In Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, a ten-year-old girl named Annemarie Johansen lives in Denmark during World War II. As Germans take over Denmark, they begin to “relocate” all Jews. Annemarie’s friend Ellen is Jewish, so the Johannsen’s take in Ellen and pretend she is their daughter. As the German soldiers become suspicious, they move to Annemarie’s uncle’s home in the countryside. Annemarie must be brave and help keep her friend out of danger.
The Tailor’s Daughter by Janice Graham is a historical fiction book, set in Victorian England, featuring the main character — Veda Grenfell, a master tailor’s daughter. She is a very passionate young woman who loves and excels at her father’s work. At the age of sixteen, a fever leaves her deaf, disconnecting her from her life as a young woman emerging into society. With no hopes left of marriage, she turns to what she loves most — tailoring.
The Silence of Bones was published 3 years ago in April of 2020, and was written by June Hur. The book is set in the old Korean kingdom of Joseon, the protagonist being a teenage girl named Seol. As a child, her older brother had left home to pursue a life in the capital of the Kingdom. Years later, Seol is sent to the capital as an indentured servant to its police bureau. At the age of 16, she is caught in a web of conflict when a noblewoman is murdered.
In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, a young girl named Liesel gets adopted and lives in Nazi Germany during World War II. Her life changes one day when she finds a book covered in snow, and she decides to steal it. Liesel knows that this is dangerous as all books were supposed to be turned in for book burnings, but she takes it anyway. She continues stealing books, thrilled by the new knowledge she gains access to. Soon after, her family hides a Jewish man in their home which elevates the risk for her entire family.
Summary: Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool is a historical fiction novel set in the Great Depression era. The story revolves around twelve-year-old Abilene Tucker, who is sent by her father to spend the summer in Manifest, Kansas, a town he once lived in. Abilene discovers a hidden cigar box filled with mementos and letters that belonged to a mysterious bootlegger named Jinx, from World War I.
Summary: Refugee by Alan Gratz is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that joins together the stories of three young refugees from different time periods and regions. Josef, a Jewish boy escaping Nazi Germany in 1939, Isabel, a Cuban girl aboard a makeshift raft fleeing to America in 1994, and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy seeking safety in Europe in 2015. Each character faces unimaginable hardships and dangers as they journey towards the promise of a better life.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a story about Liesel Hubermann, a girl growing up with foster parents in Nazi Germany. Being narrated by Death itself, it reads from a different perspective. Liesel steals books from various places and learns how to read. She finds a sense of comfort tangled between words and uses it as her escape from the distressing time she resided in. Liesel also becomes really good friends with Rudy, who is a boy in her neighborhood.
They Went Left by Monica Hesse is a powerful historical fiction novel set in the aftermath of World War II. The story follows Zofia, a young Holocaust survivor searching for her younger brother, Abek, who got separated from her during the liberation of Auschwitz. As she navigates through the ruins of war-torn Europe, Zofia grapples with the trauma of her past and the uncertainty of her future.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is a heartwarming historical fiction novel set during World War II. The story revolves around ten-year-old Ada Smith, who lives in London with her abusive mother and is confined to their small apartment due to a clubfoot deformity. When the government evacuates children from the city to protect them from bombings, Ada seizes the opportunity to escape her cruel mother and joins her younger brother, Jamie, on a journey to the countryside.
