These are some books about that can get kids a little more interested in history. The age range of these books is about 9- 13 but I'm sure anyone able to read at that level or greater will enjoy these books. These books are about Canadian history specifically. I'll put a link to the book on amazon so that you can see a synopsis and some feedback.
Eric Walters is a great author for this subject. He has written many books, both for this age group and for teenagers, and his books are generally well written and adventurous. I read some of his books when I was in elementary school and I remember enjoying them. Some of his titles are Bully Boys, Trapped in Ice, Camp X, The Hydrofoil Mystery
A Question of Loyalty, this one i had to read in grade six for school and I enjoyed reading it. It's about a young boy who hides from conscription is this family's barn, he of course develops feelings for the daughter of the household, who is the one who finds him.
Underground to Canada, This is a story about the underground railroad. I also read this book in grade six and also enjoyed reading it. It's not too brutal, but it makes the reader understand what happened.
The Hollow Tree, This is a story about a young girl who leaves her family to travel by herself over a mountain to deliver a message to an army camp. The message was originally given to her cousin, but he was hanged due to his loyalties, so she delivered it in his place. I really enjoyed this book and read it many times over.
The Root Cellar, by the same author as the hollow tree. In this book a girl in the present day gets sent back in time (through a root cellar) to the civil war era.
Agouhanna, This is a great, lesser known, story about a young native american boy who must go through his warrior training and find his animal spirit guide. It's a great story about inner strength and growing to find your own. At first the boy is very timid, but as the story goes on he grows more self confident.
Lost in the Barrens, Classic. This author has tons of books out, most of them about kids connecting with nature or with a time past. In this book a boy goes on a hunting trip and gets separated with a native american boy. At first he resents him and feels superior, but ends up relying on this boy for survival and learning from him and by the end they're good friends. There is also a movie which I had to sit through at least 3 times in my school going days. If anyone's interested. I would recommend all of his books, but another one to take note of would be Curse of the Viking Grave, again, two boys discover something.
Anne of Green Gables. I don't think I even need to say anything here. Pretty much everyone I know knows about this series. It has been made into a movie which is very well done, fantastic. It has been made into a cartoon and has even made it's way over to Japan and there is an anime as well. There was an offshoot called road to avonlea as well but we won't get into that here. It's about an imaginative orphan girl who comes to live with an older couple. Great story. watch the movie if nothing else.
Emily of New Moon, by the same author as Anne, but this series is not as well known. It is also about an orphan girl who goes off to live with relatives, but it is a little bit darker. Also very good though.
D-day this series is good, not so much canadian, but for the young war enthusiasts out there. it's written in a diary style.
The I am Canada Series. I don't know if this is by the same people are the dear Canada books but aimed at boys, it does seem similar though. It is told in a dairy style though. Right now I only really know of three. Blood and Iron, a story of a Chinese boy's family's experience as they build the railroad. Shot at dawn, the story of a man who recounts the story leading up his arrest in WW1 for deserting his company, in reality he was not an actual deserter but went mad from the life of trench warfare. Prisoner of Dieppe, the WW2 diary of a soldier captured in the battle, or what he describes as a massacre, at the German-held port of Dieppe.
Dear Canada. This whole series is good. They're written like a diary and each feature a girl from a different period in history or of a different circumstance. I recommend the entire series because it is good, but here are a few titles. Footsteps in the Snow: The Red River Diary of Isobel Scott (Dear Canada), An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-Ling (Dear Canada), Brothers Far from Home: The World War I Diary of Eliza Bates (Dear Canada), Alone in an Untamed Land: The Filles Du Roi Diary of Helene St. Onge (Dear Canada), Dear Canada: Turned Away. I like this series because not only does it focus on the standards like all of the main wars, but it also focuses on some of the more unattractive parts of history, like in turned away we see that during world war 2 canada was very cautious about immigration and turned away a boat of jewish people, and in an ocean apart we see that chinese families had a tough time getting their families over here. and of course underground railroad and mistreatment of the natives. a good series overall.
Our Canadian Girl. Another good series. I'm pretty sure there are many books in this, series within a series, but here are some. Marie-Claire: A Season of Sorrow, Rachel: A Mighty Big Imagining, Angelique: Buffalo Hunt, Emily
The Winter People
The Broken Blade
On A Canadian Day: Nine Story Voyages Through History
Mable Riley: A Reliable Record of Humdrum, Peril, and Romance
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