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Early 20th Century LiteratureThis list of early 20th century literature contains classical books for kids with stories before 1950. These books have been in continuous print for over 50 years, or are noted to be newer. 
What changed in the early 20th century?
See more about using Early 20th Century at the bottom of this page. National VelvetBy Enid Bagnold Realistic FictionSussex England - rural 1920's Reading Level: 5th - 8th Grade A fourteen year old girl becomes the owner of a marvelous piebald horse and dreams of entering him into the National Championship. Her determination to overcome multiple obstacles reflects the champion-spirit her mother displayed a generation before. Many of the classical horse stories are from the late 1800s and early 1900s. In The Shadow of the PinesBy Karen Newell True StoryEast Texas - Rural- USA 1935 Reading Level - 4th grade and above When the mother in a sharecropping family dies leaving six children, the oldest son promises to keep the family together and get the younger children to school. When every circumstance works against them, the children strive to help each other. A newer book, it is one of the titles in Depression Era literature. Cheaper By The DozenBy Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey True StoryNew Jersey - USA 1910 - 1920 Reading Level: 3rd to 6th Grade We've all read about the famous inventors. Here's a true story of one family with 12 kids who undergo remarkable changes as their home and life is modernized. Look for other titles from the 20th century that are also humorous stories. Earthquake At DawnBy Kristiana Gregory Historical Fiction - based on true story1906 Earthquake in San Francisco 6th - 8th grade Daisy is the fictitious main character who travels as an assistant with the historical Edith Irwine, world renown photographer who took forbidden pictures of the city after the famous earthquake. A realistic glimpse into the hardships surrounding the people who survived the horrific earthquake. The Story Of My LifeBy Helen Keller AutobiographyUSA 1880-1968 Reading level: 5th grade and above The inspiring story of a blind and deaf woman who communicated with the world; and the persevering teacher who taught her to do so. The Cruise of the SnarkBy Jack London True StorySouth Pacific 1907 The story of a famous author and the boat he designed to sail around the world. The cruise around the world was never completed, but his pictures and stories have endured for over one hundred years. See other ocean stories early 20th century literature tales of traveling by sea. Letters From RifkaBy Karen Hesse Based on a true storyRussia to Ellis Island 1919 The story of immigrants who came to the United States through Ellis Island for a better life is an important part of early 20th century literature. While this award winning book is too new to technically be considered a classic, it is likely to earn that designation with time. Based on the story of the author's aunt, it describes the journey of Rifka, a Russian-Jewish immigrant seeking a new life in a new land. Twenty and TenBy Claire Huchet Bishop True Story of a school in France1944 World War II often marks the ending period of early 20th century literature. Twenty and Ten tells the story of a boarding school that hides ten Jewish children from the Nazis. See other World War Two stories.
Think about it. Children born in covered wagons on the wild frontier flew across the country to meet their grandchildren who were born in hospitals only a few decades later. The day to day life style went from old-fashioned to post-modern in one life-time, causing enormous change to families and communities. At the same time that individual lives were being altered, world conflicts changed the globe forever. Stories in this era reflect much the same thing that all classical literature does: men and women and children of character rising to meet the challenges of their time with the goal of overcoming evil with good. But sometimes it became harder to tell good from bad. Things that were once taken for granted were challenged. And ideas that were once challenged were taken for granted. As readers encounter the literature of the early 20th century, help them recognize that the universal search for good sometimes became complicated as social changes swirled around the characters.
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By Karen Newell Copyright© 2010 - 2013 Classical Children's Books, Learn For Your Life - All Rights Reserved Camp Hill, Pennsylvania | ||
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