As the old saying goes, “he who refuses to learn from history is doomed to repeat it.” History as a concept is the study of past events, the actions taken by the people leading up to them, and how those events were resolved. History as a subject is studied by historians. These individuals conduct extensive research aiming to be as free from their personal bias as possible, making sure that the history they find comes from primary sources or is as close to primary sources as possible. Primary sources tend to be sources that are directly from the era or even people who are directly from the time period. This is obviously not always possible, which is why many have to rely on other sources. Depending upon the events, however, it’s possible to find a living soul present from the time the event took place. A good example of this is World War II veterans who still live to this day. They can serve as primary sources for many of the battles in World War 2. However, there are more ways than simply talking to people to analyze history. History is a very contentious subject, and many people often debate the nature of history and the way certain events might have taken place. This debate can get quite uncivil even due to the amount of emotions that can be involved, as the topics in history include wars, famines, the fall of civilizations, and even certain treaties that were written. Historical fiction is a genre of history that takes liberties with historical events to present an engaging and entertaining story.
Why Should Middle Schoolers Read Historical Fiction Books
Historical fiction books for middle school tend to cover the topic of history in a fun and entertaining way, creating a greater intrigue and interest in history when it comes to middle school children. They begin to find it far more interesting to read about actual history when they see that it takes place in a similar time period to the one covered in their fiction novels. Often, it can be difficult and even intimidating for young children to study history as it is a complicated and complex subject that requires being free from bias and having a somewhat critical and analytical mind. Analyzing the different outcomes of history requires one to let go of their precognitions about what might have happened and simply embrace the idea that history is often subject to great debate.
Top 10 Historical Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers By Baseerat Javed
The Curse of The Cat’s Eye By Baseerat Javed
This is a powerful historical fiction novel written by Baseerat Javed that covers a curse that took place during medieval times in India. The story shows how the motivated and driven protagonists grow as individuals as they travel across India to break a curse.
The Book Thief Markus Zusak
The book thief is a story about a young girl in Nazi Germany in 1939 who steals books from nazi book burnings, the library of the mayor’s wife, any place that she can. The story takes more twists and turns as her family keeps a Jew in their basement.
The Nightingale By Kristin Hannah
This is a story based during world war 2, during the Nazi Invasion of France. A woman sees her husband go to the front to fight against the Nazis and finds herself in a situation where a German officer takes her home and makes it so that she lives with him. Otherwise, she risks losing everything. The story is also about her sister, who ends up joining the French Resistance.
The Song of Achilles By Madeline Miller
A story about war, sacrifice, and the brotherly bond between two friends. Based on the story of Homer’s Odyssey.
A Gentleman in Moscow By Amor Towles
This book is based during the communist revolution of Russia and sees a man who loses everything being forced to live inside a Luxury Hotel as punishment for being an unrepentant aristocrat. He learns to discover his own purpose in life as he lives inside the hotel under house arrest.
6.The Kite Runner (Paperback) By Khaled Hosseini
A powerful and sad tale of redemption, loss, and betrayal. This is a story that shows some of the darkest aspects of humanity. It’s based on the Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan as well as the Taliban rule. The story covers the lives of two boys who grow into men with a lot of guilt over having betrayed their best friend. A riveting and powerful tale.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz By Heather Morris
A story based on World War Two during the Holocaust. It shows a Jewish prisoner who understands the art of tattooing to brand his fellow inmates inside the concentration camp of Auschwitz. A dark and harrowing tale during humanity’s darkest hour.
A Thousand Splendid Suns By Khaled Hosseini
A sad story about a girl who suffers a great deal in life but eventually discovers true love and happiness despite the depressing odds stacked against her.
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas By John Boyne
A story about a boy in a concentration camp who ends up having to make his way to escape. The story shows his trials and tribulations as he tries to find freedom.
Girl with a Pearl Earring By Tracy Chevalier
The story is about a young woman employed by a rich aristocrat as his servant, eventually becoming his mistress and then his model.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you enjoyed our list of top ten historical Fiction books for middle school students. The books in the list were curated by our team through strict criteria, ensuring reader enjoyment and interest.