Voices from the Past
Staff -- School Library Journal, 9/1/1997
Wild adventures, moving acts of courage, poignant rights of passage, and breath-taking escapes -- all of these and more can be found in the historical fiction listed below. These titles are perfect choices to introduce kids to a genre than many young people have deemed "boring" or "irrelevant." These offerings have been culled from SLJ's "Best Books" lists of past years; the issue of the original review follows each annotation.
ALDER, Elizabeth. The King's Shadow. Farrar. Tr $17. ISBN 0-374-34182-6.
Gr 6-9 -- A Welsh orphan is mutilated and sold into slavery before finding a place for himself beside England's last Saxon king. Fully fleshed out characterizations and nonstop action. (July 1995)
ANDERSON, Rachel. Black Water. Holt. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-8050-3847-7; Putnam. pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-698-11421-3.
Gr 6-10 -- A lonely epileptic boy in Victorian England struggles to understand his affliction and his destiny. Frightening, fascinating, and inspiring. (July 1995)
AVI. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Orchard Bks: Watts. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-531-05893-X; PLB $16.99. ISBN 0-531-08493-0; Avon. pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-380-71475-2.
Gr 5-8 -- On a long, grueling journey from England to Rhode Island in 1802, a 12 year old changes from a prim and proper girl to a swashbuckling mate of a mutinous crew and is accused of murder by the captain. Awash with shipboard activity, intense feelings, and a keen sense of time and place, the story is a throwback to good old-fashioned adventure yarns on the high seas. (Sept. 1990)
CROSS, Gillian. The Great American Elephant Chase. Holiday. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-8234-1016-1; Puffin. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-14-037014-5.
Gr 4-6 -- A rip-roaring romp from Pittsburgh to Nebraska in 1881, as an orphan boy and a con man's daughter try to keep her elephant hidden from a thieving scoundrel. Comic adventure at its best. (May 1993)
CUSHMAN, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. Clarion. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-395-68186-3; Harper Trophy. pap. $3.95. ISBN 0-06-440584-2.
Gr 6-9 -- The 14-year-old daughter of a rustic knight records the events of her days in the year 1290, writing perceptive, scathing, and often raucously funny observations about her family, friends, and would-be suitors. A delightful, rebellious heroine, determined not to marry the man of her father's choice. (June 1994)
CUSHMAN, Karen. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. Clarion. Tr $13.95. ISBN 0-395-72806-1.
Gr 5-8 -- Lucy is no stranger to heartache yet she recounts her New England family's move to a California gold rush town with verve and wit. A rich historical novel. (Aug. 1996)
DEFELICE, Cynthia. The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker. Farrar. Tr $15. ISBN 0-374-34669-0.
Gr 4-7 -- In 1849, a 12-year-old orphan becomes an apprentice to a kind physician and must choose between applying limited medical knowledge or following macabre superstition. A potent picture of the times. (Aug. 1996)
DEFELICE, Cynthia. Weasel. Macmillan. Tr $15. ISBN 0-02-726457-2; Avon. pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-380-71358-6.
Gr 4-7 -- A ruthless villain known as Weasel commits unspeakable atrocities in the frontier wilderness. When 12-year-old Nathan's family is victimized, the boy is determined to avenge the wrongs on his own. A masterfully told, riveting tale sure to inspire strong discussion about moral choices. (May 1990)
DORRIS, Michael. Morning Girl. Hyperion. Tr $12.95. ISBN 1-56282-284-5; pap. $3.50. ISBN 1-56282-661-1.
Gr 3-6 -- A story of a Taino girl and her brother, set in 1492 in the Bahamas. Sibling rivalry, jealously, and love--all are related with elegance and warmth, reflecting a simplicity of lifestyle and universality of experiences. (Oct. 1992)
FLEISCHMAN, Paul. Bull Run. (Laura Geringer Bks.). HarperCollins. Tr $14. ISBN 0-06-021446-5; PLB $14.89. ISBN 0-06-021447-3; pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-06-440588-5.
Gr 5 Up -- Through the alternating viewpoints of 16 characters from various walks of life, readers gain insight into the first battle of the Civil War and into the nature of war in general. Poignant, dramatic cameos seamlessly woven together make for compelling historical fiction. (Mar. 1993)
FLEISCHMAN, Paul. Saturnalia. HarperCollins. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-06-021912-2; PLB $14.89. ISBN 0-06-021913-0; pap. $3.95. ISBN 0-06-447089-X.
Gr 7 Up -- It's December, 1681, and an assortment of pompous masters and impudent servants lead different lives by day and night. Events are woven together through the story of a 14-year-old Narraganset Indian boy who is searching for threads of his past. Melodious writing, revealing images, and a colorful, outlandish cast characterize this unusual novel that revels in surprises. (May 1990)
GRIFFIN, Peni R. Switching Well. McElderry. PLB $16. ISBN 0-689-50581-7; Puffin. pap. $4.99. ISBN 0-14-036910-4.
Gr 5-8 -- A vivid story of two girls living in San Antonio, one in 1891 and one in 1991, who make a wish on the same day at the same hour and switch places, thus becoming outsiders in societies unprepared to receive them. A fine blend of time travel and friendship, laced with insight into social history and attitudes. (June 1993)
HAHN, Mary Downing. Stepping on the Cracks. Clarion. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-395-58507-4; Avon. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-380-71900-2.
Gr 5-8 -- In a small southern town in 1944, two girls secretly help a seriously ill army deserter, a decision that changes their perceptions of right and wrong. Issues of moral ambiguity and accepting consequences for actions are thoughtfully considered in this deftly crafted story. (Dec. 1991)
HESSE, Karen. Letters from Rifka. Holt. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-8050-1964-2; Puffin. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-14-036391-2.
Gr 4-7 -- Refused passage in 1919 because she has ringworm, a young Jewish girl from Russia battles supercilious officials and yards of red tape before she is finally reunited with her family in America. Historical fiction with a memorable heroine, a vivid sense of place, and a happily-ever-after ending. (Aug. 1992)
HUDSON, Jan. Sweetgrass. Scholastic. pap. $3.50. ISBN 0-590-43486-1.
Gr 5-10 -- The poetic lore of the Blackfoot Indian sharpens a compelling coming-of-age tale of 15-year-old Sweetgrass' longing to be the wife of Eagle-Sun, and of the harrowing experiences she endures to ensure her tribe's survival. Majestic historical fiction with concerns that echo problems in today's society. (Apr. 1989)
LOWRY, Lois. Number the Stars. Houghton. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-395-51060-0; Dell. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-440-91002-1.
Gr 3-7 -- The gripping story of a ten-year-old Danish girl and her family's courageous efforts to smuggle Jews out of their Nazi-occupied homeland to safety in Sweden. Readers are taken to the very heart of Annemarie's experience, and, through her eyes, come to understand the true meaning of bravery. (Mar. 1989)
MORPURGO, Michael. Waiting for Anya. Viking. Tr $14.99. ISBN 0-670-83735-0.
Gr 5-9 -- Accidentally discovering that Jewish children are hiding in the countryside, Michael, and then his entire French village, help them escape to Spain. A gripping, triumphant tale of courage in its many forms. (Apr. 1991)
NELSON, Theresa. And One for All. Orchard Bks: Watts. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-531-05804-2; Dell. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-440-40456-8.
Gr 6-10 -- In a tense story set during the Vietnam War, stalwart Geraldine takes her first unpopular stand to convince her family that love and friendship are more important than politics. With distilled emotional power, Nelson solidly evokes echoing themes of unmet expectations, family disappointments, tragedy, and healing acceptance. (Feb. 1989)
NEWTH, Mette. The Abduction. tr. from Norwegian by Tiina Nunnally & Steve Murray. Farrar. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-374-30008-9; pap. $3.95. ISBN 0-374-40009-1.
Gr 8 Up -- An Eskimo girl and her betrothed, kidnapped from their 16th-century Greenland home, are tortured and brutalized in the name of religion and science. Alternating narratives between the captives and the Norwegian adolescent who guards them poignantly parallel two worlds. Riveting, thought provoking, and demanding. (Dec. 1989)
PATERSON, Katherine. Lyddie. Lodestar. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-525-67338-5; Puffin. pap. $3.99. ISBN 0-14-037389-6.
Gr 5-9 -- Laboring in an 1840s Massachusetts mill, young Lyddie endures vile working conditions, loneliness, illness, and inequality, yet experiences an intellectual and spiritual awakening that allows her to confront her own potential. Strong characterization and a solid sense of time and place. (Feb. 1991)
PATON WALSH, Jill. Grace. Farrar. Tr $16. ISBN 0-374-32758-0; pap. $5.95. ISBN 0-374-42792-5.
Gr 6 Up -- Grace Darling's obscure life as a Northumbrian lighthouse keeper's daughter is forever altered when she helps rescue the survivors of a shipwreck. Based on true accounts, this engrossing novel set in the 1830s brings the time, the place, and the tragic young heroine vividly to life. (July 1992)
POLACCO, Patricia. Pink and Say. illus. by author. Philomel. RTE $15.95. ISBN 0-399-22671-0.
Gr 4 Up -- Say, 15, had never seen a black person up close until Pink, also a young Union soldier, saves his life. During his brief stay in Pink's home, the wounded boy comes to understand his friend's unconquerable vision of freedom. A memorable family reminiscence with evocative paintings. (Oct. 1994)
SKURZYNSKI, Gloria. Good-Bye, Billy Radish. Bradbury. PLB $15. ISBN 0-02-782921-9.
Gr 5-7 -- While first and foremost an eloquent story of friendship and loss, this slim novel is steeped in details of World War I era Pittsburgh. The omnipresence of the steel mills, the hard realities of life for new immigrants, and the brutality of war are as strong as the characterization is tender. (Dec. 1992)
SUTCLIFF, Rosemary. The Shining Company. Farrar. pap. $4.95. ISBN 0-374-46616-5.
Gr 7 Up -- The uniting of the disparate kingdoms in early Britain in a attempt to ward off the threat of Saxon invasion forms the core of this sweeping historical adventure. Heroism, camaraderie, and sacrifice all come shining through in a stirring tale of glory and treachery, told in demanding yet hypnotic prose. (July 1990)
