fairy-tale-esque

Pace: fast

Topics: gender roles, royalty, fashion, drag, secrets, marriage

Themes: being different, being oneself, friendship, responsibility, expectations

Summary: Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Projekt 1065: A Novel of World War II by Alan Gratz (2016)

Another winner from Alan Gratz: action, intrigue, and real live history.

Recommended grade level: 5-8

Pages:   320 (for ISBN 9780545880169)

Genre(s) and keywords: historical fiction, action/thriller, international (Germany)

Tone/Style: tense

Pace: fast

Topics: World War II, spies, Irish people, phobias

Themes: deception, sacrifice, reasons for evil, Do the ends justify the means?

Summary: World War II is raging. Michael O’Shaunessey, the son of the Irish ambassador to Nazi Germany, lives in war-torn Berlin with his parents. Like the other boys at his school, Michael is a member of the Hitler Youth. But Michael has a secret:

He and his parents are spies.

The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse (2016)

This World War II mystery set in the occupied Netherlands demonstrates the horrors of the Holocaust.

Recommended grade level: 7-11

Pages:   309 (for ISBN 9780316260602)

Genre(s) and keywords: historical fiction, mystery, international, Europe (the Netherlands)

Tone/Style: bleak, fearful, desperate

 

Pace: moderate

Topics: the Holocaust, World War II, the Netherlands, investigations, missing persons

Themes: resistance against oppression, grief and loss, selfishness, risks

Summary: Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the Dutch front lines when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion.

Front Lines by Michael Grant (2016)

This book feels a lot like historical fiction–but it’s not.  A novel concept make this one memorable.

Recommended grade level: 7-12

Pages:   576 (for ISBN 9780062342157)

Genre(s) and keywords: historical fiction (not exactly, but historical fiction fans should like it), adventure, war

Tone/Style: thoughtful, despairing, gritty

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt (2007)

This beloved tragicomedy is like hiding veggies in a smoothie: they won’t even notice it’s historical fiction!

Recommended grade level: 5-9

Pages: 264 (for ISBN 9780618724833)

Genre(s) and keywords: historical fiction, humor, award winners

Tone/Style: personal, embarrassed

Pace: moderate

Topics: school, theatre, baseball, the Vietnam War, Shakespeare

Themes: parent/child relationships, sibling relationships, teacher relationships, war, disappointment, parental approval, self-discovery

Summary: Holling Hoodhood is really in for it.

He’s just started seventh grade with Mrs. Baker, a teacher he knows is out to get him. Why else would she make him read Shakespeare…outside of class?

Shadow on the Mountain by Margi Preus (2012)

This WWII fiction draws students’ attention to the resistance against Nazi rule in Norway.

Recommended grade level: 6-10

Pages: 304 (for ISBN 9781419704246)

Genre(s) and keywords: historical fiction, adventure, international, Europe (Norway)

Tone/Style: danger-filled, exciting

Pace: moderate

Topics: World War II, Norway, spies, skiing

Themes: resistance, courage, treachery

Summary: Fourteen-year-old Espen and his friends are swept up in the resistance movement in Nazi occupied Norway. He gets his start delivering illegal newspapers, then graduates to the role of courier, and finally becomes a spy, dodging the Gestapo along the way.