Asian history

Asia

Tales told in tents. Barefoot books. Collection of short stories
The Wise fool by Shahruhk Husain. Barefoot books. Short stories about Mulla Nasruddin

China

Adventures of the treasure fleet by Ann Martin Bowler. Story of the 7 naval voyages undertaken by the Chinese fleet between 1405-33.
China’s bravest girl: the legend of Hua Mu Lan by Charlie Chin
Diary of a Princess: a tale from Marco Polo’s travels by Heather Maisner, 2004
Lady of Ch’iao Kuo: Warrior of the South (Royal Diary)
Red butterfly: how a princess smuggled the secret of silk out of China by Deborah Noyes
Terracotta girl: a story of ancient China by Jessica Gunderson.
The Pearl in the grass by John Harris
The willow pattern story by Allan Drummond
Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel
Yeh-Shen: a Cinderella story from China by Louie Ai-Ling

India

An Indian adventure (Sparks) Early readers history series
Indian Mutiny: Hanuman Singh, India, 1857-1858 by Pratima Mitchell (2002) (My story)
Jahanara, Princess of Princesses (Royal diary) India 1627
The Elephant’s friend and other tales from Ancient India by Marcia Williams

Japan

Kazunomiya: Prisoner of heaven (Royal diary) Japan 1858
Sam Samurai by Joe Scieszka (Time Warp Trio). Three boys have access to a magic book that can take them through time.
Young Samurai: Way of the warrior by Chris Bradford. Young Samurai series starts in 1611 when Jack Fletcher is shipwrecked off the coast of Japan and becomes apprenticed to a Samurai

Korea

Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars (Royal Diaries series) set in Korea in AD595. Follows a yearin the life of 15 year old Sondok who is the heir to the throne as her father has had no sons. Although totally fictitious the author has used the few known details of Sondok’s life to weave a credible tale.

Mongolia

Sorghaghtani of Mongolia. Non-fiction book recounting the life of Genghis Khan’s daughter-in-law who became a ruler during her sons’ childhood and bred three future rulers of the Mongol Empire

Silk Road

Diary of a Princess: a tale from Marco Polo’s travels by Heather Maisner, 2004
Marco Polo! by Joe Scieszka (Time Warp Trio) 2005.  Three boys have access to a magic book that can take them through time.
Stories from the Silk Road (Barefoot Books) Collection of short stories.

Normans

I have covered the period from 1066 to 1450s.

Agincourt: Jenkin Lloyd, France, 1415 by Michael Cox (2003) (My story)
All fall down by Sally Nicholls. Marion Lloyd publr. In 1349 the Black Death is sweeping across Europe. For older readers.
Belle’s song by K M Grant. Chaucer on a pilgrimage
Blaze of Silver by K M Grant. Final part of the Blood-red Horse trilogy.
Blood red horse by K M Grant. Set in the time of Richard I and Saladin following brothers during the Crusade,
Brother William’s Year by Jan Pancheri. Picture book showing a monk’s life in 1383
14th of October by Bryher. About the Battle of Hastings
Bows against the baron by Geoffrey Trease. Novel about Robin Hood
Green Jasper by K M Grant. Sequel to Blood-red horse. It is Spring 1193 and the brothers have now returned home to find their sister has been kidnapped by Prince John’s supporters.
Wulf the Saxon: a story of the Norman conquest by G A Henty
Joan of Arc by Josephine Poole. Picture book for older children showing Joan of Arc’s life. Beautifully illustrated.
Knight’s fee by Rosemary Sutcliff (1960) The hero is a half-Saxon boy brought up by a Norman Knight.
Man with a sword by Henry Treece. Novel about a Jewish doctor
Red Tower of Granada by Geoffrey Trease. Set in Mediaeval England and Spain during the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Shield Ring by Rosemary Sutcliff. Set in the Lake District just after the Norman Conquest.
The Witch’s brat by Rosemary Sutcliff (1970)Set in the 12th c
The Children’s crusade by Henry Treece
With a sword in my hand by Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem & Pat van Beirs. Story of Marguerite of Flanders

Scandinavia

As well as trakhing down historical fiction I am also compiling lists of fiction set in other countries not just by authors of those countries but also by other authors who can make the culture of that country come alive. For no good reason I am starting off with Scandinavia. I have so far failed to find anything Norwegian of Finnish (excepting Tove Jannson) so this page is limited to Denmark and Sweden for the time being.

Denmark

Both of these books are set during in WW2. Look at my Viking post for the only other historical period that counts apparently.
Hitler’s canary by Sandi Tostvig
Number the stars by Lois Lowry.

Sweden

Luckily for Sweden there is one famous children's author. Now can we guess who it is?
Emil and the sneaky rat by Astrid Lindgren. Part of a series about a small boy.
Karlson flies again by Astrid Lindgren
Little O by Edith Unnerstad. Little O is the youngest of a large family.
Lotta says no by Astrid Lindgren
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The Shipwreck by Jorn Reil. A Viking boy is shipwrecked and rescued by 2 Inuit children
The Spettecake holiday by Edith Unnerstad

Islamic civilisations

Abraham Hannibal and the battle for the throne by Frances Somers Cocks. Set in the early 1700s, an Ethiopian Prince is kidnapped and sold as a slave to the Ottoman court.
Crusade by Elizabeth Laird. Story of two boys during the children’s crusade, one English and the other Muslim.
Seven wise Princesses. Barefoot books. Based on a medieaval Persian poem.
Stories of the Caliphs: the early rulers of Islam by Denys Johnson Davies, 2011. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, there followed many leaders of the Muslim world who were known as Caliphs. These successors to the Prophet ruled first of all from Medina, then from Damascus and later from Baghdad, over an empire that included a large part of the world. This book includes twenty-seven stories from the lives of those first Caliphs, from the pious Umar ibn al-Khattab to the celebrated Haroun al-Rashid.
The army of lions by Qasim Najar, 1996. A mighty warrior and an evil warlord face off in the fabled lands of North Africa and Southern Spain during the medieval Muslim period.
The stone: a Persian legend of the Magi by Dianne Hofmeyr and Jude Daly, 2005 In the ancient Persian town of Saveh, astronomers discover a star that fills the sky with a fiery light. Intrigued, they search through their scrolls and come across the legend of a remarkable baby. They set off with precious gifts to honour the child, and in return he gives them a small stone.

Also worth looking for a retelling of 1001 and one Arabian nights.