Accelerated Reader – Year 8

The Colour of the Sun is a complex novel by beloved author David Almond, who is well known for Skellig.

In the aftermath of a death, Davie goes in search of the killer following his mother’s advice that “the day is long, the world is wide, you’re young and free”. Along the way, he meets a host of characters through whom he learns about love, feuds, loss, friendships and growing up, while coming to terms with the death of his own father. At times, you are left wondering what is real and what might be imagined as the two merge into Davie’s narrative.

The story mixes themes of grief, adolescence, childhood and the supernatural. The themes within the book are challenging, but the text is accessible – making it a suitable and thought-provoking choice for KS3 readers.

‘Talking to Alaska’ will take its readers on an incredible journey of friendship in the most unlikely of places. The story is cleverly told from two differing perspectives.

We are introduced to Sven, a quiet and quirky loner, who had to give her dog Alaska away last summer. We are then introduced to Parker, a new boy at school, who suffers from epilepsy and feels more alone the worse his seizures become. Both teenagers take an instant dislike to each other, and both feel equally misunderstood. Following a series of unusual events, both main characters find their paths crossing, despite their desire to avoid each other.

Readers are given an honest insight into the struggles of living with epilepsy, and the impact this can have on someone’s daily life. We learn how first impressions do not always tell us everything and that the bonds we make with each other, and with animals, can be life-changing! Told most beautifully, this is a must-read for any young adult who is feeling lost or misunderstood!

‘No Fixed Address’ is a wonderfully written story about Felix Knutsson and his mother, Astrid. The story follows Felix’s journey of living in a Volkswagen Westfalia with no fixed address.

The story, written from Felix’s perspective, is complex, funny and relatable. There are themes of friendships running throughout the book, and as a reader, you feel connected to the characters. The way Felix’s friends support him but also must make tough decisions when they are concerned about his wellbeing is something children may experience themselves. Felix’s struggles throughout the book are relatable, and I feel that some children could resonate with Felix and what he is going through. The themes of a mother and son bond and the day-to-day problems Felix must try and solve add depth to the story.

I would recommend this book to children who are in the early years of KS3 or any children who might be amid moving to or from a new school. There is a game show that Felix gets to be a part of, creating hope and an aspect of fun, and you feel as if you want Felix to achieve his dreams to better his life.

No Fixed Address’ is a great book that creates discussions about sensitive topics which could be discussed during KS3 PSHE lessons or form time. The book is highly recommended and was one I struggled to put down until I had finished reading it.

This is part of the popular Lara Bloom series. Told through Lara’s diary, the story offers a relatable glimpse into the life of a teen juggling football dreams, friendships and a school business contest. Readers will connect with Lara’s honest thoughts – which she shares through her intimately honest diary – on friendships, sports, inequality and the challenges of balancing passions with everyday pressures.

Whether football, fashion, entrepreneurship or friendships, readers will be drawn to Lara’s passions and find parallels with the joys and challenges of juggling their own interests and pursuits.

The diary format makes Lara’s observations accessible and engaging, exploring themes of relationships, ambitions and perseverance in a fun way. An appealing reading-for-pleasure choice for Year 8, this series resonates with young teens, making this a lighthearted yet insightful read about pursuing goals and navigating friendships

This is a brilliantly inspiring collection of short stories about women’s roles during the First World War by an impressive array of writers, including Adele Geras, Berlie Doherty and Sufiya Ahmed.

From a story about an ambulance driver risking her life to rescue wounded soldiers on the front line, a grieving singer entertaining and giving hope to the troops at the Front to a young nurse caring for injured and dying soldiers in a field hospital, this book covers a wide range of women’s experiences during the war, whether at home or in foreign fields. As can be expected from stories about wartime, they do not always make for easy reading and the stories take the reader through a full spectrum of emotions whilst reading, from grief and despair at the horrors of war through to hope and gratitude for all the people who worked so hard to make other’s lives better.

A great read for any pupils studying the First World War or at the changing roles and expectations of women.

A stunning, unusual and very moving contemporary fairy tale which, like all the best fairy tales, is as scary as it is compelling. This is a great thriller with an underlying ecological message for KS3.

Very few land-dwellers know the real reason for the mistrust that exists between them and those who make their homes on the water. But the water-dwellers, the silvermen, have a secret. They are amphibious humans; they can swim like fish and breathe underwater through their skin.

Kelda’s little sister Isla, however, is different. When, as the Lore dictates, she was thrown into the river at seven days old, she couldn’t breathe and almost died. Since then, the family has protected Isla’s secret because her very existence is a crime. Now, the river is sickening, survival is becoming harder, and Isla could be blamed. When a dreadful betrayal happens, Kelda and Isla must go on the run, but the whole family is in danger and their love for Isla is so great they are willing to brave ordeals, terrifying monsters and even death to save her.

This stunning fantasy adventure explores the traditions and ancient wisdom by which a marginalised community live their lives and encourages readers to think about whether certain beliefs should be challenged. It also asks what we would be prepared to do for those we love.

Shaun, aka MC Growls, and his best mate, fellow MC Shanks, is heading for global stardom as a rap star and raptology is just the first step in making that happen… at least that is what Growls likes to convince himself.

Then, after a cataclysmic failed attempt at live streaming, Growls’ life goes from bad to worse, and it seems even his “insane rap skills” can’t save him. Thankfully, his teacher Mr Rix, counsellor Karen, unlikely new friend Siobhan and even his brother (never his biggest fan) help him believe in himself again – but will even that be enough?

“Steady for this” is Nathanael Lessore’s debut novel, and has been multiple-award-shortlisted, including for a Carnegie award and won the Branford Boase Award 2024. Set in Peckham, and written in the broad dialect many living in that part of London, the novel brings out the joy and pain that can be found in living in a close knit community, the dangers and impact of putting your life online for all to see and the importance in never giving up hope even when things seem impossible.

Often “snort out loud” funny (read it in public at your peril), Lessore envelopes you in a world seen from the eyes of Growls, his touching naivety helps mask some of the pain that life is dealing him but when reality destroys even his optimism then faith in human nature is masterfully restored with a wake up call that all of us can make a big difference in someone’s life (good and bad) through what can seem the smallest of gestures.

This book follows Eden’s battle to stay true to herself. A battle that I am sure after reading we would not want to find ourselves fighting. Eden finds herself on the wrong side of the Glossies – a vicious trio of girls who use social media to huge effect to assert their authority over their peers.

Eden wakes up to new running trainers on her birthday. She checks the group chat (Woodford Whispers) assuming it is another post about how great Mikki (one of the trio is). In school, utter humiliation by the Glossies follows those victim to it onto the world of social media.

Sports Day sparks a vendetta against Eden as she draws attention to herself (not intended – but being pushed into running the track race will do that to a character). Now on the Glossies’ radar, Eden finds herself presented with a test by them – a test that involves being unkind to one of the other girls – and refuses to undertake it, leading to her being subjected to the unkindness instead. As she is presented with further tests, Eden resolves not to join in with the bullying of others. However, it continues online. Eden begins a battle for survival but holds firm to her values. Hiding is not an option and she holds her own. There is a very clear message that even if you are not directly involved in the bullying, if you sit by and watch it happen without doing anything to counteract it, you are contributing to it – a message that may be painful for some to hear.

This is an important, thought-provoking and contemporary read that will grip ages 11-14.

Lois Lowry’s award-winning book The Giver has become known as a modern classic for secondary school pupils.

This engaging novel is a fantastic introduction to dystopian fiction, exploring conformity versus individuality and the vital role of memory and choice. The book introduces readers to Jonas’s seemingly perfect community, where everything is controlled. Jonas becomes selected as the Receiver of Memory uncovers a hidden past filled with emotions and experiences deliberately suppressed. This eye-opening role forces Jonas to question the value of societal rules and the human cost of their so-called utopia.

Jonas’s journey of discovery encourages students to think critically about societal control and the importance of freedom and emotion, making it a powerful and thought-provoking narrative for this age group. A must-read!

Hark and his best friend Jelt live on the island of Lady’s Crave where they scavenge, scam and sell their finds.

The land they live in is shadowed in the past where people worshipped the Undersea Gods who thrived on the fear of the people. Hark finds himself indentured to Dr Vyne after being caught as part of one of Jelt’s plans with a local gang. He is given the task of looking after the ancient priests and finding out their secrets to be able to find out the secrets of the past Gods. Dr Vyne is trying to unravel the secrets of the gods, how they disappeared, what they looked like and how to best use god glass (old parts of the gods recovered from the Undersea).

Hark and Jelt quickly find themselves in possession of a most valuable piece of god glass, but it is not as lucky as they first think and they are soon in a very dangerous situation. What does this mean for the best friends, the people of Lady’s Crave and the surrounding islands?

‘Deeplight’ is a story full of imagination, mythological themes and adventures in the sea, which focuses on the importance of friendship and also treachery. The main characters are complex, but as the story unfolds, you feel that you really get to know them. It also includes a deaf character who lost her hearing after a diving incident. She gains her title of being ‘Sea-kissed’ and has to learn to communicate with her gang members by sign. It is refreshing to see a main character who signs.

An intriguing fantasy story recommended for secondary school children.

Set in the USA, Emmy and her family have just relocated to California from Wisconsin. In a leap of faith, to promote her father’s career as a pianist, Emmy’s family have left behind everything they know and love. Including her Mom’s career in opera.

It is clear from the outset that Emmy is going to struggle to fit into her new school (culturally, a world away from her old one), so she decides to keep her head down and concentrate on her classwork. One of the electives that she has chosen is Computer Science. It is in this class that she meets a new friend: a girl who loves coding, yet hides her talents because it is not in keeping with her choir-girl image. Conscious that if her friends find out about her secret passion, she could be ostracised from the friendship group, Abigail’s internal struggles are real.

As the school term moves on, Emmy’s two worlds of coding and music begin to interweave making this ‘novel in verse’ a masterpiece, showing how notes and beats and rhythms overlap with code and language and algorithms. Among this runs a rich storyline of friendship. Can Emmy’s new friend accept her outside of the classroom? Will they be able to break through the prejudice of being girls who enjoy coding? And will they be able to support their teacher as she faces her health problems?

This is a joyous and accomplished piece of writing. The use of verse in the novel is powerful and captures the emotions exquisitely. A perfect book for children (and adults) who enjoy coding and/or music.

You Have the Power offers young readers inspiring insights on resilience and self-belief from the England Lioness Leah Williamson.

Sharing her journey, Williamson shows that leadership isn’t age-limited and encourages believing in yourself. The book tackles specific challenges faced by women in football while also addressing broader issues like self-doubt and the importance of believing in oneself, which will resonate with children and young teens navigating their own life journeys and aspirations.

Williamson’s experiences, shared in an accessible and engaging way, highlight the power of perseverance, teamwork and believing in oneself.

Set in the wake of the Chernobyl disaster of 1986, this fictional story of the dogs left behind to fend for themselves is both powerful and upsetting, yet exciting and inspiring.

Anthony McGowan weaves together the story of a young girl who is forced to flee from her home with that of pups Misha and Bratan, brothers who also live a life running away. The characters of the dogs and the other animals they encounter throughout the book are brought to life with vivid descriptions and wonderful storytelling. We are made to care about them as much as we do about the greatest human fictional characters.

The villains of the story, the predators, are menacing and fierce, and the fights between the dogs and them are told in a manner that is not for the faint-hearted. However, the reality of the battle for survival in the wild is not a story of fiction and is, therefore, a story that needs to be told. As such, I would recommend this book to readers of lower secondary school age, best suited to Year 8.

This book will pull at your heartstrings, make your heart skip a beat and leave you in awe of McGowen’s wonderful storytelling.

The Coram Man travels around the country and collects the newborn babies from desperate mothers who are promised that their children will be delivered safely to a foundling hospital. Unbeknownst to them, Otis kills and deposits the infants along the side of the road.

Otis is the Coram Man and has his son Meshak to help him with his business, as well as collecting and selling unwanted children. They find themselves entwined with a wealthy family, the Ashbrooks, after Meshak decides to save one of the babies, Aaron. Aaron grows up with his guardian angel ‘Mish’ watching over him in the foundling hospital. Aaron finds himself being pulled closer to his real family through his talent in music; however, just as things are starting to look up, the Coram man reappears and is back to his evil ways.

This book is a gothic novel split into two parts. It highlights some of the horrors of life during the 18th century – the hardships, the poverty and the importance of wealthy women being seen as proper at all times. The prologue starts the book’s theme off by sharing a story about a wealthy woman abandoning six of her children and keeping only one by asking her midwife to drown the other six.

The story has historic themes and is suitable for mature readers who can handle sensitive topics. This is a dark story with some difficult parts, but also one that will reward readers with its gripping and thought-stirring narrative.

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.

This adapted version of David Olusoga’s account of Black British history is essential reading is an accessible and informative non-fiction read for children and teens (and also a book I would thoroughly recommend for improving adults’ historical subject knowledge and especially those with input into their school’s curriculum design). It teaches readers to rethink assumptions about history and to question how culturally representative historical sources encountered might really be.

As expressed perfectly by Lavinya Stennett (CEO of the Black Curriculum) in the Afterword, ‘This book is a testimony to the rich experiences of Black people of Britain in different periods of our history, and a reminder of the dearth of Black history in our curriculums.’ 

In the book, Olusoga explains the overlooked history of Black people in Britain from Roman times to the present day. Readers may be surprised to imagine the multiculturally diverse make-up of Roman Britain – and indeed to question why sources of history in schools may paint a historically misrepresentative picture of Roman society. Equally interesting is the development of notions of race throughout the periods of history, as the book walks chronologically through key eras. Did you know that it was only during the time of James I that the term ‘white’ was used as a description of racial identity, or that long after the abolition of slavery, the Victorians were propagating their own racist theories to justify profiting from slave-powered commerce?

An illustrated version (Black and British: An Illustrated History) for younger children is also available.

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.