READING NEWSLETTER
Welcome to our second St Cuthbert’s Reading Newsletter. In this issue, we continue to reflect on how we have promoted and celebrated reading this half term and hear from book-loving pupils, students and staff. However, we are also pleased to announce some exciting upcoming reading events taking place next half term. Happy reading!
THE CARNEGIE BOOK AWARD
The Carnegie Medal is an annual medal awarded by librarians to a book of outstanding quality for children and young people
Thousands of young people take part in Carnegie Shadowing Groups across the country. This year there are seven nominated books. We are thrilled to offer our pupils and students the opportunity to join our own Shadowing Group to read these seven books over this next half term Pupils and students will debate and select St Cuthbert’s choice of the winning book for the Carnegie Medal
This year ’ s shortlist is an amazing selection of books ranging from post-apocalyptic tales to stories of time travel, friendship, war, spies and Greek mythology. There is something for everyone to enjoy Taking part in the Shadowing Group is a unique opportunity to meet pupils and students across the school with a shared interest, gain confidence through fruitful discussion, and enjoy some of the best books that young adult fiction has to offer
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAKESPEARE!
To celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest playwrights in English Literature, the English Department performed extracts from some of William Shakespeare's most famous plays Pupils enjoyed guessing the play from which the extract was taken, and had a chuckle at some interesting and questionable acting!
An interview with Matthew Hewson, Year 12 A Level Literature student, on his reading experiences.
I love to read because it helps me to relax at home I usually read in the afternoons I chose to study A level English Literature because I enjoy reading which is partly why English Literature was my best GCSE grade. I also really enjoy the way the subject is taught, which allows lots of opportunities to discuss and debate different interpretations of characters and plots. My favourite text is a play called A Streetcar Named Desire which is an American play written by Tennessee Williams.
I am currently reading Homer's The Odyssey which details the epic adventure of Odysseus I really enjoy Greek and Roman mythology
What is your favourite book and why? One of my favourite books is The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier and I also love The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossieni .This was a tricky question though because there are so many amazing books
Where and when do you most like to read? I love to read on the sofa or in bed at night I usually have coffee or a glass of wine with me!
Why do you enjoy reading? I adore reading because it teaches me about other cultures or how people live I learn about history and fascinating events, but I am always transported to somewhere else!
What are you currently reading?
I am currently reading The Return by Victoria Hislop
How can you support your son's reading at home?
Allocate at least 20 minutes each evening to reading (maybe just before bed). Read aloud with/to your son
your
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Listen to audiobooks with
son Watch a film version then read the book Suggest graphic novels for your son to read Ask questions about what your son is reading.
BOOKRECOMMENDATIONS
YEAR7
Rick by Alex Gino
Rick's never questioned much He's tagged along with his best friend Jeff, even when Jeff's acted like a bully He's let his Dad joke with him about girls even though it makes him feel uncomfortable
Everyone around him seems to think that they've figured him out But the truth is, Rick hasn't given his own identity much thought Now Rick's in middle school and it's a place of new possibilities
With the help of his new friends that he meets at the Rainbow Spectrum club, Rick embarks on a journey to find out who he truly is An inspiring story about finding your place in the world
Charlie and Nick are at the same school, but they've never met until one day when they're made to sit together They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance
But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is more interested in Charlie than either of them realised Heartstopper is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness It encompasses all the small moments of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us
YEAR9
Wranglestone
Following 12-year-old boy Dennis and his 14-year-old brother John Dennis is talented in football and is one of the best on his team
But Dennis is different
Why was he different, you ask?
Well, a small clue might be in the title of this book
A smart and very funny story about tolerance and acceptance A lesson in owning oneself and the beauty and joy of embracing who you are
YEAR8
Set in the myth-packed world of Percy Jackson this rollicking adventure sees demigods Nico di Angelo and Will Solace must endure the terrors of Tartarus in their attempt to rescue an old friend in this thrilling adventure – set in the funny, mythical and action-packed world of Percy Jackson
Nico di Angelo is pretty familiar with the realms of death, being the son of Hades and all So, when a desperate voice starts plaguing his dreams, Nico is convinced it's coming from the Underworld and belongs to an old friend - a reformed Titan called Bob Then an ominous prophecy leaves Nico in no doubt - Bob needs his help and Nico must rescue him ONE PROPHECY TWO DEMIGODS A HEROIC QUEST
So This is Ever After by F.T Lukens
In a post-apocalyptic America, a community survives in a national park, surrounded by water that keeps the Dead at bay But when winter comes, there's nothing to stop them from crossing the ice Then homebody Peter puts the camp in danger by naively allowing a stranger to come ashore and he's forced to leave the community of Wranglestone Now he must help rancher Cooper the boy he's always watched from afar herd the Dead from their shores before the lake freezes over But as love blossoms a dark discovery reveals the sanctuary's secret past One that forces the pair to question everything they've ever known
Arek hadn’t thought much about what would happen after he completed the prophecy that said he was destined to save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler So now that he’s finally managed to (somewhat clumsily) behead the evil king (turns out magical swords yanked from bogs don’t come pre-sharpened), he and his rag-tag group of quest companions are at a bit of a loss for what to do next As a temporary safeguard Arek’s best friend and mage Matt convinces him to assume the throne until the true heir can be rescued from her tower Except that she’s dead Now Arek is stuck as king a role that comes with a magical catch: choose a spouse by your eighteenth birthday, or wither away into nothing
KS4
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison Dante is a know-it-all who has a unique perspective on life
When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common But as the loners start spending time together, they develop a special friendship – the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about the universe, themselves and the kind of people they want to be
Jamie and Andrew are strangers, and two of the last people on Earth
They don't know what they'll find on their perilous journey but they may just find each other A queer romance about courage, hope and humanity
When the Superflu wipes out most of the population Jamie finds himself completely alone in a cabin in the woods - until an injured stranger crosses his path
Life is dangerous now and, armed with a gun, Jamie goes to pull the trigger But there's something about Andrew something that stops Jamie in his tracks Jamie takes him in, and as Andrew heals and they eventually step out into the strange new world their relationship starts to feel like more than just friendship
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
Those pupils who read every day end up with better GCSE results in all subjects, including Mathematics, compared to those who don't (GL Assessment, 2020)
The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams
The Sun and the Stars by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro
by Darren Charlton
Aristotle and Dante Discover Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
That's Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
