Five Historical Novels Every Child Should Read Before High School

Literature can help students appreciate the past instead of merely judging it.

Why this list matters: In order for American children to understand history, they must first learn to appreciate the values, customs, and traditions of past generations. This can best be done through historical fiction, which gives students a window into places, people, and ideas that are very different from their own experiences.

To be sure, historical fiction is no replacement for primary sources and high-quality history textbooks. But it can help students escape the temptation of presentism: judging past people and events through a critical modern lens. Older historical novels—particularly those written before 1970—are best at this. Historical fiction can also pique a student’s interest in a particular time period or event.

From the English colonial era to the Civil War, these five books will immerse children in some of the most important moments of our country’s past:

1. Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes (1943). Set in revolutionary Boston, this classic work explores the ideas that motivated American independence through the eyes of a 14-year-old apprentice silversmith. This childhood classic features many Revolutionary heroes including Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and James Otis, as well as key events of the early Revolution like the Boston Tea Party. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

2. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham (1955). This fictionalized account of the life of American sailor and mathematician Nathaniel Bowditch celebrates the invention, perseverance, and curiosity that helped early America prosper. Despite difficulties in his life, Bowditch embodied the American dream, and his work revolutionized ocean navigation. Appropriate for all ages.

3. Little House in the Big Woods (1932) OR Farmer Boy (1933) by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These books, set respectively in the woods of Wisconsin and upstate New York, give children a glimpse into the hard work, resourcefulness, and fortitude of ordinary 19^th century Americans. While Little House in the Big Woods introduces the Ingalls family’s pioneer story, Farmer Boy follows one year of her husband, Almanzo’s, childhood experiences working on his family’s farm. Appropriate for children five and up.

4. Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt (1964). This book tells the story of the Civil War through the eyes of nine-year-old Jethro, who lives on a farm in rural Illinois, a state that sent more than 250,000 men to fight for the Union. Through the story, young readers follow Jethro’s family as they wrestle with hardship, divided loyalties, duty, and loss. It also provides a picture of family life in the 1860s. Appropriate for children nine and up.

5. Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (1951). Based on the true story of a 15-year-old African prince who is captured and sold into slavery in early 18^th century New England, Amos Fortune explores themes of liberty, justice, virtue, perseverance, and religious devotion as Amos pursues freedom for himself and his family. Appropriate for ages 10-12.

Novelist L. P. Hartley wrote that “The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there.” His statement is truer today than ever. The accelerating change in our culture now means that even the 20^th century seems alien to today’s students. But good books—especially historical literature—can be a passport to the past, helping students understand and empathize with the generations of Americans that came before them.