|
With
taxes out of the way, it’s time for a lot of homeschooling parents to
be thinking about what books to order for next year. So I thought it
appropriate to discuss what the historical and biblical fiction genres
have to offer.
In my opinion, there is no
better way to understand what life might have been like before our time
than to read fiction novels that show history through the eyes of a
great character. True, these are fictional stories, but some are based
on fact. And the authors who write these genres do extensive research
so that they are able to portray the setting and world events in a
historically correct manner.
Some of my favorite books are
historical. As a girl, I loved the Little House on the Prairie
books and the Anne of Green Gables series. Both
Laura and Anne were such wonderful characters that I was able to truly
understand what life had been like for girls in their time.
Many wonderful historical and
biblical novels are available for teens and adults. I can’t possibly
list them all. But I will give some of my recent favorites and
suggestions where more can be found.
Civil War
William Henry Is a Fine Name
by Cathy Gohlke (2006 Moody Publishers)
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires
by Cathy Golke (2008 Moody Publishers)
Ages 12 and up
These books were amazing. They follow the story of Robert Glover just
before and during the Civil War. William Henry Is a Fine Name
won the 2006 Christy Award. I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires
was a finalist for the 2008 Christy Awards. I felt as if I was
experiencing the Underground Railroad, the Civil War, and the heart of
the issues of slavery as I read these books. The character Robert is so
real, and his journey and growth so powerful, he becomes a friend. As
he cheats death again and again, he discovers that slavery comes in
many forms, and only by becoming a slave to Christ will he ever be
truly free.
World War II
Gunner’s Run by Rick
Barry (2007 Journeyforth—a division of BJU Press)
Ages 12 and up
In Gunner’s Run, Jim Yoder, a World War II B-26
gunner, falls from his plane and parachutes into Nazi Germany. I
enjoyed Jim’s suspenseful journey of staying out of the gestapo’s
clutches and how he depended on God to get him through. Having a
grandfather who fought in WWII, it was fascinating to read stories of
people trusting God and working together to help one another out of
enemy territory. Gunner’s Run put me smack in the
middle of a side of WWII I have never studied. It was fascinating.
The French and Indian
War
Guns of Thunder by
Douglas Bond (2007 P&R Publishing)
Ages 10 and up
This is an intriguing story of a boy’s life during the French and
Indian War. A lot of history is packed in here, including some
historical issues of faith. Overall, the story was interesting as were
the historical facts and the kind of work Ian did daily on his family’s
farm.
Seventeenth-Century
Scotland
Against the Tide by
Hope Irvin Marston (2007 P&R Publishing)
Ages 10 and up
This story is based on the life of martyr Margaret Wilson. I knew
little of church history from this time period and found the struggle
fascinating. Margaret’s story was incredible and heartbreaking. King
Charles II demands that everyone attend his church services and sends
out dragoons to see that people obey. But Margaret’s family wants to
worship God in their own way. She learns that some people are made for
service and some are made for sacrifice. Although Margaret wants to
serve God without having to give up her life, she is determined to let
God choose her path. I enjoyed learning the history and peeking into
the life of this woman who lived so long ago.
The
Old West
Beyond the Smoke by
Terry Burns
Ages 8 and up
After his wagon train is attacked by Comanche raiders, Bryan Wheeler is
stranded in the Wild West. He quickly gathers a few supplies and sets
out to find a safe place. He meets plenty of
|
trouble
on his journey,
including a violent slave owner, a young Indian boy, and a town with a
sheriff set on giving him trouble. I enjoyed following Bryan as he made
his way to a new life. No matter what he encountered, he always acted
with integrity.
The
Eleanor series by
Eleanor Clark (2007 Honor Net)
Ages 8 and up
This is a series of six books that follow the lives of young girls in
six different historical times. Mary Elizabeth: Welcome to
America takes place in the early 1600s and centers around a
family that immigrates to American from Wales. Victoria
Grace: Courageous Patriot is set during the time period of
America’s War for Independence.
Katie Sue: Heading West
tells the story of Katie’s family as they travel from Tennessee to
Texas on a wagon train in the mid 1800s.
Sarah Jane: Liberty’s Torch
is set in 1886, when the Statue of Liberty was dedicated.
Eleanor Jo: The Farmer’s Daughter
takes place on a Texas farm during World War II. As people in the
community work together by rationing food and cutting back so they can
send money overseas, Eleanor starts to think of ways she can help.
Abraham
Where I Belong by
Rebecca Kenney (2008 Journeyforth—a division of BJU Press)
Ages 9 and up
This is a fascinating story of what it might have been like to travel
with Abraham’s camp. Miu is taken from her Egyptian home by a band of
raiders and sold to Abraham as a slave for his wife Sarah. Miu grows
close to Hagar, a young Egyptian woman who reminds her of home. Hagar’s
son, Ishmael, is to inherit Abraham’s kingdom. But when Sarah,
Abraham’s wife, bears a son, Ishmael loses his inheritance. Miu’s world
hangs in the balance. She wonders about this God whom Abraham, Sarah,
Hagar, and Ishmael serve. If he’s so good, why does he keep taking
things away? I enjoyed seeing this biblical hero through the eyes of a
slave girl. Her questions about God are honest and explore the popular
question: If God is so good, why do bad things happen? Miu learns to
look for the good in every situation and finds where she belongs.
Both BJU Press and P&R
Publishing have extensive collections of historical and Biblical
fiction titles for juvenile and teen readers. Check out their Web sites
for more information:
http://www.prpbooks.com/
http://www.bjupress.com/category/Books
I also recommend the following
for older teens:
Anything by Bodie and Brock
Thoene. They have written over forty-five works of historical fiction.
Francine Rivers’s Mark of the
Lion series is set in first century Jerusalem, Rome, and Ephesus after
Christ’s death and resurrection (Tyndale House).
Before the Season Ends
and The House in Grosvenor Square by Linore Rose
Burkard are historical fiction novels in the style of Jane Austen’s
work (Harvest House).
|
