Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

The Ministry of Manners

Chapter book

This is a cleverly thought out dystopian story imagining what the world could be like with no freedom or privacy and an authoritarian regime controls every part of your life.

Society has broken down in the world due to a lack of manners, courtesy and respect. The Ministry of Manners now controls every aspect of daily life. All spoken and written communication is monitored and life has become a performance for the authorities.

The story follows quiet and well-behaved Alfie, his older sister Margot, who has rebellion in her heart, and their parents, who both work in minor roles for the Ministry. Then rumours surface about The Unsilenced – a group of rebels who are challenging the Ministry with disruptive acts and we hear of The Harmoniser – an AI system built to reshape human behaviour and render people hollow, passive and obedient. To Alfie’s horror, Margot’s resistance flags her to the Ministry and she is taken to a Manners Retreat for personality recalibration, and Dad turns out to be the Harmoniser project leader.

This would be wonderful read-aloud with tense plot moments interspersed with humour, and a set up for a sequel at the end. There’s even a section at the back to explain how a collapsing society had led to a takeover by The Ministry of Manners.

Greek Boy

Tony Bradman

We absolutely love Tony Bradman’s historical fiction, and Greek Boy is a fantastic follow-up to highly recommended history favourites like Anglo-Saxon Boy and Viking Boy. Set in Ancient Greece, the story follows an Athenian boy called Nikos who finds himself thrust into the brutal reality of the Greek Navy to prove his family’s loyalty to the city state.

If you don’t mind a bit of blood, guts and gore, this is the one for you. The story explores themes of loyalty and betrayal, while plunging readers straight into the high-octane world of ancient warfare.

Steeped in historical detail and clearly well researched, the story is aided by a helpful historical note about the context. This gripping adventure brings the Ancient Greece curriculum topic to life for Upper KS2.

Starminster

Megan Hopkins

Chapter book

There is something about a girl being brought up in a rhubarb shed that is instantly interesting and captivating! We only find out why at the end, but it is so compelling and awful and yet at the same time the reader knows there must be a good reason. That is how the story starts and the contrast between the enclosed space and the wide-open spaces is very much in evidence as the story progresses.

As a Londoner I loved the London setting. This is exactly the sort of story I love, combining fantasy and real places and there is even the ubiquitous school to train the students who have magical abilities – in this case wings. The school setting (the Starminster of the title) is actually St Paul’s Cathedral, which is such a fun place for a school.

Suitable for Key Stage 2, this is a wonderful and original story which fantasy lovers (and bird lovers!) will really enjoy.

Tadpole Summer

Catherine Bruton

Chapter book

From the multi-award-winning author of No Ballet Shoes in Syria, comes a story of sibling love and loss, healing and hope.

Frog has always known her younger brother Tad is unwell. He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (called SMA-PME for short) but that has never been an obstacle for their unbreakable bond. They share a room and do everything together, Frog happy to do whatever Tad needs.

But when Tad is taken into hospital, Frog finds it difficult to be in their bedroom alone and starts camping in the garden. She only plans to be there while Tad is away but she finds an unexpected calm amongst the sounds and smells of nature and a space of her own that she’s never had before.

When Tad comes up, their bedroom has to change to accommodate all his hospital equipment and Frog isn’t sure where she fits in their family anymore. She retreats back into the garden, using the excuse of a sponsored camp out for charity. But as Tad’s condition worsens, Frog needs to face the truth that she may not have much longer with him.

Working to bring the small wonders of the natural world to Tad, can Frog find a way to make this last summer together unforgettable?

More beautiful stories by Catherine Bruton:
No Ballet Shoes in Syria, Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2020
Bird Boy, Nero Book Awards Shortlist for Children’s Fiction 2024
Following Frankenstein
Another Twist in the Tale

Kamizen: Fortress of Lost Memories

Sawa Oikawa & William Yamaguchi Dobson

Chapter book

Enter a secret wonderland in the sky where Japanese legends come to life.

Twelve-year-old Jonty desperately wants an adventure but he knows it’s unlikely when he’s stuck at home for the entire summer. But then he meets a talking bonobo in the forest at the back of his house who invites him to enter a magical world behind a Japanese Memory gate. There, he will get to collect wild memories from the time his gramps was a famous primatologist, and soon, his adventure begins.

Behind the gate lies a world far more enchanting than back home. In a world filled with mischievous Japanese beings called yōkai, Jonty must battle to collect the memories in a series of hair-raising trials. But there is an evil sky pirate crew on board a ship who are hellbent on destroying the memories for good, and they have bows and arrows.

Can Jonty battle the pirate crew before time runs out and the wadokei watch-clock strikes?

Perfect for fans of Studio Ghibli and My Neighbour Totoro, this is a middle-grade fantasy adventure with a future classic feel, that focuses on Japanese folklore.
An outstanding and original new voice in children’s fiction.

If the Invader Comes

Tom Palmer

Chapter book

With the spectre of a Nazi invasion looming over Britain, three children are forced into an unlikely allyship in this gripping wartime tale from multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer.

June 1940 – after the devastating defeat of the British forces at Dunkirk, the terrifying prospect of a Nazi invasion of Britain seems ever more likely. In these dark days, three children whose parents are involved in top-secret war work are brought together in unlikely ally ship, covering for their parents and facing down malicious gossip as they come under suspicion from their local community.

Forced to confront the brutal realities of war as it affects every aspect of their lives, the children find the courage to play their part, rescuing survivors and refugees at sea, and undertaking river patrols to detect German E-boat incursions.

But when it appears that the invader is at their shores, will they be able to pull off the most daring feat of all?

Nature Heroes

Jackie Lay & Lily Dyu

Non-fiction, Short story collection

An inspirational collection of short stories celebrating twenty pioneers working with nature to save our world. The perfect gift for any aspiring nature activist.

The natural world is a rich web of animals, plants and other organisms. But this delicate balance is at risk – facing challenges such as climate change, pollution and destruction caused by humans.

While the threat of the biodiversity crisis may feel impossible to overcome, individuals from all over the world have dared to fight for nature, and their astonishing stories prove that change really is possible!

From cleaning-up the mighty Mississippi, to farming coral, to inventing plastic alternatives made from seaweed, it only takes one person to stand up for their beliefs and inspire others to join them. And when we stand together, we can start to change the world.

Like a Brother

Nathanael Lessore

Chapter book

From the multi-award-winning and Sunday Times bestselling author of Steady For This, King of Nothing, What Happens Online and Against All Odds comes a laugh-out-loud new teen comedy about a summer turned upside down!

THEY’RE TOTALLY DIFFERENT. EXCEPT IN ALL THE WAYS THAT MATTER.

Owais lives a chill life. He’s well-liked, funny and everything’s a breeze – until his estranged cousin shows up.

Loud, unpredictable and one bad decision away from serious trouble, Abass crashes into Owais’ laidback world like a hurricane: picking fights, ruining parties, disappearing without explanation and clogging toilets in places he absolutely shouldn’t.

But as the boys get to know each other and their bond deepens, Owais starts to see there’s more to Abass than the chaos – and more to himself than just being the popular guy who coasts through life. Because sometimes, the person who turns your world upside down is also the person who helps you figure out where you’re really meant to be…

Tart

Becki Jayne Crossley

Chapter book

When your world is crumbling around you, how do you make life sweet again?

Libby’s life is turned upside down when a video of her ‘cheating’ on her boyfriend, Dan, goes viral the night he has a serious bike accident. Now the whole school has turned on her and her only friend is Neha, the new girl everyone else ignores.

If Dan doesn’t wake up from his coma soon, the secret he’s been carrying around might disappear along with him. A secret that will change everything. And he’s not the only one hiding things – Neha’s been crushing on Libby for months …

But when Libby finds herself falling for Neha she worries that if she follows her heart she will betray the people she cares about most. Can she discover who she really is before she loses everyone?

A heartwarming friends-to-lovers queer romance about coming out and finding yourself along the way. Perfect for fans of She Gets the Girl and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda.

Gloam

Ben Joel Price & Jack Mackay

Chapter book

In a creaky old house on a small, damp island, someone – or something – is waiting…

A Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week

A grieving family. A decaying house. A babysitter with a monstrous secret. Nothing on Gloam Island is quite what it seems…

Gwen doesn’t need anyone to help her look after her younger siblings. And she isn’t fooled by the beautiful babysitter with the hungry eyes and sharp teeth. But everyone else is. So if Gwen wants Esme Laverne gone, she’ll have to handle it herself.

As Esme’s power grows, Gwen must embrace her deepest fears before she can defeat the monster in her home for good.

Because as everyone knows, it’s impossible to be brave unless you’re already afraid.

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Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

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