The Edvocate

Top Menu

Main Menu

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • P-20 Ed Careers

logo

The Edvocate

  • Start Here
    • Our Brands
    • Governance
      • Lynch Educational Consulting
      • Dr. Lynch’s Personal Website
        • My Speaking Page
      • Careers
    • Write For Us
    • Books
    • The Tech Edvocate Product Guide
    • Contact Us
    • The Edvocate Podcast
    • Edupedia
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
  • PreK-12
    • Assessment
    • Assistive Technology
    • Child Development
    • Classroom Management
    • Early Childhood
    • EdTech & Innovation
    • Education Leadership
    • Equity
    • First Year Teachers
    • Gifted and Talented Education
    • Parental Involvement
    • Policy & Reform
    • Special Education
    • Teachers
  • Higher Ed
    • Best Colleges and Universities
    • Best College and University Programs
    • Diversity
    • HBCU’s
    • Higher Education
    • Higher Education EdTech
    • International Education
  • Advertise
  • The Tech Edvocate Awards
    • The Awards Process
    • Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards
      • Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards
    • Award Seals
  • Apps
    • GPA Calculator for College
    • GPA Calculator for High School
    • Cumulative GPA Calculator
    • Grade Calculator
    • Weighted Grade Calculator
    • Final Grade Calculator
  • The Tech Edvocate
  • Pedagogue
  • P-20 Ed Careers
  • What Can We Learn From Literature?

  • Checklist For Organizing Your 1st Grade Classroom

  • 16 Fairy Tale Books for Kids

  • The Graduation Books for Students of All Ages

  • 10 Books for Teaching Kids About Germs

  • 15 Presidential Books for the Classroom

  • What Is Interactive Writing?

  • 10 Joke Books for Kids

  • Time to Rethink Family Tree Assignments

  • 21 Thrilling Superhero Books for Kids

Reading & Literacy
Home›Reading & Literacy›REALISM AND HISTORICAL ADVENTURE BOOKS

REALISM AND HISTORICAL ADVENTURE BOOKS

By Matthew Lynch
August 5, 2022
180
0
pass or fail
Spread the love

Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth. How many novels have your kids read set in Tibet under Chinese rule? Now is your chance to alter all that, however! And Tash and her family go about their daily lives while keeping their Buddhist beliefs a secret from the Chinese forces stationed in her Tibetan town. But one day, a man’s shocking deeds disturb the serenity, and Tash’s parents are removed. Tash, posing as a male, and her buddy Sam escape the hamlet on a dangerous trek over snow-covered mountains with two goats. In this page-turning adventure, issues of freedom, bravery, and the Dalai Lama’s teachings are intertwined. Terrific.

The Cross of Lead by Avi. This award-winning novel is a page-turning adventure in the fourteenth century! The son of Asta doesn’t know who his father is and doesn’t have a genuine name. When his mother passes away, Father Quinel becomes his guardian and offers him a lead cross that belonged to her. But the kid, who is now Crispin, must leave before Father Quinel informs him of his parentage. A terrifying journey starts as he flees the evil lord who rules hamlet.

Bud, Not Buddy. Christopher Paul Curtis is one of my favorite middle-grade authors.  Buddy, a 10-year-old who runs away from a slew of miserable foster homes in search of his father—whom he thinks is a jazz musician—sets off on his quest. Curtis’ work, set during the Great Depression, is full of comedy and sobering facts. In the end, it’s a happy book with lots of laughs, and it’s impossible not to love Buddy. Winner of the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award and Newbery Medal.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. This Newbery Honor novel, set in 1832, follows the utterly captivating tale of Charlotte, who embarks on a sailing journey from England to Rhode Island. She suddenly travels alone with the crew instead of being accompanied by other families, and she gets caught up in a dangerous adventure.

Treasure Island. It is reasonable to assume that not all of the characters in this novel are good, honest, and selfless, but it is still a lot of fun. Jim, a little boy, travels in search of wealth and meets dangerous pirates like Long John Silver.

The Left-Handed Fate by Kate Milford. By putting together a strange and old engine, Lucy and Max are attempting to stop the War of 1812. When Oliver, a 12-year-old boy, is aboard the ship The Left-Handed Fate, it is taken over by American forces. Oliver then has to decide whether to be a traitor or risk endangering the lives of others. Your preteen will be on the edge of his seat as he reads this novel, packed with great adventure, perilous travels, and thrilling action.

Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome. (1930) When you start reading this book to your kids, be ready to Google a lot of boating jargon! Once you get beyond that obstacle, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy this English classic about a bunch of siblings who go on their camping trip.

My Side of the Mountain. My 10-year-old son came home from the school praising this book, so I asked him whether he and his brother would be interested in hearing me read it. I recall being enthralled when I read this novel as a child about a lad who leaves New York City to live in the woods.

I often suggest The Whipping Boy to parents who tell me their children have problems completing books. Even though it’s a short book, it’s equally as engaging and satisfying as longer ones. A couple of criminals abduct the arrogant and haughty Prince Brat and Jemmy, his whipping boy. The cause for a lot of the action, comedy, and the intriguing story turns is a case of mistaken identification. Plus, it won the Newbery Award and is a beloved classic from the 1980s, so you can feel good about reading it to your child.

Hatchet (series) by Gary Paulsen is a survival story. 13-year-old Brian uses his hatchet, his wits, and his instincts to survive 54 days in the forest when his aircraft crashes.

Cast Off: The Strange Adventures of Petra de Winter and Bram Broen by Eve Yohalem.  Petra flees her violent father in 17th-century Holland and unintentionally ends up as a stowaway aboard a merchant ship sailing for the Dutch Indies. Petra is helped to pass for a male by the mulatto boy Bram, and she utilizes her expertise in healing to assist the ship’s physician. She wins the crew’s trust, but when they find out she’s a female and a mutiny breaks out, she and Bram are put at great risk. This is a really tense book with realistic depictions of life aboard a ship in the 17th century.

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus. My kid pulled this book out of my hands as I tried to read it and gave it a huge thumbs up. It is an adventure tale using historical events as its inspiration. During a fishing trip in 1841, Manjiro, a 14-year-old boy, and 3 other men were shipwrecked on an island off the coast of Japan. They are eventually saved by an American whaling ship, but Manjiro decides to go with the Captain instead of returning to Japan. He attends school in America while navigating the discrimination that comes with being a foreigner, and he eventually finds himself in California during the gold rush. No one was permitted to enter Japan after they had left since it was sealed off from the outside world at the time, yet Manjiro took a risk by doing so.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne. Although the classic by Jules Verne is thrilling, young readers may not understand the setting. Have students follow Phileas Fogg’s travels on a map while they read. Or even better, read it aloud to the family and start a conversation about the period. Read these recommendations before reading classic literature that can include troubling cultural prejudices and imagery.

Previous Article

Test-Taking Tips and Tricks

Next Article

How to Study for a Math Test

Matthew Lynch

Related articles More from author

  • pass or fail
    Reading & Literacy

    SPLENDID CHINESE FOLKTALES FOR KIDS

    August 6, 2022
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Reading & Literacy

    Books for Gifted Kids

    July 26, 2021
    By Matthew Lynch
  • LiteracyReading & LiteracyReading Education

    The Ultimate Collection of Sight Word Songs

    April 4, 2021
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Reading & Literacy

    Understanding Your Child’s Reading Scores

    September 2, 2021
    By Matthew Lynch
  • Reading & Literacy

    Should Letter Names Be Taught?

    May 21, 2021
    By Matthew Lynch
  • K-12Reading & Literacy

    15 Ways to Teach Kids to Find Supporting Details While Reading

    October 13, 2021
    By Matthew Lynch

  • Artificial Intelligence

    How Artificial Intelligence is Boosting Personalization in Higher Education

  • Artificial IntelligencePersonalized Learning

    AI Scales Personalized Education in Ways the Teacher Can’t

  • Artificial IntelligenceDigital Leadership

    When a School’s IT Faces AI Automation

Search

Registration and Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Subscribe to The Edvocate Podcast

Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsAndroidby EmailRSS
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • What Can We Learn From Literature?

    By Matthew Lynch
    August 9, 2022
  • Checklist For Organizing Your 1st Grade Classroom

    By Matthew Lynch
    August 9, 2022
  • 16 Fairy Tale Books for Kids

    By Matthew Lynch
    August 9, 2022
  • The Graduation Books for Students of All Ages

    By Matthew Lynch
    August 9, 2022
  • 10 Books for Teaching Kids About Germs

    By Matthew Lynch
    August 9, 2022
  • 18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 3, 2017
  • The Top 5 Unexpected Benefits of Early Childhood Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    February 29, 2016
  • 7 Benefits of STEM Education

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 12, 2019
  • What is Culturally Responsive Pedagogy?

    By Matthew Lynch
    April 21, 2016
  • pass or fail

    Black Boys in Crisis: Why Aren’t They Reading?

    By Matthew Lynch
    January 16, 2017
  • Cognitive Learning: A Primer - The Tech Edvocate
    on
    August 6, 2022

    Cognitive Development: What You Need to Know

    […] you are aware ...
  • Benedict university - Top 10 Reasons To Consider - Wahbalami.COM
    on
    August 2, 2022

    Benedict College Admissions: Everything You Want to and Need to Know

    […] Find out what ...
  • 2 Août 1859 – Décès d’Horace Mann, père de l'éducation américaine - Nima REJA
    on
    August 2, 2022

    Pass or Fail: Horace Mann – An American Public School Pioneer

    […] https://www.theedadvocate.org/horace-mann-an-education-pioneer/ […]
  • “unleashing (of) the potential of continuous teaching and learning (improvement) in language education” – Learn With ...
    on
    July 31, 2022

    The Real Purpose of Assessments in Education

    […] Lynch, M. (2022, ...
  • What is the Biggest Problem in Education Today? - Rodney Coe Education
    on
    July 30, 2022

    18 Reasons the U.S. Education System is Failing

    […] The Edvocate lists ...

Ask an Expert

  • Ask An Expert

    How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis

    Spread the loveFor the past few decades, our country’s educational system has seen both struggle and tremendous change. With the various ailments plaguing our educational system, education reforms have attempted ...
  • Ask An Expert

    21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education

    Spread the loveWe all have our heroes. Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. One of my heroes is the late-great Nelson Mandela, who ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyCareer ReadinessChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFirst Year TeachersFreshHigh SchoolK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingParent & Family TechParental InvolvementParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformPreK-12Special EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachers

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents

    Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. One of the most integral parts of this collaborative team ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...

International Education

  • Education FoundationsInternational Education

    4 Reasons You Should Study Geography

    Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. They think that studying geography ...
  • International Education

    How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work

    Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Unlike most other learning initiatives, this program deeply ...
  • International Education

    Globalization: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. There ...
  • AssessmentEducation LeadershipHigher EducationInternational EducationProfessional DevelopmentTeachers

    So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests

    Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. If you’re planning to pursue a degree in business, law, medicine, or graduate ...
  • Higher EducationInternational Education

    What Extracurricular Activities Impress Colleges the Most?

    Spread the loveWhen you apply to schools that offer holistic admissions or apply to a college using the Common Application, you will have to describe your participation in extracurricular activities. ...

Early Childhood Education

  • Early Childhood

    Gross Motor Skills: Everything You Need to Know

    Spread the loveIt’s a term used to describe those skills needed to regulate coordination and movement of the large muscles of the upper and lower limbs, as well as the ...
  • Early Childhood

    10 CARD GAMES EVERY KID SHOULD KNOW

    Spread the loveA regular 52-card deck is a lovely thing. There are many activities for youngsters and families to enjoy in one portable set of cards. Yet youngsters get trapped ...
  • Early Childhood

    NATIVE AMERICAN PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

    Spread the loveIf you frequent my book lists, you are aware of my strong belief in the ability of children’s literature to affect social change. 1) By exposing kids to ...
  • Early Childhood

    CHILDREN’S BOOKS THAT ADDRESS LONELINESS

    Spread the loveWe all experience loneliness occasionally, but loneliness and isolation may occasionally overwhelm youngsters. By telling stories of other people who have experienced comparable feelings, adults may aid youngsters ...
  • Early Childhood

    PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT THE MOON FOR IMAGINATIVE CHILDREN

    Spread the loveDo your children share my fascination with the moon? These children’s books about the moon should be added to your reading list if this is the case. Stat. ...

Gifted and Talented Education

  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Twice-Exceptional: What Does it Mean?

    Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. As a matter of fact, such ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    A Guide to Talent Search Programs

    Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Different avenues are then provided for these students to channel their ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationK-12

    Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term refers to the grouping of students by mental capability, aptitude, or hobbies. For instance, gifted students are placed in one group, and students with special needs ...
  • Gifted and Talented Education

    Cluster Grouping: What You Need to Know

    Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. For example, about five to seven extremely bright pupils with comparable skill ...
  • Gifted and Talented EducationHigher Education

    Merit Scholarships: Everything Your Need to Know

    Spread the loveThese are monetary gifts awarded by institutions to superbly gifted students, who have set themselves apart by their exceptional performance in schoolwork, regardless of whether they require the ...

Black Boys in Crisis Series

  • Black Boys in Crisis

    The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males

    Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Compared to their middle-class counterparts, it ...
  • Black Boys in CrisisDiversityEquity

    7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools

    Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It should come as no surprise that their children face the same ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDigital & Mobile TechnologyDigital LeadershipDisabilitiesEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationK-12Online Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out

    Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. To ensure that the next ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssessmentAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementCurrent Ed NewsDigital LeadershipEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEdTech Startups & BusinessesEducation LeadershipEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGamificationGifted and Talented EducationHBCU'sHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Matthew LynchModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningOpEducationPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformRetention & Social Promotion SeriesSpecial EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTestingYear-Round Schooling

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher

    Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? I respond by mentioning my 10th-grade Biology teacher, Mrs. Minor, and ...
  • Ask An ExpertAssistive TechnologyBlack Boys in CrisisBullyingChild DevelopmentChild Development TechClassroom ManagementDisabilitiesDiversityEarly ChildhoodEarly Childhood & K-12 EdTechEdTech & InnovationEdTech Policy & ReformEducation LeadershipElementary EducationElementary SchoolEquityFeaturedFirst Year TeachersFreshGifted and Talented EducationHigh SchoolHigher EducationHigher Education EdTechK-12Middle SchoolModern ParentingOnline Learning & eLearningParent & Family TechParentingPersonalized LearningPodcastPolicy & ReformSecondary EducationSTEMTeacher EducationTeachersTesting

    The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom

    Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. To help you along your journey, here is your guide to exploring and respecting the cultural backgrounds of your students while ...

RSS Matthew on Education Week

  • Au Revoir from Education Futures November 20, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction October 17, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools October 2, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • What's the Difference Between Burnout and Demoralization, and What Can Teachers Do About It? September 27, 2018 Matthew Lynch
  • Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention September 10, 2018 Matthew Lynch

About Us

The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. What we envisage may not be the most straightforward or the most conventional ideas. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of America’s P-20 system.

That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning.  The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation.

Newsletter

Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address!

Contact

The Edvocate
5322 Markel Road, Suite 104
Richmond, VA 23230
(601) 630-5238
[email protected]

Follow us

Copyright (c) 2022 Matthew Lynch. All rights reserved.