These 8 British Books will whisk you away on an adventure to England! Filled with biscuits, tea, orphans, masquerades, and a bit of romance, these stories will captivate and comfort you with their quintessentially British components.
If you’ve always loved listening to British accents in movies, drinking tea with scones, and reading Jane Austen, this booklist is for you! With a mix of children’s and adult fiction, these books will help you travel to England in your imagination. Although most of these books have yet to become classics, they are full of complex characters, surprising story lines, and detailed descriptions that will keep you turning the pages. You just might find a new favorite in this list!
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
“Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy…”
So begins the beloved British fantasy set during the early years of World War II. To escape the bombing of London, the four Pevensies are sent to the countryside to live in the mansion of a curious old professor. While playing hide and seek one day, Lucy, the youngest, sneaks into a wardrobe and finds herself in a magical land home to fauns, centaurs, talking animals, and a cruel witch. When Lucy tells her siblings about her adventures in the wardrobe, they think she’s crazy, until they end up in the world themselves.
Quickly, the children learn they must free this land called Narnia from the White Witch, who cast an eternal winter on the world. However, one of the Pevensies joins the Witch, betraying the rest of the siblings. Desperate to rescue their brother, the Pevensies journey to find the mysterious Aslan who alone can help them defeat the Witch and restore their family.
Full of exciting adventures, lovable characters, and rich descriptions, this story will make you laugh, cry, and reflect as you follow the Pevensies through Narnia. Whether this is your first time reading it or your hundredth, you’re sure to enjoy this story about family, courage, and redemption.
Buy The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe here!
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
“We three Fossils vow to try to put our name into history books, because it’s our very own, and nobody can say it’s because of our grandfathers, and we vow to try and earn money for Garnie until Gum comes home.”
Orphaned as infants, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil live in London with their guardian “Garnie” and nanny “Nana.” Their Great Uncle Matthew (“Gum”), the paleontologist who adopted them has embarked on a long journey, and the money he left to care for the girls is quickly running out. When Garnie and Nana open the house up to host boarders, Miss Theo, a teacher at The Children’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, moves in.
Recognizing the family’s precarious financial state, Miss Theo encourages the girls to begin training in dance and acting to eventually earn money. At the academy, Pauline discovers a talent for acting and Posy falls in love with ballet. Petrova on the other hand dreams of flying planes but resigns herself to her ballet and acting classes in hopes of making a little money to help support the family.
This story will make you smile as you watch the Fossil sisters work together to pursue their passions and keep their family afloat. If you love the book, you may enjoy the movie which is available for purchase on Amazon Prime. The book is always better though! 🙂
Buy Ballet Shoes here!
A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus
“William, Edmund, and Anna knew, somewhere deep in the place where we know things that we cannot say aloud, that they had never lived in the sort of home one reads about in stories – one of warmth and affection and certainty in the knowledge that someone believes you hung the moon.“
When their grandmother dies, William, Edmund, and Anna must scramble to find a new guardian who will allow them all to stay together. Forced to evacuate London during World War II, the children hatch a plan to secure a new family in the countryside. If they can only stick together, perhaps a temporary host family will eventually adopt them.
In their search for a home, the children deal with bullies, rat killings, and false accusations. To find solace from all their troubles, they love spending time reading in the library with Mrs. Mueller, a compassionate librarian with a secretive past. However, books can’t protect them from the realities of harsh host families and hungry stomachs. Will William, Edmund, and Anna ever find a home where they feel loved and cared for?
With vivid descriptions, endearing characters, and literary references galore, this book reflects on the importance of trust, compassion, and family. So grab a cup of tea and box of tissues and prepare for a comforting story you’ll want to read again and again!
Buy A Place to Hang the Moon here!
The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
“All books are judges by their covers until they are read.”
Trained at the Swanbourne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Miss Penelope Lumley feels adequately prepared to become a governess and instruct her students in higher pursuits of learning. Her three new charges however completely defy her expectations. Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia have grown up raised by wolves and were recently found in the forrests of Ashton Place.
With tendencies to chase squirrels, bark, and howl, the children require a different sort of training than Miss Lumley has prepared for. Yet, with all the fortitude of a Swanbourne girl, she patiently persists with her pupils. Mysteries fill the air at Ashton Place as she wonders where the children came from, why the coachman seems so enigmatic, and what secret Lord Ashton is hiding.
You can practically hear the characters’ British accents in your head as you enjoy the hilarious escapades of Miss Lumley and her charges. Filled with memorable quotes and fabulous similes, this book will stay with you for days after you finish the final page. Luckily, if you enjoy this story, there are four more books in the series for you to read!
Buy The Mysterious Howling here!
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
“Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to the perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.”
When Juliet receives a letter from a fellow book lover she’s never met, little does she imagine how it will change the rest of her life. Somehow one of her old books ended up in the hands of a man in Guernsey, an island in the English Channel. Through his letters, Juliet learns about the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which originated during the Nazi occupation of Guernsey during World War II.
Enthralled by the story of the society, Juliet decides to visit Guernsey and write a book about the people who founded it. As she meets her correspondent and his friends on the island, Juliet finds a family in the community of Guernsey. Becoming more and more invested in their lives, she wonders how she will ever leave.
Written as a series of letters between Juliet and the members of the society, this book will keep you turning the pages to discover the secrets of Guernsey and its inhabitants. If you enjoy this book, you can also find the movie starring Lily James on Netflix.
Buy The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society here!
Mr. Malcolm’s List by Suzanne Allain
“And do you think you have never offended anyone? It happens, Julia. Frequently. A mature person accepts it and moves on. No one wants a person incapable of forgiveness for a friend.”
Mr. Malcolm – the prize of every eligible young lady in London. Frustrated by their constant attempts at courtship, Mr. Malcolm crafts a list of all his ideal qualities in a wife. When Julia Thistlewaite, an eager admirer, falls short of his expectations, she schemes to trap him at his own game. Recruiting her friend Selina, Julia coaches Selina in living up to all Mr. Malcolm’s standards. Once Selina wins his love, she will reveal her own list and humiliate Mr. Malcolm in revenge.
However, enacting this plan is not so simple. First they must work around embarrassing family members (Mr. Malcolm will not countenance unpleasant in-laws) and Selina’s lack of musical talent (after all, a wife must be able to entertain guests). As the relationship progresses though, Selina can’t help but admire Mr. Malcolm and doubts whether she can carry out the final step of their plot.
While not quite on par with Jane Austen, this 19th century romance provides an entertaining story filled with all the best aspects of high British society – mansions, masquerades, and a hint of mystery. A movie adaptation of this story is available on Netflix, but read the book first – you won’t be sorry!
Buy Mr. Malcolm’s List here!
A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting by Sophie Irwin
“Only men have the privilege of seeking their fortune on their own. . . . What else am I to do but seek a rich husband?”
With four younger sisters to provide for and a mountain of debt left from her father, Kitty really can’t believe that her fiancé is calling off the engagement. His money was just what she needed to keep the family afloat. To solve her problems, she determines to travel to London, secure a wealthy husband, and pay off her family’s debts. No one can stop her in her ambitions. No one that is, except Lord Radcliffe.
Skeptical of her true social status, Radcliffe tries everything to prevent her from snaring an unsuspecting suitor like his brother. Constantly butting heads, the two endeavor to evade the others’ attacks. However, when unanticipated emergencies strike, the two must work together to save what is most dear to them.
Kitty’s comical courting quest will keep you turning the pages, laughing at her antics and yet sympathizing with her situation. If you need a sweet, light-hearted novel to relax, boil water for tea, pick up this book, and prepare for a treat!
Buy A Lady’s Guide to Fortune Hunting here!
The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin
“There was a special scent to paper and ink, indescribable and unknown to anyone but a true reader. She brought the book to her face, closed her eyes and breathed in that wonderful smell.”
After the death of her mother, Grace moves to London in search of a home and job. While her friend Viv finds work at Harrods, a clothing department store, Grace ends up working in a dilapidated bookstore called Primrose Hill Books. Although she doesn’t enjoy reading, she quickly brings order and business to the bookstore, winning the approval of the owner Mr. Evans.
Encouraged by a customer, she eventually begins reading and finds that books offer solace during the dark days of the Blitzkrieg during World War II. By night, she helps fight the fires created by the bombs and also reads aloud to people in bomb shelters. Through these books, Grace and the community around her find courage to stay hopeful in against the menace of Nazi Germany.
Filled with descriptions that will delight any literature lover’s heart, Grace’s story demonstrates the power of reading to build relationships and offer hope in trying times. You’ll definitely want a box of tissues when you read this book!
Buy The Last Bookshop in London here!
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