European Imperialism for Middle Grades

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

I have the makings of (I hope) a pretty thorough coverage of imperialism in the Americas during the 16th-18th centuries & I’d like to continue exploring that theme as we move forward through time, so I’m looking for literature recommendations that depict European Imperialism in Africa & Asia during the late 19th & early 20th centuries. 
 

ETA: Aside from The Secret Garden & The Jungle Book

Edited May 1, 2022 by Shoes+Ships+SealingWax

[Lori D.]

I'm not sure Jungle Book or Secret Garden actually depict imperialism in those countries -- Secret Garden takes place in England and only briefly mentions that she was orphaned while her parents were in India, and Jungle Book is largely about the interactions of the boy Mowgli with animals within the jungle, and he "rejoins" the human race at the end of the book with a small village of Indian peoples...

Or did you mean "aside from those" because that was already on your radar? 😉

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

59 minutes ago, Lori D. said:

Or did you mean "aside from those" because that was already on your radar?

Yes, these two are well-known titles that at least allude to or (arguably) allegorically represent the idea. I plan to use this pair to spur discussions, but I’d love something that tackles the topic more explicitly. Ideally something set in India, or the countries of  Southeast Asia & Africa - especially if there’s anything out there from the point of view of those being colonized. 

[Porridge]

This isn’t in your target geographical area, but How Sugar Changed the World by Aronson and Budhos is very good. It’s also non fiction, though…

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

3 hours ago, WTM said:

This isn’t in your target geographical area, but How Sugar Changed the World by Aronson and Budhos is very good. It’s also non fiction, though…

We’ll be covering sugarcane & it’s impacts earlier in our “journey”. In fact, I believe I have that exact book earmarked to pre-read! 🙂

[lmrich]

"Shooting an Elephant" is a fantastic short story that gets into it.  

[Porridge]

Oh I thought of a short story

 the treasure in the forest 

hg wells

[Farrar]

Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan is one that comes to mind. And Going Solo by Roald Dahl is totally worth a read, including the part about his time as a colonial officer. And Jean Fritz has a lovely little book about her childhood in China that I think is worth reading. I forget the title off the top of my head. But obviously those are going to be Western views on imperialism in those places, which I wouldn't want to center.

That age could be good for Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang. Great, amazing duo of graphic novels about the Boxer Rebellion. 

There's a good children's history of India by Subhadra Sen Gupta. I can't remember exactly what the coverage of the British Raj is like, but that would be a good potential reader. Same with the final volume of the Chinese History through Graphic Novels series - good basic resource about the history that will cover that period from that perspective.

Also, I mean, you have to watch Lagaan. Maybe that's just me. But... Lagaan!

 

[Balletbaker]

I haven’t read it, but Ahisma by Supriya Kelkar might be worth a look. It’s a middle-grade. novel about the Indian freedom movement.

[Porridge]

Kim by Rudyard Kipling, and much of Kipling’s poetry deal with issues of imperialism

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

Thank you all! I’ll look through these later this week. ☺️

[Quarter Note]

Around the World in Eighty Days.  I love the book for the adventure story aspect of it, but there were definitely some 21st century cringe moments when I last read it earlier this year.  

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

14 hours ago, Quarter Note said:

Around the World in Eighty Days.  I love the book for the adventure story aspect of it, but there were definitely some 21st century cringe moments when I last read it earlier this year.  

Oh, perfect! We’re reading that as our first book for the  Early Modern era. I may stick with the original, then, as opposed to the Junior Classic I had planned. I wouldn’t be surprised if they edited out much of what would be objectionable for a children’s adaptation. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I really don't like telling these stories from the perspective of white colonizers/imperial rule. 

 

Africa: 

It takes place in the 1950s, but The Mzungu Boy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mzungu_Boy

Abina & the Important Men--it's a graphic novel, about the Gold Coast

(I recommend Things Fall Apart and Petals of Blood for you.)

Asia:

The Wheel of Surya (takes place in 1947)

The Narayanpur Incident (takes place in 1942)

 

[Shoes+Ships+SealingWax]

4 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I really don't like telling these stories from the perspective of white colonizers/imperial rule. 

I would vastly prefer not to, as well, & appreciate your recommendations. The Crash Course video is great & Abina and the Important Men looks promising, as well. 

Things Fall Apart is wonderful, I read it years ago but a refresher for my own reference wouldn’t hurt. 

I’ll take at the rest later. Looking forward to them! Thank you.