Age Group: KS3 (Ages 11-14)

The Hobbit

Chapter book

First published in 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit has become known as a classic book for children and one that remains highly recommended today, particularly for secondary school students.

The story follows the magical adventure of one of the best-loved characters in fantasy literature – peace-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

This book’s engaging narrative and accessible language make it an ideal introduction to longer-form storytelling and the wild and imaginative cast of characters (like the wizard Gandalf, the band of dwarves and Smaug the dragon) familiarise a variety of key tropes of the fantasy genre. It also lays a foundation for appreciating the broader world of Tolkien’s Middle-earth, should readers wish to explore further.

Exciting, strange, magical, adventurous and gripping!

A Monster Calls

Patrick Ness & Siobhan Dowd

Chapter book

This is an award-winning and profoundly evocative tale by Patrick Ness. Filled with pathos, this is not a story for the faint-hearted. In equal parts emotionally challenging and rewarding, the narrative also offers a profound exploration of love, loss and hope found in unexpected places.

Conor has experienced the same terrifying nightmare since his mother’s illness began. One night, a different kind of visitor arrives at his window – an ancient, elemental monster. As Conor grapples with his mother’s worsening condition, bullies at school and worries about family relationships, the monster’s nightly visits and enigmatic stories force him to confront his deepest fears and the painful realities he struggles to acknowledge.

This powerful novel explores themes of grief, loss and fear while also highlighting the courage required to confront troubling truths and raw human emotions. Ness doesn’t shy away from the deep sadness of Conor’s situation, but at the same time weaves in elements of light and dark and points the reader towards the slow but hopeful process of healing.

A Monster Calls is a poignant and unforgettable modern classic, best suited for mature readers in Key Stages 3 and 4.

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

Chapter book

This popular and thoroughly gripping series mixes high-stakes action with thought-provoking themes of social injustice and the cost of conflict – making it a modern must-read for young adults.

In the first book in the series, readers are first introduced to the brutal world of Panem, where the chilling Hunger Games force teenagers from twelve districts to fight to the death in a televised spectacle. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps up to volunteer as a tribute in the Games in order to protect her younger sister. For Katniss, this becomes the start of a desperate fight for survival that results in the beginnings of a movement of rebellion against the oppressive Capitol.

With a resilient female lead in Katniss and a relentlessly paced plot, The Hunger Games and its subsequent books offer a thrilling dystopian adventure that are a proven hit with teen readers and have subsequently been made into hit films.

Highly recommended, this series is perfect for fans of action-packed stories with strong characters, a dose of brutality and meaningful themes.

Musical World

Jeffrey Boakye

Non-fiction

Jeffrey Boakye’s Musical World presents an exploration of 20th and 21st-century global history through the lens of 40 influential songs. By examining artists like Shakira and John Lennon, Boakye reveals how music reflects pivotal historical moments and social changes worldwide, offering a unique and accessible way for young teens to engage with significant historical events and understand the link between music and global issues.

This book is the follow-up to Musical Truth, which focuses on British history, whereas Musical World widens out into a global perspective. Both can be read and enjoyed as standalones.

With its playlist format spanning a range of musical genres, the book introduces important artists alongside topics like discrimination and liberation. Musical World provides a unique and thought-provoking experience of learning, which is bound to offer young people an appealing way to engage with global history. By encouraging critical thinking and harnessing the power of music to connect with and comment on the world around us, the book becomes a highly valuable and appealing non-fiction choice for children in today’s secondary schools.

The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank

Chapter book

This is the definitive edition of The Diary of a Young Girl, which details the experiences of Anne Frank as a Jewish girl whose family fled Nazi occupation during World War II.

Anne’s story is written in diary format and provides details of the months leading up to her time in hiding, background about her family and the political situation in Germany and then the Netherlands. The diary depicts Anne’s short life from her hiding place in the Annexe until she was discovered in 1944. It also gives details about those she was in hiding with and the very brave people who kept them safe.

The book is now considered a classic and is accessible for secondary school children – with language and themes appropriate for children in Key Stage. The book could be used in schools in a wider teaching context or for children to read in their own time, although discussion around the events of the book is always recommended. Anne’s is no ordinary diary and the gravity of the historical and political context needs to be keenly felt, particularly as our children grow up in an age where it would seem they need to be alert to hate crimes, extreme political movements and discrimination in various forms.

Nonetheless, her story is a remarkable and eye-opening one that – despite its dark historical context – also celebrates acts of courage in the face of adversity, making it a key text for readers in Key Stage 3.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (Oxford)

Arthur Conan Doyle

Chapter book

Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles is a well-loved Sherlock Holmes mystery that delivers a blend of detective work and chilling Gothic suspense. Readers are thrown into a mystery surrounding Sir Charles Baskerville’s death and the terrifying legend of a spectral hound haunting the moors. This classic offers students an ideal introduction to the conventions of the mystery genre and key Gothic themes like suspense and the supernatural, meaning that it remains an engaging and popular choice of an older text.

First published in 1902, this is a story for adults that is often also read in secondary schools, providing an introduction to classic literature. The language offers a challenge to stretch stronger readers in KS3 while the narrative remains accessible enough for enjoyable comprehension and the chilling tropes of mysteries, curses and hauntings offer as much stimulation to the modern teen audience as they did to the original readership.

Following the inimitable Sherlock Holmes and his loyal companion Dr Watson as they unravel the secrets behind the Baskerville curse, young readers will enjoy trying to stay one step ahead of Sherlock- and whether they solve the case or not, they will finish with a significant and iconic literary work under their reading belt.

Stitch

Pádraig Kenny

Chapter book

A compelling, atmospheric and gothic Frankenstein-inspired adventure by an award-winning Irish author.

Stitch is not a monster – he’s a creation.

He and his friend Henry Oaf were brought to life by the genius Professor Hardacre, and have spent all their days in a castle deep in the woods, far from humankind. But when the Professor dies and his pompous nephew comes to take over the laboratory, they soon find out that his sights are set not on scientific discovery, but personal glory. And Henry is his next experiment.

Can Stitch and Henry escape his clutches and make their way in a world they were never built for – and may never be ready for them?

The Boy Next Door

Jenny Ireland

Chapter book

The new novel by Carnegie Medal nominated author Jenny Ireland. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Jennifer Niven.

Now she wasn’t Molly Cassidy, St Anne’s pain-in-the-hole princess. She was nine-year-old Molly who was my best friend in the whole world. Nobody had put her in the recovery position. All these people and they’d just left her like that . . . I held her hand until the ambulance came.
Finbar and Molly live next door to each other. When they were children, they spent hours and hours together. They were best friends. Until they weren’t.

Now 18, Fin and Molly move in very different circles. Molly is popular, pretty, dating the most handsome boy in the whole school. Fin has one friend and he’s pretty sure he hates his dad and his little sister.

At a party one night, though, they’re pulled together in a way neither of them expects and then follows a year that will see them experiencing life-changing challenges, friendships, love and everything in between.

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (New Edition)

Various Authors

Short story collection

This book is very special, and with the foiled cover and silver edges, it truly is a beautiful book. The original book is a modern classic and a staple for many classrooms and children’s bookshelves and now it is nearing the 10th anniversary of its first release, the revised addition includes 22 new stories of women to celebrate including the scientist Katalin Karikó who made the development of a COVID-19 vaccine possible, Mikawla Shiffrin an alpine skier, activist Greta Thunberg, the mega star Taylor Swift and the acclaimed author Judy Blume.

It is a book that you can dip into and learn about the achievements and talents of women around the world. Each page begins with ‘Once upon a time’ or other story openings as if you were sharing a fairy tale, but it is a wonderful story about inspirational women. There are more than 80 female artists from all over the world who created the portraits of each woman in the book.

There is a lovely section at the back of the book for you to ‘Write your story’ and ‘Draw your portrait’ so that you can be part of the book. For those who enjoy timelines, starting from 1479 BCE and finishing in 2024, you can see where the women changed history. An inspirational text that will inspire generations to come.

Rebel Heart

Ally Sherrick

Chapter book

Rebel Heart is an exciting adventure story set during the reign of King Charles I and the English Civil War. The main character is a girl called Merriweather Pryce, the daughter of a warrior fighting for the king. She decides, after hearing about Oliver Cromwell and his plans to divide the country, to leave her home and find a safe place to live. The story’s setting makes it unique, and the character is wonderfully feisty. However, the character of Merlin will undoubtedly become a favourite. The raven beings addional mystery and intrigue to the story.

It’s a fantastic class reader and offers a fresh perspective on this period in history. It would be suitable for upper Key Stage Two.