Recently, I listened to two historical novels written for middle-grade readers that introduced me to parts of the past I was unaware of. The storytelling was rich in its pared-down beauty; each was just under 200 pages, with the audio recordings running about 3 hours.
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Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson is a spare novel set in Brooklyn, NY, in the 1970s. With Sage, a 12-year-old, African American girl, we explore a world that is literally going up in flames. Bushwick has been labeled “The Matchbox” because of the multiple fires—mostly suspicious—in the neighborhood. Against this backdrop, Sage excels at basketball (she’s better than the boys), wonders about evolving friendships with the girls, and dreams with her mother about more secure housing.
Woodson’s lyrical prose is perfect for the time and setting, honestly reflecting the complex inner life of a tween during an unsettled time. Passages on loss and memory feature palpable sadness, and are balanced with Sage’s appreciation for what ‘once was’ and what may be. The review from BookPage wrote: “Packs an understated but powerful punch. . . .”
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In 1941, while German armies stormed across Europe, Iran was a neutral country occupied by British forces on one side and the Soviets on the other. The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri tells a little-known but gritty story of World War II in this region. It just won this year’s National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.
Newly orphaned, 13-year-old Babak and his 8-year-old sister fear they will be separated, so they devise a plan for Babak to take up their father's old job as a teacher to the nomads. With a chalkboard strapped to his back and a satchel full of textbooks, they set off to intercept the tribes on their yearly trek across the mountains. On the way, they meet a Jewish boy hiding from a Nazi spy, and suddenly they are all in a race for survival.
Wrong assumptions and misunderstandings lead to tragedy, yet the kindness of others offers the children hope. A Kirkus review summed the heart of the novel up as: “...seamlessly integrating philosophical questions about God, family, and cross-cultural understanding and suggesting that truly listening to those different from us can be a sacred and transformative act…”
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Realistic portraits of challenging times, both novels place the reader in a unique locale and illustrate the thoughtfulness and resilience of youth.
Liza Bernard is a voracious reader who enjoys both printed volumes and audiobooks. Formerly co-owner of the Norwich Bookstore, she maintains her connections with readers and writers as the Programming and Marketing Librarian at the Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, Vermont.