New Jersey is home to a multitude of history and diverse communities that have impacted local and national history. Learning about the area one lives in is important and should start at an early age. In 2023, we compiled a list of adult-focused books set in the Garden State, and now have a list intended for children. Read on for a guide to children’s books set in New Jersey.

The 18 Penny Goose

Published in 1998 by Sally M Walker, The 18 Penny Goose is a children’s book catering to those in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade. The book follows Letty Wright, a young girl with her family living on a farm in Essex County during the American Revolution. It showcases her family’s decision to flee British raiders and what they encountered when they returned. The book is based on the real-life Wright family, which included Elizabeth, John, and their three kids Letty, Sarah, and John who lived in what is now East Orange during the revolution. The British conducted raids throughout the area and the real-life Wrights fled for their safety in the spring of 1778. The book can be purchased online and is also available at libraries in Edison, Fort Lee, Hoboken, Montclair, Newark, Passaic, Paterson, Phillipsburg, Wayne, West Orange, and many more.

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1913 Paterson Silk Strike: The Children’s Story

The 1913 Paterson silk strike involved silk mill workers demanding the establishment of an eight-hour work day and improved working conditions. The strike began in February and lasted until July 28th. In total, roughly 1,850 people were arrested and two were killed. The Pietro and Maria Botto House in nearby Haledon served as a rally point during the strike because Paterson mayor, Andrew Francis McBride, refused to allow strikers to assemble within the site. From March until June, every Sunday, this home served as the meeting point for thousands of workers and speakers like Upton Sinclar, Elizabeth Gurley Flyn, and Patrick L. Quinlan. Serving as a haven for free speech and assembly, the Botto House was placed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, New Jersey Register of Historic Places, and became a U.S. National Historic Landmark. Only a small percent of places on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places are recognized as National Historic Landmarks and the Botto House is also the first Italian-American site to be placed on this list.

The 1913 Paterson Silk Strike: The Children’s Story was written by Angelica M. Santomurro and Evelyn M. Hershey and illustrated by Thomas Germano. The book is intended for readers between the ages of seven and 12 years old. It can be purchased online and is also available at libraries in Jersey City, Kearny, Little Falls, Morristown, Paterson, Vineland, Wayne, and more.

Aaron and Alexander

Aaron and Alexander was written and illustrated by Don Brown. Intended for readers five to seven years old, this children’s book portrays the infamous duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Aaron Burr was born in Newark and attended Elizabethtown Academy and the College of New Jersey. Alexander Hamilton also attended Elizabethtown Academy and was pivotal in planning the industrial development of the Paterson Great Falls. On July 11th, 1804, the two met outside Weehawken to engage in a duel that resulted in the death of Alexander Hamilton. This book circulates at libraries in Cedar Grove, Englewood, Marlboro, Montclair, Ridgewood, Weehawken, Westfield, Wildwood Crest, and numerous other public libraries throughout New Jersey.

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret

Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret was published in 1970 by New Jersey native Judy Blume. It is intended for readers between the ages of eight and 12-years-old. Judy was born in 1938 to a Jewish family from Elizabeth in Union County. The book’s protagonist, Margaret Simon, spent the first 11 years of her life in New York City. When her father received a new job, the Simons moved across the river to New Jersey.

Where exactly they settle is hard to tell, but given Judy’s hometown, one could assume it’s somewhere in North Jersey. This coming-of-age novel explores main character Margaret's pre-teen years as she navigates her mixed-faith background, puberty, boys, and more. Throughout the book she often prays to God beginning her prayers with, “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret.” A film adaptation of the book starring Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Abby Ryder Fortson was released in 2023. It is available online for purchase and can be found at libraries in Absecon, Elizabeth, Glen Ridge, East Orange, Maplewood, Piscataway, Phillipsburg, Sea Isle City, West Deptford, and numerous more.

The Ballot Box Battle

Intended for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-grade audience, The Ballot Box Battle, set in the 1880s, follows a young girl named Cordelia and her interactions with her neighbor, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. While Cordelia is a fictional character, her neighbor Elizabeth is not. Elizabeth was an activist and leader in the women’s rights movement. She was a primary author of the Declaration of Sentiments and one of the main forces behind the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention. In 1868 she purchased 135 Highwood Avenue in Tenafly which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1975. This book can be purchased online, but is also available at libraries in Bridgewater, Edison, Galloway Township, Hackensack, Ringwood, Sparta, Tenafly, West Deptford, and several others.

The Boardwalk Mystery

The Boardwalk Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner is part of The Boxcar Children Mysteries and intended for readers between seven and ten years old. The Alden children, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny, visit the Jersey Shore enjoying the beach and boardwalk attractions. A family friend owns an amusement pier and wants the Aldens to help out, but they hear rumors that the rides are not safe and a zombie has been stolen from the haunted house. Readers can find this book at dozens of public libraries in communities such as Hackensack, Holmdel, Little Egg Harbor, Rutherford, Union, West Milford, and Wildwood Crest.

Eighteen Roses Red: A Young Girl's Heroic Mission in the Revolutionary War

Ruth H. Maxwell’s book follows 13-year-old Anne Elizabeth Brewster during the American Revolution. The war is tearing her New Jersey family apart and a Loyalist lies dying in her home with an important message for General George Washington. Can Anne get this secret message to George Washington? The book is intended for readers between the ages of eight and 12 years old.

G is for Garden State: A New Jersey Alphabet

Written by Eileen Cameron and illustrated by Doris Ettlinger, this book brings readers around the Garden State showing off wonders like the Highlands and Pinelands and highlighting residents like Thomas Edison. This book is intended for readers aged six to eight years old. It can be purchased online and is also available at libraries in Dumont, Glen Rock, Haledon, Nutley, Paramus, Rochelle Park, Verona, and West Milford.

Hiding Out at Pancake Palace

Eleven-year-old musical prodigy Elvis Ruby was supposed to win the most coveted reality show on television, Tween Star, but he panicked under pressure and forgot everything. Forced to hideout from paparazzi, he spends the summer with his aunt and cousin at Piney Pete's Pancake Palace in the Pinelands of New Jersey. Intended for 3rd and 4th grade readers, this book can be found at libraries in Brick, Clifton, Livingston, Monroe Township, Montclair, Ocean Township, and Toms River.

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency

The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater follows Arthur Bobowicz, who is sent out to bring home the family's Thanksgiving turkey. Instead, he returns with Henrietta, a large chicken who creates a hectic scene in Hoboken. This book is available at numerous libraries throughout the state like Clifton, Hoboken, South Orange, South Plainfield, Wall Township, and Wayne. This book is intended for readers between the ages of eight and 10 years old.

I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916

I Survived: The Shark Attacks of 1916 by Lauren Tarshis provides a fictionalized version of the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 drawing heavily on the events occurring at Matawan Creek. It is intended for readers in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. The book follows 10-year-old Chet Roscow of Springfield who lived with his Uncle Jerry in Elm Hills. In reality, during that summer, four people were killed and one critically injured. Sharks claimed the lives of Charles Epting Vansant at Beach Haven, Charles Bruder at Silver Lake, and Lester Stillwell and Stanley Fisher at Matawan Creek near Keyport. Joseph Dunn, who was attacked near Matawan Creek was the only survivor. The book can be purchased online and circulates at public libraries in Bloomfield, Colts Neck, Glassboro, Hoboken, Montclair, Roseland, Woodbury, Upper Cape May, and many more throughout the state.

Onion John

Onion John by Joseph Krumgold is set in 1950s New Jersey and follows 12-year-old Andy Rusch and his budding friendship with a European hermit who lives on the outskirts of a fictional town called Serenity. This book can be found at libraries in Cedar Grove, Highland Park, Hoboken, Kenilworth, Norwood, Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Secaucus, Toms River, and Wyckoff. It is meant for readers eight to twelve years old.

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To the Lighthouse!

To the Lighthouse! By Steve Murray and illustrated by Donna Elias is intended for readers aged three to 12 years old. This book has an interactive section in the back where one can have it stamped at each New Jersey lighthouse. The book can be purchased here.