Our teen book spotlight this week is all about Historical Fiction!!! Our titles this week are all historical fiction stories; this is one of my favorite genres because it provides an opportunity to read about times and events in history that many times we do not know much, if anything, about because they are not taught in typical school classes. Historical fiction books are filled with true facts (authors need to do a ton of research) and many times the characters are inspired by real people. We have books that take place in the United States and others on other continents; some take place in more recent times and others further in the past. These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #yahistoricalfiction as well as on Libby and Hoopla.
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys--Eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson has traveled to Spain hoping to connect with his mother’s homeland through his photography. When he meets a young woman named Ana, he sees the harsh realities of the impact of the Spanish Civil War that still affect her family. Daniel finds himself facing difficult decisions as secrets from the past and danger collide, revealing a dark side of Spain hidden under the sunny shroud of relaxation and tourism.
We Are All That’s Left by Carrie Arcos--Told in two voices, Nadja grows up in war-torn Bosnia in the 1990s and, in the present, her daughter Zara is traumatized by a terrorist attack in Rhode Island, prompting her to learn more about her mother's history.
Salt To the Sea by Ruta Sepetys--Did you know that there was a ship sinking far more devastating that the Titanic? In this novel, four young people band together as they join thousands of others in Prussia fleeing as the Russians overtake the retreating German troops. These refugees have one hope: the Wilhelm Gustloff, a cruise ship which will take them across the Baltic. Built to hold just 1500 people, over 9400 struggle aboard. Will these four survive when a Russian torpedo tears the ship apart on January 30th, 1945?
Fatal Throne by M.T. Anderson--Seven award-winning young adult authors illuminate the lives of Britain's King Henry VIII and his six wives from different viewpoints.
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly--In 1906, sixteen-year-old Mattie, determined to attend college and be a writer against the wishes of her father and fiance, takes a job at a summer inn where she discovers the truth about the death of a guest. Based on a true story.
Out of Darkness by Ashley Perez--Loosely based on a school explosion that took place in New London, Texas in 1937, this is the story of two teenagers: Naomi, who is Mexican, and Wash, who is black, and their dealings with race, segregation, love, and the forces that destroy people.