The Dixie Grammar School

Michael Parker Library

Reading Challenge

Recommended Fiction

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

The Dixie Grammar School – Library Services

Reading Challenge - Recommended Fiction These are over 150 fiction books which have been selected by the Librarian for students who are able readers. They are all excellent reads, with varying levels of challenge. Parents please note that whilst we recommend these books to our Year 6-8 students, some may contain more mature themes and concepts such as bereavement, crime, racism, prejudice etc. The books on the list are all fiction, if students prefer to read non-fiction, such as autobiographies, they should see Mrs Robinson, the Librarian, to discuss the kinds of books they like to read. Students are welcome to recommend books to be considered for this list – please see Mrs Robinson.

Award-Winners are shown in bold – such as Carnegie Medal, Smarties Prize, Blue Peter Award etc. They include books shortlisted for awards so that students have plenty of choice. Titles marked with an asterisk * are part of a series. Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Douglas Adams Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy* Humour, Science Fiction Richard Adams Watership Down Adventure, Animals, Award Louisa M Alcott Little Women* Classic, Families David Almond Skellig Award, Fantasy Laurie Halse Anderson Chains* Adventure, Award, Historical, Journeys, Slavery R J Anderson Knife* Adventure, Fairies, Fantasy Nina Bawden Carrie's War Evacuees, World War II Julia Bertanga Exodus* Adventure, Award, Science Fiction Malorie Blackman Noughts and Crosses* Love, Prejudice, Racism

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Malorie Blackman Pig-Heart Boy Award, Courage Tim Bowler River Boy Award, Death, Families Frank Cottrell Boyce Millions Adventure, Award, Crime, Humour John Boyne Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Film tie-in, Holocaust, World War II Henrietta Branford Fire, Bed and Bone Animals, Award, Historical Theresa Breslin Remembrance Historical, World War I Theresa Breslin Whispers in the Graveyard Award, Ghosts, Horror Kevin Brooks Martyn Pig Award, Crime, Death, Families, Mystery Frances Hodgson Burnett Secret Garden Classic, Friends Betsy Byars Midnight Fox Animals, Classic Lewis Carroll Alice in Wonderland* Classic, Fantasy Anne Cassidy Looking for JJ Award, Murder, New Identity Gennifer Choldenko Al Capone Does My Shirts Award, Disability, Family Eoin Colfer Artemis Fowl* Adventure, Crime, Fantasy Louise Cooper Demon crossing Award, Ghosts, Horror Susan Cooper Dark is Rising* Award, Fantasy, Magic, Film tie-in Zizou Corder Halo Adventure, Ancient Greece, Fantasy James Dashner Maze Runner* Dystopias, Science Fiction Keren David When I Was Joe* Friends, Gangs, Lies, Thriller Joseph Delaney Spook’s Apprentice* Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural Emily Diamand Flood Child* Adventure, Award, Kidnapping, Pirates Peter Dickinson Ropemaker Award, Fantasy, Quests Chris d'Lacey Fly, Cherokee, Fly* Award, Birds, Growing Up Jennifer Donnelly Gathering Light Award, Growing Up, Murder Siobhan Dowd London Eye Mystery Detectives, Mystery

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Paul Dowswell Auslander Adventure, Historical, World War II Helen Dunmore Ingo* Fantasy, Mermaids Jeanne DuPrau City of Ember* Science Fiction Anne Fine Madame Doubtfire Families, Film tie-ins, Humour Anne Fine Tulip Touch Award, Horror Catherine Fisher Snow-Walker Trilogy* Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Quests Dan Freedman Kick Off* Football, Sport Cornelia Funke Inkheart* Adventure, Fantasy Neil Gaiman Graveyard Book Award, Chiller, Crime, Ghosts Sally Gardner I, Coriander Award, Historical, Magic Jamila Gavin Coram Boy Adventure, Award, Historical, Orphans, Slavery Adele Geras Troy* Ancient Greece, Award, Historical, War Alan Gibbons Shadow of the Minotaur* Ancient Greece, Award, Gaming, Fantasy Morris Gleitzman Once, Now and Then* Adventure, Escape, Friends, World War II Julia Golding The Diamond of Drury Lane* Adventure, Award, Historical Keith Gray Ostrich Boys Adventure, Award, Journeys M G Harris Joshua Files* Adventure, Thriller Sonya Hartnett Thursday's Child Australia, Families, Poverty Julie Hearn Merrybegot Historical, Magic, Witches Lian Hearn Across the Nightingale Floor* Award, Fantasy, Japan, Love, War F E Higgins Black Book of Secrets Fantasy, Mystery Charles Higson Silverfin* Adventure, Spies, Thriller Stuart Hill Cry of the Icemark* Fantasy, War Mary Hoffman Stravaganza : city of masks* Adventure, Fantasy, Time Travel Anne Holm I am David Award, Escape, Prison

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Mary Hooper At the Sign of the Sugared Plum Adventure, Historical, Plague Anthony Horowitz Alex Rider Series* Adventure, Spies, Thriller Eva Ibbotson Journey to the River Sea Adventure, Award, Journeys Paul Jennings Unbelievable Humorous short stories Diana Wynne Jones Charmed life Award, Fantasy, Magic Gene Kemp Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler Award, Humour, School Ally Kennen Beast Award, Families, Monsters Judith Kerr When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Adventure, Escape, World War Two Clive King Stig of the Dump Adventure, Classic, Fantasy Dick King-Smith Sheep Pig Animals, Film tie-in Jeff Kinney Diary of a Wimpy Kid* Diaries, Humour Suzanne LaFleur Love, Aubrey Families, Grief, Love Elizabeth Laird Red Sky in the Morning Award, Disabilities, Families Tanya Landman Apache Adventure, Award, Historical, Native Americans Derek Landy Skulduggery Pleasant* Adventure, Detectives, Fantasy Ursula K Le Guin Wizard of Earthsea* Fantasy, Magic, Wizards Madeleine L'Engle Wrinkle in Time Award, Classic, Science Fiction C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia Series* Award, Classic, Fantasy Penelope Lively Ghost of Thomas Kempe Award, Ghosts, Humour, Supernatural Saci Lloyd Carbon Diaries 2015* Diaries, Future, Science Fiction Pittacus Lore I am Number Four* Aliens, Science Fiction, Thriller Michelle Magorian Goodnight Mister Tom Award, Evacuees, World War II Margaret Mahy Changeover Award, Fantasy, Supernatural Gemma Malley Declaration* Dystopias, Freedom, Science Fiction John Marsden Tomorrow When the War Began* Adventure, Australia, War

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read James Vance Marshall Walkabout Adventure, Australia, Classic Geraldine McCaughrean Death Defying Pepper Roux Adventure, Award, Humour Geraldine McCaughrean White Darkness Adventure, Antarctica, Award Hilary McKay Saffy’s Angel* Adoption, Families, Sisters Sophie McKenzie Girl, Missing* Adoption, Kidnapping Robin McKinley Beauty Fantasy, Love, Magic Andy McNab Boy soldier* Action, Adventure, Thriller Cliff McNish Breathe Ghosts, Horror Michael Morpurgo Amazing story of Adolphus Tipps Animals, Families, War, World War Two Michael Morpurgo Private Peaceful Adventure, Award, Brothers, World War I Beverley Naidoo Other Side of Truth Africa, Award, Bullying Patrick Ness Monster Calls Bereavement, Grief, Fear, Monsters Sally Nicholls Ways to Live Forever Award, Death, Leukaemia, Uplifting William Nicholson Wind Singer* Award, Fantasy Garth Nix Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen* Adventure, Fantasy, Magic Mary Norton Borrowers* Adventure, Award, Classic, Fantasy Pat O'Shea Hounds of the Morrigan Fantasy, Magic Christopher Paolini Eragon* Dragons, Fantasy Katherine Paterson Bridge to Terabithia Award, Bereavement, Friends, Grief Gary Paulsen Hatchet* Award, Adventure, Survival Michelle Paver Wolf Brother* Adventure, Fantasy, Magic Phillipa Pearce Tom’s Midnight Garden Adventure, Award, Classic, Fantasy Mal Peet Keeper* Award, Football, Sport Anna Perera Guantanamo Boy Freedom, Kidnapping, Prison Ann Pilling Black Harvest Classic, Horror, Ireland

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Terry Pratchett Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents Award, Fantasy, Humour Maggie Prince Raider's Tide* Adventure, Historical, Love Sally Prue Cold Tom Adventure, Award, Fairies, Fantasy Philip Pullman His Dark Materials Trilogy* Award, Fantasy, Magic Celia Rees Witch Child* Historical, Supernatural, Witches Philip Reeve Mortal Engines* Adventure, Award, Science Fiction Philip Ridley Scribbleboy Art, Award, Humour Robert Rigby Goal!* Football, Sport Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief* Adventure, Award, Fantasy J K Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* Award, Fantasy, Magic, Wizards Louis Sachar Holes* Award, Crime, Film tie-ins, Thiller Alex Scarrow TimeRiders* Science Fiction, Time Travel Marcus Sedgwick Foreshadowing Supernatural, War World War I Marcus Sedgwick My Swordhand is Singing Award, Horror, Vampires Ian Serraillier Silver Sword Adventure, Journeys, World War II Anna Sewell Black Beauty Animals, Classic, Horses Alex Shearer Speed of the Dark Science Fiction Nicky Singer Feather Boy Bullying, Courage Sarah Singleton Amethyst Child Cults, Friends, Secrets Justin Somper Vampirates* Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Vampires Jerry Spinelli Stargirl Courage, Friends, Love Robert Louis Stevenson Treasure Island Adventure, Classic, Pirates, Treasure Paul Stewart Beyond the Deep Woods* Fantasy Jonathan Stroud Amulet of Samarkand* Fantasy, Humour, Magic Rosemary Sutcliff Eagle of The Ninth* Adventure, Classic, Historical, Romans

Created: 12/12/11 Updated: 30/10/2012 ©DGS Library Services

Author Title Genre/Keywords Read Rosemary Sutcliff Black Ships Before Troy* Ancient Greece, Award, Historical G P Taylor Shadowmancer Fantasy, Magic, Witchcraft Mildred D Taylor Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry* Award, Classic, Prejudice, Racism, USA Kate Thompson New Policeman Award, Fantasy, Magic, Mystery Sandi Toksvig Hitler’s Canary Adventure, Denmark, Nazis, World War Two J R R Tolkien Hobbit Adventure, Fantasy Sue Townsend Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾* Diaries, Humour Jenny Valentine Finding Violet Park Award, Self Discovery Mark Walden Higher Institute of Villainous Education* Adventure, Award, Crime, Humour Pat Walsh Crowfield Curse* Award, Historical, Supernatural Rachel Ward Numbers* Adventure, Supernatural, Thriller Robert Westall Machine Gunners Adventure, Award, War, World War Two, E B, White Charlotte's Web Animals, Classic, Friends T H White Sword In the Stone Adventure, Classic, Fantasy, King Arthur Jacqueline Wilson Illustrated Mum Award, Families Jeanette Winterson Tanglewreck Fantasy, TimeTravel Virginia Euwer Wolff True Believer* Award, Families, Relationships Chris Wooding Malice* Comic Strips, Fantasy David Yelland Truth About Leo Bereavement, Families, Grief Benjamin Zephaniah Refugee Boy Courage, Refugees, War