Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners will find ESL/ESOL/ELL/EFL reading/writing skill-building children's books, stories, activities, ideas, strategies to help PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12 students learn to read.
APA Historical Fiction: Grades 7-12
The genre of historical fiction offers a dramatic study of history at an emotional level. It makes the past come to life and engages students as they begin to connect events with individuals. The commonplace details and little known facts of history that permeate historical fiction will not only surprise and engage readers, but inspire questions and critical thinking.
Our Asian Pacific American Heritage historical fiction list features stories about young people coming of age against historical backdrops, including the Han Dynasty, the Mongul Empire, Colonial India, and China's Cultural Revolution.
A Million Shades of Gray
Eleven-year-old Y'Tin is the youngest elephant trainer in his village. When the Vietcong invades, Y'Tin and his friend Y'Juen flee into the jungle where they care for a beloved elephant and search for relatives who survived the attack. Torn between his love for his animal and the lure of safety in Thailand, Y'Tin grapples with his future.
Climbing the Stairs
Though it's unusual for a girl in colonial India, 15-year-old Vidya's father supports her dream of attending college. When her father — an advocate of nonviolence — is severely injured in a protest against British rule, Vidya not only loses her best advocate, but she's forced to live with her very traditional grandfather. Vidya's quest for independence mirrors that of her country.
Daughter of Xanadu
In 13th Century Mongolia, Kublai Khan's 15-year old granddaughter Emmajin dreams of becoming a brave warrior — not a wife. While dodging potential suitors, she's dispatched by Khan to investigate the newly arrived Westerner, Marco Polo. Emmajin befriends Polo and the two fight dragons, lions, and enemy soldiers on a journey across China. This story has something for everyone: adventure, intrigue, romance, and history.
Eyes of the Emperor
Japanese Americans in Hawaii during World War II identified themselves as Americans, but their fellow enlisted soldiers didn't necessarily see them that way. In this historical novel, Eddy and his friends join the Army to defend their country, only to be the victims of vicious discrimination by their commanders.
I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade
From the day a horse stepped on her tiny foot and crippled her, Oyuna's life has been intertwined with these animals. Now a grandmother, she tells her young granddaughter of her escapades riding in Kublai Khan's military and her role in saving the Khan's herd of white horses.
Revolution is Not a Dinner Party
This semi-autobiographical novel takes place during the Chinese cultural revolution. Ling's parents are doctors, but when Mao comes to power, they are accused of being part of the "bourgeoisie." Ling must be brave and smart during this time of upheaval.
Rice Without Rain
When Jinda comes to trust the outsiders from Bangkok, her life in rural Thailand is changed forever. Poetically told and thematically sophisticated, this riveting novel provides a glimpse into the Thailand of the 1970s.
Weedflower
Sumiko and her family are shipped to a Japanese internment camp in one of the hottest places in California after the events of Pearl Harbor. She was raised in California on a flower farm and now instead of flowers, she must endure dust storms regularly. In her old life she was accustomed to being the only Japanese girl in her class. Now they find themselves on an Indian reservation and are as unwelcome there as anywhere. She finally finds a friend in one Mohave boy. There they do their best to rebuild their lives and create a community.
When My Name Was Keoko
Siblings Sun-hee and Tae-yul take turns narrating this story of Japan's occupation of Korea during WWII. As the occupation intensifies, Koreans are forced to change their names and forbidden from speaking their language, and members of the Kim family struggle to retain their personal and cultural identities.
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