BOOKS OF THE WEEK

Week commencing 11.03.2022

Middle School

Up in the Air – Horrible Histories

Discover all the foul facts about the history of air travel with history’s most horrible headlines: in-flight edition. The master of making history fun, Terry Deary, turns his attention to the skies. From the Chinese prisoners who were sent up on kites and the brave but foolish failures who jumped from a height on home-made wings to the first real successes of the Montgolfier balloon and the Wright Brothers’ powered flight. It’s all in Horrible Histories: Up in the Air: fully illustrated throughout and packed with hair-raising stories – with all the horribly hilarious bits included with a fresh take on the classic Horrible Histories style, perfect for fans old and new the perfect series for anyone looking for a fun and informative read

Upper School

Time Bomb by Nigel Hinton

The summer of 1949 changes everything for Andy and his three best friends. That is the summer they find an unexploded bomb buried in the hill where they ride their bikes. Faced with the choice of whether or not to reveal their discovery, the boys take a blood oath that will change their lives forever. Set against a crisply realized backdrop of post-war Britain, this explosive story of boyhood camaraderie follows the four friends as they confront the issues that have set their country, their community, and their lives ablaze.

Week commencing 28.02.2022

Middle School

Dogger by Shirley Hughes

Once there was a soft brown toy called Dogger. One of his ears pointed upwards and the other flopped over. His fur was worn in places because he was quite old. He belonged to Dave.
This classic, exquisitely illustrated picture book tells the familiar and reassuring story of how a much-loved toy is lost and finally found again.

Upper School

Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

In her first novel, beloved author Shirley Hughes presents a World War II adventure proving that in extraordinary circumstances, people are capable of extraordinary things.

Italy, 1944: Florence is occupied by Nazi forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope, though — and neither have thirteen-year- old Paolo and his sister, Costanza. As their mother is pressured into harbouring escaping POWs, Paolo and Costanza each find a part to play in opposing the German forces. Both are desperate to fight the occupation, but what can two siblings — with only a bicycle to help them — do against a whole army? Middle-grade fans of history and adventure will be riveted by the action and the vividly evoked tension of World War II.

Week commencing 21.02.2022

Upper School:

Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall
(suggested by Mr Williams and very relevant now with the Russia situation)

THE INTERNATIONAL AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER; All leaders are constrained by geography. Their choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas and concrete. Yes, to understand world events you need to understand people, ideas and movements…but if you don’t know geography, you’ll never have the full picture.; To understand Putin’s actions, for example, it is essential to consider that, to be a world power, Russia must have a navy. And if its ports freeze for six months each year then it must have access to a warm water port – hence, the annexation of Crimea was the only option for Putin. To understand the Middle East, it is crucial to know that geography is the reason why countries have logically been shaped as they are – and this is why invented countries (e.g. Syria, Iraq, Libya) will not survive as nation states.; Spread over ten chapters (covering Russia; China; the USA; Latin America; the Middle East; Africa; India and Pakistan; Europe; Japan and Korea; and Greenland and the Arctic), using maps, essays and occasionally the personal experiences of the widely travelled author, Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present and future to offer an essential guide to one of the major determining factors in world history.

Middle School:

What is a Thought (a thought is a lot) by Jack Pransky and Amy Kahofer

This poetic and engaging book introduces children to the amazing, creative power within us all: thought. It is not a book about changing thoughts or changing behaviours, but rather a story to help children (and adults!) see how their own thinking creates their lives, moment to moment, day to day. Wonderfully illustrated, this children’s book not only introduces young readers to the concept of thought but also the amazing power of their own thoughts. Authors Amy Kahofer and noted prevention specialist Jack Pransky tell a simple yet profound message: that our thinking creates our feelings and behaviour, and when our minds are calm we have access to natural wisdom and healthy feelings. Includes lesson plans and activities to transform a story into a teaching tool that can be used with regular and special education students alike to explore social thinking concepts such as perspective taking, abstract language, empathy and human relatedness. The book introduces children to the amazing, creative power with-in us all, called thought. It is not a book about changing thoughts or changing behaviours, but rather a story to help children (and adults!) see how their own thinking creates their lives, moment to moment, day to day.

Week commencing 07.02.2022

Last week was children’s mental health week, and both books of the week this week address the theme of mental health in different ways, and are suitable for either Middle School or Upper School.

The first, Hey Warrior, is aimed at children of 6 – 12 and explains how anxiety can manifest physically, helping children to recognise and manage their own anxiety. Kids can do amazing things with the right information. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does and where the physical symptoms come from is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. Anxiety explained, kids empowered.

The second book is The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Hole. Rather than a linear narrative, it’s a collection of quiet musings and conversations. The four titular characters meet one another and share each other’s confidence. It’s not aimed at any clear audience, and works as well for eight-year-olds as it does octogenarians.

Week commencing 31.01.2022

Inspired by the marking of Holocaust Memorial Day on January the 27^th, this week’s books of the week are two novels set during the second world war, and both painting vivid pictures of the time and dealing with the theme of persecution in different contexts. Both of this week’s books have also been made into films.

Middle School

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

Nine-year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution and the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country. All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, a boy who lives a strange parallel existence on the other side of the adjoining wire fence and who, like the other people there, wears a uniform of striped pyjamas.

Bruno’s friendship with Shmuel will take him from innocence to revelation. And in exploring what he is unwittingly a part of, he will inevitably become subsumed by the terrible process.

Upper School

The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

This novel is narrated in the all-knowing, matter-of-fact voice of Death, who witnesses the story of the citizens of Molching.

When nine-year-old Liesel arrives outside the boxlike house of her new foster parents at 33 Himmel Street, she refuses to get out of the car. Liesel has been separated from her parents, “Kommunists”, forever, and at the burial of her little brother, she steals a gravedigger’s instruction manual, which she can’t read. It is the beginning of her illustrious career.

In the care of the Hubermans, Liesel befriends blond-haired Rudy Steiner, a neighbour obsessed with Jesse Owens, and the mayor’s wife, who hides from despair in her library. Together, Liesel and Rudy steal books – from Nazi book-burning piles, from the mayor’s library, from the rich people for whom her foster mother does the ironing. In time, they take in a Jewish boxer, Max, who reads with Liesel in the basement.

By 1943, the Allied bombs are falling, and the sirens begin to wail. Liesel shares her books in the air-raid shelters. But one day in the life of Himmel Street, the wail of the sirens comes too late.

A life-changing tale of the cruel twists of fate and the coincidences on which all our lives hinge, this is also a joyous look at how books can nourish the soul. Its uplifting ending will make readers weep.

Week commencing 24.01.2022

Middle School

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl (full series now in the library)

Lily’s life is in mortal peril. Her father is missing and now silver-eyed men stalk her through the shadows. What could they want from her?

With her friends – Robert, the clockmaker’s son, and Malkin, her mechanical fox – Lily is plunged into a murky and menacing world. Too soon Lily realizes that those she holds dear may be the very ones to break her heart…

Murder, mayhem and mystery meet in this gripping Victorian adventure.

Upper School

Heroes of Olympus – The Lost Hero (full series now in the library)

When Jason, Piper and Leo crash land at Camp Half-Blood, they have no idea what to expect. Apparently this is the only safe place for children of the Greek Gods – despite the monsters roaming the woods and demigods practising archery with flaming arrows and explosives.

But rumours of a terrible curse – and a missing hero – are flying around camp.
It seems Jason, Piper and Leo are the chosen ones to embark on a terrifying new quest, which they must complete by the winter solstice. In just four days time.

Can the trio succeed on this deadly mission – and what must they sacrifice in order to survive?

Week commencing 17.01.2022

Middle School

Grandpa’s Fortune Fables by Will Rainey

This book has been recommended by a St John’s parent.

Do you want to start teaching your kids about money but are not sure how to talk to them about it?

Looking for easy-to-read books that will teach your children about money management, investing and starting a business?

Presenting ”Grandpa’s Fortune Fables – Fun Stories To Teach Kids About Money” By Will Rainey!

Did you know that kids form most of their financial habits by the age of 7? This is why teaching your children about money from an early age is one of the most important things to consider. However, it can be a very difficult task, especially if you were never taught yourself!

Now you can bond with your kids over fun stories about money and turn every day into a valuable financial lesson that will assist them in their daily lives as adults!

Grandpa’s Fortune Fables features a 13-year old girl named Gail sharing her Grandpa’s adventures to a faraway island where he learned how to look after his money and become a very wealthy man. She is putting what she learned from him into action and now has more money than most kids her age.

Upper School

Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks

Prince charming, dragon slayer, mischievous prankster… More often than not, these are the role-models boys encounter in the books they read at home and at school. As a boy, there is an assumption that you will conform to a stereotypical idea of masculinity.

But what if you’re the introvert kind? What if you prefer to pick up a book rather than a sword? What if you want to cry when you’re feeling sad or angry? What if you like the idea of wearing a dress?

There is an ongoing crisis with regards to young men and mental health, with unhelpful gender stereotypes contributing to this malaise. Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different offers a welcome alternative narrative. It is an extraordinary compilation of 100 stories of famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and innovator in his own way, and all going on to achieve amazing things. Entries include Frank Ocean, Salvador Dalí, Rimbaud, Beethoven, Barack Obama, Stormzy, Ai Weiwei and Jesse Owens – different sorts of heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.

A beautiful and transporting book packed with stories of adventure and wonderment, it will appeal to those who need the courage to reject peer pressure and go against the grain. It is the must-have book for all those boys who worry about stuff and all those parents who worry about their boys who worry about stuff. It will educate and entertain, while also encourage and inspire.

Week commencing 10.01.2022

Middle School

Kay’s Anatomy by Adam Kay

Discover all the weird and wonderful things that go on inside your body with Adam Kay. Covers key stage 2 / 3 human biology syllabus (in a slightly repulsive way).

Do you ever think about your body and how it all works? Like really properly think about it? The human body is extraordinary and fascinating and, well . . . pretty weird. Yours is weird, mine is weird, your maths teacher’s is even weirder.

This book is going to tell you what’s actually going on in there, and answer the really important questions, like:

Are bogeys safe to eat? Look, if your nose is going to all that effort of creating a snack, the least we can do is check out its nutritional value. (Yes, they’re safe. Chew away!)

And how much of your life will you spend on the toilet? About a year – so bring a good book. (I recommend this one.)

Upper School

Earthshot: How to Save our Planet by H.R.H Prince William, Colin Butfield and Jonnie Hughes

It’s not too late, but we need collective action now. The Earthshots are unifying, ambitious goals for our planet which, if achieved by 2030, will improve life for all of us, for the rest of life on Earth, and for generations to come.

They are to:
· Protect and Restore Nature
· Clean our Air
· Revive our Oceans
· Build a Waste-Free World
· Fix our Climate

EARTHSHOT: HOW TO SAVE OUR PLANET is the first definitive book about how these goals can tackle the environmental crisis, from rainforests to coral reefs, via wilderness, cities and in our own homes. It is a critical contribution to the most important story of the decade.

Week commencing 06.12.2021

Middle School

Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

Forget everything you thought you knew about the North Pole, and set off on a Christmas Eve adventure with boy named William Trundle, an elf named Snozzletrump, Santa Claus (yes! The real Santa Claus!), a nasty piece of work called the Hunter, and a most unusual dinosaur…

Upper School

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Ebeneezer Scrooge is a grouch. He is a greedy businessman who never has a kind word for anyone and is infamous for his lack of Christmas cheer. When the three ghosts of Christmas pay him a visit, Scrooge is given the opportunity to examine his conscience, inspiring him to change his ways and be transformed by the spirit of Christmas.

Week commencing 29.11.2021

Middle School

Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora’s mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans.

When the murderous hostility of the Russian Army threatens her very existence, Feo is left with no option but to go on the run. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.

Upper School

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services – as a burglar – on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo’s life is never to be the same again.

Seldom has any book been so widely read and loved as J. R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale, ‘The Hobbit’. Since its first publication in 1937 it has remained in print to delight each new generation of readers all over the world, and its hero, Bilbo Baggins, has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of fiction.

Week commencing 22.11.2021

Middle School:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Recommendation from Miss Lush: I have just read this classic story for the first time and it is a delightful read!

Milo’s extraordinary voyage takes him into such places as the Land of Expectation, the Doldrums, the Mountains of Ignorance and the Castle in the Air. He meets the weirdest and most unexpected characters (such as Tock, the watchdog, the Gelatinous Giant, and the Threadbare Excuse, who mumbles the same thing over and over again), and, once home, can hardly wait to try out the Tollbooth again. But will it be still there when he gets back from school?

Upper School:

The Lion Above the Door by Onjali Q. Rauf

Leo and his best friend Sangeeta are the odd ones out in their school. But as Leo’s dad is always telling him, it’s because they’re special. Only thing is, if they’re so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their school history books?

Then, on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo’s attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name.

Desperate to know who this other Leo was, the two friends embark on a search. And together, they begin to uncover missing stories from the past, ones which they are determined to put back into their rightful place in the pages of history.

Touching on themes of historical racism, The Lion Above the Door shines a light on the stories our history books have yet to contain and the power of friendships that can last through generations.

Week commencing 15.11.2021

Middle School:

The Worry Website by Jacqueline Wilson

Is anything bothering you? Problems in class or at home? Don’t know where to turn for help? Log on to the Worry Website! Type in your worry and wait for the good advice to flow in.

At least that’s the plan when Mr Speed sets up his super-cool new Worry Website. Holly, Greg, Natasha and the rest of the class think they’ve got shedloads of worries. But, as they find out, they are not alone, and sometimes the best advice comes from the most unexpected place.

Upper School:

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls balances its dark themes of bereavement and bullying with imaginative fantasy elements to deliver a powerful and moving coming-of-age drama.

The book was the brainchild of Siobhan Dowd who tragically died before she could write it. In the hands of Patrick Ness, Dowd’s vision becomes a haunting, elegiac work about terminal illness, hope and desperation. Dark, moving and packed with electrifying imagery, A Monster Calls is simply unforgettable reading.

Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill, ever since she started the treatments that don’t quite seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there’s a visitor at his window. It’s ancient, elemental, a force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Week commencing 08.11.2021

Middle School:

Young, Gifted and Black by Jamia Wilson

Meet 52 icons of color from the past and present in this celebration of inspirational achievement—a collection of stories about changemakers to encourage, inspire and empower the next generation of changemakers. Jamia Wilson has carefully curated this range of black icons and the book is stylishly brought together by Andrea Pippins’ colorful and celebratory illustrations. Written in the spirit of Nina Simone’s song “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” this vibrant book is a perfect introduction to both historic and present-day icons and heroes. Meet figureheads, leaders and pioneers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks, as well as cultural trailblazers and athletes like Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams. All children deserve to see themselves represented positively in the books they read. Highlighting the talent and contributions of black leaders and changemakers from around the world, readers of all backgrounds will be empowered to discover what they too can achieve. Strong, courageous, talented and diverse, these extraordinary men and women’s achievements will inspire a new generation to chase their dream… whatever it may be.

Upper School:

The Black Friend – On Being a Better White Person

“We don’t see color.” “I didn’t know Black people liked Star Wars!” “What hood are you from?” For Frederick Joseph, life as a transfer student in a mostly white high school was full of wince-worthy moments that he often simply let go. As he grew older, however, he saw these as missed opportunities not only to stand up for himself, but to spread awareness to those white people who didn’t see the negative impact they were having.

Speaking directly to the reader, The Black Friend calls up race-related anecdotes from the author’s past, weaving in his thoughts on why they were hurtful and how he might handle things differently now. Each chapter features the voice of at least one artist or activist, including Angie Thomas, author of The Hate U Give April Reign, creator of #OscarsSoWhite; Jemele Hill, sports journalist and podcast host; and eleven others. Touching on everything from cultural appropriation to power dynamics, “reverse racism” to white privilege, microaggressions to the tragic results of overt racism, this book serves as conversation starter, tool kit, and invaluable window into the life of a former “token Black kid” who now presents himself as the friend many readers need. Backmatter includes an encyclopedia of racism, providing details on relevant historical events, terminology, and more.

Week commencing 01.11.2021

Books of the Week at St John's Beaumont School 1st Nov 21

Upper School:

Brilliant Maps – An Atlas for Curious Minds by Ian Wright, to fit with the Jesuit Pupil Profile theme which is now Curious and Active

Which nations have North Korean embassies? What percentage of young people live with their families? Which country lists volleyball as its national sport? How much does it cost to get a pint around the world? And where can you find lions in the wild? Revelatory, thought-provoking and fun, Brilliant Maps is a unique atlas of culture, history, politics and miscellanea, compiled by the editor of the iconic Brilliant Maps website. Visually arresting and as full of surprising facts and figures as any encyclopaedia, Brilliant Maps is a stunning piece of cartography that maps our curious and varied planet. For graphic design enthusiasts, compulsive Wikipedia readers and those looking for the sort of gift they buy for someone else and wind up keeping for themselves, this book will change the way you see the world and your place in it.

Middle School:

The History of Everything (in 32 Pages) by Anna Claybourne

In the beginning, about 13.8 billion years ago, the Universe started with a bang. Travel through time and space to learn how the world has evolved from the Big Bang onwards!

From the creation of the stars, through the evolution of plants and animals, the dawn of the dinosaurs, and on towards the first humans, early civilisations, empires and technology, this incredible book will take you through the history of, well, everything!

The History of Everything in 32 Pages is a visual guide to ‘everything’ – from the formation of the solar system, right up to the modern day.

Fourteen exciting double-page spreads draw you into a world of discovery. Each fascinating scene depicts a key development in life on earth, with colourful and engaging illustrations and packed with interesting facts and figures.

Week commencing 18.10.2021

Upper School: Scavengers by Darren Simpson

Landfill has lived his whole life as a scavenger, running with wolves, swimming with turtles and feasting on fresh gull. Old Babagoo has always looked after him, on one condition – follow his rules. Never come looking Outside. Never rise above the wall. But despite the dangers, Landfill longs to see Outside. And some rules are made to be broken.

Middle School: The Golden Acorn by Catherine Cooper

When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass, little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling and magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy, Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task and enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists and turns and featuring characters such as talking ravens and mischievous Spriggans.

Week commencing 11.10.2021

Upper School: Black and British: A Short Essential History by David Olusoga

When did Africans first come to Britain?

Who are the well-dressed black children in Georgian paintings?

Why did the American Civil War disrupt the Industrial Revolution?

These and many other questions are answered in this essential introduction to 1800 years of Black British history: from the Roman Africans who guarded Hadrian’s Wall right up to the present day.

This children’s version of the bestseller Black and British: A Forgotten History is illustrated with maps, photos and portraits.

Macmillan Children’s Books will donate 50p from every copy sold to The Black Curriculum.

Middle School: The Story of the Windrush by K.N Chimbiri

In June 1948, hundreds of Caribbean men, women and children arrived in London on a ship called the HMT Empire Windrush. Although there were already Black people living in Britain at the time, this event marks the beginning of modern Black Britain.

Combining historical facts with voices from the Windrush Generation, this book sensitively tells the inspiring story of the Windrush Generation pioneers.

Week commencing 04.10.2021

Because a Fire was in my Head – 101 Poems to Remember edited by Michael Morpurgo

Michael Morpurgo has brought together a wonderful collection of poems to fire the imagination. Once read, they won’t be easily forgotten; some may even beg to be learned by heart. The sparks that fly – whether in the sounds, rhythms and stories of the poems, or in the surprises and jokes that they spring – are sparks that will set our heads alight.

Edwards Lear’s Book of Nonsense

This classic collection of Edward Lear’s limericks, songs, alphabets and botany is enchantingly illustrated by Christine Pym. Discover the crazy, comical world of the Jumblies, the Quangle Wangle, the Owl and the Pussy-Cat and many of his other delightful and amusing characters.

Week commencing 27.09.2021

Upper School; Chief of Staff – Notes from Downing Street by Gavin Barwell

Upper school boys have attended a talk at the Windsor Festival by Gavin Barwell and this book is the perfect opportunity to delve deeper into life behind the famous black door.

Since the EU referendum of 2016, British politics has witnessed a barrage of crises, resignations and general elections. Theresa May’s premiership was the most turbulent of all. In her darkest hour, following the disastrous 2017 election, she turned to Gavin Barwell to help restore her battered authority. He would become her chief of staff for the next two years – a period punctuated by Brexit negotiations, domestic tragedy, and intense political drama.

In this gripping insider memoir, Barwell reveals what really went on in the corridors of power – and sheds a vital light on May, the most inscrutable of modern prime ministers. He was by her side when she met Donald Trump, heard about the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury, and responded to the Grenfell Tower fire. He was also at the centre of Brexit talks with foreign leaders and MPs from across the house, including Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer. Revealing how government operates during times of crisis, this is the definitive record of a momentous episode in Britain’s recent political history.

Middle School: Audacious Ignatius by Paul Mitchell

As we at St John’s continue to explore the story of ‘Audacious Ignatius’ we could not forget to choose this week’s book on his extraordinary life.

Jump into the life of audacious St. Ignatius with this beautiful children’s book. Follow him through his conversion, the development of the Spiritual Exercises and the founding of the Society of Jesus.

Week commencing 20.09.2021

SJB Books of the Week

Pre-Prep: Dinosaur Trouble by Dick King Smith

The terrible Tyrannosaurus rex is scaring all the dinosaur families that live on the Great Plain. Nosy, the little pterodactyl, and his great friend Banty, the apatosaurus, agree that T. rex has got to be stopped. But how?

Luckily Nosy has a plan …

Follow the adventures of the dinosaurs as told by the master of children’s animal stories, Dick King Smith. Read more here…

Middle School: Running on the Roof of the World

Join 12-year-old Tash and her best friend Sam in a story of adventure, survival and hope, set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India.

There are two words that are banned in Tibet. Two words that can get you locked in prison without a second thought. I watch the soldiers tramping away and call the words after them. ‘Dalai Lama.’

Tash has to follow many rules to survive in Tibet, a country occupied by Chinese soldiers. But when a man sets himself on fire in protest and soldiers seize Tash’s parents, she and her best friend Sam must break the rules. They are determined to escape Tibet – and seek the help of the Dalai Lama himself in India.

And so, with a backpack of Tash’s father’s mysterious papers and two trusty yaks by their side, their extraordinary journey across the mountains begins. Read more here…

Week commencing 13.09.2021

Upper School: Everest, by Alexandra Stweart & Joe Todd-Stanton

Everest is the story of the two men who were the first to reach the top of Mount Everest. At 11:30 in the morning on the 29^th of May 1953, the sun was shining brightly on the roof of the world, a gentle breeze was blowing and two men were there to witness it for the first time ever. Their names were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay and the roof of the world was Everest.

This is the breath-taking story of how two very different, yet equally determined men battled frost-biting temperatures, tumbling ice rocks, powerful winds and death-defying ridges to climb the world’s highest mountain. Join these two unlikely heroes on the most amazing of adventures and discover the impact of hundreds of men and women that helped Hillary and Tenzing achieve their goal. But triumphs can be marred with tragedy as not everyone who climbs Everest survives…

This unique narrative tells the story of how Edmund Hillary, a small-town beekeeper and Tenzing Norgay, a former yak herder made their mark on the world from birth right up to their final days and the impact they’ve had on Nepal today.

Middle School: Events that Changed the World

Highlighting all of the pivotal events in world history, Events that Changed the World selects relevant historical, scientific and cultural developments providing a detailed discussion of the last 1000 years.

Ranging from the signing of the Magna Carta (just down the road from St John’s!) in 1215 to Captain Cook’s discovery of Australia, the election of Barack Obama to the global financial crisis – this book provides a fascinating insight into our humanity and growth, and deconstructs the effects that these captivating events have had on the modern world.

With paintings, historical documents and stunning photography alongside the comprehensive text, this book is thought-provoking and a beautiful representation of human triumph and its historical foundations.

Summer Holiday Books 2021

Planes from the Wright Brothers to the Supersonic Jet by Jan Van Der Veken

How does a plane move through the air? What is turbulence? What do those lines on the runways mean?

All these questions and many more are answered in this history of planes and flight. The book opens with a basic introduction to plane anatomy and shows how aircraft have developed over the ages. Readers will then learn about aerodynamics, the mechanics of wing shape and lift, and how ailerons, propellers, and flaps work. There’s even a section on communications systems, runway design, and GPS. Profiles of famous historic planes illustrate basic principles throughout the book. Readers will find out about record-breaking flights across continents and oceans; how “flying wings” evolved into the B-2 bomber; and where the world’s most treacherous runways are located. A section on experimental aircraft looks at zeppelins, flying cars, and the fate of the Concorde jet. Jan Van Der Veken’s retro drawings detail everything from plane design to the physics of flight and provide the perfect companion to his engaging text. Budding aviators will linger over every detail of this information-packed book that serves both to demystify and celebrate the miracle of flight.

The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Natural World by Temple Grandin

What are the aerodynamics of skipping stones or the physics of making sandcastles? Do birds use GPS to navigate their migratory routes?

In this book, Dr Temple Grandin, an inventor and scientist, introduces readers to geologists, astrophysicists, oceanographers, and many other scientists who unlock the wonders of the natural world. She shares her childhood experiences and observations, whether on the beach, in the woods, working with horses, or gazing up at the night sky. This book explores all areas of nature and gives readers the tools to discover even more on their own.

With forty projects to give readers a deeper understanding of the world around them, from the depths of space to their own backyard, this is a perfect read for budding scientists, inventors, and creators!

Upper School: Small Steps by Louis Sachar

Armpit and X-Ray are living in Austin, Texas. It is three years since they left the confines of Camp Green Lake Detention Centre and Armpit is taking small steps to turn his life around. He is working for a landscape gardener because he is good at digging holes, he is going to school and he is enjoying his first proper romance, but is he going to be able to stay out of trouble when there is so much building up against him? In this exciting novel, Armpit is joined by many vibrant new characters, and is learning what it takes to stay on course, and that doing the right thing is never the wrong choice.

Middle School: Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird

Twelve-year-old Omar and his brothers and sisters were born and raised in the beautiful and bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar doesn’t care about politics – all he wants is to grow up to become a successful businessman who will take the world by storm. But when his clever older brother, Musa, gets mixed up with some young political activists, everything changes . . .

Before long, bombs are falling, people are dying, and Omar and his family have no choice but to flee their home with only what they can carry. Yet no matter how far they run, the shadow of war follows them – until they have no other choice than to attempt the dangerous journey to escape their homeland altogether. But where do you go when you can’t go home?

Week commencing 28.06.2021

Upper School: The Ordnance Survey Kids’ Adventure Book

Want to become an expert map-reader?

Want to explore the great outdoors armed with hints and tips from the map creators themselves?

Want to test your new skills with a host of challenging map puzzles?

Then this is the book for you. Created by Ordnance Survey, who make all the incredible maps for the whole of the British Isles, this book will teach you how to read a map like an expert and explore the incredible outdoors.

You’ll also have the chance to test your skills with map-reading puzzles that’ll keep you entertained for hours.

So strap on your boots, pack up your walking essentials, and start your map-reading adventure!

Middle School: Lonely Planet – The Travel Book – A journey through every country in the World

Take a world tour through 200 countries with this book which is loaded with thousands of amazing facts on wildlife, how people live, sports, hideous and mouthwatering food, festivals and a wide range of other quirky insights on every page. Every single country gets its own dedicated page, and a mix of photography and beautiful illustrations brings each land to life. Perfect for keeping explorers aged 8 years and up entertained on the road.

Lonely Planet Kids, is a children’s imprint that brings the world to life for young explorers everywhere. They are kick-starting the travel bug and showing kids just how amazing our planet is. Their mission is to inspire and delight curious kids, showing them the rich diversity of people, places and cultures that surrounds us. They pledge to share their enthusiasm and continual fascination for what it is that makes the world we live in the magnificent place it is. A big adventure awaits! Come explore.

Week commencing 21.06.2021

Upper School: Marcus Rashford – You are a Champion

Written with journalist Carl Anka, You Are a Champion is packed full of stories from Marcus’s own life, brilliant advice and top tips from performance psychologist Katie Warriner.

It shows children how to:

Be comfortable with who you are – you can’t be a champion until you’re happy being you!
Dream big
Practise like a champion
Get out of your comfort zone and learn from your mistakes
Navigate adversity in a positive way
Find your team
Use your voice and stand up for others
Never stop learning

This book will show you how to be the very BEST that you can be.

Middle School: The Boy who met a Whale by Nizrana Farook

This book is set in fictional Sri Lanka, jam-packed with peril and kidnap and a huge blue whale! Razi, a local fisherboy, is watching turtle eggs hatch when he sees a boat bobbing into view. With a chill, he notices a small, still hand hanging over the side… Inside is Zheng, who’s escaped a shipwreck and is full of tales of sea monsters and missing treasure. But the villains who are after Zheng are soon after Razi and his sister, Shifa, too. And so begins an exhilarating adventure in the shadow of the biggest sea monster of them all…

Week commencing 14.06.2021

Upper School: Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia and Prince Joel David Makonnen

Yared Heywat lives an isolated life in Addis Prime – a hardscrabble city with rundown tech, lots of rules, and not much to do. His worrywart Uncle Moti and bionic lioness Besa are his only family… and his only friends.

Often in trouble for his thrill-seeking antics and smart mouth, those same qualities make Yared a star player of the underground augmented reality game, The Hunt for Kaleb’s Obelisk. But when a change in the game rules prompts Yared to log in with his real name, it triggers an attack that rocks the city. In the chaos, Uncle Moti disappears.

Suddenly, all the stories Yared’s uncle told him as a young boy are coming to life, of kingdoms in the sky and city-razing monsters. And somehow Yared is at the centre of them.

Together with Besa and the Ibis – a game rival turned reluctant ally – Yared must search for his uncle… and answers to his place in a forgotten, galaxy-spanning war.

Middle School: The Highland Falcon Thief by M. G. Leonard

Harrison Beck and his Uncle Nat are enjoying the final journey of the Highland Falcon, Britain’s most famous steam train. But when a precious jewel goes missing, Harrison and his new friend Lenny find themselves at the centre of the investigation. Can they solve the mystery and catch the culprit before they reach the end of the line?

Hear whispers in the dining car, find notes in the library, and unknown passengers among the luggage as you help Harrison to solve the mystery aboard one of the world’s grandest trains.

Week commencing 07.06.2021

Upper School: Nelson Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom

The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, A Long Walk to Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela’s destiny. A Long Walk to Freedom is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.

Middle School: The Lorax by Dr Seuss

Celebrate the original eco-warrior! After fifty years his message is more important than ever!

“Mister! He said
with a sawdusty sneeze,
I am the Lorax.
I speak for the trees.”

The Lorax is a timeless classic that has been using humour and rhyme to raise awareness of the destruction of the environment for more than fifty years.

Join the long-suffering crusader and help save the planet!

Week commencing 24.05.2021

Time Hunters by Carl Ashmore

This week’s book recommendation comes courtesy of Sam W in year 5.

Now, some have compared this book series to Harry Potter, and I can see why as it has time travel and monsters in the story but, this is my opinion, and some may disagree with me, I feel it has its own unique story and variable timeline.

This book is a murder mystery and action thriller, so it covers most bases. From low expectations that the summer holidays were going to be dull and boring, in a matter of hours after arriving at the house, one main character realizes it may just turn out to be the most exciting holiday ever!

At one point in the story, a character ends up staring down at the barrel of a gun held by one of the villains, which had me in total suspense.
Another character, ‘Uncle Percy’ had to decipher an encrypted message from a ‘dead friend’ who was still alive in a parallel timeframe which was very exciting.

I would recommend this book for anyone from 9-12 years old.

And I am looking forward to continuing the story in the second book to be delivered next week.

The official synopsis is as follows;

Becky Mellor is a typical thirteen-year-old girl. She likes Facebook, her friends, and plenty of sleep. So when she and her brother, Joe, are invited to stay with their ‘loony’ Uncle Percy at his stately home, she thinks it’ll be the worst summer ever. What she doesn’t realise is that Bowen Hall is also home to a baby Triceratops, two Sabre-tooth tigers and the mythic hero, Will Scarlet…

‘The Time Hunters’ is a thrilling adventure that takes Becky, Joe, Uncle Percy and Will on a quest through time to find the legendary Golden Fleece.

Week commencing 17.05.2021

Upper School: The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud

England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways, while strangely evolved beasts prowl the wilderness beyond. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted: some are killed, others are driven out into the wilds. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends.

Middle School: Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

Amari Peters knows three things.

Her big brother Quinton has gone missing.
No one will talk about it.
His mysterious job holds the secret . . .

So when Amari gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain this is her chance to find Quinton. But first, she has to get her head around the new world of the Bureau, where mermaids, aliens and magicians are real, and her roommate is a weredragon.

Amari must compete against kids who’ve known about the supernatural world their whole lives, and when each trainee is awarded a special supernatural talent, Amari is given an illegal talent – one that the Bureau views as dangerous.

With an evil magician threatening the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she is the enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton . . .

Week commencing 10.05.2021

Upper School: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Treasure Island is the seminal pirates and buried treasure novel.

The story is told in the first person by young Jim Hawkins, whose mother keeps the Admiral Benbow Inn. An old seadog, a resident at the inn, hires Jim to keep a watch out for other sailors whom he fears but, despite all precautions, the old man is served with the black spot which means death. Among the dead man’s belongings, Jim discovers a map showing the location of the buried treasure of the notorious pirate Captain Flint. It is not long before he, along with Doctor Livesey and Squire Trelawney, sets sail to find the treasure. However, amongst the hired hands is the one-legged Long John Silver who has designs on the treasure for himself. A book for all those with the spirit of adventure in their hearts.

Middle School: Noah’s Gold by Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Being the smallest doesn’t stop you from having the biggest ideas.

Eleven-year-old Noah sneaks along on his big sister’s geography field trip. Everything goes wrong! Six kids are marooned on an uninhabited island. Their teacher has vanished. They’re hungry. Their phones don’t work and Noah has broken the internet. There’s no way of contacting home . . . Disaster!

Until Noah discovers a treasure map and the gang goes in search of gold.

Week commencing 03.05.2021

Upper School: Chasing a Rugby Dream by James Hook with David Brayley

Small, skinny and short-sighted . . . and dazzlingly talented.

Jimmy Joseph loves rugby. All he dreams about is one day playing for his country in a World Cup, or winning a Test series for the Lions with a last-minute drop-goal. But when he kicks an up-and-under in the schoolyard and accidentally hits the new head of PE, Mr Kane, on the head, he makes a powerful enemy.

Jimmy and his best friends – Matt, Scott and Kitty – try to prove their worth on the rugby field, but to no avail. Mr Kane has it out for them, and he’s being helped by team captain Mike Green, well known as the school bully.

Can Jimmy and his friends overcome the tyranny of Mr Kane and help Mike see the error of his ways? Or will the combination of bullying, pressure and dirty tactics derail the friends’ rugby careers before they have even begun?

Middle School: Billy the Kid by Michael Morpurgo

Billy was a champion soccer star, playing for Chelsea in the 1930s. But that was before war broke out…

Billy the Kid is told through the voice of an 80-year-old man, who looks back on his life as Chelsea’s champion striker until the outbreak of war in 1939 and on through his subsequent life.

Billy joins Chelsea as a football apprentice, rises through the reserves to become a real champion. His passion for football sees him through the war years – even as a prisoner of war he organises a friendly against the Italians – but, having been injured by a mine he cannot play for Chelsea on his return to England.

Billy becomes homeless and for years he wanders up and down the country. He re-settles in London in a derelict house and is befriended by a family who move him to a shed in their garden. He, in turn, helps their son with his football who in his turn becomes a Chelsea player. Billy becomes a Chelsea Pensioner and his 80th birthday is celebrated when Chelsea play at home.

Week commencing 26.04.2021

Upper School: Poems to Live Your Life By

This gorgeously illustrated collection includes forty-six poems and is divided into sections covering: musings, youth, family, love, imaginings, nature, war and endings.

This book features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses from William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, W. B. Yeats and Christina Rossetti sit alongside poems from Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Carol Ann Duffy, Neil Gaiman and Roger McGough.

Middle School: How to Write Poems by Joseph Coelho

How to Write Poems is packed with exciting activities! Make poems out of leaves, carve out a mud poem, go on an outdoors simile hunt, and play poetry games in the playground.

Whether you already write poems, you’ve never written before, or you’re not even sure what a poem is – this is the book for you. Full of useful tips and starting points, How to Write Poems will make you chuckle, make you think, and inspire you to write your own poetry.

Join popular poet Joseph Coelho as he explores a mind-boggling selection of poetry: from laughable limericks to poetic puns, and from ridiculous rhymes to silly sibilance. Pick up this book, grab a pen, and get going!

Week commencing 19.04.2021

As recommended by Mr Gibbons, Head of English, this week’s picks include one for parents. Enjoy!

Parents: Why you should read children’s books even though you are so old and wise by Katherine Rundell

From the pen of one of the most accomplished modern children’s writers comes an extended essay about the benefits of reading children’s literature into adulthood.

Katherine Rundell is a prize-winning author of five novels for children – in this book she explores how children’s books can re-ignite imagination; how children’s fiction, with its unabashed emotion and playfulness, can awaken old hunger and create new perspectives on the world. This delightful and persuasive essay is for adult readers.

Middle & Upper School: Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Brothers Damian and Anthony didn’t mean to get caught up in a botched train robbery. But what would you do if a massive bag of cash dropped from the sky and you had only a few days to spend it before it became worthless? Buy a million pizzas? End world poverty? Not such an easy decision, is it? The boys soon find out that being rich is a mug’s game. Not only is the clock ticking, but the bank robbers also want their money back . . .

Week commencing 22.03.2021

Upper School: Humble Pi by Matt Parker

What makes a bridge wobble when it’s not meant to? Billions of dollars mysteriously vanish into thin air? A building rock when its resonant frequency matches a gym class leaping to Snap’s 1990 hit I’ve Got The Power? The answer is maths. Or, to be precise, what happens when maths goes wrong in the real world.

Our modern lives are built on maths: computer programmes, finance, engineering. And most of the time this maths works quietly behind the scenes, until … it doesn’t. Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near-misses and mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman empire and a hapless Olympic shooting team, Matt Parker shows us the bizarre ways maths can trip us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world.

Mathematics doesn’t have good ‘people skills’, but we would all be better off if we saw it as a practical ally. This book shows how, by making maths our friend, we can learn from its pitfalls. It also contains puzzles, challenges, geometric socks, jokes about binary code and three deliberate mistakes. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.

Middle School: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is – but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a fierce storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realises that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island’s unwelcoming animal inhabitants. As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home – until, one day, her mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

Week commencing 15.03.2021

Upper School: Time Travelling with a Hamster by Ross Welford

“My dad died twice. Once when he was thirty-nine and again four years later when he was twelve.”

On Al Chaudhury’s twelfth birthday his beloved Grandpa Byron gives him a letter from Al’s late father. In it, Al receives a mission: travel back to 1984 in a secret time machine and save his father’s life.

Al soon discovers that time travel requires daring and imagination. It also requires lies, theft, setting his school on fire and ignoring philosophical advice from Grandpa Byron. All without losing his pet hamster, Alan Shearer…

Middle School: The Secret Lake by Karen Inglis

When Stella and her younger brother, Tom, move to their new London home, they become mystified by the disappearances of Harry, their elderly neighbour’s small dog. Where does he go? And why does he keep reappearing wet-through?

Their quest to solve the riddle over the summer holidays leads to a boat buried under a grassy mound, and a tunnel that takes them to a secret lake.

Who is the boy rowing towards them who looks so terrified? And whose are those children’s voices carried on the wind from beyond the woods?

Stella and Tom soon discover that they have travelled back in time to their home and its gardens almost 100 years earlier. Here they make both friends and enemies and uncover startling connections between the past and present.

Week commencing 08.03.2021

Upper School: The Weather Weaver by Tamsin Mori

What if the weather matched itself to your mood, whether you wanted it to, or not?

11-year-old Stella has returned home to Shetland to spend the summer with her Grandpa, but it’s nothing like she remembers. Grandpa is lost in his grief for Gran, the island is bleak and Stella feels trapped until she encounters an old woman, Tamar, who can spin rainbows and call hurricanes. With the help of Nimbus, a feisty young storm cloud, Stella begins to learn the craft of weather weaving. But when her cloud brain-fogs Grandpa and The Haken (a sea witch) starts to close in, she realises that magic comes with big responsibilities. It will take all her heart and courage to face the coming storm…

Middle School: The House at the Edge of Magic by Amy Sparkes

Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman’s purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast – a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch – and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell, which they are desperate for Nine to break – and if she can, maybe they can offer her a new life in return…

Week commencing 01.03.2021

Upper School: Floodworld by Tom Huddleston

Kara and Joe live outside the Wall, spending their days navigating perilous waterways and scratching out a living in the ruins of the old city. But when they get swept up in a police chase, and find themselves in possession of a mysterious map, they’re suddenly in a world of trouble!

As they delve deeper and deeper into a dark world of rebellion and revenge they’ve soon got gangsters, cops and ruthless Mariner pirates in their hi-tech submarines hot on their heels. But as Joe and Kara are swept up into a revolution of justice and vengeance, they must find a way to fight back and save their city before the walls come tumbling down, and the waves come rushing in…

Middle School: Pop! by Mitch Johnson – released in May but one to watch out for

Queenie stares out at the ocean and dreams of a world beyond her small-town. She’s about to get her wish…

When the priceless recipe to the world’s most popular drink – thought to be lost forever – washes up at her feet, Queenie’s life instantly changes. Everyone wants it, and with a $10 million bounty on her head, Queenie’s soon on the run.

Pursued by bounty hunters, black-ops helicopters and angry mobs, Queenie’s journey involves a trip to Area 51, a man-eating alligator and an unlikely new friend, Todd.

But being on the run also makes Queenie begin to see the world around her more clearly – a world in which a big corporation’s excess has left the planet covered in its plastic bottles and waste. Suddenly, the home she always dreamed of escaping, and the ocean she grew up with and took for granted, don’t seem so bad.

If Queenie and Todd can bring down the bad guys, maybe she can go back home and make a difference…

Week commencing 22.02.2021

Upper School: Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh

Fourteen-year-old Ahmed is stuck in a city that wants nothing to do with him. Newly arrived in Brussels, Belgium, Ahmed fled a life of uncertainty and suffering in Aleppo, Syria, only to lose his father on the perilous journey to the shores of Europe. Now Ahmed’s struggling to get by on his own, but with no one left to trust and nowhere to go, he’s starting to lose hope.

Then he meets Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy from Washington, D.C. Lonely and homesick, Max is struggling at his new school and just can’t seem to do anything right. But with one startling discovery, Max and Ahmed’s lives collide and a friendship begins to grow. Together, Max and Ahmed will defy the odds, learning from each other what it means to be brave and how hope can change your destiny.

Middle School: A Boy called Hope by Lara Williamson

I’m Dan Hope and deep inside my head I keep a list of things I want to come true. For example, I want my sister, Ninja Grace, to go to university at the North Pole and only come back once a year. I want to help Sherlock Holmes solve his most daring mystery yet. And if it could be a zombie mystery, all the more exciting. I want my dog to stop eating the planets and throwing them up on the carpet.
And finally, the biggest dream of all, I want my dad to love me.

Week commencing 08.02.2021

Upper School: Greta’s Story by Valentina Camerini

It’s 20 August 2018, late summer in Stockholm, and it feels incredibly hot in the city. The TV news reports rising temperatures, and there have been numerous fires throughout Sweden. Fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg decides she can’t wait any longer: politicians have to do something to save the environment. Instead of returning to school, Greta takes a placard and goes on strike in front of Sweden’s parliament building.

Greta’s protest began the Fridays for Future – or School Strike 4 Climate – movement, which millions have now joined around the world. Greta has spoken at COP24, the UN summit on climate change, and has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is her story, but also that of many other girls and boys around the world willing to fight against the indifference of the powerful for a better future.

Middle School: Be the Change; Poems to help you save the world by Liz Brownlee, Matt Goodfellow and Roger Stevens

These positive and upbeat poems explore sustainability and the positive efforts being made to protect the planet and are perfect for starting conversations about looking after each other and our environment.

Week commencing 01.02.2021

Upper School: All the Things that could go wrong by Stewart Foster

Dan is angry. Nothing has been the same since his big brother left, and he’s taking it out on the
nearest and weakest target: Alex.

Alex is struggling. His severe OCD makes it hard for him to leave the house, especially when Dan
and his gang are waiting for him at school . . .

Then the boys’ mums arrange for them to meet up and finish building the raft that Dan started with his brother. Two enemies stuck together for the whole of the school holidays – what could possibly go wrong?

Middle School: Scarlet Ibis by Gill Lewis

Red asks, ‘Will we always be together?’ ‘Always,’ I say. ‘Just you and me in that little boat, watching the scarlet ibis flying back to the Caroni Swamp.’ Scarlet’s used to looking after her brother, Red. He’s special – different. Every night she tells him his favourite story – about the day they’ll fly far away to the Caroni Swamp in Trinidad, where thousands of birds fill the sky. But when Scarlet and Red are split up and sent to live with different foster families, Scarlet knows she’s got to do whatever it takes to get her brother back . . .

Week commencing 25.01.2021

Upper School: To the Edge of the World by Julia Green

Imagine a tiny island far out in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland. On some days, you can hardly see where the sea ends and the land begins, everything merged in a blue-grey mist of sea spray and wind-blown sand. There is nothing between here and America. I say nothing, but what I mean, of course, is nothing but ocean. And about sixty-five kilometres out to sea, one last remote outcrop of islands and sea stacks, with the highest sea cliffs anywhere in the UK – St Kilda. Distant, desolate, and difficult to reach. The islands at the edge of the world . . .

Middle School: Gulliver’s Travels for Kids by Luke Hayes

First, we’re transported to Lilliput, where folks are only a few inches tall and where Gulliver puts out a fire in a most unusual way. Then to Brobdingnag, where our hero finds himself in a land of giants. More adventures follow including flying islands, wacky inventions, mad scientists, and mysterious magicians. Finally, Gulliver arrives at the country where horses rule, where humans are beastly Yahoos and where the humane values of the book finally become clear.

Week commencing 18.01.2021

Upper School: Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

Italy, 1944: Florence is occupied by Nazi forces. The Italian resistance movement has not given up hope, though — and neither have thirteen-year-old Paolo and his sister, Costanza. As their mother is pressured into harbouring escaping POWs, Paolo and Costanza each find a part to play in opposing the German forces. Both are desperate to fight the occupation, but what can two siblings — with only a bicycle to help them — do against a whole army?

Middle School: Heroes by Jonny Mark and Gerhard van Wyk

Not all heroes wear capes but some do have impressive costumes, amazing masks and astonishing super-human abilities.
This book showcases more than one hundred real-life superheroes, bona fide boffins, awe-inspiring athletes and sublime scientists and celebrates their astounding accomplishments. From the fearless firefighters who tackle blistering blazes to deft doctors that save lives on a daily basis, the world is crammed full of incredible people and the staggering things they’ve achieved can inspire us all.

Week commencing 11.01.2021

Upper School: Dr Christian’s guide to growing Up Online by Dr Christian Jessen

The ULTIMATE online survival guide!

Dr Christian, TV’s favourite doctor, tackles all your awkward questions head-on, helping you find out how to stay safe growing up in a digital world.

From cyberbullying to binge-watching TV, from group chats to your digital footprint, this book contains REAL answers to REAL questions.

Perfect for children and parents alike!

TOPICS COVERED:

cyberbullying
online grooming
feeling left out on social media
binge-watching TV
unauthorised sharing of personal photos and information
dealing with strangers online
digital footprints
keeping passwords private
dealing with nasty social media and text messages
feeling angry about online discussions
what’s a Finsta?
coping with catfishing
dealing with anxiety
family agreements and contracts
chatbots
making friends in real life
combatting trolls
grooming

Middle School: Ant Clancy, Games Detective by Ruth Morgan

Ray-Chay is the new virtual reality game that everyone’s playing and the world loves its eccentric billionaire creator, Kody Crunch.

Ant loves gaming and feels like the only person who can’t get into Ray-Chay. But when something goes very wrong with the game, Ant is determined to help.

Can Ant and his friends work out the real deadly game behind the game?

Week commencing 07.12.2020

Upper School: A Dragon for Christmas by Marc Secchia

Keir thinks he knows about bad luck. His Elven mother is dying of a wasting disease. His Human father, severely injured in the war, struggles to walk. A brutal Winterfall clasps his mountainous kingdom in talons of ice. The people are starving. His family, his little sisters, depend on him to see them to Dragonmas Day.

They need a miracle. But who believes in miracles anymore?

Long ago, the mighty Dragon Santaclaws rescued Humankind and resettled them in the magical realm of Tyanbran – but Santaclaws and his miracles are gone, and his Dragons disappeared. Now, a stubborn half-elf must brave blizzards and treacherous trails to bring food to the kingdom, and find winterberry to ease his mother’s suffering.

What he discovers on this journey will shatter all unbelief. The lightning-born treasure he places beneath his Dragonmas tree changes everything, for wishes are different when it comes to Dragons.

Middle School: Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful coloured drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas.

They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole: how all the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; how the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining-room; how he broke the Moon into four pieces and made the Man in it fall into the back garden; how there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house!

Sometimes the Polar Bear would scrawl a note, and sometimes Ilbereth the Elf would write in his elegant flowing script, adding yet more life and humour to the stories.

Week commencing 30.11.2020

This week’s choices are suitable for all ages.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse are four friends who share a deep, unshakable bond. Through a series of brief but profound conversations, Mackesy teases universal truths and rich wisdom from the mouths of his characters, celebrating warmth and empathy in all its myriad forms. Exploring kindness through exquisite, sensitive artwork and delicate calligraphy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a moving study in friendship.

The Bear in the Stars by Alexis Snell

There was once a bear, a great, white bear – Queen of Beasts. Her kingdom was a beautiful, cold, glistening place. But over the years the ice disappeared, slipping away like sand through an hourglass. Slowly, slowly, one by one, the other animals moved on.

The Great Bear has no choice but to leave her snowy realm to search for food, friends and a new home. She soon discovers a world that is growing hotter whilst hearts grow colder – until one small act of kindness changes everything. The Bear in the Stars is a story about loss, kindness and new beginnings.

Week commencing 23.11.2020

Upper School: Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks

Daniel Radcliffe, Galileo Galilei, Nelson Mandela, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Messi, King George VI, Jamie Oliver… all dared to be different.

But what if you’re the introvert kind? What if you prefer to pick up a book rather than a sword? What if you want to cry when you’re feeling sad or angry?

This book is an extraordinary compilation of 100 stories of famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and innovator in his own way, and all going on to achieve amazing things. Entries include Frank Ocean, Salvador Dalí, Rimbaud, Beethoven, Barack Obama, Stormzy, Ai Weiwei and Jesse Owens – different sorts of heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.

Middle School: The Book of Hopes by Katherine Rundell – proceeds to NHS Charities

In difficult times, what children really need is hope. And in that spirit, author Katherine Rundell emailed some of the children’s writers and artists whose work she loved most:

She asked them to write something very short, fiction or non-fiction, or draw something that would make the children reading it feel like possibility exists: something that would make them laugh or wonder or snort or smile.

This collection is packed with short stories, poems and pictures from the very best children’s authors and illustrators. Within its pages, you’ll find animal friends from insects to elephants, high-flying grandmas, a homesick sprite, the tooth fairy, and even extra-terrestrial life.

Week commencing 16.11.2020

Upper School: The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien

Middle School: The Ickabog by J.K Rowling

The Ickabog is coming… A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds.

The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustaches you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them.

Everything was perfect – except for the misty Marshlands to the north which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth, to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.

Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?

Week commencing 09.11.2020

Upper School: Lord of the Flies ( for mature and older readers) by William Golding

A plane crashes on a desert island. The only survivors are a group of schoolboys. By day, they discover fantastic wildlife and dazzling beaches, learning to survive; at night, they are haunted by nightmares of a primitive beast. Orphaned by society, it isn’t long before their innocent childhood games devolve into a savage, murderous hunt …

Middle School: Wonder by R.J Palacio

Auggie wants to be an ordinary ten-year-old. He does ordinary things – eating ice cream, playing on his Xbox. He feels ordinary – inside. But ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. Ordinary kids aren’t stared at wherever they go.

Born with a terrible facial abnormality, Auggie has been home-schooled by his parents his whole life. Now, for the first time, he’s being sent to a real school – and he’s dreading it. All he wants is to be accepted – but can he convince his new classmates that he’s just like them, underneath it all?

Week commencing 02.11.2020

Upper School & Middle School: Incredible Journeys by Levison Wood & Darwin’s Voyage of Discovery by Jake Williams

This week’s choices are wonderful for boys of both the Middle and Upper School alike.

Incredible journeys is written by real-life adventurer and bestselling author Levison Wood. Embark on 20 epic expeditions from the Silk Road to medieval pilgrimages to the Holy Land to Nellie Bly’s trip around the world, and recent missions to the Moon and the Mariana Trench. Along the way, Levison Wood shares his own insights into adventuring, telling you what it’s REALLY like to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great.

Darwin’s Voyage of Discovery is a wonderful celebration of history’s most remarkable journey. Step on-board The Beagle and follow the remarkable journey that inspired almost all modern-day knowledge of the natural world. From England to Cape Verde, Brazil to the Galapagos, Tahiti to Australia; discover the wildlife of Charles Darwin – giant sloths, platypus, tarantulas, fireflies and more. As well as gorgeous artwork and fascinating information on the journey, this book also features the equipment used by Darwin and cross-sections of the ship itself.

Week commencing 19.10.2020

Upper School: Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Ally has been smart enough to fool a lot of smart people. Every time she lands in a new school, she is able to hide her inability to read by creating clever yet disruptive distractions. She is afraid to ask for help; after all, how can you cure dumb? However, her newest teacher Mr Daniels sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her and to everyone than a label and that great minds don’t always think alike.

Middle School: The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Rauf

There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He’s nine years old (just like me), but he’s very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn’t like sweets – not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite! But then I learned the truth: Ahmet really isn’t very strange at all. He’s a refugee who’s run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and fires and bullies that hurt people. And the more I find out about him, the more I want to help.

That’s where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because you see, together we’ve come up with a plan. . .

Week commencing 12.10.2020

Upper School: Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

Sam must solve the mystery of who he really is.

Sam is almost 11 when he discovers a locked box in the attic above his grandfather Mack’s room and a piece of paper that says he was kidnapped. There are lots of other words, but Sam has always had trouble reading. He’s desperate to find out who he is, and if his beloved Mack is really his grandfather. At night he’s haunted by dreams of a big castle and a terrifying escape on a boat. Who can he trust to help him read the documents that could unravel the mystery? Then he and the new girl, Caroline, are paired up to work on a school project, building a castle in Mack’s woodworking shop. Caroline loves to read, and she can help. But she’s moving soon, and the two must hurry to discover the truth about Sam.

Middle School: Hank Zipzer – Niagara Falls – Or Does it? by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver

Inspired by the true-life experiences of Henry Winkler, whose undiagnosed dyslexia made him a classic childhood underachiever, the Hank Zipzer series is about the high-spirited and funny adventures of a boy with learning differences.

It’s science project time in Ms Adolf’s class. This is good news and bad news for Hank, he loves science but he hates the report part. So Hank turns to TV to take his mind off things. But when the program directory scrolls by too quickly for Hank to know what’s on, he decides to take apart the cable box to try to slow down the crawl. Great! Now Hank has found the perfect science project! But what he wasn’t counting on was his sister’s pet iguana laying eighteen eggs in the disassembled cable box. How is Hank going to get out of this one?

Week commencing 05.10.2020

Upper School: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Set in Mississippi at the height of the Depression, this is the story of one family’s struggle to maintain their integrity, pride, and independence in the face of racism and social injustice. And it is also Cassie’s story—Cassie Logan, an independent girl who discovers over the course of an important year why having land of their own is so crucial to the Logan family, even as she learns to draw strength from her own sense of dignity and self-respect.

Middle School: If you were a kid during the Civil Rights Movement by Gwendolyn Hooks

Joyce Jenkins has recently moved to a new town with her family, and she will soon be attending a segregated school for the first time. Meanwhile, Connie Underwood is trying to figure out what her twin brothers are planning in secret. Readers will follow along with the two girls as they find themselves in the middle of a civil rights demonstration, and find out how the fight for equality changed the country forever.

Week commencing 28.09.2020

Upper School: Pig-heart Boy by Malorie Blackman

You’re thirteen. All you want is a normal life. But most normal kids don’t need heart transplants.

So there’s this doctor. He says there’s a chance for you. But he also says it’s experimental, controversial and risky. And it’s never been done before.

Middle School: The Extraordinary Life of Katherine Johnson

In 1969 history was made when the first humans stepped on the moon. Back on earth, one woman was running the numbers that ensured they got there and back in one piece.

As a child, Katherine Johnson loved maths. She went on to be one of the most important people in the history of space travel. Discover her incredible life story in this beautifully illustrated book complete with narrative biography, timelines and facts.

Week commencing 21.09.2020

Upper School: The Explorer by Katherine Rundell

From his seat in the tiny aeroplane, Fred watches as the mysteries of the Amazon jungle pass by below him. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries. If only he could land and look about him.

As the plane crashes into the canopy, Fred is suddenly left without a choice. He and the three other children may be alive, but the jungle is a vast, untamed place. With no hope of rescue, the chance of getting home feels impossibly small.

Except, it seems, someone has been there before them…

Middle School: Great Adventurers by Alastair Humphreys

Hand-picked by adventurer Alastair Humphreys, these stories retell the extraordinary journeys undertaken by his personal heroes. These men and women have ventured into space, oceans, deserts and jungles and inspired Alastair’s own adventures. They may do the same for our SJB boys too.

Week commencing 29.06.2020

Upper School: My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

Escaping the ills of the British climate, the Durrell family take off for the island of Corfu. But the Durrells find that, reluctantly, they must share their various villas with a menagerie of local fauna – among them scorpions, geckos, toads, bats and butterflies. Recounted with immense humour and charm My Family and Other Animals is a wonderful account of a rare, magical childhood.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: Twelve Minutes to Midnight by Christopher Edge

Penelope Tredwell is the feisty thirteen-year-old orphan heiress of the bestselling magazine, The Penny Dreadful. Her masterly tales of the macabre are gripping Victorian Britain, even if no one knows she’s the author. One day, a letter she receives from the governor of the notorious Bedlam madhouse plunges her into an adventure more terrifying than anything she has ever imagined. Why are the patients of Bedlam waking every night at twelve minutes to midnight? What is the meaning of the strange messages they write? Who is the Spider Lady of South Kensington? Penelope is always seeking mysteries to fill the pages of her magazine. But this isn’t any ordinary story, it’s the future.

And the future looks deadly…

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 22.06.2020

Upper School: David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

One of Dicken’s greatest books and a semi-autobiographical account of his life. Charles Dickens creates a world of rich characters who will draw you into their lives; some tug at your heartstrings; some outrage you with their deceptive behaviours. All will make an impression that will remain long after the final page of this book has been turned.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

Mark Twain’s novel is about two boys who trade places in Tudor England. Set in 1547, The Prince and the Pauper brings together Tom Canty, an impoverished urchin who lives with his abusive father in London’s filthiest streets, and pampered Prince Edward, the son of King Henry VIII. Noticing their uncanny resemblance, the two boys trade clothes on a whim. While Tom lives in the lap of luxury and finds he has a knack for rendering wise judgments, the ragged Prince Edward roams the city and discovers firsthand the misery of his poorest subjects’ lives. But when the king dies and Edward tries to claim his throne, he finds that changing places will be difficult to undo.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 15.06.2020

At such a historically definitive period in our lives, it is important to understand how we have reached this point. Encouraging boys to take an active interest in history has always been important and these week’s books aim to do just this.

Upper School: Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, writing with award-winning author Jason Reynolds, chronicles the story of anti-black, racist ideas over the course of American history. Racist ideas did not arise from ignorance or hatred. Instead, they were developed by some of the most brilliant minds in history to justify and rationalise the nation’s deeply entrenched discriminatory policies. But while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited. In shedding light on the history of racist ideas in America, this adaptation offers young readers the tools they need to combat these ideas – and, in the process, gives society a reason to hope. Through a gripping and fast-paced narrative that speaks to young readers on their level, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas – and on ways, anti-racists can be empowered to combat racism in their daily lives

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: The Capricorn Bracelet by Rosemary Sutcliff

Rosemary’s Sutcliff’s collection of stories cover the fall of Londinium to the building of Hadrian’s Wall and the final departure of the Romans from Britain. Set at the time of the Roman occupation of Britain, they follow the fortunes of one family over three hundred years. All soldiers, they are linked by the Capricorn bracelet, first worn by the centurion Lucius for distinguished conduct, then handed down through the generations.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 08.06.2020

Upper School: Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom (With a Few Flat Tires Along the Way) By Sue Macy

Take a lively look at women’s history from aboard a bicycle, which granted females the freedom of mobility and helped empower women’s liberation. Through vintage photographs, advertisements, cartoons, and songs, Wheels of Change transports young readers to bygone eras to see how women used the bicycle to improve their lives. Witty in tone and scrapbook-like in presentation, the book deftly covers early (and comical) objections, influence on fashion, and impact on social change inspired by the bicycle, which, according to Susan B. Anthony, “has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: Survivors of the Holocaust by Kath Shackleton

Based on a series of BAFTA-nominated animated documentaries, the artwork in Survivors of the Holocaust has been reinvented to bring together six different real-life survivors’ account of the Holocaust. Every word rings with truth, whether it describes the bleak fear of arriving at Auschwitz or the sheer terror of Kristallnacht, and is complemented by dazzling, clever artwork. This unique children’s graphic novel aims to bring the survivors’ stories to a new audience. It is an important, timely reminder of the horrors that can be inflicted on innocent people and a reflection of the Holocaust’s legacy today. Its importance has been recognised – Survivors of the Holocaust won the overall award at the School & Library Association awards in 2017.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 01.06.2020

Upper School: Gone by Michael Grant

In the blink of an eye all the adults disappear in a small town in southern California and no one knows why. Cut off from the outside world, those that are left are trapped, and there’s no help on the way. Sam Temple and his friends must do all they can to survive. Chaos rules the streets. Gangs begin to form. Sides are chosen – strong or weak. Cruel or humane. And then there are those who begin to develop powers . . .

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: Once by Morris Gleitzman

Once is the story of a young Jewish boy who is determined to escape the orphanage he lives in to save his Jewish parents from the Nazis in the occupied Poland of the Second World War.

Everybody deserves to have something good in their life. At least Once.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 18.05.2020

Upper School: Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Nailer’s time is running out. He’s getting too big for his work – stripping copper wire from old oil tankers – and once he’s off the crew he’s on his own, stuck in a shack on the beach with no food, no money and no way of earning his keep. He has one last chance. The thing all crew members dream about, a lucky strike, has hit in the shape of a clipper ship beached during the last hurricane. If he can hold off the rest of the scavengers long enough to get the oil out, he might just have a future. But oil’s not the only thing on the ship. And what Nailer finds is going to change his life forever.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: Twist of gold by Michael Morpurgo

An epic journey through famine, hope and survival by a much-loved, award-winning author. Sean and Annie have one chance to escape the potato famine and plague in Ireland. They survive a shipwreck and land safely in America searching for their father. But their new land is one of hardship and they live in poverty on the streets of Boston. However, their adventure is just beginning…they live on a steamboat and then join pioneers travelling across the prairies. Their music and dancing bring joy to all they meet, but their family torc brings both blessings and curses and thieves prowl to get hold of it. Annie and Sean must hang on to their torc – their family’s survival depends on it.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

WEEK COMMENCING 11.05.2020

Upper School: The Once and Future King by T.H. White

The classic novel of King Arthur.

T.H. White’s masterful retelling of the Arthurian legend is an abiding classic. Here all five volumes that make up the story are published together in a single volume, as White himself always wished. This is the tale of King Arthur and his shining Camelot; of Merlyn and Owl and Guinevere; of beasts who talk and men who fly; of knights, wizardry and war. It is the book of all things lost and wonderful and sad; the masterpiece of fantasy by which all others are judged.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: The Incredible Ecosystems of Planet Earth by Rachel Ignotofsky

Through exquisite illustrations, maps and infographics, bestselling author Rachel Ignotofsky explains how our planet works, from its incredible ecosystems and the plants and animals that live there to the importance of biodiversity, weather cycles and more. Including information on the dangers of climate change and ideas for how to protect Planet Earth.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 04.05.2020

Upper School: Half Brother by Kenneth Opal

Ben Tomlin has been an only child for thirteen years. So when his research-scientist parents bring home a baby chimp to raise as a human child, Ben’s life is turned upside-down. Teaching a baby chimp how to understand language is not his idea of fun, especially when he’s trying to settle in at his new school. But it isn’t long before Zan’s infectious personality endears him to everyone and he becomes a real member of the family. But just what will happen when he grows up and the experiment comes to an end? Ben must take dramatic steps, and the repercussions ricochet through his home and community with devastating results. This phenomenal novel is a thought-provoking story of relationships and family, first love, growing up, ethics and dilemmas.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Middle School: The Little Ships by Louise Borden

May 1940: 500,000 British and French troops are trapped in northern France by the Nazis. Their only escape is the sea and an incredible armada of 800 craft known as “the little ships”. This is the story of a young girl and her father, who sail from Deal to Normandy to lend their help.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 27.04.2020

Upper School: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Detective. Hero. All-time legend. Not yet read his baffling cases? Fail. You’ve seen the spin-offs. Now it’s time to meet the real Sherlock in the only place you can: his original tales. A colonel receives five seeds in the mail … and dies within weeks. A young bride disappears just after her wedding. An old hat and a Christmas goose are the only clues to a stolen jewel. A son is accused of his father’s murder. Can YOU solve each bizarre case before Sherlock does?

To find out more about the book, visit Scholastic here

Middle School: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Winner of the Newbery Medal 2013 Inspired by a true story, this is the beautifully written tale of how a mighty gorilla wins his freedom. A winning blend of humour and poignancy that will appeal to fans of Michael Morpurgo. Ivan is an easy-going gorilla who has spent his life performing for the crowds at the Exit 8 shopping mall. He rarely misses life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly thinks about it at all. But everything changes when a baby elephant called Ruby arrives and Ivan realises he must find a new life for them both. Told from Ivan’s perspective this is a stand-out novel with a pertinent message for readers of 9+.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here

Week commencing 20.04.2020

This week, we have chosen two books that have a philosophical perspective to stimulate further thought on this week’s assemblies on Philosophy and Independence, and #SJBReach in general.

Upper School: Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder

One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: “Who are you?” and “Where does the world come from?” From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrols in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning. The truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here.

Middle School: The 1,000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford

There are stories about people who want to live forever.
This is not one of those stories.
This is a story about someone who wants to stop…
Alfie Monk is like any other nearly teenage boy – except he’s 1,000 years old and can remember the last Viking invasion of England.
Obviously no one believes him.
So when everything Alfie knows and loves is destroyed in a fire, and the modern world comes crashing in, Alfie embarks on a mission to find friendship, acceptance, and a different way to live…… which means finding a way to make sure he will eventually die.

To find out more about the book, visit Amazon here.