Books like The King's Shadow by Elizabeth Alder

Set in north England, Jane Eyre follows an orphaned governess who faces abuse, hardship, and ultimately a complicated love with her employer, Edward Rochester, while contemplating marriage to her austere cousin St. John Rivers.

The story of a greaser and his friend, who are torn apart by the world's two types of people and must learn to cope with their differences.

Taggish the famed canine hero of Jack London’s classic adventure, The Call of the Wild, is uprooted from a comfortable home in California and forced into brutal sled work in the Yukon, where he must confront survival, the call of wilderness, and the pull of his wolf ancestry.

In 1936 Flint, Michigan, ten‑year‑old Bud Maclean, an orphan on the run, sets out to find his missing father by following clues from a jazz band flyer.

A teenage spy, Alex Rider, discovers that the beloved pop star Sir Damian Cray plans to end the world, and he must act alone to stop him before time runs out.

Alex Rider infiltrates the isolated Point Blanc Academy to uncover the truth behind the deaths of two world leaders, using disguise and gadgets to expose the sinister plans of its ruthless head, Dr Grief.

In Nazi‑occupied Warsaw, a starving orphan boy on the streets struggles with hunger, identity, and the terror of the Holocaust, learning the painful choices survival demands.

A modern boy actor travels back to 1599 London, where he learns to perform in the original Globe Theatre under William Shakespeare.

Following a boy’s journey from birth to boarding school on a Malaysian rubber plantation, this comic series offers a humorous, family‑centric look at rural Malaysian life and 20th‑century Muslim community experiences.

When Zachary Beaver Came to Town is a juvenile fiction set in the World War I era, exploring friendship, family and the challenges of living in a small Texas town.

A young Korean girl escapes the oppressive occupation of North Korea during the 1940s, leading to a perilous journey to freedom in South Korea.

In 1692 Salem Village, Tituba, a slave of the minister, shares her perspective on the witch trials—she admits to witchcraft yet survives beyond the many executed accused.

A young girl from a poor island community finds friendship and a new home in a wealthy Maine town in 1911.

When Lucinda Chapdelaine’s parents vanish at a royal ball, she is conscripted into servitude by her cruel aunt. A mysterious visitor and a strange piece of jewelry spark a series of magical events that propel her toward the ball, a witch’s curse, vengeance for her family, and the possibility of a prince’s affection.

Twelve‑year‑old Sarny endures a harsh life in slavery until a new fellow servant offers to teach her literacy, placing her in a perilous but hopeful path.

Jason Hawthorn, a fifteen‑year‑old orphan, teams up with prospective novelist Jack London to trek the Alaska wilderness, braving glaciers, wildlife, and harsh winters in pursuit of gold during the Klondike rush.

Teenager Anna Comnena battles to secure her right to the Byzantine throne in this 11th‑century adventure.

Set in 17th‑century France, "The Shadow Queen" follows Claudette—a traveling actress turned spy for an influential mistress of Louis XIV—as she navigates court intrigue, political rivalry, and a fascination with dark magic that threatens her loyalty.

Two sixth‑grade friends start a pretend psychiatric practice and decide to help a mute orphan from a nearby home find her voice.

A brave prince and his knight-husband strive to lift a dark fog that threatens their kingdom, confronting obstacles on a quest to defeat the Shadow King and restore light to their world.

"Firstborn son of a warrior father who defeated the French at Agincourt, Henry VI of the House of Lancaster inherited the crown not only of England but also of France, at a time when Plantagenet dominance over the Valois dynasty was at its glorious height. And yet, by the time he died in the Tower of London in 1471, France was lost, his throne had been seized by his rival, Edward IV of the House of York, and his kingdom had descended into the violent chaos of the Wars of the Roses. Henry VI is perhaps the most troubled of English monarchs, a pious, gentle, well-intentioned man who was plagued by bouts of mental illness. In The Shadow King, Lauren Johnson tells his remarkable and sometimes shocking story in a fast-paced and colorful narrative that captures both the poignancy of Henry's life and the tumultuous and bloody nature of the times in which he lived"--Publisher's description.