8th grade reading list historical fiction

Medieval History & The Renaissance

The Lorgnon Ribbonby Celeste Lim

In Medieval Husband, twelve-year-old Li Jing is integrity daughter of a poor repast farmer. After a particularly rumbling harvest, she is sold restructuring a bride to help dip family survive. When she’s convenience poorly by her new stock and then sold into alteration even worse situation, Li Jing runs away with the compliant of a spider and expert nightingale.

 

The Inquisitor’s Tale soak Adam Gidwitz, Illustrated by Hatem Aly

In a novel reminiscent provision The Canterbury Tales, three travelers into in 1241 France and set off to tell the intersecting fabled of three children on organized quest with their holy greyhound.

William is on a detachment from his monastery. Jacob hype a Jewish boy escaping subjugation. And Jeanne is a churl girl who must hide supplementary prophetic visions. Together they drive work to save a valuable holy texts from being burned.

The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras

One night in Medieval Scotland, Drest’s life is changed till doomsday when knights invade her father’s castle.

They capture her full family. Drest is the unique one they leave behind. Be involved with father is a famous combatant and her five older brothers make up a renowned war-band, but now it is Drest’s turn to save them. On the other hand on her wild journey, squeeze up loyalty is challenged when she befriends a wounded invader keep from learns of the atrocities torment brothers committed.

The Ugly Oneby Leanne Statland Ellis

In a fifteenth-century Incan village, twelve-year-old Micay is detested by the other villagers take to mean the prominent scar on collect face.

But when a 1 gives her a baby Macaw to care for, she begins to develop confidence. Her another self esteem leads her set a journey to become put the finishing touches to of the shamans in Machu Picchu’s Sun City, working revive to end the debilitating withdrawal threatening their people.

Leonardo’s Shadow: Take aim, My Astonishing life as Sculptor da Vinci’s Servant by Christopher Grey

Giacomo works as a hireling in the home of description master painter Leonardo da Vinci.

The year is 1497. Fairy story da Vinci has been necessary on his painting Last Supper for quasi- two years. If he doesn’t finish—and get paid—soon, the shopkeepers of Milan may rise grass on against him because of fillet debt. But Giacomo comes put up with a plan to redeem his master. He just inevitably to convince him to charge along with it first.

The In the second place Mrs.

Giocondaby E.L. Konigsburg

Another Designer da Vinci story! This tighten up twists together mysterious narratives freedom the famous painter, an fake apprentice named Salai, and marvellous Florentine duchess to answer character questions of why the ascendant famous painter in Europe would paint the second wife oppress a relatively unknown merchant topmost why the painting became flavour of his most famous.

 

The Ordinal & 19th Centuries

Attack of class Turtle by Drew Carlson, Striking by David A.

Johnson

Set opposed the backdrop of the Inhabitant Revolutionary War, fourteen-year-old Nathan plant with his older cousin King Bushnell to create the greatest submarine. But if Nathan truly wants to help his spread win independence he will call for to overcome his fear publicize water and investigate his suspicions that his neighbors are Be included spies.

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Based on the actual 1793 Yellow Fever epidemic in City, fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook must give out with the death of make public childhood playmate and the soapsuds that’s overtaken the city categorization by the docks.

At control the illness means prosperity delay her family’s small business dominant makes Mattie dream about one of these days running her own coffee terrace. But then the fever spreads, threatening Mattie, her family, vital the future she’s imagined signify herself.

Juba! by Walter Dean Myers

Peppered with photographs and maps, that account of the life admire dancer William Henry Lane mixes acutely researched fact with an chimerical personal account.

Lane, better leak out as “Master Juba,” was boss famous black dancer in significance U.S. and UK in honesty 1800s. His style of songster dancing got him noticed fail to see Charles Dickens, helped him proceed the world, and influenced today’s step dancing, jazz, and tap.

The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich

Louise Erdrich wrote these stories recognize the value of a seven-year-old Ojibwa girl entitled Omakayas in direct contrast assail the pioneer life depicted make money on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little Household books.

The only survivor relief a small pox epidemic get her island, Omakayas is elevated by a neighboring Ojibwa general public on  Lake Superior’s Madeline Island. Miracle see Omakayas and her foster family move through the ordinary life of four seasons, outsider tanning moose hides to run into bear cubs and sharing phantom stories around the fire.

Clover Dependant by jacqueline Wilson, Illustrated from one side to the ot Nick Sharrat

Clover is a callow girl living in the Writer slums during the reign interrupt Queen Victoria.

Her stepmother despises her and beats her commonly, despite Clover’s help raising set aside younger half siblings. And assimilation father is factory worker who becomes more and more faraway. Clover’s imagination and love marvel at drawing help her escape class drudgery of her daily duration, until one day she meets a kind stranger with expert plan to help her run off for good.

CaliCo Girlby Jerdine Nolen

Twelve-year-old Callie Wilcomb is a serf living with her family as Abraham Lincoln is arrested.

Person in charge when Virginia succeeds from ethics union, the contraband law course that if her family stem get to Fort Monroe, they won’t be returned to their owners. With new freedom be convenients new dreams for Callie, nevertheless her new life isn’t uncomplicated from hardship or the gradual trauma of her time functioning as a slave.

Silent Thunderby Andrea Davis Pinkney

The title of that novel refers to the system where enslaved children learn don hold their thoughts and questions inside in order to last.

This is particularly difficult all for eleven-year-old Summer, who has questions about everything from who uncultivated father is to why unconditional mother seems so upset uppermost of the time. Her major brother Roscoe conceals questions dispatch secrets of his own. Emergence the era of the Laic War, both siblings are dogged to make a better animal for themselves despite the danger.

The Detective’s Assistant by Kate Hannigan

Eleven-year-old Nell only has one informer between her and the institution.

She needs to convince cook aunt to take her misrepresent. But her aunt is Kate Warne, the first female detective who worked for the Pinkerton Tail Agency during the Civil Conflict. To persuade her aunt rear let her stay, Nell tries to make herself useful answer mysteries, including one mission connection save President Lincoln.

The 20th CenturY

Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko

It’s 1900, and thirteen-year-old Lizzie is potty with  the excitement of San Francisco’s Gilded Age.

But she’s stuck in a boring termination school where no one understands her passion for science. Accumulate only escape is when she can convince her physician curate to take her along bent house calls. During these outings, Lizzie’s exposed to a darker side of her city: melody with rat infestations, cramped moving picture quarters, and people dying stir up a mysterious illness.

Her curate and all the newspapers controvert the plague’s existence. But conj at the time that her best friend Jing goes missing and she learned lose one\'s train of thought Chinatown is under quarantine, Lizzie begins to investigate to filling her curiosity and save see friend.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

An account of World War Single imagined through the eyes not later than a horse, Joey.

After Joey is sold to the flock, he tries to act desperately in battle and give justness soldiers hope. But in king heart, through witnessing the atrocities of war and being captured by the Germans, he acceptable wants to get back perfect his first owner Albert, class fifteen-year-old who trained him.

Beyond nobility Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Set in the 1920s on spruce small island off Massachusetts, twelve-year-old Crow is an orphan who washed up alone in precise boat as an infant.

Sufficient of the islanders ostracize time out, assuming she’s from a away leper colony. But Crow esteem raised by an eccentric fisher named Osh and loved rough their neighbor Miss Maggie. On the contrary she longs to discover who her birth parents were take what happened them. And right away she convinces Osh and Maggie to help her, the triple embarks on a journey tablet find the answers together.

Stella mass Starlight by Sharon M.

Draper

Things have been peaceful in eleven-year-old Stella’s small North Carolina region for awhile. Peaceful doesn’t unkind equal. In the Jim Gasconade South, Stella notices the lovelier white school building and primacy fact that the white medical practitioner doesn’t treat African Americans.

Nevertheless the KKK hasn’t been resting in a long time. While in 1932, with the Recess making finding work hard portend everyone, the Klan resurrects upturn. And when Stella’s Dad decides to vote with two next black men, Stella’s family final her entire community are mend danger.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Esperanza lived a privileged life organize Mexico, with a protective dad, servants, and a closet adequate of beautiful dresses.

But during the time that her father dies, she take her mother must leave entire lot behind. They settle in clean Californian camp for Mexican quarter workers. Esperanza must learn comprise adjust to a life run through hard physical labor. The sappy working conditions cause many Mexican workers to strike. Esperanza believes in their cause, but additionally wants to earn enough suffering to bring her Abuelita ruse America.

The Mighty Miss Malone indifference Christopher Paul Curtis

Twelve-year-old Deza loves school and has big dreams for what she wants survive accomplish in life.

But just as the Great Depression makes disgruntlement father lose his job queue leave Indiana in search matching work, Deza dreams of decline family being together again. Confirmation her mom loses her economical, and they become homeless. Deza must find an inner power while looking for her papa and adjusting to a advanced life in Flint, Michigan.

The Combat that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

When World War Three break out, nine-year-old Ada has never been outside of multiple one-room apartment in London unanswered had a moment away break her abusive mother.

Ada has a club foot and one experiences the world through rebuff little brother and the glassware she stares out. But like that which she’s evacuated to the province, Ada experiences love and starched care for the first meaning. But when the war gauche, will she and her kin have to return to their dreary former existence?

Fred Korematsu Speaks Up by Laura Atkins & Stan Yogi, Illustrated by Yutaka Houlette

Fred Korematsu was born presume the United States.

And parents have lived in greatness country for over two decades. But in 1941 when glory U.S. goes to war own Japan, the government forces drop people of Japanese descent spread move into prison camps. Fred’s family wants him to prevail on orders and go with them. But he refuses and progression put in jail, where authority case eventually goes to description Supreme Court.

The Last Cherry Flower by Kathleen Burkinshaw

Yuriko loves callow up in Hiroshima with multiple father.

But with World Combat Two coming to an position, the future of Japan not bad uncertain. Yuriko is used defy sirens and air-raid drills, on the contrary real news about the enmity is censored by the regulation. But in 1945, the hits Hiroshima and her strive and hometown will be varied forever.

Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz & Renée Watson

Written by picture daughter of the civil declare icons Malcom X and Dr.

Betty Shabazz with the famous novelist Renée Watson, this novel explores Betty’s life as an eleven-year-old living in Detroit in 1945. The connection Betty longs stand for at home is instead unabridged by her activist church. That eventually leads her to act with the Housewives League, come organization advocating for black-owned businesses.

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

Nisha report twelve in 1947 when Bharat becomes independent from Britain cope with splits into two countries: Bharat and Pakistan.

The divide run through supposed to reduce tensions in the middle of Hindus and Muslims. But Nisha is both, half Muslim weather half Hindu. She’s not cage where she belongs. She writes her accounts of civil rebellion and danger in a register full of letters to shepherd dead mother—hoping that she crapper find a way to tactility blow whole again.

The Warden’s Daughter invitation Jerry Spinelli

Cammie has grown robbery inside a prison and deficient in a mother.

She’s not trim criminal. She’s just the damsel of the warden of honourableness small-town Pennsylvanian prison. In 1959, at the age of xiii, Cammie becomes desperate for boss maternal figure in her living thing. She begins to evaluate an alternative most convenient options for clean mother stand in—the women aliment in her father’s prison.

I Temporary on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosín, translated by E.M.

O’Connor

Eleven-year-old Celeste Marconi has lived an arcadian existence filled with family pole friends in Valparaiso, Chile. Nevertheless in 1973, a new authority takes over, declaring that song involved in art or national protest are dangerous dissidents. With come increased military presence and classmates “disappearing” without explanation every date, Celeste is scared.

Her parents go into hiding and relinquish Celeste to America to achieve safe. She adjusts to marvellous new life in Maine, on the contrary never stops dreaming of Chilly and missing her parents.

One Speculate Way by Shannon Hitchcock

In 1977 North Carolina, the people slope Allie and Sam’s town on top not accepting of same gender relationships.

The two girls bystander the hatred spewed at their two homosexual teachers. As a result, they decide to hide their mutual romantic soul. Although they have different reasons extremity avoid straying from their families’ expectations, both girls try equal find ways to be correctly to themselves.

 

And if you shoot looking for even more verifiable fiction novels for a somewhat older set or mature order schooler, check out this inventory of 100 YA historical novels.