Collection: Historical Fiction

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER. We, The Drowned is an epic novel about generations of men who go to sea and the women and children they leave behind. Filled with adventure, cannibals, shrunken heads, prophetic dreams, forbidden passions, cowards, heroes, tragedies, love, and survival, this book takes its place among the greatest seafaring literature.

We, the Drowned is the story of the port town of Marstal, Denmark, whose inhabitants sailed the world from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the Second World War. The novel tells of ships wrecked and blown up in wars, of places of terror and violence that continue to lure each generation. The result is a brilliant seafaring novel, a gripping saga encompassing industrial growth, the years of expansion and exploration, the crucible of the first half of the twentieth century, and most of all, the sea.

"We, the Drowned sets sail beyond the narrow channels of the seafaring genre and approaches Tolstoy in its evocation of war's confusion, its power to stun victors and vanquished alike . . . A gorgeous, unsparing novel." -- Washington Post

"A generational saga, a swashbuckling sailor's tale, and the account of a small town coming into modernity--both Melville and Steinbeck might have been pleased to read it." -- New Republic

Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, goes to Viking age Iceland!

Ranger is a time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training. In this adventure, he goes to Viking age Iceland, which proves to be tough terrain for Ranger to navigate. Usually it's Ranger's job to save the day before he can return to his family, but he meets a girl named Helga who rescues him more than once. And when a nearby volcano threatens to erupt and Helga's new baby brother or sister starts to come early, they must journey through ash and smoke to find Helga's father. But if Helga doesn't need Ranger's help, how will he ever get home?

"If some prose sings, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's truly dances. Although set in the early sixteenth century, The Dance Tree addresses issues of the utmost importance today--the subjection of women, class inequality, the dangers of religious fundamentalism. Ultimately, however, the book's wisdom, compassion, and beauty transcend historical boundaries: this is a timeless novel."--Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance and Trust

"An intriguing, haunting novel pulsing with raw, beautiful emotion. Kiran Millwood-Hargrave effortlessly intertwines the stories of women tenderly and sympathetically, creating a novel in which female courage and resilience shines brightly against a brilliantly evoked backdrop of claustrophobic horror."--Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

In this gripping historical novel, the internationally bestselling author of The Mercies weaves a spellbinding tale of fear, transformation, courage, and love in sixteenth-century France.

Strasbourg, 1518. In the midst of a blisteringly hot summer, a lone woman begins to dance in the city square. She dances for days without pause or rest, and when hundreds of other women join her, the men running the city declare a state of emergency and hire musicians to play the Devil out of the mob. Outside the city, pregnant Lisbet lives with her husband and mother-in-law, tending the bees that are the family's livelihood. Though Lisbet is removed from the frenzy of the dancing plague afflicting the city's women, her own quiet life is upended by the arrival of her sister-in-law. Nethe has been away for seven years, serving a penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name.

It is a secret Lisbet is determined to uncover. As the city buckles under the beat of a thousand feet, Lisbet becomes caught in a dangerous web of deceit and clandestine passion. Like the women of Strasbourg, she too, is dancing to a dangerous tune. . . .

Set in an era of superstition, hysteria, and extraordinary change, and inspired by true events, The Dance Tree is an impassioned story of family secrets, forbidden love, and women pushed to the edge.

A bold graphic novel adaptation of Lauren Tarshis's bestselling I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, AD 79, with text adapted by Georgia Ball and art by Dave Shephard.

The beast beneath the mountain is restless...

No one in the bustling city of Pompeii worries when the ground trembles beneath their feet. The beast under the mountain Vesuvius, high above the city, wakes up angry sometimes -- and always goes back to sleep.

But Marcus is afraid. He knows something is terribly wrong -- and his father, who trusts science more than mythical beasts, agrees. When Vesuvius explodes into a huge cloud of ash and rocks that fall from the sky like rain, will they have time to escape -- and survive the epic destruction of Pompeii?

Lauren Tarshis's New York Times bestselling I Survived series comes to vivid life in graphic novel editions. Perfect for readers who prefer the graphic novel format, or for existing fans of the I Survived chapter book series, these graphic novels combine historical facts with high-action storytelling that's sure to keep any reader turning the pages. Includes a nonfiction section at the back with facts and photos about the real-life event.

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system!

Merlin's beloved penguin, Penny, has been put under a spell! To save her, Jack and Annie must find a rare and precious emerald. When the magic tree house whisks them back to India over four hundred years ago to search for the jewel, they discover an amazing and exotic world filled with great danger.

Formerly numbered as Magic Tree House #45, the title of this book is now Magic Tree House Merlin Mission #17: A Crazy Day with Cobras.

Did you know that there's a Magic Tree House book for every kid?

Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books
Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader
Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure
Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

A practical joke goes chillingly, murderously wrong in Queen of Mystery Agatha Christie's classic detective story, The Seven Dials Mystery.

Gerry Wade had proved himself to be a champion sleeper, so the other houseguests decided to play a practical joke on him. Eight alarm clocks were set to go off, one after the other, starting at 6:30 a.m. But when morning arrived, one clock was missing and the prank then backfired, with tragic consequences.

For Jimmy Thesiger in particular, the words "Seven Dials" were to take on a new and chilling significance. . . .

A man broken in body and spirit, Cazaril returns to the noble household he once served as page and is named secretary-tutor to the beautiful, strong-willed sister of the impetuous boy who is next in line to rule. It is an assignment Cazaril dreads, for it must ultimately lead him to the place he most fears: the royal court of Cardegoss, where the powerful enemies who once placed him in chains now occupy lofty positions.

But it is more than the traitorous intrigues of villains that threaten Cazaril and the Royesse Iselle here, for a sinister curse hangs like a sword over the entire blighted House of Chalion. And only by employing the darkest, most forbidden of magics can Cazaril hope to protect his royal charge -- an act that will mark him as a tool of the miraculous . . . and trap him in a lethal maze of demonic paradox.

In 1935, dust storms are sweeping across the southern plains of United States, including Oklahoma. Twelve-year-old Millie Horn is worried about her family's survival. The Dust Bowl is getting worse, and her family is running out of food and money. Despite the hardships, Pa doesn't want to abandon the farm, which has been in the family for generations. But when the worst "black blizzard" yet hits, they have no choice. The family decides to make the journey west, but life in California isn't without struggle. Can Millie and her family survive the Dust Bowl and the hardships of the Great Depression? Readers can learn the real story of the Dust Bowl from nonfiction back matter in this Girls Survive story. A glossary, discussion questions, and writing prompts are also provided.

From the bestselling author of Women Talking, a "wrenchingly honest, darkly funny novel" (Entertainment Weekly).

Elf and Yoli are sisters. While on the surface Elfrieda's life is enviable (she's a world-renowned pianist, glamorous, wealthy, and happily married) and Yolandi's a mess (she's divorced and broke, with two teenagers growing up too quickly), they are fiercely close-raised in a Mennonite household and sharing the hardship of Elf's desire to end her life. After Elf's latest attempt, Yoli must quickly determine how to keep her family from falling apart while facing a profound question: what do you do for a loved one who truly wants to die?

All My Puny Sorrows is a deeply personal story that is as much comedy as it is tragedy, a goodbye grin from the friend who taught you how to live.

Immerse yourself in the tumultuous story of head-strong Kristin as she battles through life in medieval Norway. From the beloved Norwegian author Sigrid Undset, this richly detailed trilogy features all three books in the Kristin Lavransdatter series.

Set in 14th-century Norway, Kristin is rebellious and determined to live by her own rules, often disobeying her parents and ignoring others' warnings. From forbidden love to balancing motherhood with inner conflict, this trilogy follows Kristin from birth to death in The Garland, The Mistress of Husaby and The Cross.

Within this work, Sigrid Undset beautifully captures the political and religious undertones of Norwegian society at the time, writing in the lyrical style often found in 20th century modernist work. Themes of conflict, politics, sin and redemption are intricately woven into this historical fiction trilogy that led to Undset being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1928.

Bringing three classics to life in an exciting trilogy edition, Read & Co. Books has republished Kristin Lavransdatter complete with an excerpt from Six Scandinavian Novelists by Alrik Gustafrom. This volume is a must-read for those with an interest in medieval Scandinavia.

For fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson, this middle-grade novel-in-verse follows two boys in 1980s Brooklyn as they become friends for a season.

Punk rock-loving JJ Pankowski can't seem to fit in at his new school in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, as one of the only white kids. Pie Velez, a math and history geek by day and graffiti artist by night is eager to follow in his idol, Jean-Michel Basquiat's, footsteps. The boys stumble into an unlikely friendship, swapping notes on their love of music and art, which sees them through a difficult semester at school and at home. But a run-in with the cops threatens to unravel it all.

From authors Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Moonwalking is a stunning exploration of class, cross-racial friendships, and two boys' search for belonging in a city as tumultuous and beautiful as their hearts.

An absorbing collection of stories, poems, and commentaries by the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

Renowned around the world as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien was also a distinguished academic and professor whose writings and lectures expand beyond the scope of his beloved Middle-earth. From short stories of fantastical adventures to essays on imagination and the narrative form, The Tolkien Reader gathers some of these fascinating and hard-to-find works into one volume.

Tree and Leaf: Professor Tolkien's now-famous essay "On Fairy-stories" and the short story "Leaf by Niggle" examine and illustrate the form and treatment of fantasy narratives.

The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm's Son: A short play inspired by The Battle of Malden, an Old English poem with no ending and no beginning that describes a historical tenth-century battle between the English and Viking invaders.

Farmer Giles of Ham: An imaginative history of the distant past that follows the unheroic Farmer Giles as he attempts to capture a somewhat untrustworthy dragon.

The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: A delightful collection of verse in praise of Tom Bombadil, staunch friend of the hobbits in The Lord of the Rings.

The thrilling sequel to instant New York Times bestseller All the Stars and Teeth, called "captivating" by Tomi Adeyemi, "Vicious and alluring" by Hafsah Faizal, and "phenomenal" by Adrienne Young. Adalyn Grace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Belladonna series, is back with more high seas adventure in All the Tides of Fate, an electrifying fantasy perfect for fans of Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals and Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series.

Through blood and sacrifice, Amora Montara has conquered a rebellion and taken her rightful place as queen of Visidia. Now, with the islands in turmoil and the people questioning her authority, Amora cannot allow anyone to see her weaknesses.

No one can know about the curse in her bloodline. No one can know that she's lost her magic. No one can know the truth about the boy who holds the missing half of her soul.

To save herself and Visidia, Amora embarks on a desperate quest for a mythical artifact that could fix everything--but it comes at a terrible cost. As she tries to balance her loyalty to her people, her crew, and the desires of her heart, Amora will soon discover that the power to rule might destroy her.

An Imprint Book

Praise for All the Stars and Teeth:

"Jam-packed with swashbuckling adventure, swoonworthy romance, and dark, lush magic." - Christine Lynn Herman, author of The Devouring Gray

"If an epic sea fantasy filled with strange pirates and vengeful mermaids speaks to your interests, well...we may have found your favorite book ever....a tale of magic and second chances that's fresh and thrilling in equal measure." -Entertainment Weekly
One of Buzzfeed's "Most Anticipated YA Books of 2020"

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Exodus, Mila 18 is the epic novel of Jewish resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.

It was a time of crisis, a time of tragedy--and a time of transcendent courage and determination.

Leon Uris's blazing novel is set in the midst of the ghetto uprising that defied Nazi tyranny, as the Jews of Warsaw boldly met Wehrmacht tanks with homemade weapons and bare fists. Here, painted on a canvas as broad as its subject matter, is the compelling story of one of the most heroic struggles of modern times.

Once known as the greatest monster hunters of all time, the Sangerye family specialized in curing the souls of those infected by hate, but those days are fading. A terrible tragedy has claimed most of the family, leaving the surviving cousins split between curing monsters and killing them. Now, with a new breed of monster loose on the streets of Harlem, the Sangerye family must come together, or watch the human race fall to untold evil.

Collects BITTER ROOT #1-5

Spy turned art restorer Gabriel Allon finds himself accused of murder in this New York Times bestseller from Daniel Silva.

An Israeli spy by trade and art restorer by preference, Gabriel Allon arrives in Zurich to restore the work of an Old Master for a millionaire banker--and finds himself standing in blood and framed for the man's murder.

While trying to clear his name, Allon is swept into a spiraling chain of events involving Nazi art theft, a decades-old suicide, and a dark and bloody trail of killings--some of them his own. The spy world Allon thought he had left behind has come back to haunt him. And he will have to fight for his life--against an assassin he himself helped train.