69 Books for Grades K-12 Set in the 1960s

1960s: Fiction (Novels, Novels in Verse)

Alvarez, Julia. (2004). Before We Were Free. NewYork: Laurel Leaf. (Dominican Republic, 1960-61).

Alvarez, Julia. (2004). Antes de ser libres. New York: Laurel Leaf. (Dominican Republic, 1960-61).

Banks, Lynn Reid. (1992). One More River. New York: HarperCollins. (Israel, 1967)

Bryant, Jennifer. (2009). Kaleidoscope Eyes.  New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.  (New Jersey, 1968)

Burg, Shana. (2009). A Thousand Never Evers. New York: Yearling. (Kuckachoo, Mississippi, 1963)

Case, Diana. (1995). 92 Queens Road.  NewYork:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (South Africa, 1960s).

Cofer, Judith Ortiz. (2000). The Year of Our Revolution: Love and Rebellion in the 1960s: Stories and Poems. NewYork: Puffin. (USA, 1960s)

Compestine, Ying Chang.  (2009). Revolution is Not a Dinner Party. NewYork: Holt. (China, 1972).

Curtis, Christopher Paul. ( 2013). The Watson’s Go to Birmingham–1963 . New York: Yearling. (Flint, MI to Alabama, 1963).

Donahue, John. (2001). Till Tomorrow. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (US Army Base near Verdun, France, 1961)

Edwardson, Debby Dah. (2011). My Name is Not Easy. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall cCavendish. (Alaska, 1960-1965).

Gantos, Jack. (2012). Dead End in Norvelt. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (Norvelt, PA, 1962).

Gauthier, Gail. (2001). The Hero of Ticonderoga. New York: Putnam Juvenile. (Vermont, 1966)

Gonzalez, Christina. (2010). The Red Umbrella. NewYork: Knopf Books. (Cuba, USA, 1961)

Gordon, Amy. (1999). When JFK was My Father. New York: Puffin. (Washington D.C., 1963)

Grimes, Nikki. (2000). Jazmin's Notebook. NewYork: Puffin. (Harlem, 1960s)

Grove, Vicki. (1999). The Starplace. New York: Turtleback. (Oklahoma, 1961).

Hobbs, Valerie. (2006). Sonny's War. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (California, late 1960s)

Holt, Kimberly Willis. ( 2003 ). Dancing in Cadillac Light. NewYork: Puffin. (Texas, 1968).

Jiang, Ji-li. (2004). Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. New York: HarperCollins. (1966, China)

Jimenez, Francisco. (2007). Reaching Out. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (California, 1962)

Kadohata, Cynthia.  (2008). Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. (USA and Viet Nam1960s)

Laser, Michael. (2005). 6-321. (Queens, 1960s).

Magoon, Kekla. (2010). The Rock and the River. NewYork: HarperCollins. (Chicago, 1968)

Marino, Nan. (2009). Neil Armstrong is My Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me. New York: Square Fish. (Massapequa, Long Island, 1969).

McGuigan, Mary Ann. (1997/2014). Where You Belong. Bradenton, FL: BookLocker. (Bronx, 1963)

McMullan, Margareth. (2010). Sources of Light.  New York: HMH Books for Young Readers. (Jackson, Mississippi,1962)

Moore, Yvette. (1991). Freedom Songs. NewYork: Puffin. (Brooklyn & South/USA, 1963).

Myers,Walter Dean. (2008). Fallen Angels. NewYork: Scholastic. (Harlem & Vietnam, 1967)

Perkins, Lynn Rae. (2007). Criss Cross. New York: Greenwillow Books. (Small town, 1960s)

Qualey, Marsha. (2004). Too Big a Storm. New York: Dial. (Minnesota, Vietnam War era)

Rodman, Mary Ann. (2008).  Yankee Girl. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.(Jackson, Mississippi, 1964)

Saenz, Benjamin. (2011). Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. (Hollywood, New Mexico, 1969)

Scattergood, Augusta. ( 2014). Glory Be.  New York: Scholastic. (Mississippi, 1964)

Schmidt, Gary D. (2011). Okay for Now. New York: HMH Books for Young Readers. (Long Island, New York, 1968)

Schmidt, Gary D. (2009). The Wednesday Wars. New York: HMH Books for Young Readers. (Long Island, New York, 1967-1968)

Shalant, Phyllis. (2002). When Pirates Came to Brooklyn. New York: Dutton. (Brooklyn, 1960)

Sharenow, Robert. (2007). My Mother The Cheerleader. New York: HarperTeen. (New Orleans, 1960)

Silvey, Craig. (2012). Jasper Jones. New York: Borzoi/Knopf. (Australia, 1960s - Vietnam War)

Strasser, Todd. (2013). Fallout. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. (1962)

Testa, Maria. (2007). Almost Forever. Somerville, MA: Candlewick. (USA, 1968)

Wallach, Rich. (2011). War & Watermelon. NewYork: Puffin. (Northern, New Jersey, 1969).

Weaver, Beth Nixon. (2008). Rooster. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish. (Florida, late 1960s)

Wiles, Deborah. (2010). Countdown. NewYork: Scholastic Press. (USA,1962)

Wiles, Deborah. (2014). Revolution. NewYork:  Scholastic Press. (Mississippi,1962)

Williams-Garcia. Rita. (2010). One Crazy Summer. NewYork:  Amistad. (Oakland, CA, 1968)

Williams-Garcia. Rita. (2013). P.S. Be Eleven. NewYork:  Amistad. (Brooklyn, Late 1960s, sequel to One Crazy  Summer)

Wittlinger, Ellen. (2012). This Means War. NewYork: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. (Illinois, 1962)

Young, Karen Romano. (2002). Outside In. NewYork: Greenwillow Books. (Connecticut, 1968)

1960s: Nonfiction

Brimner, Larry Dane. (2011). Birmingham Sunday. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

Caputo, Philip. (2005). 10,000 Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War. NewYork:

Atheneum.

Gallo, Gary. (2010.) Jimi: Sounds Like a Rainbow: the Story of the Young Jimi Hendrix. Illustrated by Javaka Steptoe. NewYork:  Clarion.

Hill, Laban Carrick. (2007).  America Dreaming: How Youth Changed America in the 60s. NewYork: Little Brown.

Kaufman, Michael. (2009). 1968. NewYork: Roaring Brook Press. (USA, 1968)

McWhorter, Diane. (2004). A Dream of Freedom: the Civil Rights Movement from 1954 to 1968. New York: Scholastic. (Civil Rights history, USA)

1960s: Autobiography/Biography/Memoir

Sis, Peter. (2007). The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. NewYork: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (Prague, 1968)

1960s: Picture Books

Aston, Dianna Hutts. (2008). The Moon Over Star. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York: Dial. (USA, 1969)

Coleman, Evelyn. (1996). White Socks Only. Illustrated byTyrone Geter.  Park Ridge, IL: Albert Whitman & Company. (Mississippi, 1960s)

Johnson, Angela. (2007). A Sweet Smell of Roses. Illustrated by Eric Velazquez. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 

Littlesugar, Amy. (2001). Freedom School, Yes!  Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. New York: Philomel Books.  (Mississippi, 1964).

Lorbiecki, Marybeth. (2000). Sister Anne's Hands. Illustrated by Wendy Popp. New York: Puffin. (USA, early 1960s)

Medearis, Angela. (2004). Singing for Dr. King. Illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu. New York: Scholastic. (Selma, Alabama, 1965).

Mitchell, Margaree King. (1997). Granddaddy's Gift. Illustrated by Larry Johnson. Bridgewater Books. (Mississippi, 1960s).

Mochizuki, Ken. (1997). Heroes. New York: Lee & Low Books. (USA, 1960s)

Pinkney, Andrea Davis. (2010). Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. (Greensboro, NC, 1960)

Warhola, James. (2005). Uncle Andy's. New York: Puffin. (Greenwich Village NYC, 1962)

Weatherford, Carole Boston. (2007). Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins. Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue. New York: Puffin.  (Greensboro, NC, 1960)

Wiles, Deborah. (2005).  Freedom Summer.  Illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue. New York: Aladdin. (South/ USA, 1964)