Breaking Stalin's Nose

by Eugene Velchin
Lexile:  670
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Award:  2016-17 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee, 2012 Newberry Honor Book

"Anything ever happens to me, go see your Aunt Larisa.  She'll put you up." Sasha's dad whispers in his ear one night.  Sasha is growing up in Communist Russia and since a very young age has been waiting for the moment he turns ten so that he can become a Young Pioneer and pledge his loyalty to Stalin.  Hours after his father whispers to him, the secret police come and escort his father away and take him to prison.  The police tell Sasha they will be back for him in the morning.  Sasha remembers his father's words, but when he gets to Larisa, his uncle refuses to take him in.  Sasha has no choice but to fend for himself until he can figure out a way to get to Stalin and explain that this is all just a big misunderstanding.

A Night Divided

by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Lexile:  810
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Gerta and her family are living in Germany after the end of WWII.  There is talk that the Russians are going to cut off all ties with the west in order to protect their communist way of life.  Gerta's parents are divided on what to do.  Her father wants to move their family to West Berlin where they would have more of a chance of building a life filled with freedom.  Gerta's mother thinks they should stay where they are in the East as that is where they have jobs and friends and family.  Gerta's mother finally agrees to let her husband and son Dominic go to the west to see about jobs and a place to live. But overnight, a wall is erected and the family is separated.  Gerta, Fritz, and their mother fear that they will never see the rest of their family again.  As life becomes more unbearable, and Fritz is recruited for the military, Greta realizes that it might be up to her to get her family back together. There is one chance...and it could cost her her life.

When My Name was Keoko

by Linda Sue Park
Lexile:  610
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Sun-hee and her family are proud of their Korean heritage, but they are living under Japanese occupation during World War II so they are forced to learn to read and write in Japanese.  One day it is announced that all Koreans will have to change their names and are no longer be able to fly the Korean flag.  Suddenly Sun-hee becomes Keoko and then the real sacrifices begin.  Her uncle is working for the resistance and suddenly disappears.  Next, Keoko's brother volunteers to fight in the Japanese army in order to protect their uncle and get their family more food rations. Keoko wants there to be a happy ending for everyone...but every day that possibility seems farther and farther away.

Copper Sun

by Sharon Draper
Lexile:  820
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Amari's quiet life in Africa has ended.  Her parents and brother have been murdered and she is on a slave ship headed to the Carolinas.  Hope is the only thing that she has left and she doesn't know how long that will be able to sustain her.  Life on the ship is terrible and life at her new home on a rice plantation isn't any better.  Amari meets Polly, and indentured servant, Teenie, the kitchen slave, who help her learn English and learn how to survive.  Then a tragedy occurs that forces Polly and Amari to make a decision that will change the course of their lives.  Will hope for a better life become their reality?

A Northern Light

by Jennifer Donnelly
Lexile:  700
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Mattie wants to be a writer.  In order to realize that dream, she is going to need to move away from the small town of Eagle Bay which means leaving her family and friends.  The problem is that she made a promise to her mother before she died that she would stay and help her father raise her younger siblings.  Mattie could marry Royal and farm with him next door to her father, but that just isn't her dream.  Mattie convinces her father to let her work at the Glenmore Hotel for the summer.  While she is working there, she meets Grace Brown.  Even though it is a brief encounter, meeting Grace, gives Mattie the courage to take charge of her life and set out on a path that will help make her dreams come true.

T4: A Novel in Verse

by Ann Clare LeZotte
Lexile:  ???
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse

This is a haunting story told in verse that takes place during World War II.  Paula Becker is growing up in Germany with her loving family.  They are patient with her as she learns how to communicate with them as she is deaf.  Her family does everything they can to make her life easier.  But then Hitler comes to power and life in Germany changes. Suddenly, Paula’s deafness could mean the end of her life because of the Nazi regime’s strict orders to kill anyone with a mental or physical disability.  Paula’s family realizes that in order to protect her, they must send her away with a trusted family priest.  Paula’s fight for survival is an amazing story of courage and perseverance in the face of many obstacles.

Laika

by Nick Abadzis
Lexile:  370
Genre:  Historical Fiction (Graphic Novel)

Laika is set to make history.  Russia has begun the race to get a man on the moon and they are anxious to beat the United States.  Their manned space flight program begins with training dogs to withstand the forces of space flight.  Laika ends up as a new recruit in the space program.  She has no idea what the rest of her short life is going to be like.

Ashes

by Kathryn Lasky
Lexile:  770
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Gaby and Rosa are best friends.  They love growing up in the busy city of Berlin.  They love their school and are looking forward to a fun summer at Gaby's lake home.  But things are changing. Brown uniforms are everywhere.  New rules are put in place.  Books are being collected.  Gaby and her parents are unhappy with these changes and can't understand why some of their closest friends and neighbors don't seem concerned.  Gaby and her family will have some tough decisions to make. Will they follow along with the crowd or stand up for what they believe?

The Great Trouble

by Deborah Hopkinson
Lexile:  660
Genre: Historical Fiction

Eel has not had an easy life.  His parents are dead and he has decided that life on his own away from his evil stepfather is his best shot at success.  His life changes when a cholera epidemic strikes London.  The disease is spreading rapidly and many people are dying.  It will be up to Eel to convince the famous Dr. Snow to take a look into the cause behind what is killing Eels friends and neighbors.

The Apothecary

by Maile Meloy
Lexile:  740
Genre:  Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Fourteen year old Janie Scott's life has just changed drastically.  She has moved from Los Angeles to London where everything is different.  Things seem old and gray and London is still recovering from the devastation of WWII bombings.  But then Janie meets Benjamin, the son of the mysterious apothecary who's shop is down the street.  As Janie and Benjamin become friends, a serious of amazing and unbelievable events begin.  When Benjamin's father is kidnapped, Janie realizes that she has been drawn into something she was not expecting.

The Mighty Miss Malone

by Christopher Paul Curtis
Lexile:  750
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Deza is the smartest girl in school and her older brother Jimmie is the best singer in all of Gary, Indiana.  Their parents are struggling to earn enough money to keep their home and food on the table. A boating accident causes their father to leave home and Deza, Jimmie, and their mother have no choice but to follow him.  They end up living in a homeless camp in Flint, MI.  Life is rough until Jimmie starts earning money singing and their mom is able to find work cleaning at the hotel.  But there is no word from their father.  Will their family ever be able to live all together again?

Keeping Safe the Stars

by Sheila O'Connor
Lexile:  650
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Pride, Nightingale, and Baby Star have learned to rely on each other.  First their father died, then their mother, and now the grandfather who so kindly took them in, is very ill in the hospital.  Pride knows that it is up to her to keep the family together.  If anyone finds out that there are 3 children living in a cabin alone, she knows that the county is going to step in and split up their close knit group.  It's up to Pride and her siblings to stay one step ahead of all the grownups who want to get involved in their business.

One Came Home

by Amy Timberlake
Lexile:  690
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Georgie refuses to believe that her sister Agatha is dead.  Despite the fact that the sheriff says her body has been found and her funeral has been held.  Georgie turns to Agatha's former boyfriend, Billy, for help and the two of them set off on a journey to find any evidence that will prove that Agatha is still alive.

Curses and Smoke

by Vicky Alvear Shecter
Lexile:  720
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Lucia has everything she could want...until her father arranges a marriage for her to a man who is 40 years older than she is.  Lucia and her best friend Cornelia are trying desperately to come up with a plan to get Lucia out of this arrangement.  In the midst of this, Lucia's childhood friend Tages returns from Rome.  Tages is owned by her father and now that they are both grown up, and relationship between the two of them, even friendship is forbidden.  Tages and Lucia are going to have to make some tough choices that could possibly destroy them both.

Zane and the Hurricane

by Rodman Philbrick
Lexile:  860
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Zane's father died before he was born and his mother was never able to track down any of his father's relative.  Until one day, out of the blue, Zane learns that he has a grandmother who is alive and living in New Orleans.  His mother arranges for Zane, and his dog Bandit, to spend the last week of summer vacation with his newly found grandmother.  As Zane travels to New Orleans, a tropical storm is brewing.  He has no idea that he is about to run straight into one of the most destructive hurricanes of all time.  Hurricane Katrina is on her way, and when she meets Zane, his life will change forever.

The Unfortunate Son

by Constance Leeds
Lexile:  690
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Luc doesn't think he's very lucky.  He was born with one ear and abandoned by his father, but he has somehow managed to survive the wrath of his stepfamily.  His luck turns when he becomes the apprentice of a kind fisherman and gets to live with his sister and the beautiful, Beatrice.  Life is great for 6 months until Luc is kidnapped by villains and is sold into slavery in North Africa.  Luc is determined to get back to his home, and to Beatrice, no matter what.

Code Name Verity

by Elizabeth Wein
Lexile:  1020
Genre:  Historical Fiction

"Verity" is living a double life.  To her friends she is an adventurous free spirit doing her part to fight in the war against the Germans. But in her other life she is a spy, attempting to learn secrets from the Nazis.  When "Verity" is captured she has to figure out how to stay alive and continue to feed secret information to her friends so that there final mission can be completed.

Heart of a Samurai

by Margi Preus
Lexile:  760
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Manjiro and his four friends don't know if they are going to survive.  They have been stranded on a desert island after a storm destroyed their fishing boat.  They are near death when they are rescued by some American sailors from a whaling boat.  Manjiro has heard terrible stories about these barbarians, but not everything he has heard is true.  An unlikely friendship grows between Manjiro and the captain that causes Manjiro think long and hard about what his hopes and dreams are for the future.

Jump into the Sky

by Shelley Pearsall
Lexile:  940
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Levi battle is used to being left behind.  His mother left him when he was a baby and then three years ago, his father left him in the care of his aunt when he went of to join the U.S. Army.  After 3 years, Aunt Odella has decided that it is time for Levi to rejoin his father.  She puts him on a train to North Carolina with one suitcase and says nothing about how different life is going to be for him in the South. Levi's father doesn't know he's coming and Levi's not sure he'll be as welcoming as his aunt had led him to believe.  Life is about to get very interesting.

The Lions of Little Rock

by Kristin Levine
Lexile:  630
Genre:  Historical Fiction

Marlee feels like everything in her life is changing.  Her brother has left for college, her sister moved out of her room, and now it's time to start middle school.  Marlee doesn't like to talk at school so most people tend to think she doesn't have anything to say or any ideas to contribute.  But then Marlee meets Liz, a new student, who is outgoing and confident...everything that Marlee wishes she could be.  Liz has a secret.  A secret that in 1958 could cost her everything.  When Liz's secret is discovered, Marlee's perspective on life suddenly changes.  She will need the courage to find her voice if she is going to stand up for her friend.