Reading During Lockdown

We may find that during lockdown our young ones as well as ourselves are spending more time in front of a screen. One of the best things we can do to improve well being as well as to enrich our minds is to read.

Scholastic in their publication ‘The Joy and Power of Reading’ summarise the research on the benefits of reading for pleasure. They make many references to the wide ranging research studies that have been undertaken, including the following that state;

Children between the ages of 10 and 16 who read for pleasure make more progress not only in vocabulary and spelling but also in mathematics than those who rarely read (Sullivan & Brown, 2013).

Children who are routinely read to day in and day out – and immersed in rich talk about books and the various activities in which they are engaged – thrive (AAP, 2014; Cunningham, 2013; Needlman, 2006; 2014; Bernstein, 2010; Senechal & LeFevere, 2002)

So as parents and educators perhaps one of the best things we can do is to encourage everyone to read. Reading alone, together, aloud or listening to books…whatever works for you and your loved ones.

Audible offers free book streaming for children whilst schools remain closed. https://stories.audible.com/start-listen

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Staff recommendations: Clare and Northern Lights, Subtle Blade and Amber Spyglass - all by Philip Ms Bowman Pullman and all fantastic. For younger Absolute Favourite as a classic - Jane Children The Narnia Chronicles - my Eyre - Charlotte Bronte. Favourite absolute Favourite being The Last Battle - Contemporary Novel - Shanghai Girls - always makes me cry. Lisa See, really beautiful, thought provoking and sad - a real insight into the Mr Davies clash between a traditional culture and a As I walked out one Midsummer Morning modern capitalist society. Favourite Thriller by Laurie Lee. As i walked out is the sequel to - Anything by Jo Nesbo particularly Harry Cider with Rosie. Autobiography about Lee Hole - whilst they are a series they can be leaving his Cotswold village and then heading read alone I particularly like The Thirst to Spain via London. Beautifully written. and Macbeth. Historical Fluff...but I like The Cut Out Girl by Bart Van Es. The cut out them series by Philippa Gregory which girl is about a young girls experience growing up in Nazi occupied Holland during WWI. includes The White Queen. For older Intertwined with the authors thoughts and Teenagers 14/15 (or adults...I like them) observations. Basil D'Oliveira by Peter Oborne (For Cricket and starts in the 1950s, so the Camorra lovers ) Beautifully written. Basil D’Oliveira feature heavily. Once you have read the first was a south African born coloured cricketer. volume it's pretty much impossible not to dive Unable to play in his own country he came to into the second, and so on to the end. England and played for Worcestershire and England. Amazing insight into one mans fight Dr Jackie Watson against racism. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, Alan Garner - a fantasy novel reliant on Mr Dixon Arthurian legends; difficult to put down... I can recommend everything by Sir Terry The Thomas Chaloner and Matthew Pratchett and especially the Tiffany Aching Bartholomew series of historical detective series. (Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, Wintersmith, I Shall Wear Midnight & The novels by Susanna Gregory (the first set in Shepherd's Crown.) Also Neil Gaiman's London in 1660s and the second in Coraline, Norse Mythology or, if you like medieval Cambridge), all of them are short stories, Fragile Things. compelling and you get to know some history too! The Falco novels by Lindsay Mr Fanchi: Davies, set in ancient Rome - and funny! Touching the Void by Joe Simpson. Excellent book looking at the realities of time-restricted Follow the link to suggested books to read Problem solving with life or death from the Kid’s Quiz consequences.

Mrs Fletcher: Jane Austin’s Pride and Prejudice, my go to Recommended Reads: book. It makes me laugh and cry. George Orwell - 1984, the original ‘Big Key Stage 3 Brother’. Christopher Fowler - Bryant and May a Action & Thrillers detective series with quirky characters, action, Bodyguard or Young Samurai (& sequels); adventure, history and London’s mythical Bullet Catcher or Gamer by Chris Bradford* tales. Alone by DJ Brazier Mrs Madani: Mortal Chaos, Speed Freaks, The Everest The Tate Guide to Modern Art Terms Files (& sequels) or Lie, Kill, Walk Away - The Art Book Tate Watercolour Manual Lesson from the Matt Dickinson (!) Great Masters Lightning Girl (& sequels) by Alesha Dixon * The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd Miss Morris: (!) Matt Parker's "Humble Pi" a book all about what happens when maths goes wrong. Silverfin or The Enemy (& sequels) by C Robin Stevens Murder Most Unladylike Higson Susan Cooper The Dark is Rising Stormbreaker (& sequels) by A. Horowitz* Wild Boy by Lloyd Jones Mrs Tuck Girl Missing (& sequels) by Sophie McKenzie When Marnie Was There - Joan G Robinson - loved by both generations, probably for The Recruit (& sequels) by R. Muchamore* younger girls, it's also a fabulous Studio Ghibli Hatchet by Gary Paulsen animation. Anything by KM Peyton but especially Wolf Wilder, The Good Thieves, The Snowfall, Blue Skies and Gunfire - both Explorer, Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell adventurous and romantic. Michael Morpurgo Night Speakers or Carjacked by Ali Sparkes - The Butterfly Lion, Shadow, Kensuke's Murder Most Unladylike (& sequels) – R Kingdom (works for adults too, beautiful and Stevens poignant). My Brilliant Friend - Elena Ferrante - for older teenagers, one of 4 novels, a Lost (Choose Your Own Adventure) -T brilliant story of friendship that is set in Naples Turner.* Northern Lights (& sequels) by Phillip Dystopian & Science Fiction Pullman (!) Gone or BRZK (& sequels) -Michael Grant Goth Girl (& sequels) by Chris Riddell* The Boy Who Flew by Fleur Hitchcock Mrs Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children The Giver and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry -Riggs (!) Percy Jackson or Kane Chronicles series by Legend (& sequels) by Marie Lu Riordan The Knife of Never Letting Go (& sequels)-P Thunderstruck or Unleashed by Ali Sparkes* Ness (!) The Edge Chronicles by P Stewart and C MetaWars: Fight for the Future (&sequels)- Riddell Norton* Railhead & Mortal Engines (& sequels)-P Humorous books Reeve (!)^ Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Remade (& sequels) or Time Riders - Alex Aunties by Humza Arshad & Henry White* Scarrow Millions, Cosmic or Broccoli Boy by Frank C Dry, Scythe, Unwind (& sequels) – N Boyce Shusterman (!) The Last Kids on Earth (& sequels) by Max Contagion or Slated (& sequels) by Teri Terry Brallier The 5th Wave (& sequels) by Rick Yancey (!) Fenway and Hattie by Victoria Cole* Adventures of a Wimpy Vampire(&more)- Fantasy, Magic Realism, Horror & Ghost T.Collins* Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi To Be a Cat by Matt Haig Adeyemi Cookie & the Most Annoying Boy… by Cogheart by Peter Bunzl Konnie Huq* Mind Writer by Steve Cole* Enginerds (& sequels) by Jarrett Lerner* Artemis Fowl (& sequels) by Eoin Colfer (!) Disaster Diaries: Zombies (&sequels)-R The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper McGeddon* The Stormkeeper’s Island by Catherine The Donut Diaries series – A McGowan* Doyle The Accidental Billionaire series- T Rumblestar by Abi Elphinstone McLaughlin Who Let the Gods Out (& sequels) by Maz The World of Norm series by Jonathon Evans Meres* Ranger’s Apprentice or Brotherband - J Planet Omar by Zanib Mian Flanagan Timmy Failure series by Stephan Pastis* Inkheart (& sequels) by Cornelia Funke (!) Middle School series by James Patterson* The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (!) Tom Gates series by Liz Pichon (dyslexia- Blackberry Blue by Jamila Gavin (!) friendly)* Girl of Ink and Stars by Kiran Millwood Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce* Hargrave (!) Killer Animals series by Tracey Turner Skulduggery Pleasant (& sequels) by Derek Landy Relationships & Tough Situations Zom-B or Cirque du Freak (& sequels) by D. Boy Underwater by Adam Baron Shan* Noughts and Crosses, Cloud Busting, Boys Eragon (& sequels) by Christopher Paolini Don’t Cry or Pig-Heart Boy by Malorie Through Dead Eyes, Tales of Terror, Mister Blackman (!) Creecher, The Last of Spirits –C. Priestley Blubber or anything by Judy Blume (!) Artichoke Hearts, Jasmine Skies or Where A Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson the River Runs Gold Sita Brahmachari Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Bushby Woodson (!) One, Apple &Rain, Moonrise, Toffee -S Front Desk by Kelly Yang Crossan (!) I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai (!) Blended or Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper Sports Running on Empty by S.E. Durrant Booked, Crossover or Rebound – K. Mind the Gap, Being Billy or Saving Daisy - Alexander* (!) P Earle* Charlie Merrick’s Misfits… by David The Many Worlds of Albie Bright –Chris Cousins* Edge Stat Man by Alan Durant * Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine (!) The Beautiful Game series by Dhami (girls’ Tulip Touch, Goggle Eyes or Flour Babies football) by A. Fine Man of the Match (& series) by Dan Check Mates & The Bubble Boy by Stewart Freedman Foster The Number 7 Shirt or The Lion Roars - A Unstoppable by Dan Freedman * Gibbons* George by Alex Gino Kick by Mitch Johnson Tall Story or Shine by Candy Gourlay The Fix by Sophie McKenzie* The Island at the End of Everything–KM Ultimate Football Heroes Collection – M&T Hargrave(!) Oldfield After the Fire by Will Hill (!) Football Academy or Foul Play series–Tom Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen Palmer* A Different Dog by Paul Jennings* Soccer Squad, Dream On (& series) by Bali Freedom: 1783 by Catherine Johnson Rai* Red Sky in the Morning by Elizabeth Laird (!) Scarlet Ibis by Gill Lewis War, Conflict and the Refugee Experience A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (!) Soldier Dog or A Horse Called Hero - Sam Angus Word Nerd, We Are All Made of Molecules- Nielsen The Boy at the Top of the Mountain or The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by J Boyne (!) Wonder by R.J. Palacio (!) Illegal by Eoin Colfer * (!) Pax by Sarah Pennypacker (!) Wolf Children, Red Shadow, Eleven Eleven, Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick Auslander & True Stories books – Paul My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by A Dowswell Pitcher (!) Under a War-Torn Sky by L.M. Elliott Unboxed by Non Pratt * Boy 87 by Ele Fountain Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillion (!) Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan Once (& sequels) by Morris Gleitzman * (!) The Marvels or Wonderstruck by Brian Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay (!) Selznick*(!) Grenade by Alan Gratz Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli (!) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen Taylor (!) Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (!) (!) Buffalo Soldier or Apache by Tanya Landman Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson Every Falling Star (North Korea) by Sungju Mortal Chaos, Speed Freaks, The Everest Lee Files or Lie, Kill, Walk Away by Matt Dog Tags: Semper Fido or Strays by C A Dickinson* London* A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (!) The Enemy (& sequels) by Charlie Higson* The Skylarks’ War by Hilary McKay House of Silk, Moriarty, Magpie Murders- War Horse or Private Peaceful by M Horowitz Morpurgo (!) A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers* Sawbones or Blade & Bone by Catherine A Night Divided by Jennifer Nielson Johnson Armistice Runner or Over the Line by Tom The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan Palmer* Carrie or It by Stephen King A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park We Were Liars by E Lockhart The Red Pencil by Andrea David Pinkney Here We Lie, Sweetfreak, Blood Ties or Girl The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Missing (& sequels) by Sophie McKenzie Rauf (!) #Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil* Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys (!) One of Us is Lying, One of Us Is Next or Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe (!) Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah I am Still Alive by Kate Marshall The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak ! Blame or Itch (& sequels) by Simon Mayo The Recruit (Cherub), The Escape (Henderson’s Boys) or Rock War (& sequels) Note to parents: Some books from this list by R Muchamore* are written for young adult readers; this Foul Play (& sequels) or Ghost Stadium - T means there may be occasional ‘gritty’ Palmer* content. Generally by Key Stage 3 young Daniel X or Confessions of Murder by J. people are ready for this, but parents know Patterson* their children best; if you have queries 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough about suitability, please check online Remade or TimeRiders (& sequels) -Alex reviews or ask your child’s teacher. Scarrow*

* = Top picks for reluctant readers Autobiographies/Memoirs/Biographies ! = Favourite reads Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Album I Know Why a Caged Bird Sings by M. Recommended Reads Angelou A Street Cat Named Bob* by James Bowen for Key Stage 4 Playing the Enemy by John Carlin In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Action, Mysteries, Horror & Thrillers Nothing to Envy (North Korea) by B Demick Famous Last Words or Bad Girls Don’t Die– Hope in a Ballet Shoe: Michaela & Elaine Alender DePrince Bodyguard: Hostage (& sequels) by Chris Wave: Life After the Tsunami by S. Bradford* Deraniyagala Dead Time (& sequels), Getting Away With It One Dog at a Time (& sequels) by Pen or The Bone Room by Anne Cassidy* Farthing And Then There Were None by Agatha Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII - Christie multiple YA writers (fictionalised biography) Say Her Name by Juno Dawson Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank Marley & Me by John Grogan* Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls* The Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark Twain Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby The Color Purple by Alice Walker The Story of My Life by Helen Keller Finding Gobi by Dion Leonard* Complex/Difficult/Thought-provoking Today Everything Changes by Andy McNab* Issues Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah Change is Gonna Come – various BAME Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela authors A History of the World in 21 Women - Jenni Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo* Murray Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda – B The Greatest: Muhammed Ali by WD Myers* Albertalli* Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama Booked, Rebound or Crossover- Kwame Becoming by Michelle Obama Alexander* Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (graphic The Hypnotist by Laurence Anholt novel)* Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher Touching the Void by Joe Simpson* Black Flamingo by Dean Atta* Educated by Tara Westover Noughts & Crosses or Boys Don’t Cry -M Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Blackman* Woodson* Tiger Eyes or anything by Judy Blume* Black Boy: A Record of Youth & Childhood- Am I Normal Yet? (Spinster Club series)- H. R Wright Bourne I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne The Bunker Diary or See Through Me by K Classics & Modern Literature Brooks* Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Hate List by Jennifer Brown Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie Junk or The Hit by Melvin Burgess Pride and Prejudice or Emma by Jane Looking for JJ or No Virgin/No Shame-Anne Austen Cassidy Farenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury The Perks of Being a Wallflower by S. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Chbosky Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Stolen by Lucy Christopher Great Expectations or Oliver Twist by C The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier Dickens Toffee, One or The Weight of Water by S Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Crossan* Frankenstein by Mary Shelly A Swift Pure Cry or Solace of the Road -S. Lord of the Flies by William Golding Dowd Tess of the D’ubervilles by Thomas Hardy Furious Thing or Before I Die by Jenny Not Without Laughter by Langston Hughes Downam Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper Brave New World by Alex Huxley Heroic, Being Billy or Saving Daisy by Phil Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Earle* Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Mockingbird or Seeing Red by Kathryn To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Erskine Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee The Universe versus Alex Woods by G. The Road by Cormac McCarthy Extence Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier If I Stay & Where She Went by Gayle Forman The Bluest Eye or Beloved by Toni Morrison Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 1984 or Animal Farm by George Orwell The Curious Incident of the Dog… by Mark The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger Haddon Dr Jekyl and Mr Hide by RL Stevenson After the Fire by Will Hill Dracula by Bram Stoker The Outsiders by SE Hinton* That Asian Kid by Savita Kalhan It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal That’s Not What Happened by Kody Can You See Me? by L Scott & R Westcott Keplinger Liccle Bit (& sequels) by Alex Wheatle I am Thunder or Kick the Moon - The Art of Being Normal by Lara Williamson Muhammed Khan Teacher’s Dead, Face or Terror Kid by B. The Secret Life of Bees or Invention of Zephaniah Wings - Kidd Rose, Interrupted or Orangeboy - Patrice Conflict, War, Genocide & the Refugee Lawrence Experience Brock, Pike, Rook & Lark by Anthony A Country to Call Home: Anthology of McGowan* Young Refugees & Asylum Seekers ed. by The Sky is Everywhere or I’ll Give You.. by J Lucy Popescu Nelson Illegal by Eoin Colfer (graphic novel)* Things a Bright Girl Can Do, An Island of All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony our Own or Ways to Live Forever- Sally Doerr Nicholls Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks We Are All Made of Molecules, Word Nerd or No Fixed Address by Susin Nielson The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillion All the Bright Places & Holding Up Universe Act of Love or The Trap by Alan Gibbons* - Niven Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay Before I Fall or Vanishing Girls by Lauren The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah Oliver The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini My Sister’s Keeper or Small Great Things - Orphan, Monster, Spy by Matt Killeen J Picoult The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece or The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher Dog Tags: Semper Fido or Strays by CA The Harder They Fall or Stay a Little London* Longer; (Un)arranged Marriage or Killing The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Honour -Bali Rai* Morris Gloves Off or Black Heart Blue by Louisa Fallen Angels or Sunrise over Fallujah-WD Reid* Myers* Long Way Down* by Jason Reynolds A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park* Extraordinary Means or Severed Heads, All Quiet on the Western Front by EM Broken Hearts by Robin Schneider Remarque The Lovely Bones or Lucky by Alice Sebold The Boxer or Run, Riot Nikesh Shukla Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys Counting by 7s by Holly Sloan Maus by Art Spiegelman (graphic novel)* The Help by Kathryn Stockett Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli Stone Cold by Robert Swindells* Night by Elie Wiesel Anita and Me by Meera Syal Code Name Verity, Rose Under Fire by E. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley Wein Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Taylor Young Somebody Give This Heart a Pen by Sophia Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah Thakur The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak The Hate U Give or On the Come Up by A Thomas* The List by Siobhan Vivian Dystopian, Science Fiction or Magic Humorous books Realism The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by D Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adams Adeyemi The Life and Times of The Thunderbolt Kid Internment by Samira Ahmed - Bryson The Testaments or The Handmaid’s Tale - Swim the Fly or Call the Shots by Don Atwood Calame iBoy by Kevin Brooks* The Private Blog of Joe Cowley by Ben World War Z by Max Brooks Davis* The Girl With All the Gifts by MR Carey An Abundance of Katherines by John City of Bones (& sequels) by Cassandra Clare Green* Matched (& sequels) by Ally Condie Noah Can’t Even or Alex in Wonderland - SJ The Maze Runner (& sequels) by J. Dashner Green* Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Jinks* Cell 7 (& sequels) by Kerry Drewery* Hellbent or Henry Tumour by Anthony The Gender Game by Bella Forrest McGowan* Gone or BZRK (& sequels) by Michael Grant* Don’t Even Think About It – Sarah The Deathless Girls by Kiran Millwood Mylnowski Hargrave Discworld series by T Pratchett (try The Last Department 19 (& sequels) by Will Hill Hero) The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil James Gaiman Maladapted by Richard Kurti* A Midsummer Tights Dream or Georgia I Am Number Four (& sequels) by Pittacus Nicholson series by Louise Rennison Lore* The Rosie Project (& sequel) by Graeme Legend (& sequels) by Marie Lu* Simsion The Passengers by John Marrs* The Gifted, The Talented and Me by W Circe or Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller Sutcliffe The Knife of Never Letting Go (& sequels)- The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ P Ness (& sequels) by Sue Townsend MetaWars: Fight for Future (&sequels) - J. Norton* Relationships Z For Zachariah by Robert O’Brien Beautiful Broken Things by Sara Barnard Replica or Delirium (& sequels) by Lauren Three Daughters by Consuelo Saah Baehr Oliver Tender Earth by Sita Brahmachari Only Ever Yours by Louise O’Neill Fault in Our Stars or Looking for Alaska by Hatchet by Gary Paulsen* J Green* Divergent (& sequels) by Veronica Roth Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler* Lord Loss* or Zom-B* (& sequels) by D Shan To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (& sequels) Scythe, Unwind or Dry (& sequels) -N –J Han Shusterman* Slammed or Regretting You by Colleen Concentr8 by William Sutcliffe Hoover An Ember in the Ashes (& sequels) by Sabaa Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan Tahir Falling Fast (& sequels) by Sophie McKenzie Contagion or Slated (& sequels) by Teri Terry One Day by David Nicholls Uglies or Zeroes (& sequels) by Scott Eleanor and Park & Fangirl by Rainbow Westerfield Rowell The 5th Wave (& sequels) by Rick Yancey* The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein* Shiver or The Raven Boys(&sequels) - M. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Stiefvater A Clockwork Orange by A. Burgess Our Chemical Hearts by Krystal Sutherland Paper Avalanche by Lisa Williamson If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino If You Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson Everything, Everything & Sun is Also a Star- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote Yoon* Sleepers by Lorenzo Carcaterra Girl Online (& sequels) by Zoe Sugg* The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon * = top picks for reluctant readers or And Then There Were None by Agatha readers who prefer visual/less dense texts. Christie Includes some dyslexia friendly titles; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by quick-paced reads of longer books; verse Philip K Dick novels; and graphic novels. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Note to parents: Many of these books are written for young adult readers (13+) or All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr adults; this means there may be ‘gritty’ content. Generally by Key Stage 4 young The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco people are ready for this, but parents know Middlemarch by George Eliot their children best; if you have queries about suitability, please check online The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald reviews or ask your child’s teacher. A Room with a View by E M Forster Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden Stretch and Challenge The Cousins War series by P. Gregory English Teacher Book Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Recommendations: A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy Books Written for Adults Tess of the D’Ubervilles by T. Hardy

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes Douglas Adams Stones From the River by Ursula Hegi Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Hurston Adichie The Power by Naomi Alderman Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Brick Lane by Monica Ali The World According to Garp by John Irving Never Let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Painted Bird by Jerzy Kosinski The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood Lady Chatterley’s Lover by DH Lawrence Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence The Monk by Matthew Lewis The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ by Sue Townsend To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Knowledge of Angels by Jill Paton Walsh Small Island by Andrea Levy Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson The Road by Cormac McCarthy The Once and Future King -TW White Atonement by Ian McEwan The Picture of Dorian Gray - O. Wilde The Rice Mother – Rani Manicka Stoner by John Williams Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel Summer Lightning by PG Wodehouse Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Sky Burial by Xue Xinran Márquez Life of Pi by Yann Martel Note to parents: These books are written for adults, meaning some will have ‘gritty’ What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson content. Generally by Year 10/11 young people are ready for this, but parents know Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier their children best; if you have queries How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran about suitability, please check online reviews or ask your child’s teacher. Beloved by Toni Morrison The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien 1984 by George Orwell Dark Matter by Michelle Paver Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath The Grapes of Wrath by J. Steinbeck 1984 by George Orwell The God of Small Things by A. Roy Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Hotel World by Ali Smith Maus by Art Spiegelman The Help by Kathryn Stockett White Teeth by Zadie Smith The No1 ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark Waterland by Graham Swift Tomorrow to be Brave by Susan Travers