Our family loves books. Reading is how we all choose to wind down at the end of a day. It’s how we’ve shaped a lot of our kids education. Books have always fueled my kids imagination and historical fiction is my new favorite way to learn about a time in history. In fact, London didn’t feel like a completely new city because of three books I or we have read in the last three years.

London is the setting and or source of so many great books! While we were there, we made an effort to stop and notice places connected to books we’ve read or authors we’re familiar with. We also specifically sought out a few places special to us because of favorite books and captured them with pictures (see below.) It was fun!

Books I highly recommend that are set in London in case you’re looking for a new read:

• Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner: World War II historical fiction about a teenager who got separated from her sister and mother during in the London blitz; this book is so good – enjoyable narrative but complicated and deep
• Sweep, The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier: Middle grade historical fiction novel (loved by all five of us) about orphans in Victorian London who were owned by chimney sweeps
• 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff: A delightful quick read that is a collection of correspondences between an American writer and a staff at a bookshop in London
• The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin: World War II historical fiction that is full of good characters, really helps you know what people went through in London during the blitz and mentions LOTS of other great books

Harry Potter – Leadenhall Market & Platform 9 3/4 at Kings Cross Station

Sweep – The Monument (AKA “The Matchstick”)