Best Historical Fiction Series for 7 and 8 year olds

Historical fiction stories have the power to transport us to places long lost, meet people from a different time and reimagine the stories we've been told.

For readers aged 7 and 8, this can mean meeting their heroes from the past, learning about the stories that have shaped our world today, and reaching the conclusion that learning about history isn't just a slog of memorising dates and places.

The characters of these stories are bold, have made history and are an inspiration for readers this age to take action and change the world. Or they're just a bit silly! Which one will tickle your little reader's fancy?

Georgina Atwell

Toppsta

2024-12-19

2024-05-15

Best Historical Fiction Series for 7 and 8 year olds

Time Travel Twins Series

We think this is a great black-and-white illustrated series to show that there are always two sides to one story. In each book, two twins, Scarlett and Tom, get to go on time-travelling adventures thanks to their grandad's handy time-travelling machine. From visiting the Vikings to the Ancient Romans and even the Stone Age, the two twins get to live different perspectives of the same time in history, making this such an important read for children.

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The Time Travellers Series

Written by one of the most exciting voices of our time, this middle-grade series is packed with adventure, time travel and untold histories with a group of three friends at its core. Meet Suhana, Mia and Ayaan – three friends thrown together on trips to historical landmarks, which actually always end up taking them back in time, meeting historical figures from the past and witnessing history's most defining moments.

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Puzzle Mysteries Series

These historical fiction puzzle stories for readers aged 7+ are just 48 pages each and fully illustrated, but we can guarantee they will keep young readers occupied for hours at a time! Each book focuses on a different time or place in ancient history, whether that be ancient Egyptians, Romans or Greeks. Within each story, the reader must help the characters from that time to solve mysteries, decode hieroglyphic, Latin or Ancient Greek messages, mazes, logic puzzles and more.

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The Adventures of Billy Shaman Series

We really love this series because it's accessible, perfect for ages 7+, and full of adventure, magic, time travel and black-and-white illustrations throughout. The books follow a young boy named Billy Shaman, who is shaman by name and shaman by nature. Throughout the books, thanks to a a two-hundred-year-old talking tortoise called Charles Darwin, he will discover just how magical he is, and travel to faraway lands in time, from the shrieking chaos of an Arctic blizzard to an ancient Chinese battlefield.

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Julius Zebra Series

Readers aged 7+ have loved reviewing this action-filled and hysterically funny series, packed with cartoons and brimming with historical facts. Julius Zebra is a zebra who lives in the Roman times. He's got one big dream... he wants to become a gladiator. So with his menagerie of animal friends, Julius will have to prove they've got what it takes to succeed in a world where only the meanest and toughest survive. These funny books are fast paced, full of ridiculously dynamic action and packed with witty historical references.

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The Secret Detectives Mysteries Series

Drawing inspiration from the golden age of cosy crime and The Secret Garden, we believe this gripping historical mystery series will make all children aged 7+ fall in love with reading. The books follow a young Isobel Petty, who has been taken away from her home in India to live with a distant uncle in England, and on her journey becomes witness to a murder. No one would ever believe a child, and so she takes matters into her own hands with two new reluctant friends, hoping to find the answers she seeks before reaching England.

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Secret Lake Mystery Adventures Series

A magical time travelling middle grade trilogy full of adventure, secrets, twists and turns. Our story begins with Stella and her younger brother, Tom, who have just moved to their new London home and soon enough, are lured by their neighbour's dog into a tunnel, which ultimately takes them to a secret lake from a hundred years ago. Here they will make new friends, solve mysteries and uncover secrets.

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Terry Deary's Historical Tales Series

And some more from our favourite Terry Deary: a black-and-white illustrated historical fiction that will make readers travel through ancient and modern history, from Ancient Egypt to Victorian England and the World Wars, all while reimagining historical figures and retelling true stories of the past. The books don't have to read the series in any particular order, and can pick up whichever one that most intrigues them, from stories of extraordinary spies, illegal dealings, meetings with writers like Charles Dickens and tomb raidings!

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More to explore

Hopeless Heroes by Stella Tarakson and Nick Roberts (Sweet Cherry Publishing)

Street Child by Berlie Doherty (HarperCollins)

Two Terrible Vikings by Francesca Simon and Steve May (Faber & Faber)

The Time Machine Next Door by Iszi Lawrence and Rebecca Bagley ( Bloomsbury)

Tom Marlowe by Chris Priestley (Puffin)

A Chase in Time by Sally Nicholls and Rachael Dean (Nosy Crow)

Stone Age Tales by Terry Deary (Bloomsbury)

Georgina Atwell

Toppsta

2024-12-19