English - Top Titles
| Title | Author | Strengths | Type | Suitable for less experienced readers | Age range | |
| Point Blank | Horrowitz | Very active page turner | Fiction | Both | y | 7-9 |
| Noughts & Crosses | Malorie Blackman |
| Fiction |
|
| 8-9 |
| Hitler's Daughter | Jackie French |
|
|
|
|
|
| Never Walk Alone |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The White Darkness | Geraldine McCaughrean | Original, quickly establishes central character, realistic & humorous | Fiction |
| n | 7 to 8 |
| Mortal Engines | Phillip Reeve | Fantasy adventure set in the far future. Similar in style to The Wind Singer trilogy. This is also the first of a trilogy. Cities are on the move and lives are in danger. | Fiction | Both | y | 8 + 9 |
| Holes | Lewis Sachar | Interesting story. Requires some concentration to maintain knowledge of characters past & present. Film to supplement reading. Follows the novel closely maintaining continuity. | Fiction | Both | With guidance | 8 |
| Stone Cold |
| Relevant issues of family breakdown, homelessness and problems of young. Written in first person, narrative short chapters. Lots of support material and video available. | Fiction | Both |
| 10 |
| Shadow of the Minatour | Alan Gibbons | Terrific read. Good for boys | Fiction | Boys |
|
|
| The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas | John Boyne | An interesting read which looks at the 2nd WW through the eyes of a 9 yr old boy. A moving, funny and fragile novel. (cried at the end, you will too) | Non- Fiction | Both | y | 7 + 8 |
| Private Peaceful | Michael Morpurgo | There is a novel or a playscript that has been adapted from the novel. (Same characters and plot). Great for early preparation for KS4 war poetry. | Fiction | Both |
| KS4 |
| Refugee Boy | Benjamin Zephaniah | Tackles issues of asylum seekers/prejudice | Fiction | Both |
| 7 - 8 |
| Chasing Redbird | Sharon Creech |
|
| Girls |
| 7 |
| Two Weeks with the Queen | Morris Gleitzman |
|
|
|
|
|
| Most titles | Barrington Stoke | Large print, easy read. For children suffering from dyslexia |
|
|
|
|
| Inkheart | Conelia Funke | Mo and his daughter can "read" characters in and out of books leading to adventure full of danger and fantasy. | Fiction | Both | n | 7-9 more able |
| Face | Benjamin Zephaniah | Accessible language which includes 'slang', swearing and clubbing. A sad ending so beware | Non- Fiction | Boys |
| 9 |
| Alex Rider series of books about a boy spy | Anthony Horrowitz | Enjoyable, straightforward reads | Fiction | Both |
| 7 + 8 plus |
| Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time | Mark Haddon | Point of view of an Aspergers Syndrome boy who is 15 years, 3 months and 3 days. | Fiction | Both | y | 9 - 11 |
| Chinese Cinderella | Adeline Yen Mah | Deals with issues from other cultures and women's issues too. | Non- Fiction | Girls |
| 7 - 9 |
| Millions | Frank Cottrell Boyce | Encourages sensitivity, but also moral and political debate about the problems of sudden wealth (lottery winner), European union and spirituality. | Fiction | Both |
| 8 and high ability year 7 |
| The Kite Rider | Geraldine McCaughrean | Some PHSE issues, obedience to parents, bullying | Fiction | Both | n | 8 - 9 |
| Witch Child | Celia Rees | Exciting for students. Links to history, cultures & citizenship. Deals with persecution etc which grabs attention and builds tension. | Fiction | Both | n | 8 + |
| Diary of an (Un) teenager | Pete Johnson | For weaker readers. Suitable teen topics. Very popular | Fiction | Both | y | 7 + |
| Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry | Mildred D Taylor | Immensely informative about race relations in southern USA in 1930s | Fiction | Both |
| 8 + 9 |
| Boy in the Girl's Bathroom | Lewis Sachar | It's funny & poignant & very good with regard to not fitting in. Lots of short chapters | Fiction | Both | Y | 7 |
| Various | Heinemann | Various types of writing on football and it's wider impact. Including drama and comedy | Fiction | Both | Y |
|
| Unique | Alison Alle Gray | Introduces students to a range of issues including cloning and moral issues | Fiction | Both |
| 7 - 8 |
| Looking for JJ | Anne Cassidy | Explores a range of relevant issues - focuses on a girl convicted of murdering her best friend who is reintegrated into society. | Fiction | Girls |
| 8 - 9 |
| The Lastling | P Gross |
| Fiction | Both |
| 7 |
| The Edge |
|
| Fiction | Both |
|
|
| Calling a Dead Man | G.Cross |
| Fiction | Both |
|
|
| Year 7 |
| The Breadwinner – Deborah Ellis |
| The Journey to River Sea – Eva Ibbotson |
| The Dark Horse – Marcus Sedgwick |
| Whispers in the Graveyard – Theresa Breslin |
| Millions – Frank Cottrell Boyce |
| Boy Overboard – Morris Gleitzman |
| Girl Overboard – Morris Gleitzman |
| Shadow of the Minotaur – Alan Gibbons |
| Stormbreaker – Anthony Horowitz |
| Point Blank - Anthony Horowitz |
| Year 8 |
| Fat Boy Swim – Catherine Forde |
| The Edge – Alan Gibbons |
| Holes – Louis Sachar |
| The Fire Eaters – David Almond |
| Private Peaceful – Michael Morpurgo |
| Love that Dog – Sharon Creech |
| Goggle Eyes – Anne Fine |
| Year 9 |
| You Don’t Know Me – David Klass |
| The Tulip Touch – Anne Fine |
| Stone Cold – Robert Swindells |
| Thursday’s Child – Sonya Hartnett |
| Witch Child – Celia Rees |
| Tightrope – Gillian Cross |
| Title | Author | Recommended because: | Type | Suitable for less experienced readers | Suitable for years: | |
| Lost Continent |
| Non- Fiction | Boys |
| 11 | |
| Gangsta Rap | Benjamin Zephaniah | Good for disaffected students, sees things from their point of view yet still views establishment in positive light | Fiction | Both | N | 9 + 10 |
| A Gathering Light | Jennifer Donnelly | Challenging read | Fiction | Girls |
| 10+ |
| The Kite Runner | Khaled Hosseini | Other cultures covered | Fiction | Both |
| 10+ |
| Tamburlaine Must Die | Louise Welsh | Good link for 12/13 English literature students | Fiction | Both |
| 12/13 |
| March |
| The story of the father figure in "Little Women" | Fiction |
| N | 10-13 |
| We need to talk about Kevin | Lionel Shriver | A gripping page turner. Disturbing. Only suitable for the most able and mature reader. |
|
|
|
|