9 Great Books That Can Get Kids Interested in History

Kids are naturally curious, but bombarding them with a bland series of facts and dates is almost certain to make them think that history is a boring subject. Personal stories about relatable characters do a much better job of getting young readers interested in the past. The nine books on this list will show your kids how fascinating history can be. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.

9 Great Books That Can Get Kids Interested in History

Title Author Illustrator
1. Meet Miss Fancy Irene Latham John Holyfield
2. A Country of Our Own Karleen Bradford N/A
3. Carter Reads the Newspaper Deborah Hopkinson Don Tate
4. Radio Girl Carol Brendler N/A
5. George Ferris' Grand Idea Jenna Glatzer Stephanie Dominguez
6. Behind the Masks Susan Patron N/A
7. Naomi's Tree Joy Kogawa Ruth Ohi
8. Junk Man's Daughter Sonia Levitin Guy Porfirio
9. Flame and Ashes Janet McNaughton N/A

Family-Friendly Historical Films

5 Real People Who Changed History

  1. Claudette Colvin: Teenage civil rights activist
  2. Rosalind Franklin: Made ground-breaking discoveries about DNA
  3. Nelson Mandela: Peace activist and President of South Africa
  4. Indira Gandhi: First female prime minister of India
  5. Alexander Hamilton: Profoundly shaped America's financial system

How to Encourage Kids to Read

A great way to start is to get a bookshelf for your child's room. If they have access to their own collection of books, it'll be easy for them to read at their own pace. And if they're looking at the shelf everyday, reading will always be on their mind. It's also important to give your kids a comfortable place to sit. This can be anything from a rocking chair to a couch to a dedicated reading nook. If they have a space that's just for them, it makes reading time all the more special. As they grow, your young ones will start to read more challenging books with words they don't know. Encourage them to look up unfamiliar terms in the dictionary so they can expand their vocabulary. Finally, if you're having trouble getting your kid interested in books in the first place, try bridging the gap between visual media and literature with graphic novels.

The Power of Reading

In Depth

Historical fiction can present iconic figures and events in ways that are much more entertaining and immersive than textbooks. These kinds of stories are great for teaching kids about subjects that they may otherwise be uninterested in, especially if they feature highly relatable characters and situations. With that in mind, here are nine great books that can get kids interested in history, listed in no particular order.

First up, at #1, we have "Meet Miss Fancy" by Irene Latham, with illustrations by John Holyfield. Set in Birmingham, Alabama before the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century, it tells the story of Frank, a boy who loves elephants. When the eponymous elephant retires from the circus and is moved to the park close to Frank's home, he's saddened to learn that the town's segregation prevents him from visiting her. When Miss Fancy escapes, it's up to him to bring her home and, hopefully, earn the right to visit her regularly.

Next, at #2, is "A Country of Our Own." Written by Karleen Bradford, it's part of Scholastic's "Dear Canada" series, a collection of novels about young women and their experiences during important events in Canadian history. Set in 1866, the book focuses on a maid named Rosie, who's forced to move away from her family in order to make a living. Told through Rosie's perspective, readers get to learn more about the Canadian Confederation of 1867 and the events that led up to it.

Told through Rosie's perspective, readers get to learn more about the Canadian Confederation of 1867 and the events that led up to it.

At #3 is "Carter Reads the Newspaper." Written by Deborah Hopkinson, with art by Don Tate, it's centered on the life of Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month. As a child, he grew up learning about the world by reading newspapers out loud for other people, including his father, an ex-slave who couldn't write. He eventually went on to become the second ever African American to earn a PhD from Harvard, dedicating his life to sharing the rich history and culture of black people.

Next up, at #4, we have "Radio Girl" by Carol Brendler. Cece is an aspiring radio actress living with her Irish family in New Jersey. Against her mother's wishes, she finds a job at a radio station in New York, which she regularly sneaks off to during the weekends. The story follows Cece's life as she and her family go through all sorts of difficulties, especially after Orson Welles' controversial "War of the Worlds" broadcast in the late 1930s.

Next, at #5, is "George Ferris' Grand Idea" by Jenna Glatzer, with art by Stephanie Dominguez. This graphic biography revolves around the creation of the Ferris wheel, which was created by and named after the eponymous engineer. It follows George's arduous journey towards conceptualizing and constructing the very first Ferris wheel, and it shows just how much trouble he had with convincing people that it was safe to ride.

This graphic biography revolves around the creation of the Ferris wheel, which was created by and named after the eponymous engineer.

At #6 is "Behind the Masks" by Susan Patron. It's a part of Scholastic's "Dear America" series, and it's set in Bodie, a small mining town in California, during the Gold Rush era of the 1800s. When Angeline Reddy's father is declared murdered by the town's newspaper, she and her mother believe that he's actually alive. With the help of her friends, Angeline sets off to find the truth about what really happened to her father, avoiding a dangerous gang of vigilantes along the way.

Next up, at #7, we have "Naomi's Tree" by Joy Kogawa, with art by Ruth Ohi. Naomi is a Japanese-Canadian girl who shares a special connection with the cherry tree in her family's garden. When the Second World War breaks out, she's forced to live in an internment camp far away from home for an indefinite period of time. Several years later, Naomi finds her way back to their old house, where she sees her friend still alive and well.

At #8 is "Junk Man's Daughter" by Sonia Levitin, with art by Guy Porfirio. When Hanna and her family immigrated to the United States from an unspecified country, they didn't expect life there to be just as hard, if not worse, than in their previous home. Hanna's family remains optimistic despite all of the hardships that they have to face. When they realize that they can make a living off collecting and selling garbage, they slowly build up a successful business and lift themselves out of poverty.

When Hanna and her family immigrated to the United States from an unspecified country, they didn't expect life there to be just as hard, if not worse, than in their previous home.

Finally, at #9, we have "Flame and Ashes" by Janet McNaughton. It's centered on Triffie, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, whose life is changed forever after the Great Fire of 1892, which leaves her family with virtually nothing. After losing almost all of their belongings, Triffie's family is forced to live in a rundown warehouse. Over time, she learns to appreciate the lifestyle of the less fortunate, who struggle to survive on a daily basis.