A selection of new and exciting reads for the summer
as recommended by Ms Nicholas, Villiers
School Librarian
Recommended reads this summer
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The Surface
Breaks, by Louise O’Neill: A feminist and modern retelling of
Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. It packs teenage romance, a reflection on the
place of women, and of course, a wonderful imagining of the undersea world.
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I am
Thunder, by Muhammad Khan: The struggles of a teenager whose
ambitions conflict with her parents. A story about bullying, racism, and a
life-changing encounter.
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Children of
Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi: The first instalment in a new fantasy
trilogy. After a ruthless king decides to banish magic and kill whoever
possesses powers, a young girl resists and fights back with her own magical
capabilities. A tale of divided love, belief, and a heart-stopping drama.
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La Belle
Sauvage, Volume 1 of The Book of Dust, by Philip Pullman: A book set
in the world of His Dark Materials.
The saga continues with two children who find themselves pursued by a
terrifying evil while looking after a child. No ordinary child however, but one
who could decide the fate of the future.
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Moonrise, by Sarah
Crossan: A seventeen-year-old is convicted and will be executed for a murder he
didn’t commit. The story follows Joseph, his little brother, who travels the
country to say goodbye. An emotional story told in evocative verse.
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Goodnight
Stories for Rebel Girls (1&2), by Elena Favilli: There is no age to
appreciate these stories of brave women who contributed to change the way we
view women in general.
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Stories for
Boys who Dare to be Different, by Ben Brooks: the same but for
the other sex. The stories of men who challenge the misconceptions we might
have about what boys should be like.
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The Belles, by
Dhonielle Clayton: A tale of beauty, obsession and magic. In a world where
beauty means everything, the queen’s favourite Belle Camellia discovers that
dark secrets and dark magic lie underneath the surface.
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Indigo
Donut, by Patrice Lawrence: Bailey grew up in foster care, Indigo
is obsessed with his guitar and his hair. Yet, these two different teenagers
come together and when a dangerous situation arises, difficult choices will
have to be made. A story of love and the need to belong.
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Satellite, by Nick
Lake: A science-fiction thriller written in ‘text-speak’. After being born and
raised in a space station, Leo and his twins are preparing to journey to the
Earth for the first time, unaware of what they will face there and that their
trip will have shattering consequences.
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Other
Great Reads
Junior
Noughts and Crosses, by Malorie Blackman
The Dare, by John Boyne
Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
My Antonia, by Willa Cather
The Book of Lost Things, by John Connolly
The Weight of Water, by Sarah Crossan
Once, by Morris Gleitzman
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton
Shadows on our Skin, by Jennifer Johnston
Into the Grey, by Celine Kiernan
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Chalkline, by Jane Mitchell
Trash, by Andy Mulligan
The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness
The Wind Singer, by William Nicholson
Animal Farm, by George Orwell
True Grit, by Charles Portis
Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
Stone Cold Drama, by Robert Swindells
Senior
Americanah, by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie
Behind the Scenes at the Museum, by Kate Atkinson
The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
Persuasion, by Jane Austen
Days Without End, by Sebastian Barry
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
Room, by Emma Donoghue
Silas Marner, by George Eliot
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
It’s Not Yet Dark, by Simon Fitzmaurice
The Next Step in the Dance, by Tim Gautreaux
If This Is A Man, by Primo Levi
Star of the Sea, by Joseph O'Connor
1984, by George Orwell
The Damned Utd., by David Peace
The Spinning Heart, by Donal Ryan
Touching the Void, by Joe Simpson
The Sound of Things Falling, by Juan Gabriel Vasquez
