Accelerated Reader – Year 7

Check Mates weaves together the stories of 11-year-old Felix and his lonely grandad in a heartwarming read full of empathy, humour and an encouragement to look beyond the unusual behaviour of others in order to connect with the human stories that lie beneath. As they spend time together, Grandad teaches Felix how to play chess, and the pair forms a bond that brings blessings to each of them in surprising ways.

The early chapters offer stirring insights into Felix’s thought processes and the sense of hopelessness that he feels at his own failure to stay out of trouble at school, ending up in an isolation room time and time again.

Readers of Stewart Foster’s previous books will have come to expect gritty real-life issues to be unpacked in a hugely compassionate and accessible way through the eyes of a likeable young narrator. This story is narrated by Felix, who struggles to concentrate at school and at home because of his ADHD.

Check Mates is a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read that will strike a chord with readers in the 10-13 age bracket.

Any child who has loved Phil Earle’s war stories or Sheila Burnford’s ‘The Incredible Journey’ will love ‘I am Rebel’.

Ross Montgomery tells the story of Tom, a restless and idealistic farm boy, who makes the dangerous decision to join a civil rebellion against an oppressive and heartless king, and Rebel, his brave and faithful dog. Rebel, determined to track Tom down, sets out on a journey to find him and makes friends along the way. What begins as one dog’s search for his boy turns into an epic animal odyssey.

Montgomery draws in all kinds of issues to his narrative; the desire of a young boy to rebel and follow the promise of a dream in defiance of his parents, his misguided trust in an unknown adult, and, more positively, the power of love and faithfulness in friendships and family.

It is often said of new releases that they read like classics – but this one truly does. Ross Montgomery’s vivid and emotive storytelling paired with simple language make it a must for school libraries. It’s timeless, touching, and thrilling throughout.

This is the story of a young Ethiopian boy called Solomon, who has a passion for running. He dreams of becoming a medal-winning athlete. Little does he know that soon he will need to run with all his might in a race to save his grandfather’s life. This inspiring story was shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal.

A popular and humorous choice from the award-winning author Frank Cottrell Boyce.

This novel tells the story of Liam, an incredibly tall twelve-year-old who attempts to pass as an adult in order to accompany his friend Florida on a trip to space that she won in a competition.

It has been likened to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in a space setting, and contains discussion questions and bonus material for use in class.

New York Times bestselling author Renée Watson brings a heart-warming story about discovering the places that make us who we are.

Amara is 12 and lives in Oregon. She longs to visit New York so that she can find out about her heritage and see where her Dad grew up. Her Mum doesn’t have any family left, her Dad doesn’t talk about his, and with a new sibling on the way Amara is feeling a bit lost. She eventually persuades her Mum and Dad to take her to New York for her birthday and she is incredibly excited to meet her Grandpa Earl and her two cousins.

However, New York is busier than she imagined, Dad and Grandpa Earl are not talking to each other, and one of her cousins is not particularly welcoming. Dad spends most of the time working which makes it hard for her to work on the secret mission her Mum has given her: to bring her Dad and Grandpa Earl back together.

Things start to look up when Grandpa Earl arranges for Amara’s cousins Nina and Ava to take her sightseeing. While Nina is happy to show her around, Ava can’t understand why she is so fascinated by New York and rushes her past everything. Can Amara discover more about her heritage and bring her family back together?

I absolutely loved reading this heart-warming book, with its fascinating themes of identity, belonging, black culture and family running through the plot. It would make a brilliant book to read in Y7 as it raises many discussion points throughout, such as how Amara’s family treat her, how Amara behaves when she is in New York, the value of cultural heritage and the importance of family.

When Life Gives You Mangoes is set in the Jamaica of Kereen Getten’s childhood; as such the book is evocatively full of sunshine, lush vegetation, and laid back freedom to roam through long summer days.

Clara, the protagonist, is touchingly honest, feisty and wild, but can’t abide being near water. As the story goes on, we realise that something happened last summer that Clara cannot or will not remember. In trying to push everyone away, including her patient and wise father, she runs straight into the arms of her uncle, an exile from the village about whom rumours roam and mistrust hangs.

The book deals with Clara’s amnesia and anxiety with gentleness and kindness, and it’s a great story for exploring mental health and the ways in which we protect ourselves from trauma. In the end it is Clara’s uncle who helps her come to terms with her past, and this beautiful twist leads both to Clara’s healing, and the restoration of her uncle to the village community.

I really enjoyed the themes of redemption and forgiveness, friendship, community and kindness that run through this story, and the taste of another place and culture that it gives the reader. For all these reasons, it’s definitely earns its place on a KS3 library bookshelf!

This masterpiece is written by Benjamin Zephaniah, and it delivers a powerful story about what it was like to be part of the Windrush Generation.

Based on real events of the time, this fictional story features Leonard, a boy who was born in Jamaica and grew up in England. The women in Leonard’s life have instilled a deep sense of his Caribbean heritage and history, teaching him the stories that have been handed down through generations… not the history and songs that have been taught in his school.

Looking for a brighter future for them all, his family respond to the post-war plea from Great Britain for workers from the Empire to relocate to rebuild a broken country. In 1958, on a cold April morning, they arrive in Southampton – the reception they receive is frosty, in more ways than one. And so begins Leonard’s life in England, and we see how he is treated at school, at work, socially and in his later years too.

At times, this is a difficult read. How can society continually undervalue people who have given it so much? But it is also an important and powerful read, endorsed by Amnesty International, and would be well-placed in the hands of readers aged 10-14.

This is the first book in a hugely popular series of fantasy novels. The books follow the adventures of magical skeleton detective Skulduggery Pleasant and his niece and mentee, 12-year-old Stephanie. Together with other friends and comrades, Skulduggery and Stephanie (who is also known as Valkyrie Cain) fight against evil forces threatening the world.

Readers who love getting stuck into a fantasy series will find plenty to keep them hooked on in this series – mystery, action and adventure as well as an imaginative cast of characters and a host of cool fantasy settings.

This is an atmospheric story set in an alternative near-future London. The city is a dangerous place for many, dominated by strict social rules, a system of racial superiority and un-abolished slavery that developed from colonialism. In this London, Adam and Zadie are both children who have been made to feel like outsiders. The story centres on their discovery of a mythical creature – a Tyger who is hiding after being hunted and wounded. Adam helps the injured Tyger and a friendship blossoms. Soon, the Tyger teaches Adam a renewed philosophical outlook on life and helps him tap into his hidden gifts. The children set about to protect and save the Tyger, and as fear and oppression rage in the city of London, the children’s courage to save the Tyger makes wider ripples than they could ever imagine.

There’s something timelessly alluring about tigers in children’s books, especially those that have time to sit down and talk with you. This Tyger has a mystical quality that will no doubt entice and intrigue young readers anew. Readers familiar with the work of William Blake won’t fail to notice the allusions to Blakean mythology that filter through text, illustrations and that striking cover. The Tyger in SF Said’s book offers Adam and Zadie something of the mystical and spiritual encounter that Blake hoped to offer his readers; a temporary liberation from the ‘mind-forged manacles’ of the material world and a hope-filled reminder of the power of the human spirit. Nothing is lost however for those unfamiliar with Blake as the book’s inspiration, and the fantasy story stands on its own feet (or paws) perfectly well.

Philosophical young readers will be thrilled to read this adventure – laced with danger, edged with fantasy and packed to the core with thinking and discussion points that link to very real issues in society. Despite the serious themes explored, Said writes with optimism and hope, showing how joy and light can always be found in the darkest of times. This story will no doubt find a home in the hearts of Year 7 readers who love mythology, quest stories and an encounter with something deeper.

Comedy, family and school life – does this sound familiar to you? Of course, we’ve all been the butt or punchline to someone else’s joke, or wondered how far we would go to achieve viral fame.

Laugh-out-loud moments weave between the warmth of family and friendship to bring a classic page-turner for lower KS3. Here is a fusion of thirteen-year-old Carmichael Taylor, who finds life one big joke because his dream is to be a comedian. But it is when his stand-up routine at the school talent show goes viral that fame and fortune come to his doorstep. Only then is it up to Car to decide what or who he’s willing to risk to pursue his comedy career. Will he risk his family for laughs or his friends for fans?

Ben Bailey Smith has written a hugely funny and highly relatable story perfect for Y7+ readers and fans of Frank Cottrell-Boyce and Louie Stowell. Witty, charming and gorgeously heart-warming, comes a blazingly funny, big-hearted story about family, friendship and how far one boy will go to get a laugh. You won’t regret it and neither will your belly-laughing ribs!

A moving and heartfelt story about the relationship between an orphan and a pit pony in 1950s Yorkshire.

Reminiscent of classics like Black Beauty and Goodnight Mr Tom, Birdie is both a heart-warming animal story and a powerful exploration of belonging and bravery. A must-read for young readers, teachers and anyone who cherishes stories about finding hope in the face of adversity. Timeless, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting, Birdie is destined to become a classic.

This moving and evocative novel has won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award. Goodnight Mister Tom tells the story of a young boy called Willie Beech, who is evacuated to the countryside during World War II, and the relationship he develops with his new carer Mr Tom. There is also a very good film version available .

As many Y7s know, starting a new school can be very stressful for any child, but 12-year-old Ben is dealing with more than your average person. Issues at home have exacerbated his OCD to the point that he is struggling to deal with things without turning to his compulsions, which in turn he is trying to hide from his new schoolmates, adding more to the pressure he is feeling. It turns into an ongoing struggle for him, until April reaches out to him and a new connection is made.

This book manages to tell a beautiful story of friendship and bravery, while also educating sensitively about what it is like to live with OCD. The descriptions of Ben’s struggles are heartrending, but ultimately it is an inspiring and uplifting story that says so much about the life-affirming importance of friendship.

Informative and a warm evocation of a young boy’s struggles growing up in a difficult situation, it is a perfect book for our troubled times. A great read for children in Years 6, 7 or 8.

A gripping mystery adventure that young readers love to pick up, with powerful historical insight into nineteenth-century colonialism.

Anushka is the princess of an Indian kingdom. To her anger and frustration, the British East India Company has taken not only her land but also her family’s most precious emerald. Along with her father, Nush travels to Buckingham Palace to visit Queen Victoria. There, Nush employs all of her determination and resourcefulness to reclaim the jewel to where it belongs and bring restoration to her country. At the same time, she finds herself caught up in a royal mystery involving the British royal children and the Queen herself.

Year 7 readers will love this pacey Victorian story that provides plenty to think about as well as a highly likeable feisty female lead.

Fans of Brightstorm will be delighted to see a more challenging offering from Vashti Hardy. I just loved being immersed in the world of Wildspark, with imaginary worlds that are as inventive as they are thrilling.

Prue Haywood is an inventive and curious girl who lives on a remote farm. Her aptitude for engineering gains her entry into the exciting world of Medlock and its secretive guild of inventors – but only because she poses as her brother, who really passed away not too long before. I loved following Prue’s journey on the Gigantrak train into the great metal city of Medlock and I read on with wide eyes, as Prue – a farm girl – acclimatises to the bright amber lights and towering structures of the city and the advanced systems and technologies waiting for her at the guild. With the brightest minds developing ways of placing human spirits into animal-like machines, the work of the guild is completely alluring for budding young inventors like Prue.

Prue is driven by a desire to bring her brother to life again, but it’s her warm nature, natural creativity and loyalty to friends and family that really help her the most as she navigates the complex issues of using technology responsibly. The narrative provides plenty to think about; many of the issues raised will resonate with readers growing up in the current generation that’s used to the pace of technologies advancing faster than the Gigantrak itself. I’m sure the book will raise fascinating discussions in many classrooms.

In a time when the bees have long gone and artificial pollination prevails, two children must risk everything to expose the truth. The freedom of a nation and the future of the natural world depend on it …

A powerful and timely story of hope, love, friendship and the importance of protecting our natural world. Shifa’s life changes completely when she finds out the dark secret about where she comes from. At the same time, her hometown is falling apart and drying up. She and her brother are taken away by a powerful group that controls everything and uses children to help keep their world running. But Shifa does not give up. As she tries to get back home, she faces big dangers—but also makes new friends, learns who she really is, and finds the courage to stand up and protect our world.

Once I started reading, I could not put this book down. I have read many of Sita Brahmachari’s novels, and this is my favourite by far. It is beautifully written and very relevant to current conversations around climate change. This book will appeal to children and adults and is ideally suited to mature KS2 and early KS3. My daughter was as hooked as I was, and the story provided lots of opportunities for some quite thought-provoking discussions.

This is a totally subversive retelling of the Robin Hood tale. He does actually steal from the very evil and corrupt rich to give to the poor. It is a fun read full of inventiveness and fun value.

A good book for KS3 library areas, with interesting characters, plenty of action and easy engagement.

Safiyyah’s War is a gripping story of heroic defiance set in World War II Paris, all the more gripping for being based on underknown real-life events. It invites the reader to reflect on our shared humanity and the importance of community and compassion.

The story focuses on the central mosque, where a small team of devout North Africans see it as their moral duty to help endangered Jews escape to safety, despite the massive risks. Safiyyah’s Baba is among them. He does what he can to keep his actions secret from his daughter to protect her, but reckons without her strength of character and purpose. Unafraid to break a few rules in the process, Safiyyah insists on being trusted with the truth and allowed to make her own contribution. There is plenty of tension, but Safiyyah’s nerve holds in the face of her fear of the Nazis, leading her to a triumphant act of heroism.

The story illustrates how extreme circumstances can lead ordinary people to do extraordinary things and raises the old question of justice: can it sometimes be right to break the law? A beautiful, hope-affirming book for young people.