Ready for some time travel? The best historical fiction books for teens transport you to another era. Through fascinating stories and characters you root for, YA historical fiction helps you experience history through the eyes of young adult characters. It’s all here… first love, a struggle to define your identity, living in a chaotic world that the grownups keep screwing up, a testing of your morals, ethics, and values, and more themes. The 20 books in this roundup each transport you to a different time in history and anchor their captivating stories in flawed, passionate, and courageous young adults facing colossal odds. From real-life heroines like Joan of Arc to Sophie Scholl to invented characters like Liesel in The Book Thief, you won’t soon forget these amazing teen characters in their amazing stories.
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And now for the best historical fiction books for teens…
All That Glitters (Enchantée #1) by Gita Trelease
We kick off our list of the best historical fiction books for teens with Gita Trelease’s All That Glitters (Enchantée #1), a YA historical fantasy. Set during the tumultuous lead up to the French Revolution, this book stars Camille, who is newly responsible for her younger sister after their parents die and their brother isn’t up to the task. Camille leans on dark magical powers she shared with her mother, eventually making it to the court of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. But it’s harder than she imagined to keep her new life among the glamour, glitz, and greed of the king and queen compartmentalized, and soon Camille is falling for the wrong boy, which could change everything. This YA historical fantasy is one you’ll tear through and, fortunately, there’s a sequel, making this a YA historical fiction series you’ll want to marathon read.
How to read it: Purchase All The Glitters on Amazon
Audacity by Melanie Crowder
This novel-in-verse tells the remarkable story of Clara Lemlich, a Russian immigrant in turn-of-the-century New York where she fought for women’s rights. Lemlich overcame a lot to lead the fight for labor rights, an effort that culminated in the 1909 Uprising of the 20,000, which mobilized 20,000 Yiddish-speaking immigrants, particularly young women, to strike from their jobs at the New York shirtwaist industry. Crowder’s poetry combines urgency with Lemlich’s passion, making for a compelling read for any fan of YA historical fiction.
How to read it: Purchase Audacity on Amazon
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
If you’re a fan of YA historical fiction, chances are you’ve come across Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. But just in case you haven’t, you’ll definitely want to put it on your to-be-read (TBR) list. No roundup of the best historical fiction books for teens would be complete without Zusak’s influential book. This modern classic about World War II is set in Nazi Germany in 1939 and is narrated by Death. Through Death, we learn the story of Liesel, who begins stealing books from Nazi book burning events, the library of the mayor’s wife, and other dangerous places. The Book Thief is an incredibly told book that has captured the hearts and minds of readers everywhere, making Zusak one of the most acclaimed YA historical fiction authors. It was even made into a feature film. Trust me, if you’re looking for the best historical fiction books for teens, you want to read The Book Thief.
How to read it: Purchase The Book Thief on Amazon
Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina
This gripping YA historical fiction novel is set in 1977 in New York City. Our heroine, Nora Lopez, just wants to make it to 18 so she can strike out on her own, leaving behind her troubled family life and pressure from teachers to apply for college. In the backdrop, New York is steaming hot; the city has recently suffered a blackout, seen an outbreak of arson, and housed a serial killer named Son of Sam, who is killing people off almost at random. In Burb Baby Burn, we follow Nora during this monumental summer in this feminist novel with a romance.
How to read it: Purchase Burn Baby Burn on Amazon
Butterfly Yellow by Thanhhà Lai
At the closing of the Việt Nam War, Hằng brings her little brother, Linh, to the airport hoping to secure a flight to America. But in a tragic twist of fate, Linh is seized and taken while Hằng is left behind. Fast forward six years when Hằng has found refuge in Texas, where she convinces city boy LeeRoy to help her track down Linh. Yet when they are reunited, Hằng realizes Linh has mostly forgotten their home or her at all. This aching YA historical fiction novel is unforgettable.
How to read it: Purchase Butterfly Yellow on Amazon
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
This spellbinding YA historical fiction novel is set in World War II. On October 11, 1943, a plane carrying British spies crashes in France, which is occupied by the Nazis. The pilot and passenger are best friends, but only one of them walks out alive, “Verity,” who is swiftly arrested by the Gestapo. Verity is faced with a choice: either reveal her mission or be executed. The book is written as Verity’s confession, including details of her relationship with Maddie, the now-diseased pilot of their plane. Code Name Verity is a harrowing novel you won’t want to put down and one of the top YA historical fiction World War 2 books. Elizabeth Wein is a writer to watch and definitely one of the better known YA historical fiction authors.
How to read it: Purchase Code Name Verity on Amazon
The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
I absolutely loved this five-star read and counted it as one of my Best Books of 2017. Henry “Monty” Montague was raised in a British aristocratic house to be a gentleman. The thing is, he has no plans of being one. But Monty is given one last hurrah before he’s supposed to settle down as he, his sister, and his best friend (and crush) Percy embark on his Grand Tour of Europe. Monty has every intension of living it up, until things get complicated… Lee has already penned two sequels, making Gentleman’s Guide a rollicking read and the start to a YA historical fiction series you’ll want to clear your schedule to read. This engaging story with a queer romance at its heart is one you won’t soon forget.
How to read it: Purchase The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue on Amazon
The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz
Joan Skraggs narrates her fourteenth year in her diary, in this story set in 1911, lending it a confessional intimacy. In her diary, Joan chronicles her attempts to transcend her humble beginnings on a Pennsylvania farm. When Joan has the chance to be a “hired girl” and work in a fancy Baltimore house, Joan gets the adventure of a lifetime. This YA historical fiction book sings with Joan’s yearning for something more.
How to read it: Purchase The Hired Girl on Amazon
The Language of Fire by Stephanie Hemphill
It might not seem like it, but not every entry in this list of the best historical fiction books for teens takes place in World War II. Stephanie Hemphill’s The Language of Fire is a novel-in-verse retelling of the Joan of Arc story. Through fiery poetry, Hemphill makes this passionate heroine (known as Jehanne here) come alive, charting her beginnings, rise, and demise in fifteenth-century France. Even if you go into this book knowing the end—(spoiler alert: that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake)—you stay for the way Hemphill has taken a story we thought we knew and reimagined it as a feminist tale you won’t soon forget.
How to read it: Purchase The Language of Fire on Amazon
Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo
This story is set in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1954 at the peak of the Red Scare. Seventeen-year-old Chinese American Lily Hu is crushing hard on Kathleen Miller. When both girls find themselves at a lesbian bar, the Telegraph Club, all of a sudden it seems their romance could actually become real. But their love is fragile in an America that does not exactly welcome queer relationships, especially not when one of those women is a woman of color. Meanwhile, Lily is also frantically trying to save her father from deportation. Malinda Lo has cooked up a story you won’t want to put down as you cheer Lily, Kath, and Lily’s father on.
How to read it: Purchase Last Night at the Telegraph Club on Amazon
Lovely War by Julie Berry
1917. World War I has cratered normalcy, caused untold deaths, and traumatized people and countries. James, an aspiring architect, and Hazel, a gifted pianist, meet at a London party and fall madly in love. Then James is shipped off to war, just like Aubrey Edwards, a professional musician who joins America’s 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment. Aubrey leaves behind Colette, a sultry nightclub singer with whom he’s fallen in love. Thirty years later, Greek goddess Aphrodite weaves these four courageous characters’ fates together as she tells her husband, Hephaestus, and Ares, her lover, their story, asking if Love and War inevitably become entangled. This electrically engrossing book has found many fans and has earned a spot on this list of the best historical fiction books for teens.
How to read it: Purchase Lovely War on Amazon
Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
Personally, I’m obsessed with the Titanic and its heartbreaking story. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Titanic (the movie) or took a deep dive into the ship’s Wikipedia page. But still, though it’s a popular tale, it’s rarely told in fiction. Not so in Stacey Lee’s heart-pounding Luck of the Titanic. Valora “Val” Luck has a ticket on the Titanic and a dream of becoming a circus performer in America. But Val is turned away at the gate for being Chinese. Val is supposed to meet up with her twin brother, Jamie, who is on board as a crew member and shares her circus dreams. Desperate to make it on the ship, she sneaks on as a stowaway, hoping to avoid being seen. Then, one night, the ship hits an iceberg, and everything changes. This propulsive novel is a nail-biter you won’t want to stop reading. Stacey Lee is already becoming known as one of the best YA historical fiction authors.
How to read it: Purchase Luck of the Titanic on Amazon
Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen
Yep, there’s another WWII novel on this list of the best historical fiction books for teens. Fifteen-year-old Sarah is blonde-haired and blue-eyed. She’s also Jewish, which puts her in untold danger in Nazi-occupied Germany in 1939. When Sarah’s mother is shot dead at a routine checkpoint, Sarah finds herself following a man with an odd accent, a questionably bare apartment, and a weapons-filled lockbox. He convinces Sarah to hide out among the classmates at the premier school for Nazi leaders’ daughters. The objective? Become friends with the girl whose father is a scientist working on the atom bomb. If Sarah can go to her house and swipe the blueprints, she could save Europe. It sounds easy, but in practice, it’s anything but. This riveting historical thriller is a must-read and a great example of the top YA historical fiction World War 2 novels.
How to read it: Purchase Orphan Monster Spy on Amazon
The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas
Love! Vengence! Female Warriors! This YA historical fantasy novel has it all. The Magnolia Sword reimagines the story of Mulan, the expert fighter who broke barriers as a female warrior in China, 484 A.D. Mulan has spent her whole life training to win the duel that each generation of her family is supposed to fight. Winning would mean reuniting a pair of valuable heirloom swords separated decades ago and avenging her father, who was left paralyzed during his duel. But before Mulan can carry out her destiny, the Emperor summons each family to supply a soldier to train in his army fighting against the Rouran invaders. Mulan passes herself off as a boy and heads out, finding herself in an elite group of fighters working for the princeling, who makes her heart pound and complicates everything she thought she knew.
How to read it: Purchase The Magnolia Sword on Amazon
Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price
Pride and Premeditation is a…you guessed it: a Pride and Prejudice retelling! My Book Riot colleague Tirzah Price has crafted a historical murder mystery of Austen’s beloved romance in this unputdownable book. In this version, also set in Regency England, Lizzie Bennett is a feisty sixteen-year-old aspiring lawyer looking for a case to practice in lieu of law school. When a murder rocks aristocratic society, Lizzie thinks she’s found her case only to learn that Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, heir to the Pemberley Associates law practice, has already counted the accused murderer as a client. While Lizzie and Darcy try to work in parallel, they keep finding themselves in each other’s company. But they might just have to team up to stay alive considering there’s a murderer out there. This book is the start to a YA historical fiction series that continues with Sense and Second Degree Murder.
How to read it: Purchase Pride and Premeditation on Amazon
Romanov by Nadine Brandes
The public has long had a fascination with the Russian princess Anastasia and whether she somehow avoided the murder of her parents by the Bolsheviks. In Romanov, an excellent YA fantasy, Nadine Brandes imagines a different outcome. Not only is her Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov alive, she’s also been tasked with smuggling an ancient spell in her suitcase as she travels to exile in Siberia. Nastya debates between unleashing the spell and dealing with the fallout or get handsome Bolshevik soldier Zash to help her. This YA historical fantasy book manages to be magical, romantic, and thrilling all at once.
How to read it: Purchase Romanov on Amazon
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
This book hooks you early and doesn’t let you go. Salt to the Sea brings to life the story of the real-life sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German cruise liner, by a Soviet submarine on January 30, 1945. The Wilhelm Gustloff’s intension was to ferry World War II personnel and refugees. Making things worse, the ship was over capacity with over 10,000 passengers, and more than 9,000 lives were lost, including 5,000 children, while the ship was only supposed to hold 1,800 people. In Salt to the Sea, Sepetys creates four fictionalized characters to give voice to the tragedy varying perspectives from Florian, a Prussian soldier evading the Nazis with stolen bounty, and Emilia, a pregnant Polish girl. The result is a searing story of fate, loss, and love, a book that has belongs on any list of the best historical fiction books for teens. Sepetys has written several books set in bygone eras that make her one of the top YA historical fiction authors.
How to read it: Purchase Salt to the Sea on Amazon
This Light Between Us by Andrew Fukuda
This emotionally exhilarating YA historical fiction novel is one you won’t to miss. In 1935, ten-year-old Washington-based Alex Maki is forced to write to another kid, Charlie Levy of Paris, France. While initially Alex is resistant to the idea—not least because Charlie is a girl—they soon become close. As World War II dawns, so, too, does the tide turn with post-Pearl Harbor animosity for Alex, a Japanese American. Meanwhile, Charlie, who is Jewish, faces her own challenges as the Nazis occupy France. Though they come from totally different backgrounds, Alex and Charlie stay in touch even as the world seeks to drive them apart. This heartfelt novel surges with emotion and hits you in the feels.
How to read it: Purchase This Light Between Us on Amazon
White Rose by Kip Wilson
This novel-in-verse (can you tell I love verse novels? I do!) features the real-life story of Sophie Scholl, a German student and activist who helped coordinate resistance efforts among German youth protesting the Nazi regime, an effort known as the “White Rose.” Kip Wilson’s motivating, stirring YA historical fiction novel pays tribute to Sophie and her radical belief in resisting evil.
How to read it: Purchase White Rose on Amazon
We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
For our final installment in this list of the best historical fiction books for teens, we travel back in time to World War II. Traci Chee’s We Are Not Free tells the story of fourteen young adults who are sent to the Japanese internment camps. The teens are “Nisei,” or second-generation American and grew up together in Japantown in San Francisco. In spite of their new situation, they still orbit each other as they resist the racism and injustice around them.
