Good historical based novels for 11/12 year olds

[fredfortoday]

Having just raced through the Roman Mysteries (super) and now on the PK Pinkerton Mysteries (as super) we are fast running out of material. Please can anyone suggest can some history related novels - she has read several by Berlie Doherty and loved these also. Not so keen on the less imaginative "my story" set of books. Thanks very much.

DD has learnt all about Ancient Greece from Rick Riordan fiction books - she is an expert on all the gods and goddesses! They are a very modern style and story but with plenty of interesting history/myths woven in.

Evilgiraffe - agree so much about The Machine Gunners, it is a simply wonderful book.

My favourite of the older books in this genre is A Traveller In Time. It's beautiful.

This is a really good article - lots of authors already mentioned, but it gives a great overview of some older historical fiction, and wonderful writers like Cynthia Harnett, Rosemary Sutcliff, Geoffrey Trease and Barbara Willard.
historicalnovelsociety.org/childrens-historical-fiction-a-personal-assessment/
I loved Willard's Mantlemass series and all Cynthia Harnett's books.
goodtoread.org/choice/historical-stories-of-cynthia-harnett-the/
Have recently read 'The Wool Pack' with DD (11) who loved it, and was completely intrigued by the mystery. Also 'One is One' by Barbara Leonie Picard, 'The Ship That Flew' by Hilda Lewis, Elizabeth Borton de Trevino's 'I, Juan de Pareja', 'Smith' by Leon Garfield, and 'The Young Elizabeth' by Jean Plaidy. All older titles but well worth discovering, along with more modern writers - Caroline Lawrence, Celia Rees, My Story etc. So many great books

Look up Karen Cushman. Not sure if still in print but should be around second hand. Catherine, called Birdy (medieval daughter of the house) & the Ballad of Lucy Whipple (American gold rush) are both great stories.

The Gauntlet by Ronald Welch. Might be very slightly young for her, but I read it at around that age and still really enjoyed it. I was a very advanced reader but I just loved the story!

Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, James Herriot, Tom Sawyer, Just William. They really are set in their time.

If you don't think Lottie Project is right, then probably won't like Cat Royale or Lady Grace.

Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan

I have others but I need to look up the authors.

The Executioner's Daughter and the sequel - The River Daughter by Jane Hardstaff. My year 8 really enjoyed these.

Oh yes, I remember reading Catherine, Called Birdy. Really good one, that.

Another recommendation for The Merrybegot.
Maybe some of Michael Morpurgo's stuff? Lots of his stuff is set during WWI

I don't think Cat Royal will be too simple if she likes Roman Mysteries - it's similar in the way the historical detail is really quite sophisticated but carried along by the quality of the storytelling, while Lottie Project is very easy.

Catherine Called Birdy is a glorious book!

A traveller in time (by Alison Uttley) is wonderful.
I read inhaled Mary Anne (by Daphne du Maurier) at exactly that age ( I read it repeatedly during my first year in secondary school). Bearing in mind that Mary Anne is the mistress of many influential men during the 18th century, who uses her position to sell military promotions, you might wonder if it is appropriate. But Mary Anne is based on the true story of Du Maurier's great-great-grandmother, she is strong and fighting for her family in a time when women had very few choices. Your DD will learn about political dealing and the importance of feminism. And there isn't actually much sex (if any) in it.

DS and DD liked the Henderson Boys and Cherub series by Robert Muchamore. The Henderson Boys is set during WW2 with children as spies. Cherub is the modern day version.

Obviously there are numerous Michael Morpurgo books set around WW1 and WW2. Brilliantly written and readable by adults too.

About that age I loved When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr, the Mog author. It's an autobiography about her childhood fleeing Hitler. I couldn't persuade either DC to read it sadly as my copy has an old fashioned cover!

Good tip re Daphne Dumaurier - I read her when not much older and she isn't exactly explicit, despite the subject matter!
My secondary school had a rule that first years weren't allowed to read Young Adult, so the keener readers among us skipped straight to the adult section instead

I downloaded for free "the children of the new forest" . Even though dc were learning history of that time period at school, they refused to read it. I thought it was interesting...

Montmorency series, Eleanor Updale about a Victorian thief.

Sam Witchall books by Paul Dowswell, about a boy pressed into the navy. His book Auslander is excellent but a bit more grim.

Books by Elizabeth George Speare. ( not sure if still in print though) . I loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond and The Bronze Bow.