Category Archives: Historical Fiction/Historical Element

“The Book Thief”

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

I’ve got to see the movie–for those of you who haven’t read the book yet, here’s my original review comparing it to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The Book Thief is one you need to make time to read. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Over 375 pages, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, Book Thief, Holocaust, World War II, WW II, YA fiction, YA literature | 2 Comments

Adult Books for Teens: “The Round House”

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Round House by Louise Erdrich Joe and his dad Bazil are a bit worried about Joe’s mom. She isn’t home on time and there’s no indication of where she’s gone off to. Worried enough that they borrow a car—she … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Human Rights Issues, Literary Read Alike, Multicultural | Tagged Adult books for teens, American Indians, attempted murder, book reviews, coming of age, family problems, fiction, First Peoples, Indian reservations, Indian women, justice, mystery, National Book Award winner, Native Americans, Ojibwa Indians, race relations, rape, sexual assault | Leave a comment

Veterans’ Day Reading: “The Yellow Birds”

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers “The war tried to kill us in the spring.” “Then, in summer, the war tried to kill us as the heat blanched all color from the plains.” ‘The war had killed thousands by … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Controversial Issue/Debate, Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, death, death and dying, Iraq, Iraq War, post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, U.S. army, veterans, Veterans' Day, war, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: Common Core: “The Devil in the White City”

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson The World’s Columbian Exposition took place in Chicago in 1893 and was commonly known as the Chicago’s World Fair. It was a beautiful triumph of architectural genius, of hard work … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, architecture, book reviews, Chicago, Chicago World's Fair, Daniel Burnham, Ferris Wheel, Henry H. Holmes, Herman Mudgett, serial killings, serial murder, World's Columbian Exposition | 5 Comments

Historical Fiction: “Code Name Verity”

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein This is a must-read for teens. And for adults. It’s no more only a ‘teen book’ than The Book Thief is a ‘teen book.’ Never mind how the publisher describes it. Read it. Since … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Horror/Mystery/Suspense, Human Rights Issues, Young Adult Literature | Tagged book reviews, espionage, fighter pilots, French Resistance, friendship, Nazis, pilots, spy stories, women air pilots, World War II, YA fiction, YA literature | Leave a comment

Common Core and Nonfiction: Adult Books for Teens: “The Irregulars”

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

The Irregulars: Roald Dahl and the British Spy Ring by Jennet Conant Most of us know Roald Dahl through his weirdly fun children’s stories. Even if you haven’t read those stories, you’ve probably seen some of the movies made from … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Biography/Memoir, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged book reviews, British Security Coordination, BSC, Common Core standards, espionage, Irregulars, Roald Dahl, spies, World War II, YA literature | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: Biography: “No Easy Day”

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

No Easy Day: The Autobiography of a Navy SEAL by Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden As you read the sub-sub title above, you know why this book has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Biography/Memoir, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Non-fiction | Tagged Adult books for teens, autobiography, book reviews, military, Navy SEALs, Osama Bin Laden, Special Forces, terrorism | Leave a comment

Adult Books for Teens: Inspiring Biographies: Unbroken

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand Unbroken is the incredible, nearly mythic, story of Louis Zamperini, an army air forces bomber whose plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean in 1943. Before the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventure Stories, Biography/Memoir, Faith-Based/Religious Element, Family Problems, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Adult books for teens, Allen Phillips, book reviews, guy books, Louis Zamperini, POWs, soldiers, survival, war, World War II | 1 Comment

Adult Books for Adults and Teens: “Team of Rivals”

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin I know this is a long shot, but I’m hoping there’s a student who will take me up on this. Summer reading for the truly motivated! While the focus of Team of Rivals … Continue reading →

Posted in Biography/Memoir, Family Problems, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Human Rights Issues, Movie Tie-In, Non-fiction, Over 375 pages | Tagged Abraham Lincoln, book reviews, Civil War, Dred Scott case, Edwin Stanton, Emancipation Proclamation, Frances Seward, Kansas Nebraska Act, Kate Chase, Mary Todd Lincoln, Missouri Compromise, movie tie-in, Salmon Chase, slavery, Thirteenth Amendment, US History, William Seward | Leave a comment

2014 California Young Reader Medal Nominees

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Victoria Waddle

What’s cool about the California Young Reader Medal is that the books are selected by young readers. So, teens select the winner of the young adult category. In order to vote, you have to read all three of the nominated … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Historical Fiction/Historical Element, Mature Readers, Over 375 pages, Romance, Sci-Fi/Futuristic, Young Adult Literature | Tagged awards, California Young Reader Medal, CYRM, France, future dystopia, King Louis Charles, music, musicians in literature, running | Leave a comment