European set historical fiction for kids and teens 1500s-1600s
Explore captivating European historical fiction for kids and teens set in the 1500s-1600s! Discover adventure, royalty, and intrigue in our curated list of the best books from Renaissance and Reformation eras.
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I Am Rembrandt's Daughter
by Lynn Cullen
In Amsterdam in the mid-1600s, Cornelia's life as the illegitimate child of renowned painter Rembrandt is marked by plague, poverty, and despair at ever earning her father's love, until she sees hope for a better future in the eyes of a wealthy suitor.
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The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose
by Mary Hooper
Thrown out of her home by her stepmother in 1670, fifteen-year-old Eliza Rose becomes a companion to Nell Gwyn, a mistress of Charles II, and learns a surprising truth about her parentage.
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At the Sign of the Sugared Plum
by Mary Hooper
It is 1665 and Hannah is full of excitement at the prospect of her first trip to London. She is going to help her sister, Sarah, in her candy shop, 'The Sugared Plum'. But Hannah does not get the welcoming reception she expected from her sister, because the Plague is taking hold of London. However, Hannah is determined to stay and together the two young women face the worst-with the possibility of their own demise, growing ever closer. But through it all they persevere with the support of their neighbors and each other. And at last, they find hope in a daring attempt to escape the city.
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The Queen's Soprano
by Carol Dines
A powerful historical novel about a seventeen year-old girl who would sacrifice everything in order to be free to sing
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The Plague
by Philip Wooderson
My Side of the Story is a completely unique approach to historical fiction. Read the story of one youngster's life in turbulent times, then flip the book and find out firsthand how another child reacts to the conclusion of events-with very different feelings and ideas! Rachel is a young girl living in London in 1665. The dreaded disease, the plague, is taking hold of the city, and everyone is fearful for his or her life. Rachel and her best friend, Robert, worry they might be next in line. Then the unthinkable happens-Rachel becomes infected . . . Robert's father forbids him to see his best friend, Rachel, in case he falls victim to the plague too. But Robert won't just sit back and let his friend die. Can their friendship survive during this dark, dark hour in England's history?
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No Shame, No Fear
by Ann Turnbull
A young Quaker girl and the son of a wealthy merchant face intolerance and persecution in 1662 England in this gripping historical novel that evokes the passion and idealism of young love.
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Elizabeth I, Red Rose of the House of Tudor
by Kathryn Lasky
In a series of diary entries, Princess Elizabeth, the eleven-year-old daughter of King Henry VIII, celebrates holidays and birthdays, relives her mother's execution, revels in her studies, and agonizes over her father's health.
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Mary, Bloody Mary
by Carolyn Meyer
Mary Tudor, who would reign briefly as Queen of England during the mid sixteenth century, tells the story of her troubled childhood as daughter of King Henry VIII.
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Doomed Queen Anne
by Carolyn Meyer
In 1520, thirteen-year-old Anne Boleyn, jealous of her older sister's beauty and position at court, declares that she will one day be queen of England, and that her sister will kneel at her feet.
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Patience, Princess Catherine
by Carolyn Meyer
In 1501, fifteen-year-old Catharine of Aragon arrives in England and marries Arthur, the eldest son of King Henry VII, but when Arthur unexpectedly dies, her future becomes the subject of a bitter dispute between England and Spain.
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Nine Days a Queen
by Ann Rinaldi
I had freckles. I had sandy hair. I was too short. Would my feet even touch the ground if I sat on the throne? These are the words of lady Jane Grey, as imagined by celebrated author Ann Rinaldi. Jane would become Queen of England for only nine days before being beheaded at the age of sixteen. Here is a breathtaking story of English royalty with its pageantry, privilege, and surprising cruelty. As she did in her previous novel Mutiny's Daughter, Ms. Rinaldi uses powerful, evocative writing to bring to life a teenage girl caught in the grip of stirring times. Ages 12+
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The Redheaded Princess
by Ann Rinaldi
Growing up, Elizabeth fears she can never be Queen. Although she is the King's daughter, no woman can ever hope to rule over men in England, especially when her mother has been executed for treason. For all her royal blood, Elizabeth's life is fraught with danger and uncertainty. Sometimes she is welcome in the royal court; other times she is cast out into the countryside. With her position constantly changing, the Princess must navigate a sea of shifting loyalties and dangerous affections. At stake is her life—for beheading is not uncommon among the factions that war for the Crown. With the vivid human touch that has made her one of the foremost writers of historical fiction, Ann Rinaldi brings to life the heart and soul of the young Elizabeth I. It's a portrait of a great leader as she may have been as she found her way to the glorious destiny that lay before her.
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Daughter of Venice
by Donna Jo Napoli
In 1592, Donata is a noble girl living in a palazzo on the Grand Canal. Girls of her class receive no education and rarely leave the palazzo. In a noble family, only one daughter and one son will be allowed to marry; Donata, like all younger daughters, will be sent to a convent. Donata longs to be tutored like her brothers and to see the Venice she has glimpsed only on the map. What is the world beyond her balcony, beyond what she sees when she glides, veiled, in a gondola down the canal? She dresses as a boy and escapes the palazzo on the Grand Canal to see the world before she is shut away, and to try to find a way to escape her fate. Donata risks everything; she changes her life, and her family’s life, forever when she walks through the door and encounters a Venice she never knew existed.
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Queen's Own Fool
by Jane Yolen
Fans of historical sagas and the CW show Reign will be swept up by this clever tale by Jane Yolen and Robert Harris Once she was a traveling player . . . Now called La Jardinière, a resourceful and clever jester to the queen’s court, Nicola was a most unlikely person to end up “fool” and friend to Mary, Queen of Scots. But Nicola isn’t an ordinary comedian tumbling and clowning before the court; her quick wit and sharp tongue are rare amongst the fawning nobles. As fate takes Mary from France to Scotland, and into confrontations with rebellious lords and devious advisors, Nicola remains deep in the queen’s inner circle. But when the Scots start to turn on Queen Mary, Nicola struggles to find something—anything—that she, just a fool, can do to save her friend. “Based deeply in fact and full of detail both luscious and sordid. . . . [Yolen and Harris] spin a historical tale of great immediacy and impact.”—Kirkus Reviews "This rich and involving novel of Mary Queen of Scots and her court will have readers clamoring to know more about this dramatic period in French and Scottish history. Readers are treated to a fascinating look at royal politics."—School Library Journal
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The Nostradamus Prophecy
by Theresa Breslin
Melisande is the daughter of the king's minstrel. She pays little heed to the warnings of Notradamus the soothsayer. Only the king's mother listens to Nostradamus and fears for the life of her son. But when misfortune befalls Melisande's family and she realises that it was predicted by Nostradamus, she turns to the soothsayer for help.