African Town by Irene Latham & Charles Waters is an epic novel-in-verse that recounts the stories of Africans brought illegally to Mobile, Alabama on one of the last ships, the Clotilda. It is an enlightening book in so many ways-life as a slave while knowing life in Africa, life after the civil war, American born enslaved people vs African born and so much more.  It is a fitting tribute to the spirit of the 110 people that were on the ship to tell their stories and their voices  were captured wonderfully! Each poem type is explained at the end of the book that  allows us to see why the authors chose that style for that character, which is relevant to the Alabama ELA Course of Study for grades 9-12. Also, the selected timeline is relevant to the Alabama Social Studies Course of Study of world history from 1500 to present as it chronicles the events from 1800 to 1900.  

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh is a historical speculative fiction novel that takes place during the Syrian Revolution. This unforgettable story about the traumas of war will take the reader through the spectrum of emotions and leave a lasting impression. It can be easily integrated into 9th-12th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts classes. 

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys is a historical thriller that examines the lesser-known history of Romania in 1989. This surprisingly authentic story will make the reader experience the fear of being spied on and the effects of communism. It is well researched and perfect to integrate into 9th-12th grade Social Studies and English Language Arts classes.