Tag: historical

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Code Name Kingfisher

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Code Name Kingfisher (Aladdin, 2023) by Liz Kessler is a remarkable duel timeline novel of present day and 1942. You definitely don’t want to miss this story.

Thirteen-year-old Liv doesn’t understand her ninety-two-year-old grandmother and why all she says about her childhood is that it was hard. How is Liv to do a school assignment of a family tree when she knows nothing and Bubbe won’t answer questions. But while helping clean out Bubbe’s house, Liv finds a box of old letters in Dutch and begins to unravel the past.

Twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister Hannie have to leave their Jewish family behind and go live with strangers during the Nazi occupation of Holland. Will they ever see their parents again? Mila makes new friends in her new home, but her sister is becoming more and more distant.

The contrast of the three girls’ lives and the growth of affection and understanding between Liv and her grandmother is so good. I also love how Liv changes because she was inspired by knowing the truth about her family.

The author writers for children and young adults. Read more about her here and check out all her books here.

cover of Love in the Library
Posted in PB, So Many Good Books

Love in the Library

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and illustrate by Yas Imamura is based on a true story about love in a Japanese internment camp. I love it so much I wish every kid and adult would read this.

Tama should be going to college, but she’s incarcerated because she Is Japanese-American. She works in the Idaho camp library where she meets George. The library gives her hope as she can escape in books. And then…

These lines: “To fall in love is already a gift. But to fall in love in a place like Minidaka, a place bulit to make people feel like they weren’t human–that was miraculous.”

Inspired by her maternal grandparents’ experience, Maggie has written a heart-wrenching story. Currently, there are terrible stories about immigrant detention. See this report on migrant children.

See Maggie’s other books here and read about her here.

See Yas’ art here and read about her here where you can also click on the awards tab.

cover of The First State of Being
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The First State of Being

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The First State of Being (Greenwillow Books, 2024) by Erin Entrada Kelly is a fun mix of historical fiction—Y2K—and time travel.

It’s 1999 and 11-year-old Michael is hoarding food that he’s stolen for when the world shuts down on January 1, 2000. (He has to help his single Mom who is struggling making ends meet. And she loves peaches, right?) And then he and the apartment maintenance man meet a weird teenager, who appears to be half Filipino like Michael. Ridge doesn’t even know what year it is and is dressed oddly. Something’s off about that kid. Despite all of Michael’s worries, he decides to help Ridge obtain his desire of going to a mall.

This is a story of hope and has great reminders of deciding how we want to be. The book came out in March.

Erin is a Newbery medalist and a NY Times bestselling author. Read about her and check out all her books here.

cover of The Night Raven
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Night Raven

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Night Raven – Moonwind Mysteries #1 (Amazon Crossing Kids, 2023) by Johan Rundberg and translated by A.A. Prime was an interesting historical, especially if you are a fan of Victorian mystery writer Anne Perry, which I am. It has a similar feel except directed at young readers. The story is set in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1880.

Twelve-year-old Mika knows this harsh winter means death for many. One night she takes in a newborn to the orphanage where she lives and hears a reference to the “Dark Angel.” When the police come to her for questioning, this could be her chance to matter.

Here‘s some great backstory on this novel and information on the author. The book was originally published in Sweden, but thanks to A.A. Prime we can read it too. I’m looking forward to more of these books. You can see all of Johan’s books here but this is the only one in English.

cover of By the Light of Fireflies
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

By the Light of Fireflies

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

By the Light of Fireflies : a novel of war hero Sybil Ludington (Wyatt-McKenzie Publishing, 2021) by Jenni L. Walsh is a fun historical about a little known heroine. (And has such a gorgeous cover.)

Sybil is the oldest of eight children and dearly wants to be more than a farmer’s wife. When her papa and his men need help to fight the Loyalists (loyal to King George), Sybil and her sister help the spy ring and Sybil makes a night ride longer and farther than her hero Paul Revere.

This is a fascinating story that builds on the basics known about Sybil. The novel is a Publishers Weekly BookLife Editors Pick.

Jenni is a storyteller of women throughout history. She writes for adults and middle grade readers. Read about her here and check out her other books here.