11 Great Children’s Books Set in Florida

There’s a glamour to Florida set back in time that rivals Hollywood in California and maybe that is why these talented children’s book authors firmly set their books here. To be sure, some are from Florida and/or from the South and seem to know every nook and cranny of their small towns. But even more interesting are the characters they create; characters who have lived hard and stoic lives but never really told their stories to anyone, except now, in these books.

There must be something in the waters of Florida that makes almost all these books award-winning, from Newbery to National Book Awards. And I feel strongly that the books on this list that don’t have a special sticker on the cover are all deserving of one!!

What about you? Have you or your child read any of these books and what did you think? And are there other books you’d care to add to this list? Thank you!

11 Great Children’s Books Set in Florida

10a. The Last Egret by Harvey E. Oyer, III

This is probably the best self-published book I’ve ever read. It’s an exciting and well-written TRUE story about Harvey Oyer III’s ancestor about how the birds were hunted almost to extinction to satisfy a huge demand for exotic feathers used to decorate women’s hats. It’s the story of greed and speculation that is relevant today! [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

10b. She’s Wearing A Dead Bird on Her Hat by Kathryn Lasky

For more background on the demand for birds to decorate hats, this picture book is the story of how The Audubon Society was formed in Boston in reaction to the near extinction of many bird species. [picture book, ages 6 and up]

9. Shadows in the Water by Kathryn Lasky

Shadows in the water are basically about four twins called the Starbuck twins. These twins can teleflash (which is to talk to each other without saying a word out loud). The family then moves to the Florida Keys, Liberty and July begins to get mysterious, strange messages from the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. They then begin to worry about what is going on. The faint clicks in their minds begin to grow stronger as the Starbuck twins watch the dolphins weave through the waters and leap through the waves. Review by Ashlyn Green [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

8. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Fighting off a pack of starving wolves, wrestling alligators in the swamp, romping with bear cubs, drawing off the venom of a giant rattlesnake bite with the heart of a fresh-killed deer–it’s all in a day’s work for the Baxter family of the Florida scrublands. But young Jody Baxter is not content with these electrifying escapades, or even with the cozy comfort of home with Pa and Ma. He wants a pet, a friend with whom he can share his quiet cogitations and his corn pone. Jody gets his pet, a frisky fawn he calls Flag, but that’s not all. With Flag comes a year of life lessons, frolicking times, and achingly hard decisions. This powerful book is as compelling now as when it was written over 60 years ago. Read simply as a naturalist study of the Florida interior, it fascinates and entices. Add the heart-stopping adventure and heart-wrenching human elements, and this is a classic well worth its Pulitzer Prize. Earthy dialect and homespun wisdom season the story, giving it a unique and unforgettable flavor, and N.C. Wyeth’s warm, soft illustrations capture an era of rough subsistence and sweet survival.  –Emilie Coulter [young adult, ages 12 and up]

7. Kidnapped in Key West by Edwina Raffa and Annelle Rigsby

Historical fiction set in 1912. Twelve-year-old Eddie Malone is living a carefree life in the Florida Keys when his father, a worker on Henry Flagler’s Over-Sea Railroad, is thrown into jail. Eddie sets out for Key West with his faithful dog, Rex. Will he be in time to foil the thieves’ next plot and prove his pa’s innocence? [middle grade, ages 9 and up]

6. Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski

An old-fashioned classic set at the turn of the century that I loved as a child about the challenges of farming strawberries in rural Florida particularly when you have ornery neighbors. The illustrations are deceiving as the story is more gritty than the saccharine drawing suggests. It also won a Newbery Medal. The southern dialog can be difficult to decipher so it makes this a tougher book for younger kids though the story is appropriate for grades 3 and up. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

5. What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

This award-winning young adult novel (National Book Award Winner, A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and an ALA Best Book for Young Adults) is a coming-of-age novel that oozes “Mad Men” glamor and ambiance. Fifteen-year-old Evie’s stepfather returns from WWII and the family heads off to Palm Beach. It is here that layers of secrets and lies are revealed bit by bit. A young and handsome ex-GI soldier, Peter Coleridge, shows up and catches both Evie and her beautiful mother’s eye. A couple at their hotel, The Graysons, become important friends of her step-fathers but have their own secret they are hiding. And Evie’s stepfather has a secret that threatens to destroy them all. Murder, plundered Nazi treasure stolen from European Jews, anti-Jewish prejudice in America, and redemption, are all interwoven into the plot. This is a page-turner that is impossible to put down. [young adult, ages 12 and up]

4. Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning by Danette Haworth

11-year-old Violet Raines spends the summer dealing with the transition from childhood to adolescence. It’s complicated because there’s a new girl who moves in and seemingly takes over her best friend next door. Her friendship with her other best friend, Eddie, is also now confusing. Is he just a friend? Violet wishes things could just stay the same but middle school is just around the corner. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

3. Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

It was difficult not to make this the top pick on any list it appears as it’s my all-time favorite book ever. A Newbery winner, it captivated both my girls. For a Newbery book, it’s accessible to younger children because it’s short with short chapters that read almost like short stories. An amazing book that you must read! [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

2. Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Hiaasen is the quintessential Florida author and his background as a print journalist contributes to the appeal of his stories. I read and loved Hoot but still need to track down the other two but I’ve found that boys in grades three through six will happily read all three books and wish for more. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

1. Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

My fifth grader read this book and loved it and though it sat around the house, it took me months to read it. When it won a Newbury honor this year, I still did not manage to read it but I finally did last week and it was so good, that it inspired me to finish this list I’ve been working on for six months. It’s set in Key West during the Great Depression when Key West wasn’t a resort town and most of the people living there were on welfare. It reminds me of Because of Winn Dixie meets the TV show, Little Rascals. This is based on the true story of the author’s grandparents and is accurately portrayed down to the inclusion of Papa Hemingway. Meet 11-year-old Turtle, who is sent to live with her relatives while her mother tries to find a father for her, and prepare to lose your heart to her. [middle grade, ages 8 and up]

One more!

Treasure Tracks by S.A. Rodriguez

Review by Ms. Yingling Reads:

“This was fast-paced and engaging and featured very realistic family dynamics. Tweens are old enough to enjoy being with grandparents but often are in the process of watching their inevitable decline. This doesn’t wallow in grief, but shows Fin’s displacement of that emotion– if he can just find the treasure, his grandfather will get better. His parents are protective and supportive, but give him a lot of freedom. The diving details are great, the history of the railroad was fascinating, and Fin went about his mission in a fairly organized way.” [middle grade, ages 10 and up]

To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

p.s. Related posts: