Stories that take place in a different historical time
June 22, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
The Witch of Blackbird Pond takes place in 1687, well before the idea of the colonies uniting to form one independent country took root. Even so, there is plenty of tension and trouble brewing between England and the Puritans as to who will rule the Connecticut Colony. Kit Tyler lives …
The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George SpeareRead More »
May 24, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
Because of the top secret nature of the code talkers’ work, their role in World War II was unknown until it was declassified in 1969. Even now, with several books, movies and history programs on the topic, many people still don’t know the story of the Navajo code talkers. Joseph Bruchac’s book …
April 27, 2018 by David McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
The Half-Drowned King is about two young people, Ragnvald Eysteinsson and his sister Svanhild, who were raised by their stepfather following their father’s death. The stepfather takes over their lands and, in theory, Ragnvald should get them back when he becomes an adult. The story takes place in the ninth century …
April 8, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Folklore, Historical Fiction | No Comments
Tim Tingle is a Choctaw author, speaker and storyteller extraordinaire. The stories in this book take place in several states and throughout history. My goal is to highlight a different book and author for every state. I’ve placed this book in Oklahoma, though it would be equally at home in …
March 25, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
What a novel way to promote friendship between two countries: with dolls! Dr. Sidney Gulick, an American missionary who lived in Japan for 25 years, was dismayed over the deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Japan in the early 1900s. His idea was to promote friendship between the two countries …
February 23, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, over 110,000 men, women and children of Japanese descent were forced from their homes and into internment camps. The majority of the interned were American born citizens. This story is based on the true story of Mitsue Shiraishi and her dog Chubby. Life in …
January 14, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
Pam Ryan was inspired to write Esperanza Rising by her grandmother’s childhood experiences. Although it was written in 2000, Esperanza Rising is still extremely popular and part of many school curriculums. Esperanza Ortega (13) is the doted on daughter of a wealthy rancher. She lives in luxury with servants to …
January 1, 2018 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
Debby Edwardson wrote that this story was inspired by the experiences of her husband and his two brothers while at a Catholic boarding school in the early 1960s. She also incorporated additional events of the time that had significant impacts on Native Alaskan communities. The audiobook starts out with an …
December 10, 2017 by Cindy McCan | Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery | No Comments
The Detective’s Assistant was inspired by the life of Kate Warne (1833-1868), who is credited as being the first professional female detective in the United States. She worked for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in Chicago and was instrumental in uncovering the Baltimore Plot; a plot by secessionist to assassinate president-elect …
November 18, 2017 by Cindy McCan | Historical Fiction | No Comments
Farming in the late 1800s was backbreaking work full of uncertainties. Worth describes the difficulties of farming, the fragility of life, and the conflict between farmers and ranchers for land during the pioneer years. Nathaniel Peale, 11, lives on a Nebraska homestead with his parents. He takes pride in the …