The Dixie Grammar School
Michael Parker Library
Reading Challenge Recommended Fiction
The Dixie Grammar School – Library Services
Reading Challenge - Recommended Fiction These are over 150 fiction books which have been selected by the Librarian for students who are able readers. They are all excellent reads, with varying levels of challenge. Parents please note that whilst we recommend these books to our Year 6-8 students, some may contain more mature themes and concepts such as bereavement, crime, racism, prejudice etc. The books on the list are all fiction, if students prefer to read non-fiction, such as autobiographies, they should see Mrs Robinson, the Librarian, to discuss the kinds of books they like to read. Students are welcome to recommend books to be considered for this list – please see Mrs Robinson. Award-Winners are shown in bold – such as Carnegie Medal, Smarties Prize, Blue Peter Award etc. They include books shortlisted for awards so that students have plenty of choice. Titles marked with an asterisk * are part of a series.
Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Douglas Adams
Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy*
Humour, Science Fiction
Richard Adams
Watership Down
Adventure, Animals, Award
Louisa M Alcott
Little Women*
Classic, Families
David Almond
Skellig
Award, Fantasy
Laurie Halse Anderson
Chains*
Adventure, Award, Historical, Journeys, Slavery
R J Anderson
Knife*
Adventure, Fairies, Fantasy
Nina Bawden
Carrie's War
Evacuees, World War II
Julia Bertanga
Exodus*
Adventure, Award, Science Fiction
Malorie Blackman
Noughts and Crosses*
Love, Prejudice, Racism
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Malorie Blackman
Pig-Heart Boy
Award, Courage
Tim Bowler
River Boy
Award, Death, Families
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Millions
Adventure, Award, Crime, Humour
John Boyne
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Film tie-in, Holocaust, World War II
Henrietta Branford
Fire, Bed and Bone
Animals, Award, Historical
Theresa Breslin
Remembrance
Historical, World War I
Theresa Breslin
Whispers in the Graveyard
Award, Ghosts, Horror
Kevin Brooks
Martyn Pig
Award, Crime, Death, Families, Mystery
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Secret Garden
Classic, Friends
Betsy Byars
Midnight Fox
Animals, Classic
Lewis Carroll
Alice in Wonderland*
Classic, Fantasy
Anne Cassidy
Looking for JJ
Award, Murder, New Identity
Gennifer Choldenko
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Award, Disability, Family
Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl*
Adventure, Crime, Fantasy
Louise Cooper
Demon crossing
Award, Ghosts, Horror
Susan Cooper
Dark is Rising*
Award, Fantasy, Magic, Film tie-in
Zizou Corder
Halo
Adventure, Ancient Greece, Fantasy
James Dashner
Maze Runner*
Dystopias, Science Fiction
Keren David
When I Was Joe*
Friends, Gangs, Lies, Thriller
Joseph Delaney
Spook’s Apprentice*
Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural
Emily Diamand
Flood Child*
Adventure, Award, Kidnapping, Pirates
Peter Dickinson
Ropemaker
Award, Fantasy, Quests
Chris d'Lacey
Fly, Cherokee, Fly*
Award, Birds, Growing Up
Jennifer Donnelly
Gathering Light
Award, Growing Up, Murder
Siobhan Dowd
London Eye Mystery
Detectives, Mystery
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Paul Dowswell
Auslander
Adventure, Historical, World War II
Helen Dunmore
Ingo*
Fantasy, Mermaids
Jeanne DuPrau
City of Ember*
Science Fiction
Anne Fine
Madame Doubtfire
Families, Film tie-ins, Humour
Anne Fine
Tulip Touch
Award, Horror
Catherine Fisher
Snow-Walker Trilogy*
Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Quests
Dan Freedman
Kick Off*
Football, Sport
Cornelia Funke
Inkheart*
Adventure, Fantasy
Neil Gaiman
Graveyard Book
Award, Chiller, Crime, Ghosts
Sally Gardner
I, Coriander
Award, Historical, Magic
Jamila Gavin
Coram Boy
Adventure, Award, Historical, Orphans, Slavery
Adele Geras
Troy*
Ancient Greece, Award, Historical, War
Alan Gibbons
Shadow of the Minotaur*
Ancient Greece, Award, Gaming, Fantasy
Morris Gleitzman
Once, Now and Then*
Adventure, Escape, Friends, World War II
Julia Golding
The Diamond of Drury Lane*
Adventure, Award, Historical
Keith Gray
Ostrich Boys
Adventure, Award, Journeys
M G Harris
Joshua Files*
Adventure, Thriller
Sonya Hartnett
Thursday's Child
Australia, Families, Poverty
Julie Hearn
Merrybegot
Historical, Magic, Witches
Lian Hearn
Across the Nightingale Floor*
Award, Fantasy, Japan, Love, War
F E Higgins
Black Book of Secrets
Fantasy, Mystery
Charles Higson
Silverfin*
Adventure, Spies, Thriller
Stuart Hill
Cry of the Icemark*
Fantasy, War
Mary Hoffman
Stravaganza : city of masks*
Adventure, Fantasy, Time Travel
Anne Holm
I am David
Award, Escape, Prison
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Mary Hooper
At the Sign of the Sugared Plum
Adventure, Historical, Plague
Anthony Horowitz
Alex Rider Series*
Adventure, Spies, Thriller
Eva Ibbotson
Journey to the River Sea
Adventure, Award, Journeys
Paul Jennings
Unbelievable
Humorous short stories
Diana Wynne Jones
Charmed life
Award, Fantasy, Magic
Gene Kemp
Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
Award, Humour, School
Ally Kennen
Beast
Award, Families, Monsters
Judith Kerr
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit
Adventure, Escape, World War Two
Clive King
Stig of the Dump
Adventure, Classic, Fantasy
Dick King-Smith
Sheep Pig
Animals, Film tie-in
Jeff Kinney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid*
Diaries, Humour
Suzanne LaFleur
Love, Aubrey
Families, Grief, Love
Elizabeth Laird
Red Sky in the Morning
Award, Disabilities, Families
Tanya Landman
Apache
Adventure, Award, Historical, Native Americans
Derek Landy
Skulduggery Pleasant*
Adventure, Detectives, Fantasy
Ursula K Le Guin
Wizard of Earthsea*
Fantasy, Magic, Wizards
Madeleine L'Engle
Wrinkle in Time
Award, Classic, Science Fiction
C.S. Lewis
Chronicles of Narnia Series*
Award, Classic, Fantasy
Penelope Lively
Ghost of Thomas Kempe
Award, Ghosts, Humour, Supernatural
Saci Lloyd
Carbon Diaries 2015*
Diaries, Future, Science Fiction
Pittacus Lore
I am Number Four*
Aliens, Science Fiction, Thriller
Michelle Magorian
Goodnight Mister Tom
Award, Evacuees, World War II
Margaret Mahy
Changeover
Award, Fantasy, Supernatural
Gemma Malley
Declaration*
Dystopias, Freedom, Science Fiction
John Marsden
Tomorrow When the War Began*
Adventure, Australia, War
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
James Vance Marshall
Walkabout
Adventure, Australia, Classic
Geraldine McCaughrean
Death Defying Pepper Roux
Adventure, Award, Humour
Geraldine McCaughrean
White Darkness
Adventure, Antarctica, Award
Hilary McKay
Saffy’s Angel*
Adoption, Families, Sisters
Sophie McKenzie
Girl, Missing*
Adoption, Kidnapping
Robin McKinley
Beauty
Fantasy, Love, Magic
Andy McNab
Boy soldier*
Action, Adventure, Thriller
Cliff McNish
Breathe
Ghosts, Horror
Michael Morpurgo
Amazing story of Adolphus Tipps
Animals, Families, War, World War Two
Michael Morpurgo
Private Peaceful
Adventure, Award, Brothers, World War I
Beverley Naidoo
Other Side of Truth
Africa, Award, Bullying
Patrick Ness
Monster Calls
Bereavement, Grief, Fear, Monsters
Sally Nicholls
Ways to Live Forever
Award, Death, Leukaemia, Uplifting
William Nicholson
Wind Singer*
Award, Fantasy
Garth Nix
Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen*
Adventure, Fantasy, Magic
Mary Norton
Borrowers*
Adventure, Award, Classic, Fantasy
Pat O'Shea
Hounds of the Morrigan
Fantasy, Magic
Christopher Paolini
Eragon*
Dragons, Fantasy
Katherine Paterson
Bridge to Terabithia
Award, Bereavement, Friends, Grief
Gary Paulsen
Hatchet*
Award, Adventure, Survival
Michelle Paver
Wolf Brother*
Adventure, Fantasy, Magic
Phillipa Pearce
Tom’s Midnight Garden
Adventure, Award, Classic, Fantasy
Mal Peet
Keeper*
Award, Football, Sport
Anna Perera
Guantanamo Boy
Freedom, Kidnapping, Prison
Ann Pilling
Black Harvest
Classic, Horror, Ireland
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Terry Pratchett
Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents
Award, Fantasy, Humour
Maggie Prince
Raider's Tide*
Adventure, Historical, Love
Sally Prue
Cold Tom
Adventure, Award, Fairies, Fantasy
Philip Pullman
His Dark Materials Trilogy*
Award, Fantasy, Magic
Celia Rees
Witch Child*
Historical, Supernatural, Witches
Philip Reeve
Mortal Engines*
Adventure, Award, Science Fiction
Philip Ridley
Scribbleboy
Art, Award, Humour
Robert Rigby
Goal!*
Football, Sport
Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief*
Adventure, Award, Fantasy
J K Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone*
Award, Fantasy, Magic, Wizards
Louis Sachar
Holes*
Award, Crime, Film tie-ins, Thiller
Alex Scarrow
TimeRiders*
Science Fiction, Time Travel
Marcus Sedgwick
Foreshadowing
Supernatural, War World War I
Marcus Sedgwick
My Swordhand is Singing
Award, Horror, Vampires
Ian Serraillier
Silver Sword
Adventure, Journeys, World War II
Anna Sewell
Black Beauty
Animals, Classic, Horses
Alex Shearer
Speed of the Dark
Science Fiction
Nicky Singer
Feather Boy
Bullying, Courage
Sarah Singleton
Amethyst Child
Cults, Friends, Secrets
Justin Somper
Vampirates*
Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Vampires
Jerry Spinelli
Stargirl
Courage, Friends, Love
Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island
Adventure, Classic, Pirates, Treasure
Paul Stewart
Beyond the Deep Woods*
Fantasy
Jonathan Stroud
Amulet of Samarkand*
Fantasy, Humour, Magic
Rosemary Sutcliff
Eagle of The Ninth*
Adventure, Classic, Historical, Romans
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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Author
Title
Genre/Keywords
Rosemary Sutcliff
Black Ships Before Troy*
Ancient Greece, Award, Historical
G P Taylor
Shadowmancer
Fantasy, Magic, Witchcraft
Mildred D Taylor
Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry*
Award, Classic, Prejudice, Racism, USA
Kate Thompson
New Policeman
Award, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery
Sandi Toksvig
Hitler’s Canary
Adventure, Denmark, Nazis, World War Two
J R R Tolkien
Hobbit
Adventure, Fantasy
Sue Townsend
Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾*
Diaries, Humour
Jenny Valentine
Finding Violet Park
Award, Self Discovery
Mark Walden
Higher Institute of Villainous Education*
Adventure, Award, Crime, Humour
Pat Walsh
Crowfield Curse*
Award, Historical, Supernatural
Rachel Ward
Numbers*
Adventure, Supernatural, Thriller
Robert Westall
Machine Gunners
Adventure, Award, War, World War Two,
E B, White
Charlotte's Web
Animals, Classic, Friends
T H White
Sword In the Stone
Adventure, Classic, Fantasy, King Arthur
Jacqueline Wilson
Illustrated Mum
Award, Families
Jeanette Winterson
Tanglewreck
Fantasy, TimeTravel
Virginia Euwer Wolff
True Believer*
Award, Families, Relationships
Chris Wooding
Malice*
Comic Strips, Fantasy
David Yelland
Truth About Leo
Bereavement, Families, Grief
Benjamin Zephaniah
Refugee Boy
Courage, Refugees, War
Created: 12/12/11
Updated: 30/10/2012
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