Please welcome Kathleen Burkinshaw with a list of diverse historical fiction for ages 9 and up. We are also doing a giveaway of her book, The Last Cherry Blossom. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.
Diversity in Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Just a Drop of Water by Kerry O’Malley-Cerra
Two boys-Jake and Sam are best friends. Sam is Muslim, Jake is not. Immediately after September 11th, they each must deal with tension, anger, and confusion in their own way, but find hope when they learn to deal with it together.
It’s the beginning of a new school year in 1969 in a southern town. Sarah Beth is entering middle school as integration begins in her school district. She’s excited that her friend Ruby Lee can now attend the former all-white school. And if that were not enough to deal with already, they will both have the first African American educator in the school’s district as their teacher.
Greenhorn by Anna Olswanger and illustrated by Miriam Nerlove
Daniel is a young Holocaust survivor that is sent to a yeshiva (an orthodox Jewish secondary school) in Brooklyn a year after WWII ends. He keeps to himself and carries a small box wherever he goes. Some kids begin bullying him because of this. One young boy, Aaron, sticks up for him even though he is also bullied because he stutters. As a result, Daniel and Aaron become friends and help each other learn when to let go and how to find their voice.
Paper Wishes by Lois Sepahban
In 1941 a young Japanese American girl and her family are forced into an internment camp in California. She copes with her harsh environment by drawing pictures of her beloved dog, Yujiin, that they were forced to abandon. She makes paper airplanes with the pictures and sends them flying every day in the hope that the dog will find her letters and be reunited with her family.
Blue by Joyce Moyer Hostetter
During WWII Ann Fay’s father is drafted to fight in Europe. She feels she must take his place picking up extra chores and taking on more responsibility. When the polio epidemic hits her town, she is hospitalized with polio herself. Her roommate, Imogene, is the one person that makes her horrible stay bearable. She is also Ann Fay’s first African American friend. Together they become part of the Miracle of Hickory, North Carolina.
Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Shadra Strickland
A novel in verse with poignant illustrations of two young teenagers from different backgrounds who fall in love. But it’s the 1950s and it’s not legal to marry between races. The love and strength they give to each other paves their way on the long, arduous, path with roadblocks at nearly every turn, to the Supreme Court. Despite the bigotry and hate they experienced, the Loving’s are determined to ensure that marriage between races will no longer be illegal.
The Day of the Pelican by Katherine Paterson
Young Meli Lleshi Muslim family is originally from Albania. But due to war, they are now refugees living in Kosovo. Soon war intensifies in Kosovo against Serbia and they must flee. After a dangerous journey, the family eventually ends up in the United States hoping to begin a new life in Vermont. But then on September 11, 2001, they must face new challenges.
The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw
The Last Cherry Blossom is about twelve-year-old Yuriko’s family life in Hiroshima during the last year of WWII. She discovers a shocking family secret right before her world is about to ignite and become a shadow of what it had been. It is though her eyes we witness the horror of the first atomic bomb. I’m proud to say this novel is based on actual events from my mother’s life.
The Last Cherry Blossom GIVEAWAY
Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. We can only ship to U.S. addresses due to the high cost of shipping.
Kathleen Burkinshaw resides in Charlotte, NC. She has proudly presented her mother’s experience in Hiroshima to schools for over 6 years. Writing historical fiction also satisfies her obsessive love of researching anything and everything. The Last Cherry Blossom is her first novel. To learn more, please see her website, and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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To find more diverse and multicultural books for children, please check out our Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents. We also have Pinterest board full of ideas:
Kathleen Burkinshaw, mwandishi wa hadithi za hadithi za kihistoria, anaandika kitabu cha hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi za hadithi. Pia tunafanya zawadi ya kitabu chake, The Last Cherry Blossom. Kuingia, tafadhali kujaza Rafflecopter chini. Tofauti katika Middle Grade Historical Fiction Just a Drop of Water na Kerry O'Malley-Cerra Wavulana wawili-Jake na Sam ni marafiki bora. Sam ni Mwislamu, lakini Jake si. Baada ya Septemba 11, kila mmoja wao lazima kushughulika na mvutano, hasira, na kuchanganyikiwa kwa njia yake mwenyewe, lakini kupata matumaini wakati wao kujifunza kushughulika na hilo pamoja. Mwaka wa shule mpya unaanza katika mji wa kusini mwa Marekani. Sarah Beth anaingia shule ya sekondari wakati ushirikiano unaanza katika wilaya yake ya shule. Yeye ni msisimko kwamba rafiki yake Ruby Lee sasa inaweza kuhudhuria zamani wote-nyeupe shule. Na kama hiyo haitoshi kushughulika nayo tayari, wote wawili watakuwa na mwalimu wa kwanza wa Kiafrika wa Amerika katika wilaya ya shule kama mwalimu wao. "Kutoka kwa Anna Olswanger, ""Greenhorn"" ni hadithi ya Daniel, kijana aliyeponyoka Holocaust, ambaye anatumwa kwenye shule ya sekondari ya Kiyahudi ya Brooklyn mwaka mmoja baada ya Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Ulimwengu." Yeye hujificha na hubeba sanduku dogo popote anapoenda. Watoto fulani huanza kumdhihaki kwa sababu ya jambo hilo. Mvulana mmoja, Aaron, anamtegemeza hata ingawa yeye pia ananyanyaswa kwa sababu anataabika. Kwa sababu hiyo, Daniel na Haruni wanakuwa marafiki na wanasaidiana kujifunza wakati wa kuacha na jinsi ya kupata sauti yao. "Mwanamke mmoja wa Marekani, Lois Sepahambon, anaandika hivi: ""Mwanamke mmoja wa Marekani mwenye asili ya Kijapani na familia yake wanalazimishwa kuingia katika kambi ya mateso huko California." Alipokuwa akijitahidi kuishi katika mazingira magumu, alichora picha za mbwa wake mpendwa, Yujiin, ambaye walilazimika kumwacha. Yeye hufanya ndege za karatasi na picha na kuzipeleka kila siku kwa matumaini kwamba mbwa atapata barua zake na kuungana tena na familia yake. Blue na Joyce Moyer Hostetter Wakati wa Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Ulimwengu baba ya Ann Fay anaandikishwa kupigana Ulaya. Yeye huhisi kwamba anapaswa kuchukua mahali pake kwa kufanya kazi za ziada na kuchukua daraka zaidi. Wakati janga la polio linapotokea katika mji wake, yeye mwenyewe amelazwa hospitalini kwa sababu ya polio. Mshirika wake wa chumba, Imogene, ndiye mtu pekee anayefanya kukaa kwake kwa kutisha kuwe na kuvumilika. Yeye pia ni rafiki wa kwanza wa Kiafrika wa Marekani wa Ann Fay. Pamoja wanakuwa sehemu ya Muujiza wa Hickory, North Carolina. "Kutoka kwa ""Loving vs. Virginia"" ya Patricia H. Powell na ""Shadra Strickland"" ni hadithi ya hadithi ya vijana wawili kutoka asili tofauti ambao wanapendana." Lakini ni miaka ya 1950 na si halali kuoa kati ya jamii. Upendo na nguvu wanayojipa kila mmoja huandaa njia yao kwenye njia ndefu, ngumu, na vizuizi karibu kila kona, hadi Mahakama Kuu. Licha ya ubaguzi na chuki waliyokabili, familia ya Loving imeazimia kuhakikisha kwamba ndoa kati ya jamii tofauti hazitakuwa haramu tena. Siku ya Pelican - Katherine Paterson, Mwalimu wa Kiislamu wa Meli Leshie Lakini kwa sababu ya vita, sasa ni wakimbizi wanaoishi Kosovo. Punde si punde vita huongezeka huko Kosovo dhidi ya Serbia na ni lazima wakimbie. Baada ya safari hatari, familia hiyo hatimaye huishia Marekani wakitumaini kuanza maisha mapya huko Vermont. Lakini Septemba 11, 2001, walipata changamoto mpya. The Last Cherry Blossom ni hadithi ya hadithi ya maisha ya familia ya Yuriko, msichana wa miaka kumi na mbili, huko Hiroshima, wakati wa mwaka wa mwisho wa Vita Kuu ya Pili ya Ulimwengu. Anagundua siri ya familia ya kushangaza kabla tu ya ulimwengu wake kuanza kuwaka na kuwa kivuli cha kile kilichokuwa. Ni kupitia macho yake tunashuhudia hofu ya bomu la kwanza la atomu. Ninajivunia kusema kwamba riwaya hii inategemea matukio halisi ya maisha ya mama yangu. The Last Cherry Blossom GIVEAWAY Tafadhali jaza Rafflecopter hapa chini ili kuingia. Tunaweza tu kusafirisha kwa anwani za Amerika kwa sababu ya gharama kubwa ya usafirishaji. Kathleen Burkinshaw anaishi katika Charlotte, NC. Amekuwa akitoa kwa fahari uzoefu wa mama yake huko Hiroshima kwa shule kwa zaidi ya miaka sita. Kuandika hadithi za kihistoria pia hutosheleza upendo wake wa kuchunguza chochote na kila kitu. The Last Cherry Blossom ni riwaya yake ya kwanza. Ili kujifunza zaidi, tafadhali angalia tovuti yake, na kumfuata kwenye Twitter, Instagram, na Facebook. Kama Mshirika wa Amazon, mimi hupata mapato kutoka kwa ununuzi wa sifa. Ili kupata vitabu zaidi mbalimbali na multicultural kwa ajili ya watoto, tafadhali angalia yetu Diversity Book Lists & Activities kwa Walimu na Wazazi. Pia tuna ubao wa Pinterest uliojaa mawazo: