Discover Our Growing Collection of Novel Studies for Every Era
This collection represents our most sought-after Novel Studies, with new resources added regularly to serve diverse curriculum needs. Each era offers specialized search options to help you find the perfect fit for your students’ reading levels and learning objectives. Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school students, you’ll find engaging activities, discussion guides, and assessment tools designed to deepen literary understanding.
Browse by time period below, use the specialized search tools under each era, and check our publishing calendar at the bottom to see what’s coming next.
Colonial America Era (1600s-1700s)
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Set in Puritan Connecticut, this Newbery Medal winner explores themes of tolerance, belonging, and courage through Kit Tyler’s journey from Barbados to colonial America. Perfect for teaching about religious persecution, colonial life, and standing up for what’s right, while developing empathy and critical thinking about different perspectives.
Johnny Tremain
This Revolutionary War classic follows a young silversmith’s apprentice through the Boston Tea Party and beyond. Ideal for bringing American history to life, this novel teaches perseverance, patriotism, and personal growth while exploring pivotal moments that shaped our nation’s founding. Is also a great movie from the 1950s!
Amos Fortune, Free Man
A powerful biographical novel about an enslaved African man who purchases his freedom and helps others do the same. This Newbery Medal winner provides essential discussions about slavery, freedom, dignity, and the American Dream while developing character education and historical understanding.
Early America through Civil War (1800s)
A Gathering of Days
Told through 13-year-old Catherine’s diary, this Newbery Medal winner captures rural New England life in the 1830s. Perfect for teaching journal writing, historical perspective, and life during America’s expansion, while exploring themes of family, friendship, and growing up.
Lyddie
Katherine Paterson’s compelling story of a Vermont farm girl working in Lowell textile mills during the Industrial Revolution. Essential for understanding labor history, women’s rights, and social justice while developing vocabulary and comprehension through rich, challenging prose.
The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg
This rollicking Civil War adventure follows 12-year-old Homer’s quest to save his brother from battle. Combining humor with serious historical content, it’s perfect for reluctant readers while teaching about slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the war’s impact on families.
Pre-WWII 1900s (1900-1939)
Pollyanna
Eleanor Porter’s timeless story teaches optimism and resilience through a young orphan’s transformative “glad game.” Ideal for character development and social-emotional learning, while exploring early 20th-century American life and the power of positive thinking.
Lost on a Mountain in Maine
Based on a true survival story, this gripping tale follows 12-year-old Donn Fendler’s nine-day ordeal alone in the Maine wilderness. Perfect for teaching perseverance, problem-solving, and geography while keeping students on the edge of their seats.
Bud, Not Buddy
This Newbery Medal winner follows 10-year-old Bud’s Depression-era journey to find his father. Rich with jazz history, African American culture, and social issues, it’s essential for understanding the Great Depression while developing empathy and historical perspective.
Primary Sources, Escape Rooms, and Recipe Books
Great Depression Primary Source Kit
Bring history to life with authentic documents, photographs, and firsthand accounts from America’s most challenging economic period. Perfect for developing primary source analysis skills while understanding how ordinary people lived through extraordinary times.
Early America Virtual Field Trip Guide
Transform your classroom into 1830s-1840s America with interactive activities, virtual tours, and hands-on experiences. Explore the era of westward expansion, canal building, and early industrialization through immersive activities. Ideal for kinesthetic learners and making this pivotal period of American growth tangible through engaging exploration.
Westward Expansion Cookbook
Experience life on the trail and stagecoach routes through authentic recipes and cooking methods used by pioneers heading west. Learn what families ate while traveling by wagon train, at stagecoach stops, and around campfires on the frontier. Perfect for understanding the practical challenges of westward migration while developing cooking skills and cultural appreciation for pioneer ingenuity.
Stay in the Loop to see
the Novel Studies are coming next:
|
Book
|
Activity / Product
|
Estimated Release
|
|---|---|---|
|
Homer P. FIgg |
Primary Source Pack, Virtual Museum Kit |
August 2025 |
|
The Witch of Blackbird Pond |
Virtual Museum Kit, Mob Mentality Exploration, Virtual Field Trip Guide |
August 2025 |
|
Great Depression |
Escape Room |
August 2025 |
|
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch |
Novel Study and Master Collection |
September 2025 |
|
Sign of the Beaver |
Novel Study and Master Collection |
Fall 2025 |
|
Echo Mountain |
Novel Study and Master Collection |
Fall 2025 |
|
A Place to Hang the Moon |
Novel Study and Master Collection |
Fall 2025 |
See what others are saying our resources:
Transform tedious novel studies into immersive family adventures that make both kids AND parents excited about learning. Our cross-curricular resources turn abstract concepts into tangible experiences through escape rooms, hands-on projects, and deep literary exploration.
We specialize in project-based learning that builds critical thinking over memorization—helping children fall in love with literature while strengthening family bonds through shared discovery.
…Because the best education happens when learning feels like an adventure.
We also offer Quick Start Guides to Popular Novels!
This is always a growing and changing
resource section as we’re able
to offer free resources to help
every family dive into learning together!