Tag Archives: historical fiction

Book Recs for All Ages for Women’s History Month 2022!

Every day is a great day to read books by women that celebrate women, and during Women’s History Month it makes sense to highlight just a few of the excellent reading choices available! Share them with your library community, make a book display, host a read-in, or just add titles to your TBR 🙂

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Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by David Roberts
(And you might as well read/purchase/recommend all of her other books, too! They’re fantastic!) “Every morning, Abuelo walks Sofia to school . . . until one day, when Abuelo hurts his ankle at a local landfill and he can no longer do so. Sofia (aka Sofi) misses her Abuelo and wonders what she can do about the dangerous Mount Trashmore. Then she gets an idea—the town can turn the slimy mess into a park! She brainstorms and plans and finally works up the courage to go to City Hall—only to be told by a clerk that she can’t build a park because she’s just a kid! Sofia is down but not out, and she sets out to prove what one kid can do.”

The Honey Jar by Rigoberta Menchú and illustrated by Dante Liano Domi
The Honey Jar retells the ancient stories Rigoberta Menchú’s grandparents told her when she was a little girl, and we can imagine her listening to them by the fire at night. These Mayan tales include natural phenomena narratives and animal stories. The underworld, the sky, the sun and moon, plants, people, animals, gods, and demigods are all players in these vibrant stories. Enchanting images by Domi draw on the Mayan landscape and the rich visual vocabulary that can be found in the weavings and crafts for which the Maya are renowned.” 

Audacity by Melanie Crowder
“The inspiring story of Clara Lemlich, whose fight for equal rights led to the largest strike by women in American history. A gorgeously told novel in verse written with intimacy and power, Audacity is inspired by the real-life story of Clara Lemlich, a spirited young woman who emigrated from Russia to New York at the turn of the twentieth century and fought tenaciously for equal rights. Bucking the norms of both her traditional Jewish family and societal conventions, Clara refuses to accept substandard working conditions in the factories on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. For years, Clara devotes herself to the labor fight, speaking up for those who suffer in silence. In time, Clara convinces the women in the factories to strike, organize, and unionize, culminating in the famous Uprising of the 20,000.”

The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
“Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.”

The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba’s Greatest Abolitionist by Margarita Engle
“Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula. In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.”

Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Pénélope Bagieu
“Throughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen: their indomitable spirit. With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Pénélope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.”

Looking for historical fiction picture books?

Reading about fictional characters in a historical setting can be interesting and education for young readers. If you are looking for suggestions of fiction books in a historical setting, here are a few to try:

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
This book was inspired by actual plantation documents that detailed the monetary value of a slave. This book examines that topic while sharing values that cannot be sold, which are each slaves’ dreams and lived experiences.

Locomotive by Brian Floca
This book takes a look at the early days of America’s transcontinental railroad. The train’s journey comes alive with the sounds, sights, passengers, and workers that all witness the changing landscape of the country.

 

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole
This story is about a farm girl that has discovered a runaway slave hiding in her family’s barn. To help the slave, she must act with courage and compassion.

Do you have a favorite historical fiction picture book? Share with us in the comments, we’d love to check it out!

A spooky book recommendation!

A Guest Blog contribution from author Alisa Libby.

Alisa M. Libby has been writing stories since she first learned how to properly grip a crayon. Growing up in Natick, Massachusetts, she dabbled in other potential careers in her formative years (trumpet player, actress, astronomer, unicorn) but instead attended Emerson College for a degree in creative writing. While at Emerson she wrote numerous short stories about the “blood countess” of Hungarian legend, which years later evolved into The Blood Confession, her first novel. Fascinated by history, Alisa’s second novel, The King’s Rose, follows Catherine Howard and her brief marriage to King Henry VIII. Currently working on a new book, Alisa has recently moved to Attleboro with her husband and daughter.

the-blood-confession
Eek! A great Halloween read!

In honor of Halloween, I’m happy to share with you the origin of my first published novel, The Blood Confession. It’s appropriate for the time of year as it is, indeed, very bloody.

Growing up I had a tense relationship with horror novels and movies—my wild imagination and tendency toward insomnia could not match my intrigue. Often my bedroom light stayed on all night, while I was plagued by images from movies that seemed a great idea during daylight hours. Carrie, by Stephen King—Brian DePalma’s movie even more so than the book—traumatized me for a while at age 13. But I couldn’t help myself. Why was that prom queen covered in blood? I needed to see it, even if I would later regret it. Continue reading A spooky book recommendation!

Author Spotlight: Jess Lourey

Jessica LoureyJess Lourey is a Minnesota-based author who firmly believes “books are magic.” According to her website, when she is writing, she feels that she is “in the right place at the right time.” She shares her enthusiasm about writing and books with her students at St. Cloud Community & Technical College as well as with the public through workshops and presentations.

Her work explores several genres, including mystery, YA, and even fantasy. In September, her new book Salem’s Cipher will be released. It will be the first book in the Witch Hunt series. Preorder your copy here.

February FeverLourey will be giving a presentation at our event on May 5th at the new SCTCC Library. Come tour the new library and hear a show-and-tell about ebooks Minnesota. Plus, you will get a FREE copy of February Fever, from Lourey’s popular Murder by Month series!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, culinary students will be providing a taco bar as well!

Get excited for spring, fun activities, and time with colleagues. Register here! Thanks to the library staff at SCTCC and Minitex for their partnership.