Showing titles in Historical Fiction

From much-loved author Shirley Hughes comes a thrilling World War II novel for children aged 10 and up. It is 1944, and Florence, Italy, is occupied by Nazi German forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope, though - and neither have Paolo and his sister, Constanza. Both are desperate to fight the occupation, but what can two siblings do against a whole army with only a bicycle to help them? In extraordinary circumstances, people are capable of extraordinary things.

1897. Twelve-year-old Peggy Devona is a Whisperling: someone who can speak with the dead. It's a rare skill that she tries to keep secret from the rest of her quiet village, who fear anyone different. But when her best friend is accused of murder and thrown in prison, Peggy realises she must use her abilities to save Sally—and solve the case. Travelling to her uncle's psychic emporium, she finds herself surrounded by new friends, new enemies...and new spirits.

Bridget and Josie are leaving rural Ireland for New York, to stay with a distant relative, Catherine, who has found jobs for them. On the journey they meet a young orphaned girl, Julia, who is travelling alone in hopes of staying with her long-absent brother. When they get to the brother's address, he is no longer there, and no one knows where he has gone to. In the following weeks they do their best to search for him, but are unsuccessful as he has a common name, and the police are not particularly interested in finding yet another lost Irish man.

As Tarn struggles to come to terms with the loss of her beloved brother in the chaos of the British retreat at Dunkirk, she and her friends scour the hills around their Lake District home, watching for any signs of the long-dreaded Nazi invasion. But as the war drags on, with little good news from the front, the locals become aware of someone carrying out anonymous acts of kindness, such as saving a flock of sheep from a snowdrift and getting help for an injured farmer who might otherwise have died.

Moss hates her life. As the daughter of the executioner in the Tower of London, it’s her job to catch the heads in her basket after her father has chopped them off. When she discovers a hidden tunnel that takes her to freedom, she learns that her life isn’t what she believes it to be. Her search for the truth takes her on a journey along the great River Thames. Could the answers lie deep in its murky depths?

Mose and her daughter Agna are incomers in the village, treated with suspicion. But young Liva, left out of the secrets her sister Tove and brother Hakken share, idolises Agna and follows her everywhere. Unwittingly, they lead the German soldiers to a perfect island. Once a haven for picnics and storytelling under the midnight sun, it is transformed into a grim POW camp. This is an unlikely place to find buried treasure, but it's there.

Liberty, my wisecracking horse, our old friends Cam, Tommy, Freedom, and I are off to meet some super-brave soldiers in the year 1775. Yep, that’s right. We’ll be visiting with the underdog heroes who fought for American independence, against all odds - and won! But not before eight very real years of danger and uncertainty. Be a part of Rush Revere’s crew as we rush, rush, rush into a time when British rule had become a royal pain, and rebellion was in the air.

Nationally syndicated radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has long wanted to make American history come to life for the children of his listeners. In Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims, he created the character of a fearless middle-school history teacher named Rush Revere, who travels back in time and experiences American history as it happens, in adventures with exceptional Americans. In this second book in the series, Rush Revere is transported back to the people and events leading up to the American Revolution.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: The Original 1884 Unabridged and Complete Edition by Mark Twain is a timeless American classic that follows the journey of a young boy named Huck Finn as he escapes the constraints of civilization and embarks on a raft voyage down the Mississippi River.

Michael Morpurgo’s wonderful storytelling and Jim Broadbent’s compelling performance combine to tell this true story against the epic backdrop of World War Two. Francis Cammaerts, Jim Broadbent and Michael Morpurgo happen to be all part of the same family, so this production is a very special collaboration bringing family members' voices to life. Francis and Pieter are brothers. As the shadow of one war lingers and the rumbles of another approach, the brothers argue. Francis is a fierce pacifist while Pieter signs up to fight.

Cassia Thorne leads a double life. In one she is a respectable young music teacher for the children of the elite. In another, she sells ballads on the streets and spends her evenings locked up in Fleet Prison. When the Bartholomew Fair comes to town, it brings joy to the city but also rumours of children going missing off the streets of London. With the help of a young pickpocket, Teo and her friend Felix, Cassia starts to investigate these disappearances.

World War I has ended, and the five All-of-a-Kind girls are growing up! The oldest, Ella, is a young lady with dreams of singing and dancing in the theater. But she also thinks of Jules, who is returning from the war, so marriage is in the air, as well. Suddenly, however, Ella is discovered by a Broadway talent scout, and it seems that she will have her chance at a theatrical career after all. Will Ella choose Jules or vaudeville? Here is another charming tale of the warm, caring family that fans have loved for years!

Ross Bentley has supernatural gifts – he can move things with his mind – but this doesn’t stop him feeling alone and miserable when he’s cut off from family and friends in a remote farmhouse with Hunter, the taciturn but powerful Guild-member tasked with protecting and training him. But suddenly Hunter is summoned by the Guild. A gifted child has been kidnapped. Hunter needs to track her down, and he has no choice but to take Ross with him.

Edgar Award-winning author Nancy Springer captivates young listeners with mysteries that feature Sherlock Holmes’ little sister Enola. Abandoned by her mother and fearing her brothers will exile her to a finishing school, 14-year-old Enola lives a lonely London existence. But when someone kidnaps her elderly landlady—the closest thing she has to family these days—the feisty heroine will do whatever it takes to find her.

Hilary McKay revisits Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies after the events of A Little Princess and Sara Crewe's happy-ever-after. Sara is much missed - and most acutely by her best friend Ermengarde, who laments that 'nothing is the same as it was before'. But life must go on at Miss Minchin's as new friendships are made, rivalries continued, lessons learned and, most importantly, fairytale endings are had.

In India in 1947 the country is coming apart - and so is 13-year-old Bilal's life. He is determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition, news that he knows will break his father's heart. With spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal builds an elaborate deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the signs of national unrest. All Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth.

Two young siblings flee the Chernobyl disaster with their parents, but the Communist party is on their heels. Meanwhile, the friends and family they were forced to leave behind must contend with a disinformation campaign that's determined to pretend nothing is wrong—even as deadly radiation spills into the air.

When the Germans march into Poland in 1941, the Balickis’ happy family life is shattered. With their parents taken away by Nazis, Ruth, Edek and Bronia are forced to fend for themselves in the dangerous, war-ravaged city of Warsaw. When Edek is captured too, the girls are desperate. Then they meet orphaned street urchin Jan, who carries with him a talisman of hope: a silver sword paperknife that they recognise as having belonged to their mother. Realising that their parents may still be alive, Ruth and Bronia set off on an epic journey to Switzerland to search for them.

Billy is a street urchin, pickpocket and petty thief. Mister Creecher is a monstrous giant of a man who terrifies all he meets. Their relationship begins as pure convenience. But a bond swiftly develops between these two misfits as their bloody journey takes them ever northwards on the trail of their target . . . Victor Frankenstein.A moving, thrilling story about friendship, trust and betrayal, from bestselling author Chris Priestley. Read by Richard Mitchley.

Growing up poor but proud on the Dorset coast, Mary follows after her father, hunting for fossils of ancient creatures. Ignoring other's taunts, Mary faces danger to bring back valuable treasures to help feed her family. But tragedy and despair are never far away. Mary must depend upon her unique courage and knowledge to fulfil her dream of becoming a scientist, in a time when girls have no opportunities for such ambitions. What will happen when she makes her greatest discovery of all?