READING NEWSLETTER
Welcome to our latest edition of the St Cuthbert’s Reading Newsletter. In this issue, we continue to reflect and update you on how we have promoted and celebrated reading last half term and hear from book-loving pupils, students, and staff. With Empathy Day coming up on 6th June, why not sit down with one of our empathy-related books this half term?
Pizza party!
The first form to win the reading challenge is 8O1!
Over the past term, form classes in Years 7-9 competed to read the most books. To celebrate the winners, 8O1 received a pizza party in the library! In total, pupils in 8O1 read 256 books. An amazing accomplishment! Keep it up!
The bar is set high now and we look forward to seeing who wins next time!
The Scholastic Book Fair returned to the library this term. Pupils and students had the chance to browse and purchase their own books. The fair is a wonderful opportunity to empower students to select their own books and inspire them on their journey to becoming lifelong readers.
Issue No. 8 May 2024
MAYBE TRY SOMETHING NEW...
It takes just 10 minutes of reading per day to get the benefits
This may half term you are challenged to read just 10 minutes every day through the school holiday!
Pick up a tracking sheet from the library to track your progress and get a parent to sign off to receive a prize!
Ms Black’s book recommendation of the half term
‘Crossing the Line’ byTia Fisher
Tia Fisher will be visiting the school on FridayMay24th to speak with Year 10 about her amazingdebut novel ‘Crossing the Line’. This verse novel based on the true story of a boy caught upin countylines is a powerful and important story. A gripping and relatable book which brings to light the realities of countylines and the exploitation of young people. Touching on poverty,friendship, peer pressure and so much more. I would recommend this book to students Year 9 and above,but also to teachers and parents alike This book has something to teach us all.
An interview withMiss Mann, Teacher ofEnglish
What is your favourite book and why?
Wuthering Heights- Emily Bronte
My obsession with Wuthering Heights began at A-level and has never left me, (I actually own six different editions of the novel now) Heathcliff's tormented anti-hero (❤) and Bronte's starkportrayal of human nature all set in the backdrop of the wild Yorkshire moors makes for an unforgettable read
.
When and where do you most like to read? I like to read anywhere and everywhere- any chance I get, I have my book out!
Why do you enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading because it feels like an escape from the pressures of the day. Imagining other worlds andpossibilities gives me a more appreciation and awareness of the world evolving around me
What are you currently reading?
The Mirror Visitor Quartet- The Storm of Echoes Christelle Dabos
How can you support your son's reading at home?
Watch a film version and then read the book
Ask questions about the book your son has taken out of the library
Use the words of the week around the home
Allocate at least 20 minutes each evening to reading (maybe just before bed)
Read aloud with/to your son Listen to audiobooks with your son Encourage your son to take out audiobooks from our e-library
BOOKRECOMMENDATIONS
YEAR7
While the Storm Rages by Phil Earle
September 1939 The world is on the brink of war As his dad marches off to fight Noah makes him a promise to keep their beloved family dog safe
When the government advises people to have their pets put down in readiness for the chaos of war hundreds of thousands of people do as they are told But not Noah He’s not that sort of boy With his two friends in tow, he goes on the run, to save his dog and as many animals as he can No matter what
Needle by Patrice Lawrence
Charlene is a demon knitter It’s the only thing she enjoys and the only thing she believes she’s really good at So when her foster mum ’ s son destroys her latest creation, Charlene loses it and stabs him in the hand with her knitting needle It damages a nerve and she gets sucked into the criminal justice system for assault
Charlene's not sorry and she’s never apologised to anyone in her life But people keep telling her that if she says sorry they’ll go easier on her Can she bring herself to say it and not mean it when her freedom’s at stake?
YEAR8
Boy Everywhere by A.M.
Dassu
Boy, Everywhere chronicles the harrowing journey taken by Sami and his family from privilege to poverty, across countries and continents, from a comfortable life in Damascus, via a smuggler's den in Turkey, to a prison in Manchester A story of survival, of family, of bravery In a world where we are told to see refugees as the 'other', this story will remind readers that 'they' are also 'us'
YEAR9
White Bird
by R J Palacio
ESara Blum lives an idyllic life But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation arrives in her small French town, separating her from her parents and forcing the young Jewish girl into hiding
Sara's classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Charlie is a freshman And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends But Charlie can't stay on the side-line forever Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor
The Way of Dog by Zana Fraillon
A heartfelt compelling story about love and belonging A story told by
Scruffity is born into a harsh, grey world What he yearns for most is Family But no one wants him Just as his chances of adoption grow thin, Scruffity is set free by a boy as unwanted as he is
He learns how to run, to dig, to howl and, biggest of all, to love But then tragedy strikes
How does a dog find his way home when he never had one to begin with?
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
SThe Urban Promise Prep School vows to turn boys into men As students, JB, Ramón, and Trey are forced to follow the prestigious "program's" strict rules Extreme discipline they’ve been told is what it takes to be college bound, to avoid the fates of many men in their neighborhoods This the Principal Moore Method supposedly saves lives
But when Moore ends up murdered and the cops come sniffing around, the trio emerges as the case's prime suspects With all three maintaining their innocence they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested But is the true culprit hiding among them?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca
Skloot
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells--taken without her knowledge in 1951--became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping and more Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions yet she remains virtually unknown and her family can't afford health insurance This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew
Reading for pleasure is more important for children’s cognitive development than their parents’ level of education and is a more powerful factor in life achievement than socio-economic background
Sullivan
(2013)
and Brown
KS4
Scruffity the dog
