DCPS TOP 10s Reading Challenge for Yr7s and 8s Challenge 01 to read QUALITY novels Challenge 02 to read MORE novels Advice on WHAT to read...... 14 genres!... 150+ recommended books!
DCPS TOP 10s Reading Challenge for Yr7s and 8s Dear Year 7s and Year 8s... and parents, We want you to fall in love with reading for pleasure! Many of you already have. Hoorah! But some of you need advice or a bit of a challenge Advice on what to read... our TOP 10s lists will really help you Challenge 01... to read Quality novels that stretch you and make you think. Let s face it, most of us have dipped into Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Tom Gates. They re amusing and fun... we re not trying to stop you if you like reading them. But we want to challenge you to improve your reading diet rather than only reading that sort of book ( If you only eat chips, breakfast, lunch and supper... bla, bla, bla... hopefully you get the metaphor! ) Challenge 02... to read a bit MORE than you do at the moment. Yes, quality is more important than quantity, but we d love to see you reading 5 or 6 quality books each year if, at the moment, you re only reading 1 or 2 The TOP 10s start on page 10 below. Please take a moment to read the next few pages FIRST. There s lots of helpful advice and FAQs for children and parents. Enjoy falling in love with books and reading for pleasure!
Why bother with reading? Brilliant reason Number 1 -because reading is FUN AND SATISFYING once you ve found a great book When you get into a great read, it feels as good as watching a great movie! Movies and novels are basically about the same thing: STORIES...... GREAT STORIES! However, getting hooked on a book can take a bit more effort than simply loading up a movie and sitting back, eating popcorn. Brilliant reason Number 2 -because reading is GOOD for you...... good for your thinking skills; good for understanding other people around you and for your friendships; good for your English (your spelling, writing, comprehension skills, etc); good for every subject where you have to think, write, read and speak out; good for your physical and mental health; good for getting life in perspective. Developing a good reading habit NOW will help you do better in your GCSEs. So we have created the TOP 10s so that, even if you re not sure what to read, you can try out some of these novels and get started... hoorah
What type of reader are you at the moment? Here are FIVE types of readers in Year 7 and Year 8. Which one sounds most like YOU? 1. I m a reluctant reader... I hardly read at all for pleasure in my own time (Well, at least you are honest which is actually really helpful about 2% of Year 7s and 8s are like you. We would LOVE to see you getting into books and enjoying reading MORE! the Top 10s will help you) 2. I m a slow-but-steady reader... I read for pleasure in my own time, but not all the time (That s a good start you are probably reading 2-5 novels per year about 35% of Year 7s and 8s are like you. Keep it up and, if possible, challenge yourself to read just a bit more... approx. a book every other month... 6+ per year! the Top 10s will help you) 3. I m a good reader... I read quite a bit about a book every other month (That s great... you are probably reading 6+ novels per year. About 25% of Year 7s and 8s are like you keep it up! Use the 10 10s to help you find really good quality novels which will stretch you and expand your thinking) 4. I m a very strong reader... I read a lot about a book a month (That s brilliant... you are probably reading 12+ novels per year. About 20% of Year 7s and 8s are like you keep it up! Use the 10s to help you find really good quality novels which will stretch you and expand your thinking)) 5. I m a bookworm... a PRO-Reader... I eat books I read a book a week or every two weeks! (WOW... you are probably reading 24+ novels per year. About 15% of Year 7s and 8s are like you keep it up!)
How can I get better at reading? Getting better at reading is just like an athlete or sports player getting fitter and stronger: Athletes and readers need a sense of direction and a training programme... goals to work towards. Our Top 10s will help if you don t know what to read or you want some new ideas Athletes and readers need stamina and determination to keep going; readers need it at the start of a novel, in particular, because sometimes it takes effort to get into a book. Athletes don t get fit by putting off their fitness training, and you won t improve your reading by putting it off, either! No moaning... no excuses... get started this week! You ll succeed if you THINK POSITIVE & TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! You are MUCH more likely to succeed if you decide that you want to get better... rather than being FORCED to read by your teacher/parents Believe it is going to be worth it and that it will be enjoyable! Believe it is good for you and that it will help you with those GCSE grades in a few years time! Look for encouragement from people around you: praise and credits from your teacher; praise and incentives from your family (why not read this with your parents and ask them what modest incentive they might be prepared to offer?!)
How did you put together the Top 10s lists? We (English staff) got together with really keen readers in Year 7/Year 8 and our librarian. Everyone chipped in ideas (titles of great novels and names of great authors) to create the TOP 10s. These lists are just suggestions there are lots of other great books in every genre, of course. So you mean I don t have to choose books from this list? No of course not! But it s a really good place to start because children your age have read them and recommended them Alternatively, you could... browse in book shops or in your local library - ASK the shop assistant/librarian for advice ask your friends / family for their advice buy audio books on line and listen! Once you re hooked, you might find yourself wanting to switch from listening to reading read book reviews, online or in magazines look for other book recommendation lists online go on the school website, find the English page and choose from our other lists read the first few chapters with dad or mum, then keep going on your own
I only like reading non-fiction books is that okay? Do they count? YES! If you are reading quality non-fiction (eg biographies or autobiographies) that s really good! Keep reading them. But slip in a few novels as well! Try one of the TOP 10s books and see how you get on. If you are reading magazines, it depends what sort of magazine. These ones are brilliant: - The Junior Week magazine - First News newspaper - How it Works magazine Keep reading them! However, we really want to encourage you to read novels as well, or solid non-fiction books: - biographies and autobiographies (as mentioned above) - travel writing - information books on subjects that interest you, hobbies, etc (music, sports and fitness, art, science, countries of the world, history, animals, technology, etc)
Any other advice, oh wise and brilliant English teachers? Yes, actually! You ll like these... (especially Number 3) 1. Don t force yourself to keep going with a novel if you have got to, say, page 50 and you are reeeeally not getting the plot, or enjoying it at all. 50 pages means that you have shown quite a bit of determination, so WELL DONE for getting that far! Now find another book and don t beat yourself up about stopping the first book... 2. Don t force yourself to keep going with a novel if there is a lot of complicated vocabulary or complicated sentence constructions on each page that confuses you. Find a novel with less complicated vocabulary... and remember you can ask for help 3. Ask your parents what they are reading in their spare time! If the answer is Nothing I don t have time, you have permission from the English department to smile and say, if you want me to read, don t you think you ought to set a good example and do some reading as well? Checkmate! Start monitoring mum / dad s screen time! Confiscate their electricals! Insist that they read for 10 15 mins, most nights of the week at bed time!... and now, for the very last and MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION... SCROLL DOWN......
How much should I be reading? (we are often asked this and we are confident that the following answer is a good one) DRUM ROLL... YOUR RED HOT READING TARGET SHOULD BE... - to read for 10 15 minutes per evening at bedtime, most nights of the week OR - to read 10 15 pages per evening at bedtime, most nights of the week 10 pages just 4 nights of the week = 160 pages per month = approx. a book every 2 months = 6 novels per year brilliant! 15 pages, 5 nights of the week = 300 pages per month = approx. a book every month = 12 novels per year incredible! ELECTRONICS TO BE LEFT OUTSIDE THE BEDROOM YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE Good, steady readers Very strong readers Bookworms! Xmas term 1-2 books 2-3 books 5-6 books Xmas hols 1 1-2 4-5 Lent term 1 2-3 3-4 Lent hols 1 2 4-5 Summer term 1 2-3 3-4 Summer hols 1-2 3 5-6 OVERALL TARGET 6+ books read per year 12+ books read per year 24+ books read per year
DCPS TOP 10s Reading Challenge for Yr7s and 8s English staff and keen Year 7/Year 8 readers have worked together to create a list of our TOP 10 recommended novels in 14 different genres. You don t have to choose books from this list, but... These novels are recommended by pupils in Y7 and Y8 just like you These novels are all available for you to sample at the start of English lessons and in breaks. We keep them in labelled boxes in our classrooms (Mr Shelley and Mr Standing). You can try them out (have a taster ) but you can t take them away. When you find a novel you like, go to the library and find a copy... take it out and read it in full Challenge yourself to read novels from several different genres during this year... 1 Action Guns Gangs Violence Death 2 Adventure Challenges Journeys Thrillers 3 Animals 4 Biographies and Autobiographies 5 Comedy 6 Fantasy 7 Friendship and friendship difficulties 8 Historical 9 Love and Romance 10 Other Cultures Children living in other countries and cultures 11 Scary Ghosts Vampires Spooky 12 Science Fiction 13 Spies, Detectives and Mystery 14 Teens! Issues Diaries Romance We intend to add more genres for example: War Stories, Travel Stories, Sports stories. can you think of others? If so, let Mr Shelley know!
TOP 10 Action Guns Gangs Violence Death Nought and Crosses by Malorie Blackman Nought and Crosses series - 5 novels The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games trilogy Maze Runner by James Dashner Maze Runner series - 5 novels Silverfin Young Bond by Charlie Higson Young Bond series - 5 novels + new series of Young Bond novels - author Steve Cole Stormbreaker by Anthony Horwitz Alex Rider series - 10 novels, + graphic novels by Rob Lloyd Jones Wild Boy The Recruit by Robert Muchamore CHERUB series - 17 novels Trash by Andy Mulligan Divergent by Veronica Roth The Divergent trilogy The Hit by Alan Zadoff Boy Nobody series Suggestions to Mr Shelley, please! James Bond by Ian Fleming [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and WHSmiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Adventure Challenges Journeys Thrillers Nought and Crosses by Malorie Blackman Nought and Crosses series - 5 novels Warriors Into the Wild by Erin Hunter Warriors series - 30+ novels + graphic ns Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant series - 9 novels War Horse by Michael Morpurgo and many more books by Morpurgo! Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo and many more books by Morpurgo! The Recruit by Robert Muchamore Cherub series - 17 novels Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman His Dark Materials trilogy The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan Heroes of Olympus series - 10 novels + 3 graphic ns Divergent by Veronica Roth The Divergent trilogy Holes by Louis Sachar Kensuke s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo The Adventures of Tintin by Herge [Georges Remi] series of 24 graphic novels Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome Swallows and Amazons series 12 novels Lord of the Flies by William Golding [to order] The famous Five by Enid Blyton The Famous Five series 21 novels The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier A brilliant, heart-warming one-off novel DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Animals Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl + many others by Roald Dahl! A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen Whale Boy by Nicola Davis not in the library Warrior Cats - Into the Wild by Erin Hunter Warriors series - 30+ novels, & graphic ns Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo + many others by Morpurgo! War Horse by Michael Morpurgo + many others by Morpurgo! Animal Farm by George Orwell Eye of the Wolf by Daniel Pennac not in the library The One Dollar Horse by Lauren St John The One Dollar Horse series 3 novels The Last Wild by Piers Torday Last Wild trilogy Butterfly Lion The Sheep Pig Charlotte s Web by Michael Morpurgo by Dick King-Smith by E.B. White Watership Down by Richard Adams My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell Black Beauty by Anna Sewell [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Biographies and Autobiographies Going Solo by Roald Dahl Zlata s Diary by Zlata Filipovic War Child to War Horse by Michael Morpurgo I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai We are currently developing this list. We need your suggestions, please! There are lots of interesting brief biographies in the library, including the ones below: An interview with J.K. Rowlings by Lindsay Fraser Telling Tales series All about Jacqueline Wilson by Vic Parker All about series Benjamin Zephaniah by Vic Parker Writers uncovered series Quentin Blake by Chris Powling Tell me about series Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank All creatures great and small by James Herriot [to order] My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Comedy The Brilliant World of Tom Gates by Liz Pichon series of 12+ novels Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce also try Framed Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl and many other novels by Dahl! Flour Babies by Anne Fine and many other novels by Fine! Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney series of 11+ novels The Killer Underpants by Michael Lawrence and others by Michael Lawrence Flirty Dancing by Jenny McLachlan series of 4 novels A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket series of 13 novels The Boy in the Dress by David Walliams also try Billionaire Boy Awful End by Philip Ardagh Eddie Dickens Series - 6 novels Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon series of 24 novels Mr Stink by David Walliams Just William by Richmal Crompton [series of 39 novels - [to order] Ask for our Top Ten Comedy Classics list lots more brilliant comedy novels from the distance past there! DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Fantasy [Note: there is a huge overlap between Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller and Adventure!] Harry Potter and the Philosopher s Stone by J.K. Rowling Harry Potter series 7 novels Skellig by David Almond Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl series 8 novels The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games trilogy I, Coriander by Sally Gardner [currently out of print] Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy Skullduggery Pleasant series 9 nvls Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Twilight series of 4 novels Eragon by Christopher Paolini Inheritance Cycle series 4 novels Northern Lights by Phillip Pullman His Dark Materials trilogy The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Olympians series - 5 novels, + graphic novels by Cressida Cowell How to Train Your Dragon How to Train Y D series 12 books by Adam Blade Beast Quest by Erin Hunter Into the Wild Warriors series [[to order - Manga version] by J.R.R. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien by Philippa Pearce by Alan Garner The Hobbit The Lord of The Rings Trilogy Tom s Midnight Garden The Owl Service DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Friendships and friendship difficulties Boys Don t Cry by Malorie Blackman other great novels Street cat called Bob by James Bowen Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan and also try: One by Sarah Crossan The Apple Tart of Hope by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald Paper Towns by John Green Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon Good Night Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson Holes by Louis Sachar A Boy Called Hope by Lara Williamson Beautiful Creatures Graphic novel version by Kami Garcia Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery [to order] Lord of the Flies by William Golding DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Historical Stay where you are then leave by John Boyne Author of The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas see next item!! The Boy in The Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne Once by Morris Gleitzmann Once series 4 novels set in Second World War The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence The Roman Mysteries series 17 novels War Horse by Michael Morpurgo set in First World War An Eagle in the Snow by Michael Morpurgo set in Second World War The Escape by Robert Muchamore Henderson s Boys series 7 novels set in Second World War Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson set in Victorian England Eliza Rose by Lucy Worsley The Book Thief by Markus Zusak set in Second World War, Germany Anne Boleyn and Me by Alison Prince My Story series 20+ books [by Scholastics] To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Across the Barricades by Joan Lingard [Set in 1970s, Northern Ireland] [to order] The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Suttcliffe [Roman Britain, 2 nd Century AD] [to order] Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease [Set at time of Shakespeare s theatre, 1601] [to order] I, Coriander by Sally Gardner [set in time of Oliver Cromwell current out of print] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Love and Romance If I Stay by Gayle Forman If I stay series 2, so far The Fault in our Stars by John Green Amy and Matthew by Cammie McGovern Twilight by Stephanie Meyer Twilight series of 4 novels Me before you by Jojo Meyes Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater The Wolves of Mercy Falls - Trilogy Boys don t knit (In public) by T.S.Easton Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman Others by Malorie Blackman Pink and Green is the New Black by Lisa Greenwald Pink and Green - series Suggestions to Mr Shelley, please! Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen [to order] Across the Barricades by Joan Lingard [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Other Cultures Children living in other countries and cultures Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari Mud City by Deborah Ellis Chandra by Frances Hendry The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah Trash by Andy Mulligan A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park Now is the time for running by Michael Williams Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah Little Soldier by Bernard Ashley I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai [to order] Oranges in no man s land Drawing a Veil by Elizabeth Laird by Lari Don The Trouble with Donavan Croft by Bernard Ashley [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Scary Ghosts Vampires Spooky Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Twilight series of 4 novels Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge Not in library by F.E. Higgins The Black Book of Secrets Tales from the Sinister City series of 4 The Enemy by Charlie Higson The Enemy series of 7+ novels The Woman in Black by Susan Hill Breathe by Cliff McNish The Vanished by Celia Rees [to order] White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh Not in library Ghost Stadium Goosebumps series by Tom Palmer by R L Stine Dracula by Bram Stoker Shorter version in library Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Shorter version in library Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Shorter version in library DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Science Fiction (Sci-Fi) Artemis Fowl - Book 1 by Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl series 8 novels The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games trilogy The Maze Runner by James Dashner The Maze Runner series 5 novels Gone by Michael Grant Gone series - 6 novels The Next Together by Lauren James The Next Together series 2 novels Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter by Simon Mayo Itch series 3 + novels The Set Up [Medusa Project] by Sophie McKenzie Medusa Project series 6 novels The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness Chaos Walking trilogy Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve Mortal Engines series 4 novels Divergent by Veronica Roth Divergent trilogy Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce The War of the Worlds by H G Wells [to order] The Hitchhiker s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams [to order] The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham [to order] Isaac Asimov by I, Robot [to order] Z for Zachariah by Robert O Brien [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Spies, Detectives, Mystery Hacker by Malorie Blackman I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter Gallagher Girls series - 6+ novels Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child Ruby Redfort series - 6 novels Silverfin - Young Bond by Charlie Higson Young Bond series - 5 novels + new series of Young Bond novels - author Steve Cole Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz Alex Rider series - 10 novels, + graphic novels Higher Institute of Villainous Education H I V E by Mark Walden H I V E series - 8 novels Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie Girl Missing - trilogy The Recruit by Robert Muchamore CHERUB Series - 12 novels Also try - Henderson Boys series Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries series - 5 novels The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow by Katherine Woodfine The Sinclair s Mysteries series - 3 novels [to order] Alex Rider graphic novels [see above for details] Young Bond graphic novels [see above for details] by Anthony Horowitz by Charlie Higson Sherlock Holmes Books by Arthur Conan Doyle Novels and short stories 1886-1914 [to order] And then there were none by Agatha Christie [to order] DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H. Smiths and Amazon, etc!
TOP 10 Teens! Issues Diaries Romance Geek Girl by Holly Smale Geek Girl series - 6 novels Girl Online by Zoe Sugg Girl Online series - 3 novels The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot series - 10+ novels Cherry Crush by Cath Cassidy Chocolate Box Girls series 5 novels Pink and Green is the New Black by Lisa Greenwald Flirty Dancing by Jenny McLachlan The Ladybirds series 4 novels Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series 10 novels not in library Dandelion Clocks by Rebecca Westcott Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson Girls series 4 novels DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s DCPS TOP 10s Note! These novels have recommended by Year 8s / 7s or staff, or have received some good reviews on the internet. Try our school library and Waterstones and W.H.Smiths and Amazon, etc!