KS3 Supporting Struggling Readers

The List is the story of Jake whose best friend, Denny, is about to move away. But Denny is not just Jake’s best friend, he is his only real friend – it’s always just been the two of them, and Jake can’t imagine what his life will be like without him. It’s the end of an era, and Jake isn’t ready.

Denny doesn’t want to leave, but his mum has got a new job, and he doesn’t have a choice. In the days before Denny is due to leave, he comes up with a list of things he wants to do before he goes. It is a list of things that have gone wrong that he wants to put right, but none of them are going to be easy to achieve. In fact, Jake thinks they’re impossible, but Denny is his best friend, so he agrees to help.

What follows is adventure and mischief and a story of friendships tested and new relationships formed.

This is a short, pacey read for young teens. Although an easy read, it is a realistic portrayal of teenage life and tackles the complexity of being a teenager and the range of emotions that are felt. This book will encourage readers to think about the true value of friendship and the impression people leave on our lives, even at a young age

With a high-interest premise for today’s teens, Keren David’s fast-paced novel explores a challenge offered to a group of students: give up their phones for six weeks to win a prize of one thousand pounds.

The story follows Esther, who struggles with the challenge as she uses her phone to keep in contact with her father and sister in New York. She soon realises that not everyone is playing the challenge fairly.

This relatable story offers a look at the impact of technology and social media on young people in a fair and balanced way – unapologetically touching on both pros and cons of teenage mobile phone use. Written in a dyslexia-friendly format, it is an ideal and accessible short read exploring themes of friendship, peer pressure and the digital world.

A truly funny and poignant look at first love and the fumbling attempts to gain the attention of a new girl in school.

Hilarious, cool, heartfelt, soulful and brilliant!

A short and powerful chapter book about life in the cotton mills for children during the Industrial Revolution.

Bess is sent to a London workhouse after her Ma falls ill and passes away. She decides to move to a northern rural cotton mill where she is promised a better life, an education and better living conditions. This is not the reality, but instead she is put to work as a threader on the large, noisy and dangerous machinery in the overheated mill.

On her first day, she and the others are told of the vicious and blood-thirsty mermaid who lives in the millpond, who will attack any child who tries to escape the mill or work – Bess thinks this is nonsense and is a myth. However, when she finds herself in trouble and wanting to leave her new ‘home’, she sees something in the murky waters – reaching for freedom.

This is a dyslexia-friendly chapter book that is also thought-provoking and rich with historical information about life for working children in Victorian times.

Inspired to take a walk on the moors by their Dad, who remembered taking such walks with their grandad when he was their age, Nicky and Kenny set off with their Jack Russel terrier on what should have been nothing more than a stroll to take in the views and blow off a bit of energy after being cooped up during the Easter holidays. Even as they step off the bus to begin their walk, Nicky can see the weather changing as a few flakes of snow become more of a blizzard, and what had been a fun adventure leaves them frozen to the core, lost and alone.

Picking up the slim tome, I initially wondered how this diminutive volume could live up to the reviews, especially as I am not familiar with the three prior titles in the series, but I needn’t have worried. Heartbreaking and soul-restoring in equal measure, you’re swept along on their journey with insights into some of their lives and troubles before the time and to the depths of their fear, pain and anguish as their stroll takes a more dangerous turn. Incredibly emotive, more sensitive readers may find some of the text upsetting.

This book doesn’t waste a single word. Unquestionably a rich source for writing and discussion.