What book should I read?

 

Reading offers children access to worlds they may never see; perspectives they may never have encountered; vocabulary that opens new doors in their writing and ideas that spark their imaginations and lust for life.

There are some truly wonderful books for children aged 8-14 but sometimes it is difficult to know what to read and even harder for parents to decide what is a 'high quality text' book. 

 

Wild World - topic related books

There are some wonderful books, especially about wolves, that link to our Wild World topic. Local libraries can order them for you if they don't have them in stock.

Chapter books

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

The Last Wolf by Michael Mopurgo

Wolf Brother by Michelle Pavin

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf by Catherine Storr

Wolves of the Beyond (series)

 

Picture books

Walk with a Wolf by Janni Howker

Wolves by Emily Garrett

The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gamin

 

Alternative fairy tales

There are some fantastic alternative versions of popular fairy tales listed at

https://www.theliteracyclassroom.co.uk/alternative-fairy-tales

Don't forget the traditional tale classics too

Peter and the Wolf

The Boy who cried Wolf.

 

Information books

Earth in 30 seconds

Wolves of North America (Kids edition)

Wolves - National Geographic Kids

The Usborne Children's Picture Atlas

Amazing World Atlas (Lonely Plant)

 

You can find tips for the best children's books at these websites

http://www.booktrust.org.uk/books/children/100-best-books/ 

http://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

 

Here are my other suggestions:

Wonder by R J Palacio is just superb. There are also two sequels The Julian Chapter and Auggie & Me.

The Messenger Bird by Ruth Eastham.

The Memory Box by Ruth Eastham.

Holes by Louis Sacher.

Itch by Simon Mayo.

Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis.

My name is Mina by David Almond.

Skelleg by David Almond.

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

Trash by Andy Mulligan.

The other side of the Truth by Beverley Naidoo.

Broken Glass by Sally Grindley.

The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne.

Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders.

Fortunately the Milk by Neil Garmin.

A boy and a bear in a boat by Dave Sheldon.

Breaking Starlin's nose by Eugene Yelchin.

Toby Alone by Timothee de Fombelle

The Astounding Brocolli Boy by Frank Cottell-Boyce

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

 

 

Some great book series

Alex Rider

Charlie Bone

Mr Gum

Harry Potter

How to train your dragon

Tom Gates

Spy Girl

Flying Fergus

In 30 seconds (non fiction books about Space, Earth, Inventions, Science and much more)

 

Brilliant picture books that offer lots of opportunity for discussion as well as quality text

The lost happy endings

Beegu

Cloud tea monkeys

Leon and the place between

The man who walked between the towers

Black dog

Wolves in the wall

How to live forever

Tell me a dragon

Way Home

The Wonder

The Promise

 

Gorgeous picture books without text that will spark discussion and imagination

Flotsam by David Weisner (he has many other wonderful books)

Journey, Quest (and soon Return) by Aaron Becker

The Arrival

Imagines by Normal Messenger

 

and finally some authors who have written lots of brilliant books

Michael Mopurgo

David Walliams

Roald Dahl

Philip Pullman

Sally Grindley

David Almond

Ruth Eastham