Book Lists

Children’s Books set in Rhode Island

Allio, Mark & Begin, Mary Jane. R Is For Rhode Island Red: A Rhode Island Alphabet.
(2005) An alphabet journey to the charming state of Rhode Island . It may be the smallest state but its presence is unmistakable -- rich in history, breathtaking beauty, and famous for its neighborhoods filled with character.

Avi. Finding Providence: The Story of Roger Williams. (1997)
After being forced to leave the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Roger Williams travels south and, with the help of the Narragansett Indians, founds Providence, Rhode Island.

Avi. Something Upstairs: A Tale of Ghosts. (1988)
When he moves from Los Angeles to Providence, Rhode Island, Kenny discovers that his new house is haunted by the spirit of a black slave who asks Kenny to return with him to the early nineteenth century and prevent his murder by slave traders.

Brennan, Linda Crotta. The Black Regiment of the American Revolution. (2004)
The Black Regiment, comprised of African American slaves, was among one of the elite military units fighting for independence in the Revolutionary War.

Bruchac, Joseph. Whisper in the Dark. (2005)
An ancient and terrifying Narragansett Native-American legend begins to come true for a teenage long-distance runner, whose recovery from the accident that killed parents has stunned everyone, including her guardian aunt in Providence, Rhode Island.

Dooley, Norah. Everybody Cooks Rice. (1991)
A child is sent to find a younger brother at dinnertime and is introduced to a variety of cultures through encountering the many different ways rice is prepared at the different households she visits. The illustrations depict the Mount Hope neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island.

Easton, Kelly. Aftershock (2005)
In shock after a tragic accident, seventeen year old Adam must make his way from Idaho to Rhode Island. Only by completing the harrowing and haunting journey will he recover his voice, and his past.

Easton, Kelly. Hiroshima Dreams (2007)
Lin is a girl with vision. When her Buddhist grandmother comes to live with the family in Providence, Lin learns the secrets of her family’s past, and how to develop her gifts.

Easton, Kelly. To Be Mona (2008)
Poor and living with her bipolar mother, Sage wants only one thing: to be Mona, the blonde popular girl who lives in a mansion. Told in four voices, the novel explores identity; how it is lost and recovered.

Easton, Kelly. Walking on Air (2004)
Set during the depression, the novel chronicles the peregrinations of June, who walks the tightrope in her dad’s traveling evangelical show. When her journey finally ends in Rhode Island, she has found Providence, literally and figuratively.

Griffin, Adele. Where I Want to Be. (2005)
Two teenaged sisters, separated by death but still connected, work through their feelings of loss over the closeness they shared as children that was later destroyed by one’s mental illness, and finally make peace with each other.

Hughes, Mark Peter. I am the Wallpaper. (2005)
Thirteen-year-old Floey Packer, jealous of her attractive and popular older sister, shares her home with two younger cousins and experiences a summer vacation filled with embarrassing events, with herself as the star. Set in Rhode Island.

Hughes, Mark Peter. Lemonade Mouth. (November, 2008)
Five freshmen meet in detention one afternoon and begin to sing along with a radio jingle. Thus begins the story of Lemonade Mouth as told by the bandmates and friends in first-person diary/journal entries. No one likes to be known as the fat kid, the new kid, the nerd, or the freak, but these teens are empowered by their newly formed friendships and empower others as well.

Jaspersohn, William. The Scrimshaw Ring. (2002)
A young boy living in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1710 enjoys imaginary adventures with make-believe pirates, until the day that real pirates come ashore for evil purposes and leave him a remarkable memento.

Jordan, Sandra. Christmas Tree Farm. (1993)
This picture book, illustrated with photographs, describes the activities that take place on a Christmas tree farm in Rhode Island during each season of the year.

Koller, Jackie French. Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration. (1999)
This book describes a typical Narragansett Nickommoh, or harvest celebration, as it has been performed since the arrival of the first Pilgrims in New England.

Lisle, Janet Taylor. The Art of Keeping Cool. (2000)
In 1942, Robert and his cousin Elliott uncover long hidden family secrets while staying in their grandparents’ Rhode Island town, where they also become involved with a German artist who is suspected of being a spy.

Lisle, Janet Taylor. The Crying Rocks. (2003)
Thirteen-year-old Joelle has always wondered about her life before being adopted by the woman she calls aunt Louise and her husband Vernon, and she makes some surprising discoveries while researching a 17th century Indian tribe.

Macaulay, David. Mill. (1983)
This book presents a vivid description of the planning, construction and operation of a typical Rhode Island mill town in the nineteenth century.

Manes, Stephen. Some of the Adventures of Rhode Island Red. (1990)
Rhode Island Red – a diminutive red-haired man no bigger than a hen’s egg – leaves his home among the chickens and travels throughout Rhode Island, becoming a legendary figure through his many heroic exploits.

Mitchell, Kathleen Riley. Island Adventure. (1999)
A family takes a summer vacation to Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island, where they enjoy the island’s many delights.

Nichelson, Peggy. The Case of the Squeaky Thief. (1995)
The Kerry Hill Casecrackers, a group of kids spending the summer in Newport, help catch the thief of valuable antiques from Maitland Manor Historic Museum.

Shea, Pegi Deitz. Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl’s Story. (2003)
After ten years in a refuge camp in Thailand, thirteen-year-old Mai Yang travels to Providence, Rhode Island, where her Americanized cousins introduce her to pizza, shopping, and beer, while her grandmother and new friends keep her connected to her Hmong heritage.

Stevenson, James. The Sea View Hotel. (1978, new edition 1994)
The only child at the Sea View Hotel, Hubert’s two week vacation is miserable until he discovers the hotel handyman.

Tafuri, Nancy. The Brass Ring. (1996)
Being on vacation is even more fun for one who is bigger and can do more things such as ride a bike, float and swim, and buy a carousel ticket. Based on the carousel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

Compiled by Bonnie Lilienthal, Cheryl Space & Erica Wilder, Providence Public Library September, 2005.