Reading Recommendations

Reading is good for you, and literacy changes lives. It affects personal and social development, happiness, behaviour, relationships, education, employment, financial well-being, health, and community and cultural participation. Reading for pleasure has been identified as the most important indicator of the future success of a child, and improvements in literacy, at any point in life, can have a profound effect on an individual.

This article explains the benefits of reading for pleasure in more depth: Reading is Good For You: Literature Review (publishers.asn.au)

In English lessons this half-term, Year 8 have been reading Suzanne Collins’ ‘The Hunger Games’, a dystopian thriller that explores themes of power, inequality, and the strength of human spirit. Fans of The Hunger Games might want to have a look at this Goodreads list of other dystopian fiction to help choose their next read! https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2216.YA_Dystopia_Novels

Beyond this, Year 8 also have some reflections on reading and book recommendations of their own to share!

“Swallows and Amazons: it’s a fun book about four children on holiday; there is a lot of adventure in it, but at the same time its calm and also a classic page-turner!” Tomi, 8 Ruby

“I really liked Lord of the Flies because it is an interesting book which shows us, potentially, how humans would behave if they were stranded on an island. It demonstrates teamwork and the savageness of humans. It includes new vocabulary to discover and, overall, it’s a great book!” Balint, 8 Topaz

“Raven’s Gate: a very interesting book that’s not like any of the other books I have read. The continuation of the series is also really good - it just gets better and better!” Floris, 8 Jade

“Anne of Green Gables: “it is an interesting adventure about Anne and her sibling.” Yuxing, 8 Ruby

“I like reading because reading is fun, and I like knowing more by reading.” – Aima, 8 Topaz

“I like reading because it is a good hobby and makes time fly by.” – Marcel, 8 Jade

“I like reading because it’s interesting and it’s fun.” – Palko, 8 Ruby

“I like reading because it unveils infinite possibilities, and it provides me with a way to zone out. ” – Tomi, 8 Ruby

“I never like reading until year 7 when we read Clockwork. At that point I started to like reading. Now, in Year 8, when we started The Hunger Games, I have realised how important and amazing reading is.” Beni, 8 Ruby

Rachel Rhodes
Head of English