Young Quills Award for Historical Fiction

We are big fans of Christina Balit’s historical picture books. Following the style of classroom favourites Escape from Pompeii and The Corinthian Girl, this new title features equally gorgeous, detailed illustrations that bring the sights and sounds of the past to life.

The story is set in Elizabethan London, where a street-singing orphan named Jack catches the attention of William Shakespeare. Before long, Jack is swept into the bustling world of the Globe Theatre, working his way up to star in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as the Fairy Queen. The reality of how child actors were treated is not glossed over, and there is both light and darkness in Jack’s experiences of stage life.

This is a spectacular, beautifully researched book that makes a fantastic accompaniment to Tudor and Shakespeare topics in KS2.

A dyslexic friendly novel, ‘Dance of Resistance’ tells the story of Josephine Baker, a performer and civil rights activist. Starting right from her birth in 1906, Josephine’s life story is told in the first person.

The book is split into short chapters detailing her dream to be on the stage and how she made it come true through her hard work and determination. Whilst I knew some information about Josephine’s adult life, I didn’t know very much about her childhood and I think this is a really thorough retelling of her story. She had a fascinating life and her involvement with the French Resistance during WWII makes this book a good link to history topics in Primary Schools, whilst also linking to Black history and civil rights.

I think this book would be best suited to UKS2 as there are a few things that may require further explanation such as that it was more common for people to marry younger at the time.

My Family the Enemy is set in London during World War I. Fred Müller’s life is turned upside down when the police take his dad away and imprison him in Alexandra Palace, along with other men of German heritage. Suddenly, Fred finds that he and his family are the enemy just because of where they originate from.

This is a fascinating story which offers a perspective that is rarely seen in children’s books. The book’s themes of bullying, prejudice and patriotic hysteria are still relevant today and the story is certainly one that will develop empathy in its readers. Fred is bullied at school by pupils and teachers because of his German heritage, and his once-popular family bakery loses much of its custom and is deliberately targeted in racist attacks. There are parallels between the lives of German-born UK residents and the experience of Jews in Nazi Germany: deliberate vandalism of shops, loss of livelihoods and the stereotyping and discrimination.

The hysteria among the British public is also powerfully portrayed, as rumours spread and people start scaremongering. I liked the historical sweep of the story; the book moves between time periods and generations within the one family. Although the book deals with sadness and loss, it is – ultimately – hopeful. The family is resilient and pulls together. Friends provide support too. Fred survives and goes on to have a family of his own and their future is a freer one with greater opportunities.

Shrapnel Boys is a gripping story about the lives of a group of young boys living in London during the Second World War.

Ronnie is naively excited by the prospect of war, fighter planes and everything else that he associates with war, and he can’t wait for the action to start. When the war finally comes to London, although the reality is scarier than they thought, Ronnie and his friends are excited to race each other to collect the best bits of shrapnel each morning after a night of bombing.

But, the war also brings an unwelcome visitor into Ronnie’s life – straight away, Ronnie can tell that Johnny is up to no good and when Ronnie’s brother starts to get caught up in whatever it is that Johnny is up to, Ronnie decides to take matters into his own hands to protect his brother.

This is a truly outstanding book which manages to weave so many themes into its pages. It deals with issues around family, friendship, bravery and loss, coupled with providing insight and historical facts about an important time in British history.

Kata and Tor is set in the Anglo-Saxon and Viking period, just before the Battle of Hastings.

Tor, our male hero, is the son of Viking King Harald Horgrada and has been sent out as a scout to York. His mission faces catastrophe when his boat is damaged and his friend drowns, but this tragedy leads to him meeting Anglo-Saxon girl Kata.

The story follows Tor as he battles the need to stay loyal to his father while falling in love with Kata. It is a wonderful story with plenty of excitement and a little bit of Romeo-and-Juliet-style romance between a Viking and a Saxon, too.

The setting is perfect for older primary and younger secondary children who are investigating this time period and offers lots of historical detail to use as a basis for research into life during this time.

Geraldine McCaughren’s latest book looks at the choices of four older teenagers as they all decide not to be evacuated with the younger children. With no younger siblings to look after, they all skip out of the train they should have left on to follow their dreams (or avoid their nightmares).

This war-themed book for readers aged 10-14 is no means a jolly “Blitz spirit” novel, but it illustrates beautifully how people can take lightness and joy from each other even in the darkest times.

The character development for each teen is fascinating – as you can imagine, they have to grow up rather quickly as the war begins. Lawrence is convinced he can contribute to the war effort while Franklin is desperate to become a fireman like his father. Gemmy “The Gremlin” is living rough and scavenging in bombed-out homes after escaping an abusive home. Olive somehow ties them all together as the group’s kindness and conscience – a role that becomes increasingly important and difficult as the war grinds on.

I would really recommend this both as a WW2 study of ordinary people and as a coming-of-age novel set against a flame-filled London blitz backdrop.