Recommended Reads
Year 7 & 8
Books by Hannah Gold
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Adventure stories, animal stories, ecological and environmental interest
‘Finding Bear’ – the second book in the series – is a book that immerses the reading in the terrifying Arctic winter in Svalbard. The story evolves around a girl called April who has returned from the Arctic to England but finds it hard to settle. She sets off on an unforgettable journey back to the Arctic to help save a polar bear.
Street Child - Berlie Doherty
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: True stories, adventure and survival
‘Street Child’ is a riveting read set in the Victorian times with a child surviving on the streets. Based on the true accounts of children whose lives led the famous philanthropist Dr Barnardo to set up his homes for children without families, this book not only provides escapism and adventure but also helps young readers understand the context of the Victorian times, which is important knowledge as students read KS3 – KS4 English lesson texts.
Seawitch - Skye Mckenna
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Fantasy / magical
Seawitch follows the adventures of Cassie – that originally started with Hedgewitch – then Woodwitch. This is a very engaging fantasy book that is accessible for Year 7 and 8 readers – whilst also offering ambitious vocabulary. It has a more modern take on magic and echoes the friendship and adventures of stories reminiscent of The Famous Five. A great read for avid fantasy readers – but also an accessible read for all KS3 students.
A kind of Spark - Ellen McNicoll
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ / 13+ readers
Genre: Gritty reads, historical fiction and neuro-diversity (Autism)
A Kind of Spark follows the life of Addie an 11 year old with autism as she learns about the 16th century women who were persecuted for witchcraft. It closely follows her family and her relationship with her sister too so brings in themes of belonging and friendship. An excellent read to help students relate and / or empathise with children with autism whilst also giving students insights into historical issues. This historical knowledge can be invaluable as students move on to study later GCSE texts.
Books by Hannah Gold
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Adventure stories, animal stories, ecological and environmental interest
‘Finding Bear’ – the second book in the series – is a book that immerses the reading in the terrifying Arctic winter in Svalbard. The story evolves around a girl called April who has returned from the Arctic to England but finds it hard to settle. She sets off on an unforgettable journey back to the Arctic to help save a polar bear.
Street Child - Berlie Doherty
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: True stories, adventure and survival
‘Street Child’ is a riveting read set in the Victorian times with a child surviving on the streets. Based on the true accounts of children whose lives led the famous philanthropist Dr Barnardo to set up his homes for children without families, this book not only provides escapism and adventure but also helps young readers understand the context of the Victorian times, which is important knowledge as students read KS3 – KS4 English lesson texts.
Seawitch - Skye Mckenna
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Fantasy / magical
Seawitch follows the adventures of Cassie – that originally started with Hedgewitch – then Woodwitch. This is a very engaging fantasy book that is accessible for Year 7 and 8 readers – whilst also offering ambitious vocabulary. It has a more modern take on magic and echoes the friendship and adventures of stories reminiscent of The Famous Five. A great read for avid fantasy readers – but also an accessible read for all KS3 students.
A kind of Spark - Ellen McNicoll
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ / 13+ readers
Genre: Gritty reads, historical fiction and neuro-diversity (Autism)
A Kind of Spark follows the life of Addie an 11 year old with autism as she learns about the 16th century women who were persecuted for witchcraft. It closely follows her family and her relationship with her sister too so brings in themes of belonging and friendship. An excellent read to help students relate and / or empathise with children with autism whilst also giving students insights into historical issues. This historical knowledge can be invaluable as students move on to study later GCSE texts.
Recommended Reads Year 9, 10 & 11
Books by Hannah Gold
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Adventure stories, animal stories, ecological and environmental interest
‘Finding Bear’ – the second book in the series – is a book that immerses the reading in the terrifying Arctic winter in Svalbard. The story evolves around a girl called April who has returned from the Arctic to England but finds it hard to settle. She sets off on an unforgettable journey back to the Arctic to help save a polar bear.
Street Child - Berlie Doherty
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: True stories, adventure and survival
‘Street Child’ is a riveting read set in the Victorian times with a child surviving on the streets. Based on the true accounts of children whose lives led the famous philanthropist Dr Barnardo to set up his homes for children without families, this book not only provides escapism and adventure but also helps young readers understand the context of the Victorian times, which is important knowledge as students read KS3 – KS4 English lesson texts.
Seawitch - Skye Mckenna
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ readers
Genre: Fantasy / magical
Seawitch follows the adventures of Cassie – that originally started with Hedgewitch – then Woodwitch. This is a very engaging fantasy book that is accessible for Year 7 and 8 readers – whilst also offering ambitious vocabulary. It has a more modern take on magic and echoes the friendship and adventures of stories reminiscent of The Famous Five. A great read for avid fantasy readers – but also an accessible read for all KS3 students.
A kind of Spark - Ellen McNicoll
Suitable for: 9+ / 11+ / 13+ readers
Genre: Gritty reads, historical fiction and neuro-diversity (Autism)
A Kind of Spark follows the life of Addie an 11 year old with autism as she learns about the 16th century women who were persecuted for witchcraft. It closely follows her family and her relationship with her sister too so brings in themes of belonging and friendship. An excellent read to help students relate and / or empathise with children with autism whilst also giving students insights into historical issues. This historical knowledge can be invaluable as students move on to study later GCSE texts.