Novel ways to revisit history

History goes down easy for preteens with a little help from

historical fiction.

For decades, this set of readers has had their appetites whet for

the genre by dozens of classics. Time-tested favorites include Sydney

Taylor’s “All-of-a-Kind Family,” about a Jewish family living in

turn-of-the- century New York and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little

House in the Big Woods,” set in pioneer-era Wisconsin.

More recently, Karen Cushman revisited medieval England in Newbery

Award-winning “The Midwife’s Apprentice.” Karen Hesse returned to

Depression-era Oklahoma in “Out of the Dust,” another Newbery

Award-winner.

New on the shelves is Hesse’s “Witness,” a moving novel written in

lyrical verse. Through 11 distinct voices, including those of a

12-year-old African- American girl and a 6-year-old daughter of a

Jewish shoe salesman, Hesse tells a story of Ku Klux Klan horrors in

1924. As a springboard for a discussion about tolerance, this

historically accurate chronicle is an insightful choice for readers

in fifth grade and above.

Tolerance also figures into “Dear Papa,” Anne Ylvisaker’s

novel-in-letters, set during World War II. After the death of her

father, nine-year-old Isabelle begins writing to him for a school

assignment. Struggling with grief and her Lutheran mother’s

remarriage to a Catholic man, she reminds readers of the joys of

traditional correspondence, even in an e-mail-reliant world.

Birthright is as central as history in The Royal Diary series, a

collection about celebrated princesses, duchesses and queens. Recent

volumes include “Victoria, May Blossom of Britannia” by Anna Kirwan,

an account of three years in the childhood of England’s Queen

Victoria. Other series titles concentrate on Marie Antoinette,

Anastasia, warrior queen Nzingha of Matamba and Lady Ch’iao Kuo,

daughter of a king in sixth century China.

From the company that produced the popular American Girl series,

Girls of Many Lands books take readers to faraway corners of the

globe. Preteens can journey to 16th century England with Annie

Dalton’s “Taking Wing” or head for 18th century France with Mary

Casanova’s “Cecile: Gates of Gold.” Other series titles provide a

magic carpet to China, Alaska and India.

The beloved American Girls Collection continues with “Meet Kaya,”

the first of six volumes by Janet Shaw about the series’ newest

character, a member of the Nez Perce tribe. Billed as the first

American Girl, Kaya’s story takes place in 1764, before

European-Americans made their pilgrimage to the Pacific Northwest.

American Girls fans will wind back the clock at two tea parties,

at 3:30 P.M. on Wednesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 23 at the

Newport Beach Central Library. A few openings remain for the popular

celebrations of earlier eras; pre-register at the Central Library

children’s desk or call (949) 717-3800 and select option #5 to sign

up.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach

Public Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams in

collaboration with Gina Moffitt. All titles may be reserved from home

or office computers by accessing the catalog at

www.newportbeachlibrary.org.