Recommended Reading List - Sept 2023 Year 8 Students

Recommended Reading List

The following fiction books are recommended summer reading for Year 7 students who are going into Year 8 in September 2023.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Mark Haddon

Christopher is 15 and lives in Swindon with his father.

He has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism He is obsessed with maths, science and Sherlock Holmes but finds it hard to understand other people

When he discovers a dead dog on a neighbour's lawn he decides to solve the mystery and write a detective thriller about it.

As in all good detective stories, however, the more he unearths, the deeper the mystery gets - for both Christopher and the rest of his family

A Beautiful Lie

Irfan Master

An extraordinarily rich debut novel, set in India in 1947 at the time of Partition, touching on the importance of tolerance, love and family.

The main character is Bilal, a boy determined to protect his dying father from the news of Partition - news that he knows will break his father's heart.

With great spirit and determination, and with the help of his good friends, Bilal persuades others to collude with him in this deception, even printing false pages of the local newspaper to hide the ravages of unrest from his father.

All that Bilal wants is for his father to die in peace. But that means Bilal has a very complicated relationship with the truth...

Andy Mulligan

Raphael lives on a dumpsite, eking out a living sifting through rubbish

One unlucky-lucky day, he makes an extraordinary and deadly discovery.

Now he and his two friends, Gardo and Rat, are wanted by the corrupt forces that run the city and will stop at nothing to get back what they've lost. From the slums to the mansions of the elite, it's going to take all of their quick-thinking and fast-talking to stay ahead And to stay alive

Orphan Monster Spy

Matt Killen

A Nazi boarding school. The performance of a lifetime. Sarah has played many roles - but now she faces her most challenging of all. Because there's only one way for a Jewish orphan spy to survive at a school for the Nazi elite And that's to become a monster like them They think she is just a little girl But she is the weapon they never saw coming with a mission to destroy them all

Noughts and Crosses

Malorie Blackman

Also available as a graphic novel Sephy is a Cross - a member of the dark-skinned ruling class

Callum is a nought - a 'colourless' member of the underclass who were once slaves to the Crosses.

The two have been friends since early childhood. But that's as far as it can go. Until the first steps are taken towards more social equality and a limited number of Noughts are allowed into Cross schools Against a background of prejudice and distrust, intensely highlighted by violent terrorist activity by Noughts, a romance builds between Sephy and Callum - a romance that is to lead both of them into terrible danger...

Skylark's War

Hilary McKay

Winner of the Costa Children's Book Award 2018. The Skylarks' War is a beautiful story following the loves and losses of a family growing up against the harsh backdrop of World War One, from the award-winning Hilary McKay Clarry and her older brother Peter live for their summers in Cornwall, staying with their grandparents and running free with their charismatic cousin, Rupert. But normal life resumes each September - boarding school for Peter and Rupert, and a boring life for Clarry at home with her absent father, as the shadow of a terrible war looms ever closer. When Rupert goes off to fight at the front, Clarry feels their skylark summers are finally slipping away from them

Can their family survive this fearful war?

Blackbird Girls

Anne Blankman

On a spring morning, neighbours Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko wake up to an angry red sky. A reactor at the nuclear power plant where their fathers work - Chernobyl - has exploded.

Before they know it, the two girls, who've always been enemies, find themselves on a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina's estranged grandmother, Rita Grigorievna.

In their new lives in Leningrad, they begin to learn what it means to trust another person.

Oksana must face the lies her parents told her all her life Valentina must keep her grandmother's secret, one that could put all their lives in danger And both of them discover something they've wished for: a best friend

But how far would you go to save your best friend's life? Would you risk your own?

Told in alternating perspectives among three girlsValentina and Oksana in 1986 and Rifka in 1941 - this story shows that hatred, intolerance, and oppression are no match for the power of true friendship.

My Swordhand is Singing

Marcus Sedgwick

In the bitter cold of an unrelenting winter Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in Chust and despite the inhospitability of the villagers settle there as woodcutters

Tomas is churlish - taciturn at the best of times He digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so they have their own little island kingdom.

Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why, all his life they've moved from place to place, or why his father carries a long battered box everywhere they go, and why he is forbidden to know its mysterious contents

But when a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter's drab existence is turned upside down

He is infatuated by the beautiful gypsy princess, Sofia, intoxicated by their love of life and drawn into their deadly quest.

For these travellers are Vampire Slayers and Chust is a dying community - where the dead come back to wreak revenge on the living

Amidst the terrifying events that follow, Peter is stunned to see his father change from a disillusioned man, old before his time, to the warrior hero he once was. Marcus draws on his extensive research of the vampire legend which permeates traditions throughout the world and sets his story in the forbidding and remote landscapes of the 17th century.

Recommended Reading Continued...

The following fiction books are recommended reading for students once they start Year 8 in September 2023.

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Harper Lee

'Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. ' A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel - a black man falsely charged with the rape of a white girl

Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s.

The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice

But the weight of history will only tolerate so much To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming-of-age story, an anti-racist novel, a historical drama of the Great Depression and a sublime example of the Southern writing tradition.

Knife of Never Letting Go

Patrick Ness

Imagine you can hear everything the town of men say about you And they can hear everything you think Imagine you don't fit into their plans Todd Hewitt is just one month away from the birthday that will make him a man But his town has been keeping secrets from him Secrets that are going to force him to run.

Life: An Exploded Diagram

Mal Peet

A brilliant coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Cold War and events leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis Clem Ackroyd lives with his parents and grandmother in a claustrophobic home too small to accommodate their larger-than-life characters in the bleak Norfolk countryside.

Clem's life changes irrevocably when he meets Frankie, the daughter of a wealthy farmer, and experiences first love, in all its pain and glory.

The story is told in flashback by Clem when he is living and working in New York City as a designer, and moves from the past of his parents and grandmother to his own teenage years

The Blue Book of Nebo

Dylan was six when The End came, back in 2018; when the electricity went off for good, and the 'normal' 21st century world he knew disappeared

Now he's 14 and he and his mam have survived in their isolated hilltop house above the village of Nebo in north-west Wales, learning new skills, and returning to old ways of living.

Despite their close understanding, the relationship between mother and son changes subtly as Dylan must take on adult responsibilities. And they each have their own secrets, which emerge as, in turn, they jot down their thoughts and memories in a found notebook - the Blue Book of Nebo In this prize-winning novel, Manon Steffan Ros not only explores the human capacity to find new strengths when faced with the need to survive, but also questions the structures and norms of the contemporary world.

Manon Steffan Ross

Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin

This is a powerful and timely story about refugees, a graphic novel for all children with glorious colour artwork throughout

From Eoin Colfer, previously Irish Children's Laureate, and the team behind his bestselling Artemis Fowl graphic novels.

ILLEGAL introduces us to brothers Ebo and Kwame, and their journey as they flee from Ghana, across Africa and over the Mediterranean Sea to find a safe haven in Europe It shows us Ebo's unquenchable hope for a new life and for a reunion with his sister

The book is based on extensive research and includes an original interview with a survivor.

Told with humour, compassion and respect, this is a story for every child.

Good Girl's Guide To Murder

Holly Jackson

Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh

The police know he did it Everyone in town knows he did it. But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the crime, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure.

When she chooses the case as the topic for her final project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth ?

Ruta Sepetys

Trapped by an evil dictatorship, will Cristian be forced to betray his family or will he risk everything he loves to resist?

A bestselling YA thriller based on real events, from a prizewinning author. Cristian has lived his entire life in the grip of a repressive dictatorship.

The country is governed by fear. When the secret police blackmail him, Cristian has an impossible choice.

Save the life of his sick grandfather by informing on his family, or risk his life - and all of theirs - by resisting? At 17, Cristian dreams of being free but doesn't know where to turn

In this climate of constant suspicion, can he trust his best friend, his girlfriend or even his family?Closely based on the real events of the Romanian Revolution of 1989, this is a powerful, heart-breaking thriller from the author of Salt to the Sea, winner of the Carnegie Medal.

This Book Kills

Ravena Guron

When Hugh Henry Van Boren, one of the most popular and richest kids in Jess Choudhary's school, is found dead, the student body is left reeling and wondering who the murderer could be...

Jess, a student under strict instructions to keep her record clean or risk losing her scholarship, finds herself at the centre of the investigation when it's revealed that Hugh died in the exact same way as a character in a short story she wrote And then Jess receives an anonymous text thanking her for the inspiration. With time running out, Jess knows if she doesn't solve this mystery she'll finally have something in common with Hugh Henry. She'll be dead too.

Recommended Reading

The following non-fiction books are recommended summer reading for current Year 7 students and continued reading from September 2023 for Year 8 students.

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything

Bill Bryson

Adapted from A Short History of Nearly Everything, this stunningly illustrated book from Bill Bryson takes us from the Big Bang to the dawn of science, and everything in between!

Ever wondered how we got from nothing to something? Or thought about how we can weigh the earth? Or wanted to reach the edge of the universe? Uncover the mysteries of time, space and life on earth in this extraordinary book - a journey from the centre of the planet, to the dawn of the dinosaurs, and everything in between. And discover our own incredible journey, from single cell to civilisation, including the brilliant (and sometimes very bizarre) scientists who helped us find out the how and why.

Politics for Beginners

Alex Frith, Rosie Hore, Louis Stowell

An informative guide to political systems, elections, voting and government, and issues including feminism, human rights, freedom of speech and fake news, all explained with clear text and bright, infographic style illustrations.

Includes tips on how to argue and debate, a glossary, and links to specially selected websites with more information

No One is too Small to Make a Difference

Greta Thunberg

The history-making, ground-breaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young activist who has become the voice of a generation ‘Everything needs to change. And it has to start today' In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day

Her actions ended up sparking a global movement for action against the climate crisis, inspiring millions of pupils to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. This book brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time.

Collecting her speeches that have made history across Europe, from the UN to mass street protests

Prisoners of Geography

Tim Marshall

How did the USA become a superpower?; Why do people go to war?; And why are some countries rich while others are so poor?; Find the answers to these questions and many more in this eye-opening book, which uses maps to explain how geography has shaped the history of our world

Discover how the choices of world leaders are swayed by mountains, rivers and seas - and why geography means that history is always repeating itself.

This remarkable, unique introduction to world affairs will inspire curious minds everywhere.; A stunning abridged and illustrated edition of the international bestseller Prisoners of Geography, by acclaimed author Tim Marshall ; PRAISE FOR THE ORIGINAL EDITION OF PRISONERS OF GEOGRAPHY:; "Quite simply, one of the best books about geopolitics you could imagine: reading it is like having a light shone on your understanding

Big Ideas For Young Thinkers

Jamia Wilson

This book teaches children to train their busy brains and think outside the box Get lost for hours exploring puzzling questions that have stumped thinkers for years More importantly, discover your truth by reading about a diverse range of thinkers

Drawing on influences from ancient Greeks right up to modern-day British writers, philosophy is re-imagined in this book. Relate to the real-life experiences, explore big ideas from a range of thinkers, and decide where you stand on the issue at hand.

You Don't Know What War Is: The Diary of a Young Girl From Ukraine

Yeva Skalietska

Everyone knows the word 'war’ But very few understand what it truly means When you find you have to face it, you feel totally lost, walled in by fright and despair.

Until you've been there, you don't know what war is. This is the gripping and moving diary of young Ukrainian refugee Yeva Skalietska. It follows twelve days in Ukraine that changed 12-year-old Yeva's life forever

She was woken in the early hours to the terrifying sounds of shelling Russia had invaded Ukraine, and her beloved Kharkiv home was no longer the safe haven it should have been.

It was while she was forced to seek shelter in a damp, cramped basement that Yeva decided to write down her story. And it is a story the world needs to hear. Yeva captured the nation's heart when she was featured on Channel 4 News with her granny as they fled Ukraine for Dublin

In You Don't Know What War Is, Yeva records what is happening hour-by-hour as she seeks safety and travels from Kharkiv to Dublin.

Reading Log

Once you have completed a book from the list, add it to the reading log below along with your rating of it. At the end of the year you will be able to look back and see how much you've read!

DATE TITLE AUTHOR RATING