Immerse your middle grade readers in captivating historical fiction books for tweens!
9 – 12 year olds will love these engaging history books that will transport them to a different time and place. From ancient civilizations, to the World Wars, and even some more modern history stories, these historical fiction books for tweens combine imagination and facts to make history come alive!

When you run out of good fantasy books, then what do you read?
If you ask two of my kids, the answer is historical fiction, and I agree with them! Historical fiction is awesome!
There is something about a great historical fiction book. Maybe it’s because the stories are based on facts, or maybe they are just great books, but it’s so easy to get lost in a great historical fiction story!
What is Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction is a genre that blends fictional narratives with real historical events, settings, or characters. It transports readers to a different time period, and allows them to experience the past through the eyes of the characters. Historical fiction could be set in the far distant past of ancient civilisations, or the more recent past of modern events.
Why Should Tweens Read Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction books are a great way to introduce tweens to various historical eras, cultures, or significant events in an engaging and accessible way.
Historical fiction books can help middle grade readers gain a deeper understanding of historical events and past cultures and customs. They can encourage tweens to explore complex moral and ethical questions, develop empathy, and think critically.
By combining imaginative storytelling with accurate historical details, these books not only entertain but also educate children about the world’s history, giving them a broader understanding of the world
If your kids love historical fiction they might also love these fun history games to end the school year

Our Favourite Historical Fiction Books for Tweens.
If you’ve got kids who love historical fiction, check out some of our favourites historical fiction books for tweens (9-12 year olds). We’ve tried to keep the list roughly in order from ancient history to modern times so you can easily pick a book from an era you are studying or your tween is interested in.
This list includes lots of historical fiction for 12 year olds, and many options that are perfect for younger tweens too. Some of these books cover some difficult topics. The recommended age listed is just a guide. Please check out these books yourself first to make sure they are a good choice for your children.
This list contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ancient History Books for Tweens

Oracle by Jackie French.
Age 10+
This story is set in the Mycenaean court in 3500 BCE with fabulous characters and lots of history, mythology and fantasy making it a great read. This is just one of this authors great historical fiction books that my kids love, so make sure you check out her others.

Minoan Wings Series by Wendy Orr
Age 10+
This three book historical fiction series for middle grades is set in Bronze-Age Crete, with great characters and fantastical stories this is a great series for tweens.

Dragon Keeper by Carol Wilkenson
Age 8+
Set in ancient China in 141 VCE, this is the first book in a series of three and all of them weave interesting history into great stories. They are great audiobooks too!
Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of ‘The Iliad’ by Rosemary Sutcliff
Age 11+
This retelling of the classic Iliad story includes all the drama, adventure and intrigue you’d except from this ancient Greek story. This author has got other great historical fiction books you should check out too.
Mark of the Thief Trilogy by Jennifer A Nielsen
Age 11+
This three book set follows the story of Nic who is a slave in ancient Rome and the magical, mythical adventures he finds himself entwined in!
Medieval and Renaissance History Books
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park.
Age 9+
Set in 12th century Korea, this story has a brave and resilient main character and lots of intriguing details. We borrowed this one as an audio book and it’s great!
The Crystal Ribbon by Celeste Lim
Age 10+
Twelve-year-old Li Jing lives in a village in 12th century imperial China when she is sold as a bride to a wealthy family. Li Jing overcomes hardships and eventually triumphs in this wonderful story that is woven with historical culture and a little bit of magic!
The Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras
Age 9+
This is a Scottish medieval story about a young heroine who must free her family from a castle prison after knights attack her home. There is also a sequel to this story – The Hunt for the Mad Wolf’s Daughter.
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Ages 9+
Crispin is a thirteen-year-old peasant boy in medieval England, who is accused of a crime he did not commit. This book brings to life the history of feudalistic medieval Britain with a great adventure story.

Matilda Bone by Karen Cushman
Ages 9+
Matilda finds herself making potions and mixing poultices to helping Red Peg the Bonesetter treat patients, and at first she doesn’t like it at all! This story is full of authentic, funny, and fascinating details about what life was like for an medieval apothecary!

The Somerset Tsunami by Emma Carroll
Ages 10+
When a catastrophic flood hits the Somerset coast in 1607, Fortune is accused of using witchcraft to cause it! This is a great story about an event that really happened.
18th & 19th Century History Books
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.
Age 10+
This book is based on a true story of a yellow fever epidemic if Philadelphia in 1793 and it will draw you in and have you needing to know what happens to Mattie and her family.

Our Australian Girl Series by various authors.
Ages 8+
There are over 40 books by various authors in this series of historical fiction and they cover Australian history from 1808 to1983. My kids love them as they feature strong characters and interesting stories. There is also a ‘boy version’ of this series called Do You Dare?
Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park.
Age 11+
I read this book when I was a kid and loved it and so have my kids. With a clever time travel twist the main character is transported back to Sydney in the 1800s and has to work out how to live and how to get back.

The Great Trouble: A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel by Deborah Hopkinson
Ages 9+
Set in London in the 1850s, this book has a great male main character and lots of great historical details with some science and mystery thrown in.
The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander
Ages 10+
This is the story of a boy, growing up in Ghana in the 1860s and what his life was like before he walked through that ‘door of no return’ and became part of the transatlantic slave trade.
20th Century History Books

The Island at the End of Everything by by Kiran Millwood Hargrave
Age 10+
Set in the early 1900s this the story of Ami who lives with her mother on Culion, an island in the Philippines for people who have leprosy, until one day she is sent away and her world is ripped apart. Ami lives on Culion, an island in the Philippines for people who have leprosy.

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Age 9+
This book covers some tricky subjects to do with racism in America in the 1930s, but it does so in a way younger kids can understand and without too many horrific details, plus it’s a really great story
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.
Age 10+
Set in Mississippi during the Depression, this is the story of Cassie, and her family’s struggle to maintain their pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice and hardship.
An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo.
Age 9+
Loosely based on a true story about an elephant that was rescued from a Dresden zoo during WW2, this story is told from the perspective of a non-nazi family in Germany and is a great read.
Once, (The One Series) by Morris Gleitzman
Ages 10+
Set during (and after) the second world war, this beautiful series of historic fiction books will make you cry as you fall in love with the characters and their stories.

A Seed in the Sun by by Aida Salazar
Age 9+
This is a story about the plight of Lula’s family and that of migrant farm workers in California in the 1960s, it is beautifully told with engaging characters.
Inside Out and Back Again by by Thanhhà Lai
Age 8+
This book is written in verse and full of beutiful, emotive language. It is the story of Ha as she flees Vietnam just before the fall Siagon in 1975 and ‘journeys from one country to another, and one life to the next’.
The Blackbird Girls by by Anne Blankman
Age 9+
This is the story of two young girls who were once enemies, and who now must deal with secrets and lies and the aftermath of the Chernobyl powerplant disaster in 1986.
Are your kids keen to read more books but just don’t have time? Or maybe they are not quite ready to read these books on their own?
Check out this list of fabulous free audiobooks for kids, they are a great way to add even more books into your kids’ day!
Do you have any recommendations for historical fiction books for tweens?
We are always looking for new books for our book shelf. If you’ve got a favourite historical fiction title please share it in the comments below so we can check it out!
The Anne of Green Gables series and What katy Did series are both good for this age group and give a good idea of what life was like in a different era. Early 1900s and late 1800s respectively. Also Little House on the Prairie series.
These are some of our favorites as well:
Pennies for Hitler Jackie French
Nanberry Black brother White Jackie French
The silver sword Ian Serraillier
Tom Appleby Convict Boy Jackie French
My Family for the War Anne C. Voorhoeve
The Night they Stormed Eureka Jackie French
Valley of Gold Jackie French
The Donkey who carried the wounded Jackie French
Somewhere around the corner (depression) Jackie French
My Australian Story: Fremantle Prison Break Deborah Lisson
Josef’s Bear Margaret Beames
Hitler’s Daughter Jackie French
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Sarah Plain and Tall Patricia MacLauchlan
What a great list! Thanks so much for sharing!
As a historian I am not all _that_ fond of Historical Fiction, *coughcough* … but actually that mostly applies for adult historical fiction, which often just makes me want to cry…
For kids, however, there is indeed some very good and sensitive historical fiction out there that introduces young readers to sensitive topics. Such as When Hitler stole the pink rabbit. Or to get them interested into certain areas such as Asian history. Perfect if those books became dinner topics and you could follow up with more history related activities, :-).
And then, sometimes, just entertainment is also fine, of course, but here I would draw a bit of a line — it still needs to be respectful to those who went through this period of time. (Like I wouldn’t care for my kids to read some story set during the Holocaust, for example, that was written just for the kick of it, if this makes sense).
Cheers,
Corinna
Great list, pinning! Personally I love historic fiction. Wild Swans is very good, but it’s so long since I read it that I’m not sure if it’s suitable for teens and tweens. Also that Samurai series about the nightingale floor. When I was a teen I adored horror books and I’m sure they can’t be any worse than those!!
My son really enjoyed Fever 1793, so I will have to add some of these books to a recommended list for him for when the library opens back up.
I teach 4th grade and our reading curriculum is novel based. Most of what we read relates to our social studies and science curriculum.
The Sign of the Beaver – Early colonial expansion in America mid 1700’s
The Riddle of Penncroft Farm – American Revolution
Small Steps: The Year I got Polio – Memoir by Peg Kehret
Mary on Horseback – Biography of Mary Breckenridge and her Frontier Nursing Service by Rosemary Wells
The Legend of Zoey – New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812
The Watsons Go to Birmingham – Civil Rights Movement
Thanks for great lists and recommendations! I didn’t notice Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s books: The War That Saved My Life, and The War I Finally Won. (I’m one of your new followers, perhaps you’ve mentioned these books in prior posts.)
I have not read either of those books, but they are definitely on my list now. Thanks for the suggestions.
Check out Elephant Run by Roland Smith!