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July 2020
Edition 1
Finham Park Multi Academy Trust
Secondary Literacy Pack
Six Badges of Summer
Recommended Reading
Improve your
writing
Creative Writing
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Welcome!
Welcome to the first edition of the Finham Park MAT Secondary
Literacy Pack.
Teachers from Finham Park, Lyng Hall, Finham Park 2, and Whitley
Academy have shared some fun Literacy based activities which you
can complete over the Summer break. These are not compulsory at
all and are instead designed to give you something to try if you wish.
Many of these ideas have come from teachers who have enjoyed
completing them themselves and they think you will enjoy them
too!
So whether you are looking for a new book to read, want to learn
something new, improve your writing technique, or let your imagi-
nation run wild with some creative writing—we hope we have
something for everyone.
We would love to know how you have enjoyed completing these activities. Please do send any photos or work for sharing to :
[email protected] or on Twitter: @FinhamMAT
Remember to include: Your name, age and school
By sending, you are confirming you are happy for your work to be shared by us in future publications, social media, websites and news articles
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Creative Writing Writing is good for you in so
many ways:
Let’s you express your feelings
Your imagination can be released
You can share your writing with
others
It can broaden your vocabulary
The more you write, the better
writer you become
Why not:
Keep a diary
Write a letter
Produce an information leaflet
about your favourite hobby or interest
Create a fact file for your favourite
music artist or group
Create characters
Write a story
Write a poem
Write new lyrics for a song
Competition Time!
Competition Time! A) Using the image above as a prompt, create a piece of
descriptive writing in 250 words
B) Using the image above as a prompt, write a short story in 500 words
C) Using the title ‘Freedom’, create a piece of writing in any style that expresses your feelings
Send your entries to:
Include your name, age and school
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Pick Up A Book
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All Out Attack by John Hickman
This exciting coming of age story follows a boy from a tower block as he joins a premier
league football academy. When Jackson's granddad is taken to hospital, Jackson's foot-
ball suffers. When he loses his temper on the pitch, he puts his position on United's
team at risk. Join Jackson as he struggles with the trials of football and family. QUICK
READ
Toad Attack by Patrick Lawrence
After a toad lands on his head as he leaves his house one morning, Leo is determined to
find out where it has come from and why. Together with his friend Rosa, he needs to
come up with some answers before the angry residents of Upper Dab take matters into
their own hands and the toads become toast! A brilliantly quirky comedy caper with a
diverse and inclusive cast of characters. QUICK READ
The Ghost Tower by Gillian Cross
The night Dot and Ryan take a sneaky Halloween visit to a condemned tower, they dis-
cover more than they bargained for when they catch a glimpse of an endangered spe-
cies of bat. It's clear that the bat colony and the tower need to be saved, but Dot and
Ryan were never meant to be there and it's not going to be easy to get the grown-ups on
side ... Can they find a way to stop the demolition and save the bats before it's too late?
QUICK READ
Still Water by Chris Priestley
Evacuated from London at the outbreak of war, Rosie is taken in by kind Mrs Taylor and
her daughter Mary. But all is not as it seems. Mary resents and bullies Rosie, and Mrs
Taylor is hiding a dark secret. When Rosie comes across a strange girl swimming in a
local pond, she hopes they will become friends. But instead her appearance leads to a
horrifying revelation that will have terrifying consequences... QUICK READ
Year 6 into 7
To Your Reading Journey
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The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson
Marinka dreams of a normal life, but her house has chicken legs and moves on without
warning. For Marinka's grandmother is Baba Yaga, who guides spirits between this world
and the next. Marinka longs to change her destiny and sets out to break free from her
grandmother's footsteps, but her house has other ideas...
Things a Bright Girl can do by Sally Nicholls
Through rallies and marches, in polite drawing rooms and freezing prison cells and the
poverty-stricken slums of the East End, three courageous young women join the fight for
the vote. Evelyn is seventeen, and though she is rich and clever, she may never be al-
lowed to follow her older brother to university. Enraged that she is expected to marry her
childhood sweetheart rather than be educated, she joins the Suffragettes, and vows to pay
the ultimate price for women's freedom. May is fifteen, and already sworn to the cause,
though she and her fellow Suffragists refuse violence. When she meets Nell, a girl who's
grown up in hardship, she sees a kindred spirit. Together and in love, the two girls start to
dream of a world where all kinds of women have their place. But the fight for freedom will
challenge Evelyn, May and Nell more than they ever could believe. As war looms, just how
much are they willing to sacrifice?
The Secret of the Night Train by Sylvia Bishop
One small girl - one BIG adventure. When Max is sent to Istanbul to stay with her boring
Great Aunt-Elodie, little does she expect to be plunged into a thrilling night-time adventure
across Europe. And when the mysterious Heartbreak Diamond goes missing, Max must
find her feet in a whirling world of would-be diamond smugglers, thieves and undercover
detectives. Will she discover the real diamond thief before they reach their destination? Or
does the answer lie closer to home... .
Mr Penguin and the Fortress of Secrets by Alex T. Smith
Follow Mr Penguin and Colin as they crash-land on a snowy mountain. Will they be able
to solve the mystery of the missing pets? What are the strange noises coming from the
abandoned fortress? And will Mr Penguin conquer his fear of flying? QUICK READ
The Lost Diary of Sami Star by Karen McCombie
Being at home is hard for Hannah. With Mum, Dad and Vix always fighting they've got no
time for her or her worries, she might as well be invisible. But when she finds an aban-
doned diary in the park containing snippets and photographs of the colourful life of the
mysterious Sami Star, Hannah hopes she's found the real friend she always needed.
Little does Hannah know Sami needs her too... A heart-warming story of finding friend-
ship in the most unlikely of places. QUICK READ
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The Land of Neverendings by Kate Saunders
Emily watched, in a trance of astonishment, as the bear opened the picnic basket, took
out a tartan rug and spread it on Holly's bed. And then the penguin spoke. Actually
spoke. 'What's going on? This isn't Pointed End!' The bear said, 'It looks like a human
bedroom. We must've come through the wrong door.' 'But there aren't any doors to the
hard world in Deep Smockeroon! And we don't have a human bedroom any more.
We're in a box in the attic.' What if there exists a world powered by imagination? A
world of silliness, where humans and their toys live on long after they've left the Hard
World . . . and what if the door between that world and this one was broken? Welcome
to the Land of Neverendings.
Clownfish by Alan Durant
Dak's dad has been dead for seven days when suddenly he reappears. He's the same
in almost every way, with one startling exception: Dad has turned into a clownfish, and
now lives in a tank at their local aquarium. Dak is delighted by the news - he has Dad
back, even if he isn't quite as he was before. Deciding to keep Dad's transformation a
secret, Dak visits him at the aquarium as often as he can, and ends up spending so
much time there that they offer him a job. This is how he comes to meet Violet, the
owner's prickly but kindhearted niece; when the aquarium is threatened with closure,
the pair must work together to save it. For Dak, the stakes couldn't be higher ... after all,
if the aquarium shuts down, what will happen to the fish?
Girl 38 by Ewa Jozefkowicz
Past and present are woven into this novel set in contemporary times and WWII Po-
land. Based on a real life story about friendship and endurance in the darkest situation.
Kat is a 12-year-old girl who loves working on her super-heroine comic, Girl 38 - the girl
she longs to be like. But she's not brave, or fearless. At school, Gem is no longer her
'best friend'. And at home Kat is lonely while her parents are busy working long hours.
She's even a bit afraid of her elderly neighbour, Ania. But when Ania has an accident
Kat surprises herself by rushing to the rescue - just like Girl 38. Their unlikely friendship
blossoms, and with it Kat's determination, as Ania reveals the haunting story behind the
portrait of a girl she's left unfinished. Inspired by Ania - her daring leap to freedom and
her search for her lost friend, Mila, who was taken away by soldiers to a 'walled village'
at the outbreak of WWII - Kat unravels the mystery of the girl in the painting and finds a
happy ending for Girl 38.
The Way Past Winter by Kiran Millwood Hargreave
Mila and her sisters live with their brother Oskar in a small forest cabin in the snow.
One night, a fur-clad stranger arrives seeking shelter for himself and his men. But by
the next morning, they've gone - taking Oskar with them. Fearful for his safety, Mila and
her sisters set out to bring Oskar back - even it means going north, crossing frozen wild
-lands to find a way past an eternal winter.
The Train to Impossible Places by P.G. Bell
When Suzy hears a strange noise in the middle of the night, she creeps downstairs to
find a train roaring through her house. But this is no ordinary train. This is the magical
delivery express for the Union of Impossible Places. Whisked on board by a troll-boy,
Suzy's world is turned upside down when she's asked to deliver a cursed package to a
fearsome sorceress. And quite suddenly, Suzy realizes the fate of the Impossible
Places is in her hands...
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Little Badman by Humza Arshad
You've probably heard of me, right? Little Badman. No? Oh. Well. . . Doesn't matter.
You will do one day. I'm gonna be big. I'm Humza Khan, the greatest eleven-year-old
rapper Eggington has ever known; soon everyone will know my name. Only problem is
school has got really weird, man. All my teachers are disappearing and our aunties are
taking over. It wasn't too bad at the start, they keep feeding us delicious snacks. Like,
all the time. But now these aunties are trying to mess with my music, so me and my
best friends Umer and Wendy are going to hunt for the truth. Cos something big and
bad is going on and we won't let anything mess with my music... or you know, the
world.
Secrets of a Sun King by Emma Carroll
London, 1922. A discovery from ancient Egypt . . . A cursed package . . . The untold
story of a young pharaoh . . . When Lilian Kaye finds a parcel on her grandad's door-
step, she is shocked to see who sent it: a famous Egyptologist, found dead that very
morning, according to every newspaper in England! The mysterious package holds the
key to a story . . . about a king whose tomb archaeologists are desperately hunting for.
Lil and her friends must embark on an incredible journey - to return the package to its
resting place, to protect those they love, and to break the deadly pharaoh's curse . . .
Asha & the Spirit Bird by Jasbindar Bilan
Asha lives in the foothills of the Himalayas. Money is tight and she misses her papa
who works in the city. When he suddenly stops sending his wages, a ruthless money-
lender ransacks their home andher mother talks of leaving. From her den in the mango
tree, Asha makes a pact with her best friend, Jeevan, to find her father and make
things right. But the journey is dangerous: they must cross the world's highest moun-
tains and face hunger, tiredness - even snow leopards. And yet, Asha has the un-
shakeable sense that the spirit bird of her grandmother - her nanijee - will be watching
over her.
The Midnight Hour by Benjamin Read
Emily's parents have vanished into the secret world of the Midnight Hour - a Victorian
London frozen in time - home to magic and monsters. Emily must find them in the city
of the Night Folk, armed only with a packed lunch, a stowaway hedgehog and her infa-
mously big mouth. With bloodthirsty creatures on her tail, Emily has to discover the
truth to rescue her parents. What family secret connects her to the Midnight Hour? And
can she save both worlds before she runs out of sandwiches?
Halo Moon by Sharon Cohen
In Ethiopia, Ageze has unearthed an ancient device that can make predictions. It tells
him: there is a date, there is a place, there is a moment when it will happen. A disaster
that will change everything. Halo Moon loves stars, and the night sky is full of them in
her remote Yorkshire village. It's a place where nothing interesting ever happens, let
alone a catastrophe. So when a stranger appears at the end of a near-impossible jour-
ney and tells her lives are at risk, she can barely believe it. But if she doesn't help
Ageze, everything and everyone she knows might disappear for ever ... As Halo says:
there's a hundred ways to start this story, a hundred ways to tell it. Each one is impos-
sible. Each one, unbelievable. But it did all happen and I promise it's all true.
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Key stage 3 and 4 - Exciting new books
All Out Attack by John Hickman QUICK READ
This exciting coming of age story follows a boy from a tower block as he joins a premier
league football academy. When Jackson's granddad is taken to hospital, Jackson's
football suffers. When he loses his temper on the pitch, he puts his position on United's
team at risk. Join Jackson as he struggles with the trials of football and family.
The Last Days of Archie Maxwell by Annabel Pitcher QUICK READ
Dads leave home all the time. It's not that unusual, really. Leon's dad walked out. So
did Mo's. But Archie's? Well, that's a different story - a story that Archie must keep se-
cret at all cost. Archie knows he should accept Dad for who he is, so he hides his tur-
moil until he can stand it no longer. With nowhere else to turn, he finds himself at the
railway track. The track has been calling to him, promising escape, release. The only
Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Auntie’s by Humza Arshad
Humza Khan is the greatest eleven-year-old rapper Eggington has ever known: he is
Little Badman and he is destined to be rich and famous.
But when Humza's music teacher is taken ill his dreams are put on hold. His Auntie has
stepped in as substitute, and nobody seems to care about the unorthodox teaching be-
cause of the endless sweet treats. As other teachers start to disappear, with more
Aunties appearing in their place, Humza knows something isn't right.
With the help of his elderly Uncle and friends Umer and Wendy, Humza discovers that
the suspicious Aunties might not be as friendly as they seem. Now he must find a way
The Secret of the Night Train by Sylvia Bishop
One small girl - one BIG adventure. When Max is sent to Istanbul to stay with her bor-
ing Great Aunt-Elodie, little does she expect to be plunged into a thrilling night-time ad-
venture across Europe. And when the mysterious Heartbreak Diamond goes missing,
Max must find her feet in a whirling world of would-be diamond smugglers, thieves and
undercover detectives. Will she discover the real diamond thief before they reach their
destination? Or does the answer lie closer to home... .
Tilly and the Bookwanderers by Anna James
Eleven year-old Tilly has lived above her grandparents' bookshop ever since her moth-
er disappeared shortly after she was born. Like the rest of her family, Tilly loves nothing
more than to escape into the pages of her favourite stories.
One day Tilly realises that classic children's characters are appearing in the shop
through the magic of `book wandering' - crossing over from the page into real life.
With the help of Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland. Tilly is determined to
solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago, so she bravely
steps into the unknown, unsure of what adventure lies ahead and what dangers she
may face.
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The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum
“I was special. I was a hero. I lost the best friend I ever had.”
Eleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside
world by a boundary, beyond which the Quiet War rages and the dirty, dangerous wan-
derers roam.
Her brother Jed is an eldest, revered and special. A hero. Her younger brother is Trig –
everyone loves Trig. But Maggie’s just a middler; invisible and left behind. Then, one
hot September day, she meets Una, a hungry wanderer girl in need of help, and every-
thing Maggie has ever known gets turned on its head.
High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson
The detective duo everyone is dying to meet!
Summer in London is hot, the hottest on record, and there's been a murder in THE TRI:
the high-rise home to resident know-it-alls, Nik and Norva. Who better to solve the
case? Armed with curiosity, home-turf knowledge and unlimited time - until the end of
the summer holidays anyway.
Anna at War by Helen Peters
As life for German Jews becomes increasingly perilous, Anna’s parents put her on one
of the last trains leaving for England. But the war follows her to Kent, and soon Anna
finds herself caught up in web of betrayal and secrecy. How can she prove whose side
she’s on when she can’t tell anyone the truth? But actions speak louder than words,
and Anna has a dangerous plan…
The Boy Who Hit Play by Chloe Daykin
'It's time,' I say. 'For ... It. Me. You. Us. The bench. The zoo. The question. Why?' The
only thing that Elvis Crampton Lucas knows about where he's from is that he was found
on the bench at a zoo. And that his now father took him home in a Stetson hat, and
named him after the first three vinyl he picked off his shelf. But now, on his twelfth
'discovery day', it's time for Elvis to find out who left him at the zoo, and why? On an
epic adventure that takes Elvis to an island off the coast of Norway, he will finally dis-
cover the truth about his past...
Can You See Me? by Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
Tally isn't ashamed of being autistic -- even if it complicates life sometimes, it's part of
who she is. But this is her first year at Kingswood Academy, and her best friend, Layla,
is the only one who knows. And while a lot of other people are uncomfortable around
Tally, Layla has never been one of them . . . until now.
Something is different about sixth grade, and Tally now feels like she has to act
"normal." But as Tally hides her true self, she starts to wonder what "normal" means
after all and whether fitting in is really what matters most.
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Asha & the Sprit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan
Asha lives on the family farm with her mother in rural India.
Her father is away working in the city, and when the money he sends stops suddenly, a wick-
ed aunt arrives. She’s determined to seize the property – and the treasure rumoured to be
hidden on the land. Guided by a majestic bird which Asha believes to be the spirit of her
grandmother, she and her best friend Jeevan embark on a journey to the city, across the
Himalayas, to find her father and save her home …
The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman
Malcolm Polstead is the kind of boy who notices everything but is not much noticed
himself. And so perhaps it was inevitable that he would become a spy...
Malcolm's father runs an inn called the Trout, on the banks of the river Thames, and all
of Oxford passes through its doors. Malcolm and his dæmon, Asta, routinely overhear
news and gossip, and the occasional scandal, but during a winter of unceasing rain,
Malcolm catches wind of something new: intrigue.
He finds a secret message inquiring about a dangerous substance called Dust--and the
spy it was intended for finds him.
When she asks Malcolm to keep his eyes open, Malcolm sees suspicious characters
everywhere; Lord Asriel, clearly on the run; enforcement agents from the Magisterium;
an Egyptian named Coram with warnings just for Malcolm; and a beautiful woman with
an evil monkey for a dæmon. All are asking about the same thing: a girl--just a baby--
named Lyra.
The Adventures of John Blake by Philip Pullman (Graphic Novel)
Trapped in the mists of time by a terrible research experiment gone wrong, John Blake
and his mysterious ship are doomed to sail between the centuries, searching for a way
home. In the ocean of the modern day, John rescues a shipwrecked young girl his own
age, Serena, and promises to help.
But returning Serena to her own time means traveling to the one place where the ship
is in most danger of destruction. The all-powerful Dahlberg Corporation has an ambi-
tious leader with plans far greater and more terrible than anyone has realized, and he is
hot on their trail. For only John, Serena, and the crew know Dahlberg's true intentions,
and only they have the power to stop him from bending the world to his will.
The Outcast by Taran Matharu
Enter an immersive world where the chosen few have the ability to summon demons...
Arcturus is just an orphaned stable boy when he discovers he has the ability to summon
demons from another world. He is sent to Vocans Academy where the lost arts of summon-
ing, spell craft and demonology are taught to the noble children of the Empire. As the first
commoner gifted with this ability, his discovery challenges the nobility and the powers that
be and Arcturus soon makes enemies. With no one but his demon Sacharissa by his side,
Arcturus must prove himself as a worthy Summoner...
The Way past Winter by Kiran Millwood Hargreave
Mila and her sisters live with their brother Oskar in a small forest cabin in the snow.
One night, a fur-clad stranger arrives seeking shelter for himself and his men. But by
the next morning, they've gone - taking Oskar with them. Fearful for his safety, Mila and
her sisters set out to bring Oskar back - even it means going north, crossing frozen wild
-lands to find a way past an eternal winter.
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Chinglish by Sue Cheung
It is difficult trying to talk in our family cos:
a) Grandparents don’t speak English at all
b) Mum hardly speaks any English
c) Me, Bonny and Simon hardly speak Chinese
d) Dad speaks Chinese and good English – but doesn’t like talking
In other words, we all have to cobble together tiny bits of English and Chinese into a rubbish
new language I call 'Chinglish'. It is very awkward.
Jo Kwan is a teenager growing up in 1980s Coventry with her annoying little sister, too-cool
older brother, a series of very unlucky pets and utterly bonkers parents. But unlike the other
kids at her new school or her posh cousins, Jo lives above her parents' Chinese takeaway.
And things can be tough – whether it's unruly customers or the snotty popular girls who bully
Jo for being different. Even when she does find a BFF who actually likes Jo for herself, she
still has to contend with her erratic dad's behaviour. All Jo dreams of is breaking free and
forging a career as an artist. YEAR 9+
The Survival Game by Nicky Singer
A teenager making her way home to Scotland in a world remade by climate change. In a
world full of checkpoints and controls, can love and hope defy the borders? A searing, timely
story, as arresting as it is beautiful. Imagine a world ... Where there are too many people on
a too-hot earth and your only chance of salvation is to journey north. Where you must prove
yourself worthy of existence at every turn, at every checkpoint. Where your instincts become
your most powerful weapon - even more than the gun in your pocket. Where you find out
what it takes to survive. An extraordinary story about survival and what it costs, about the
power of small kindnesses to change everything.
The Burning by Laura Bates
A rumour is like a fire. You might think you’ve extinguished it but one creeping, red tendril,
one single wisp of smoke is enough to let it leap back into life again. Especially if someone is
watching, waiting to fan the flames ...
New school.
Tick.
New town.
Tick.
New surname.
Tick.
Social media profiles?
Erased.
There’s nothing to trace Anna back to her old life. Nothing to link her to the ‘incident’.
At least that’s what she thinks … until the whispers start up again. As time begins to run out
on her secrets, Anna finds herself irresistibly drawn to the tale of Maggie, a local girl accused
of witchcraft centuries earlier. A girl whose story has terrifying parallels to Anna’s own…
YEAR 9+
The Gifted, the Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe
Fifteen-year-old Sam isn't special. He's not a famous vlogger, he's never gone viral,
and he doesn't want to be the Next Big Thing. What he likes most is chatting to his
friends and having a bit of a kick about.
None of which was a problem until Dad got rich and Mum made the whole family move
to London. Now Sam is being made to go to the North London Academy for the Gifted
and Talented, where every student is too busy planning Hollywood domination or start-
ing alt-metal psychedelica crossover bands or making clothes out of bathmats to give
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Saint Death by Marcus Sedgewick
Arturo lives in a shanty town on the border between Mexico and America and is just about
surviving. When his old friend Faustino turns up he is sucked into the brutal world of the
narco-gangs that run everything. Can Saint Death save him or will he just watch him fall fur-
ther and further into the abyss. An unrelenting but incredibly gripping portrayal of the corrup-
tion and brutality of life in Mexico which feels even more relevant in a post-Trump world.
YEAR 9+
The deviants by C. J. Skuse
5 childhood friends who have drifted apart after the death of Max’s sister come back together
to seek revenge on the bullies harassing Corey. However as havoc is wreaked deep dark
secrets are going to come into the light and the results will be devastating. This starts off as
your usual teen problems novel but morphs into a well-written and thrilling tragedy with a
truly shocking ending. YEAR 9+
Sunflowers in February by Phyllida Shrimpton
Lily has died in a car accident. The trouble is, Lily's really not at all sure she wants to 'move
on' . . . Lily wakes up one crisp Sunday morning on the side of the road. She has no idea
how she got there. It is all very peaceful. And very beautiful. It is only when the police car,
and then the ambulance, arrive and she sees her own body that she realises that she is in
fact . . . dead. But what is she supposed do now? Lily has no option but to follow her body
and she sees her family - her parents and her twin brother - start falling apart. And then her
twin brother Ben gives her a once in a deathtime opportunity - to use his own body for a
while. But will Lily give Ben his body back? She is beginning to have a rather good time.
YEAR 9+
Run, Riot by Nikesh Shukla
A powerful novel about young people standing up for themselves and their community, from
the editor/author of The Good Immigrant.
When teenagers Hari and Jamal film an unarmed youth from their estate being beaten by
police, they find themselves hunted by the very people who should be protecting them. But
as they go on the run with Hari's twin sister, Taran, and Jamal's girlfriend, Anna, the four
friends discover that the truth behind the shooting goes so much deeper, with terrible person-
al consequences for them all. YEAR 9+
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League - but none of that matters to
the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighbourhood
behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.
Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up
anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.
Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down,
music turned up - way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty police officer beside them.
Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fall-
out, it's Justyce who is under attack YEAR 9+.
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Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall
Once a year, the path appears in the forest and Lucy Gallows beckons. Who is brave enough
to find her--and who won't make it out of the woods?
It's been exactly one year since Sara's sister, Becca, disappeared, and high school life has
far from settled back to normal. With her sister gone, Sara doesn't know whether her former
friends no longer like her...or are scared of her, and the days of eating alone at lunch have
started to blend together. When a mysterious text message invites Sara and her estranged
friends to "play the game" and find local ghost legend Lucy Gallows, Sara is sure this is the
only way to find Becca--before she's lost forever. And even though she's hardly spoken with
them for a year, Sara finds herself deep in the darkness of the forest, her friends--and their
cameras--following her down the path. Together, they will have to draw on all of their
strengths to survive. The road is rarely forgiving, and no one will be the same on the other
side. YEAR 9+
Floored by Various Authors
When they got in the lift, they were strangers (though didn't that guy used to be on TV?):
Sasha, who is desperately trying to deliver a parcel; Hugo, who knows he's the best-looking
guy in the lift and is eyeing up Velvet, who knows what that look means when you hear her
name and it doesn't match the way she looks, or the way she talks; Dawson, who was on TV,
but isn't as good-looking as he was a few years ago and is desperately hoping no one recog-
nizes him; Kaitlyn, who's losing her sight but won't admit it, and who used to have a poster of
Dawson on her bedroom wall, and Joe, who shouldn't be here at all, but who wants to be
here the most.
And one more person, who will bring them together again on the same day every
year. YEAR 9+
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Four young people, each haunted by their own dark secret, narrate their unforgettable
stories. When the German ship the Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in port in early 1945 it had
over 9000 civilian refugees, including children, on board. Nearly all were drowned. Ruta
Sepetys, acclaimed author of Between Shades of Grey, brilliantly imagines their story.
YEAR 9+
Please note:
Year 9+ is a guideline only
Books may contain content and/or vocabulary for the older more confident reader.
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The stars at Oktober bend by Glenda Millard
Alice and Manny are both damaged and need to find a way to heal the psychological
wounds that plague them. As their friendship develops they find that learning to trust
is an important step to their new futures. This is OT because there is the depiction of
Alice’s brutal rape as a child and Manny’s experiences witnessing the killing of his
family and becoming a child soldier. YEAR 9+
Mother tongue by Julie Mayhew
Based on real life school massacre in Beslan in 2004. Dayra has raised her little sis-
ter Nika since her mother’s depression made her withdraw completely. When Nika is
killed in the terrorist attack she struggles to make sense of her life and to find herself
and a future. This is a moving and powerful portrayal of what it is to be the survivor
of a terrible atrocity and deal with overwhelming grief. YEAR 9+
Beck by Mal Peet
Beck is an orphan marked out by his mixed parentage (his father was an African
sailor). He is shipped from Liverpool to Canada to be taught to work on the farms.
What follows is a harrowing journey with abuse, racism, crime and suffering until he
meets Grace, who is also mixed race. But her mum was a Native American and her
father English and like him she needs to find her place in a changing world.
YEAR 9+
Ink by Alice Broadway
Leora lives in a society where every significant action and moment in your life is
tattooed on your skin for everyone to see. But when her father dies and his skin is
removed to make a book of his life she uncovers some difficult truths about herself
which change the way she sees their traditions. YEAR 9+
Release by Patrick Ness
It's Saturday, it's summer and, although he doesn't know it yet, everything in Adam
Thorn's life is going to fall apart. But maybe, just maybe, he'll find freedom from the
release. Time is running out though, because way across town, a ghost has risen
from the lake...This uplifting coming-of-age novel will remind you what it's like to fall
in love. YEAR 9+
KS4 Stretch & Challenge 2020/21
25
Saint Death by Marcus Sedgewick
Arturo lives in a shanty town on the border between Mexico and America and is just
about surviving. When his old friend Faustino turns up he is sucked into the brutal
The deviants by C. J. Skuse
5 childhood friends who have drifted apart after the death of Max’s sister come back
together to seek revenge on the bullies harassing Corey. However as havoc is
wreaked deep dark secrets are going to come into the light and the results will be
devastating. This starts off as your usual teen problems novel but morphs into a well
-written and thrilling tragedy with a truly shocking ending. YEAR 9+
The hate u give by Angie Thomas
Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was
born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance be-
tween them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her
unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy
her community. It could also get her killed. YEAR 9+
Close your eyes by Nicci Cloke
This is the story of a school shooting told from multiple viewpoints which asks who is
truly responsible for the tragedy. It doesn't provide any easy answers to the difficult
questions asked making this a really thought-provoking and compelling read.
YEAR 9+
Bone gap by Laura Ruby
Bone Gap is a small town where people disappear sometimes, like Finn and Sean's
mother who escaped to Oregon to start a new life. But when Roza goes missing
Finn is sure she was taken, but no-one believes him. As the stories of Roza, Finn
and the other residents of Bone Gap are revealed the truth about what happened
may also come to light. YEAR 9+
Kid got shot by Simon Mason
2nd Garvie Smith mystery (following Running Girl). A boy from Marsh Academy has
been shot, with no clear motive and no clues. Garvie knows he's the only one who
has any idea where to look for the answers. Starting with his best friend's girlfriend.
Great central character which updates the teenage sleuth idea for a modern audi-
ence. YEAR 9+
26
It is important that you use the correct words when you talk about your book - and other books that
you will read in your English lessons. The words below are a list of the language terms that you need
to know and use in English. Find their definition and see if you can identify them in the book you have
enjoyed reading.
Language
term
Definition Example from your book
Simile
Metaphor
Alliteration
Rhetorical
question
Superlative
Repetition
Emotive
language
27
Design a new book cover, including the blurb, for the book that you have read. The blurb is the short
piece of writing on the back cover which gives an overview of the story without giving the end away.
Look at some of the books that you have to help you.
28
Write a review of the book that you have read. Look online to find reviews of books that you have al-
ready read - these may give you some ideas - and then use the sentence starters below to help. You
don’t have to use these if you don’t want to, write your review on a piece of paper. Use the best
vocabulary that you can to make your review interesting for the reader.
The book is called___________________________________ by _________________________________.
The novel is about_______________________________________________________________________
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The best bits about the novel are ___________________________________________________________
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The novel would have been better if ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________________
I recommend this novel to ________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
My overall opinion is _____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
29
Choose any part of the novel that you have read and write an extra chapter. You could write a chap-
ter for the beginning, middle or end of you novel. Continue on a piece of paper if you need to or you
could type your chapter.
______________________________________________________________________
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30
Improve your sentences
Complete the following sentences
about the image. The first one has
been done for you:
Before the lockdown, the Lincoln
Memorial would have been teeming
with people.
Although it was a nice day,
After he had finished his coffee,
If they took a few steps forwards,
Then, have a go at writing your own
sentences that start with a subordi-
nating clause…..
Turn these details into com-
plete sentences. The first one
has been done for you.
Full of tourists
The Lincoln Memorial would usu-
ally have been full of tourists at
this time of day.
Sounds echoed
Cast shadows
The consequences of the
shutdown
Then, have a go at writing
your own sentences about
the details in the image….
Complete the sentences.
The eagle cast her eye over the snowy mountains
because…….
The eagle cast her eye over the snowy mountains
but…….
The eagle cast her eye over the snowy mountains,
so…….
Try developing your own simple sentences in three dif-
ferent ways, using because, but, and so. What do you
notice about each sentence?
Add embedded clauses into the following sentences. The first has been done for you as an exam-
ple.
The eagle, one of the greatest hunters on the planet, is a majestic animal.
The eagle’s talons are sharp.
The mountains undulated dramatically.
The snow covered the mountain tops.
Try developing your own simple sentences by using embedded clauses….
31
. Combine each of the two fragments to create complete sentences.
The bridge spanned the water and melted into the distance.
Stretched its wings rose up from the water
Ripples spread the dark water
The thick haze the sunlight filtered
Then, have a go at combining two details in a compound sentence
(Clue – You’ll always need to use a connective!)
There are four types of sentences – declarative (statement), imperative
(command), interrogative (question) and exclamatory (exclamation).
Using the following words, create the four different sentence types. The
first has been done as an example.
Spread – The bird spread its wings. (S) Spread your wings. (C) Is it spread-
ing its wings? (Q) It’s spreading its wings! (E)
Swam
Go
Shone
Try this for yourself – choose a verb and transform it in four different
ways….
32
Punctuation Matters
The Terrible Three Variations Their, They’re and There & Too, Two and To.
Task:
Read this passage and decide whether or not the appropriate they’re, their or there and to, two and too is used.
Their once was a man with a donkey for a friend. Although their was only the too of them living in there small peaceful seaside cottage, they were contented.
Throughout they’re lives together there were many happy times. Their was the time they visited Disneyland in Paris and they met all the characters they’re; Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Donald duck and even Goofy was their two. If there was ever to much work for the man to deal with his donkey would help ease the workload. Too many times a local neighbour would try to steal the donkey from the man but their was no way he’d let her go, she meant two much too him.
33
Below is an extract taken from More About The Boy by Roald Dahl.
Add in all the missing punctuation. The first paragraph is done for you!
Question:
Why do we need punctuation? What is its function?
(there might be more than one reason)
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MORE ABOUT MAMA
She was undoubtedly the absolute primary influence on my own life. She had a crys-
tal-clear intellect and a deep interest in almost everything under the sun, from horti-
culture to cooking to wine to literature to paintings to furniture to birds and dogs and
other animals - in other words, in all the lovely things in the world.
her hair when she let it down as she did every morning so that she could brush it as-
siduously reached three quarters of the way down her back and it was always careful-
ly plaited and coiled in a bun on the top of her head
my mother was widely read she read the great Norwegian writers in their own lan-
guage ibsen hamsun undsett and the rest of them and in english she read the writers
of her time galsworthy arnold bennett kipling etc when we were young she told us
stories about norwegian trolls and all the other mythical norwegian creatures that
lived in the dark pine forests for she was a great teller of tales her memory was prodi-
gious and nothing that ever happened to her in her life was forgotten
embarrassing moments funny moments desperate moments were all recounted in
every detail and we would listen enthralled
34
English Language Summer ‘Revise-athon’
Dedicate 15-30 minutes every week – select one of the tasks to complete.
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3
‘Libraries are a waste
of time – we should
just use the internet’
Write a short speech
arguing your view-
point.
‘Documentaries
teach us more
about history than
the books do’ Write
a speech to your
class to argue your
point of view.
‘School uniforms
block our identity
and freedom to ex-
press ourselves’
Write a blog ex-
pressing your view-
point.
Read three newspa-
per articles and high-
light the persuasive
devices used.
Listen to a speech
online and pick out
three persuasive
devices.
Read three articles
from a newspaper
and summarise
what you read.
Watch an episode
from a television se-
ries and make a note
of what makes the be-
ginning, middle and
end interesting.
Read a book and
summarise what
you have read.
Write a positive de-
scription of a place
you have been.
35
.
Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
‘The voting age is
too high – we should
lower it as young
people are the voice
of the next genera-
tion’ Write a letter to
the local council ar-
guing your view-
point.
‘Science is the only
worthwhile subject
– all others are
simply entertain-
ment’ Write a letter
to your head teach-
er arguing your
viewpoint
‘Vegetarianism is the
only way we can
prevent extinction in
the future’ Write a
speech arguing your
viewpoint
Read an extract from
an autobiography
and make a list of
four things you learn.
Read three maga-
zine articles and
summarise what
you read.
Read two articles on
the same topic and
make a list of the
similarities and
differences.
Write the opening
fifty words to a story
about survival.
Read a book and
pick out three de-
scriptive tech-
niques.
Write a review of a
film / book / televi-
sion show you have
read / watched.
36
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