This is the 3rd installment of a series of blog posts highlighting children’s books that include Richmond and Virginia as the location.
It is always fun to read books that take place where we live. Seeing our Virginia cities and counties mentioned in the pages of a book gives one a special connection to what is being read. Richmond Public Library has many children’s books in our collection with settings that take place in Richmond and Virginia. Both fiction and non-fiction selections are included with a brief description, recommended age range, and a link to our library catalog where one can request the book.
Blood on the River Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone is a historical fiction book about the founding of Jamestown. It is based on real-life tween expedition participant Samuel Collier who sailed on the first trip from England to Jamestown in 1607. (Grade level 5-6)
Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad written and illustrated by Henry Cole. This beautifully illustrated wordless picture book takes place in Virginia during the Civil War. It shows the unspoken connection made between a kind young girl and a runaway slave. Though no words are spoken in the pages, emotion is conveyed through the stunning illustrations. The author based his story on his Virginia home. Ages 8-10.
The Girl from the Tar Paper School: Barbara Rose Johns and the Advent of the Civil Rights Movement by Teri Kanefield. My son went on a school field trip to the Moton Museum in Farmville a couple of months ago and was speaking all about teenage civil rights activist Barbara Johns. Our discussion sent me on a rabbit trail to get information on Johns which led me to this book. Barbara Rose Johns was a 16-year-old student in Farmville that fought to have her school have the educational opportunities as the local white high school. Johns and her classmates’ efforts helped bring forth Brown vs. the Board of Education which made separating children in public school based on race unconstitutional. I highly recommend this inspirational book for both children and adults. Ages 8-12.
Bring Me Some Apples and I’ll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis by Robbin Gourley. Edna Smith was an accomplished Virginian chef and cookbook writer. This book is a fictionalized account of Edna’s childhood in Freetown, Virginia where her family gardened and cooked meals based on the seasons of the year. It shows what produce was picked and harvested by Edna’s family. The end has a brief biography of Edna along with some of the recipes from her cookbooks. This would be a good book to read when learning about seasons or gardening. Ages 2-4
Under the Freedom Tree written by Susan VanHecke, illustrated by London Ladd. Fort Monroe and Hampton is the setting for this picture book about the Civil War written by a Virginian author. It tells the story of 3 black men who escaped their Confederate army captors to make the 4-mile journey to Fort Monroe, a Union stronghold. They are given protection by the Union soldiers which results in more slaves making the journey to safety. The Emancipation Oak makes an appearance in the story when black children are taught to read and write under it. It is also the location of where the Emancipation Proclamation was read in 1863 which is now the the site of Hampton University. Ages 6-9.
Thank you for reading our Virginia books post. If you end up reading one of our suggestions, we would love for you to post about the book!
Until next time!
