Patricia Beatty, b. August 26, 1922.
Ann Rinaldi, b. August 27, 1934.

Since these two excellent authors of historical fiction for children and young adults have birthdays so close together, I thought this would be a good time to give you a list of historical fiction, specifically US history, and especially for girls. I haven”t read all of these, but I have included books by many of my favorite authors, including Ann Rinaldi and Patricia Beatty. If you have young ladies in your home between the ages of ten and twenty who are studying or interested in US history, you are welcome to copy my list and share it with your favorite young lady. Or read them yourself. Go here for information, activities, lesson plans and more relating to the Dear America series of historical fiction in diary form from Scholastic.

Colonial Times, 1600’s and 1700’s
Lasky, Kathryn. A Journey to the New World: The Diary of Remember Patience Whipple 1620.
Speare, Elizabeth. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. (1687)
Fraustino, Lisa Rowe. I Walk in Dread: The Diary of Deliverance Trembly, Witness to the Salem Witch Trials Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Break with Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials. (1692)
Rinaldi, Ann. Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons: The Story of Phillis Wheatley.
Lenski, Lois. Indian Captive: The Story of Mary Jemison. (1758)
Osborne, Mary Pope. Standing in the Light: The Captive Diary of Catharine Carey Logan, Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, 1763.
McKissack, Patricia. Look to the Hills: The Diary of Lozette Maoreau, a French Slave Girl.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Fifth of March: The Story of the Boston Massacre.

American Revolution, 1770-1790
Rinaldi, Ann. Time Enough for Drums.
Turner, Ann. Love Thy Neighbor: The Tory Diary of Prudence Emerson, Green Marsh, Massachusetts, 1774.
Gregory, Kristiana. The Winter of Red Snow: The Revolutionary War Diary of Abigail Jane Stewart, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1777
Rinaldi, Ann. Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington’s Runaway Slave.
Rinaldi, Ann. Finishing Becca: A Story of Peggy Shippen and Benedict Arnold.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Ride into Morning: The Story of Tempe Wick. New York: Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich, 1991.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Secret of Sarah Revere.
Rinaldi, Ann. Or Give Me Death : A Novel of Patrick Henry’s Family.
Rinaldi, Ann. A Stitch in Time.
Rinaldi, Ann. Cast Two Shadows. (1780 in South Carolina)
O’Dell, Scott. Sarah Bishop.
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793.

Westward Expansion/Early America, 1800-1850
Rianldi, Ann. Broken Days. (War of 1812)
Rinaldi, Ann. Wolf by the Ears. (Thomas Jefferson’s slave/daughter; early 1800’s)
Blos, Joan. A Gathering of Days. (1830-1832)
Rinaldi, Ann. The Education of Mary : A Little Miss of Color, 1832.
Garland, Sherry. A Line in the Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence Gonzales, Texas, 1836.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Blue Door. (1841)
Garland, Sherry. Valley of the Moon: The Diary of Maria Rosalia de Milagros, Sonoma Valley, Alta California, 1846.
Paterson, Katherine. Lyddie. (Lowell, Massachusets, 1840’s)
Denenberg, Barry. So Far From Home: The Diary of Mary Driscoll, an Irish Mill Girl, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1847.
Gregory, Kristiana. Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell, 1847.
McDonald, Megan. All the Stars in the Sky: The Santa Fe Trail Diary of Florrie Mack Ryder, The Santa Fe Trail, 1848.
Gregory, Kristiana. Seeds of Hope: The Gold Rush Diary of Susanna Fairchild, California Territory, 1849.

Civil War/Slavery, mid 1800’s
McKissack, Patricia. A Picture of Freedom: The Diary of Clotee, a Slave Girl, Belmont Plantation, Virginia, 1859.
Rinaldi, Ann. Mine Eyes Have Seen. (1859– abolitionist John Brown)
Beatty, Patricia. Who Comes With Cannons.
Rinaldi, Ann. In My Father’s House.
Rinaldi, Ann. The Last Silk Dress.
Rinaldi, Ann. Girl in Blue.
Hesse, Karen. A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin, Fenwick Island, Delaware, 1861.
Rinaldi, Ann. Sarah’s Ground.
Rinaldi, Ann. Amelia’s War.
Denenberg, Barry. When Will This Cruel War Be Over?: The Civil War Diary of Emma Simpson, Gordonsville, Virginia, 1864.
Beatty, Patricia. Turn Homeward, Hannalee.
Beatty, Patricia. Be Ever Hopeful, Hannalee.
Rinaldi, Ann. An Acquaintance with Darkness. (Lincoln’s assassination)
Rinaldi, Ann. Numbering All the Bones. (Andersonville Prison)
Hansen, Joyce. I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl, Mars Bluff, South Carolina, 1865.

I think I’ll save the second half of this post for tomorrow.