Lucky Beans by Becky Birtha

Lucky Beans

Author: Becky Birtha
Illustrator: Nicole Tadgell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade Level: 2-4

Marshall lives during the Depression and his family eats beans every night. He is sick of beans until there is a contest at a local store that involves guessing the number of beans in a jar to win a sewing machine. His family uses math to win the contest

The illustrations in this story are realistic, yet appealing for young readers. The illustrator fills every page with color and reveals a lot about the time period through the clothing, furniture, and items.

Students can discuss what Marshall values about his family and relate it to their family at home. Students will learn about perseverance and gratefulness.

The Listeners by Gloria Whelan

The Listeners

Author: Gloria Whelan
Illustrator: Mike Benny
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Cybil's Award Nominee
Grade Level: 3-5

The young slave children were always sent to "play" near their masters home. This is so that they could overhear if any of them were going to be sold. One day, they hear that there will be a new president who will abolish slavery. They have hope that Abraham Lincoln will restore their freedom.

The illustrator uses a lot of detail in the beautiful landscapes and characters. The readers are transported to the cotton plantation through the artwork.

This book will help students understand slavery from a realistic perspective of a child. Students can discuss any confusion or anger they have about the use of slaves.

New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer

New Shoes

Author/Illustrator: Susan Lynn Meyer
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade level:

Ella Mae's excitement about being able to choose brand new shoes is dampened when she realizes that she won't be able to try on those shoes in the store. Instead, her mother must trace around her foot so that the clerk can then find the right size shoes for her to wear. Since she has watched another girl, a white girl with blonde hair, try on shoes, she experiences for the first time how unfair and how unjustified prejudices are. Rather than wallow in misery over something that she is too young to change, she and her cousin Charlotte do chores to earn extra money or used shoes, and then open their own used shoe store where other African Americans can actually try on shoes before buying them. 

The Illustrations are detailed and serve to make the reader experience how Ella Mae feels. They reach the reader on an emotional level.

Students can learn about the progress we have made in racial prejudice as well as the history of segregation and what we can do to diminish it. Students can discuss any personal experiences they have had with racism and how to overcome it.

The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco

The Butterfly

Author/Illustrator: Patricia Polacco

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: N/A

Grade Level: 3-5

Monique, wakes up and notices a young ghost-like girl sitting in her window. This girl is holding her cat and Monique realizes that it isn't a dream, but the girl is truly in her room. Monique gets out of bed and begins talking to the young girl who claims she lives inside Monique's house. Monique is appalled and says, "But I live here!" The young girl, Sevrine, goes on to invite Monique down to her own cellar and explains that she and her family are Jewish and I are hiding from the Nazis. Monique's mother had been hiding them and other families down there during the war. In the weeks to follow, Sevrine and Monique meet up at night to play together. One night, though, they look out the window and see a neighbor staring back at them. Now that Sevrine was seen, her family is not safe. Monique and her mom have to take Sevrine to a new home and Sevrine's parents need to escape as well and meet up with Sevrine in safety. After passing Sevrine off, Monique somehow gets separated from her mother. Luckily they both end up home safely. The next summer, Monique still thinks of Sevrine often and wonders how she is doing. When spring comes and butterflies fill her yard, she gets a sense that Sevrine is alive and okay, as if the butterflies were a sign sent from Sevrine.

The illustrations are done with ink and watercolor and beautifully capture the character's emotions and the color draws your eye towards the harsh colors of the Nazi flags and symbols

This story would compliment a unit about the Nazi's as well as any other unit taking place during the same time.

Junk Man's Daughter by Sonia Levitin

Junk Man's Daughter

Author: Sonia Levitin
Illustrator: Guy Porfirio
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade Level: 1-4

Hanna has recently arrived in America with her family and soon they face many economic hardships together. With a little teamwork, and willingness to work hard to make sure their family is taken care of, Hanna, her brothers, and father begin their family business from the ground up collecting trash. Her family sticks together to pursue their dreams of being successful in America.

The illustrations are detailed and convey the emotional effect of being an immigrant in a strange country in an appropriate way for children.

Students can discuss the many values found in the story such as working hard and remaining loyal. This story also provides an accurate perspective of the life of an immigrant.

Players in Pigtails by Shana Corey

Players in Pigtails

Author: Shana Corey
Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbon
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade Level: K-3

Katie Casey has a passion for baseball. In light of the second World War, there is a need for entertainment and sports. However, due to the war a majority of men have been shipped off and have left the men's professional baseball teams empty. The first all women's baseball league is started and although it starts off rocky it takes an unexpected turn in popularity. 

The illustrations seem to target very young readers with bright colors, simple expressions, and stiff movements.

This story would compliments a lesson on the women's rights movement as well as appeal to students who are interested in sports.

Dear America: A Journey to the New World by Kathryn Laskey

Dear America: A Journey to the New World

Author: Kathryn Laskey

Genre: Historical Fiction

Awards: N/A

Grade Level: 4th grade +

This fictional diary tells the story of a girl named Remember Patience Whipple (AKA "Mem"). Her family is traveling on the Mayflower to the New World in 1620. After traveling for many weeks,  they arrive on the land and are overwhelmed with questions. They discover that their voyage was only the beginning of the journey. The Pilgrims will have to learn how to live a totally new life like they've never lived before in Europe.

This story will provide a realistic sense of what it was like for early settlers dealing with death, illness, and other tragedies. This story would compliment a history lesson about the pilgrims or Mayflower.

Duke by Kirby Larson

Duke

Author: Kirby Larson
Awards: North Carolina Children's Book Award
Genre: Historical Fiction
Grade Level: 3-6 Grade


Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part, he carefully saves his money buys war stamps to support the war that his father is fighting an ocean away. After his best friend Scooter moves away, Hobie feels like his only friend is his faithful German Shepherd, Duke. But when he hears about Dogs for Defense, he knows what he has to do even if it means giving up the only friend he has left. But after sending Duke away Hobie comes to regret his decision and is determined to convince the army to send him back. 

Given the WWII setting of this story, I believe this book would provide an excellent connection between History and Language Arts. The story will interest readers and give them a realistic understanding of the time period.

Working Cotton by Sherley Anne Williams

Working Cotton

Author: Sherley Anne Williams
Illustrator: Carole Byard
Genre: Historical Fiction
Awards: Caldecott Honor Award
Grade level: K-2

This is a story about working on a cotton field from a child's perspective. It is very cold outside and the girl and her family patiently wait for the sun to come out. The girl works on the field by helping her mother pile the cotton. After they have worked hard, the mother brings lunch for everyone. The family returns to work and continues to work very hard. When it is time to go home, a bus picks them up and takes them home where they sleep. In the morning the routine starts again.


The illustrations in this story are very realistic, but can still appear to young readers. The illustrator uses soft colors to set the tone of the story.

Students can use this story to make history more real. By experiencing the lifestyle of a child worker through the book, they can better understand the hardships of families during this time. Children can also discuss the multicultural aspects of the story and of the time period, such as slavery.

Morning girl by Michael Dorris

Morning Girl

Author: Michael Dorris
Genre: historical fiction
Awards: Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction
Grade level: 4-6 grade

Morning Girl tells the story of a native American family and their conflict. The narration alternates between Morning Girl and her brother Star Boy. The two experience fairly typical sibling rivalry, such as fighting over a new baby's gender, despite the historical setting. For most of the story, the two main characters are in disagreement. The conflict resolves and the story ends as foreign visitors (Americans) land on their beach.

In this short novel, there are no illustrations other than the cover, which features a young girl swimming in the ocean.

Although I found this story somewhat bland, I think older students may find the historical content interesting. Classes can compare and contrast Morning Girl's family with their own family. Students can also discuss the very end of the story, when the settlers come. It is important to see historical events from different perspectives. Classes can also discuss how they would feel if foreign settlers came to their home land.