Tutor Reading Programme

‘Rooftoppers’ by Katherine Rundell. Set against a backdrop of Paris in the nineteenth century, Sophie sets out to find her mother. The beauty of the sky, music and a belief in ‘impossible things’ triumph as Sophie’s journey teaches her resilience in the face of adversity and the value of friendship.

‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit’ by Judith Kerr – the semi-autobiographical and unforgettable story, of a Jewish family fleeing from Germany before the start of the Second World War. In 1933, Anna was nine years old when it began, too busy to take much notice of political posters, but out of them glared the face of Adolf Hitler, the man who would soon change the whole of Europe – starting with her own small life.

‘The Tulip Touch’ by Anne Fine is a brilliant insight in to child friendship, influence and manipulation. Natalie is a young girl whose family run hotels. Upon moving to a hotel in a new area Natalie meets Tulip, a mysterious, remote girl who initially creates great intrigue, soon leading to dark, frightening behaviour.

 ‘Trash’ by Andy Mulligan is the story of Raphael – a dumpsite boy. Raphael spends his days wading through mountains of steaming trash, sifting it, sorting it, breathing it, sleeping on it. Then one unlucky-lucky day, the world turns upside down. A small leather bag falls into his hands. It’s a bag of clues. It’s a bag of hope. It’s a bag that will change everything.

‘One’ by Sarah Crossan is the beautifully narrated and haunting story of Tippi and Grace who share everything – clothes, friends… even their body. Writing in free verse, Sarah Crossan tells the sensitive and moving story of conjoined twin sisters.

‘Welcome to Nowhere’, by Elizabeth Laird. Living in the bustling city of Bosra, Omar doesn’t know much about politics, nor does he care. However, when his older brother, Musa, throws his lot in with the student opposition to the government, everything changes. Soon bombs are falling, people are dying, and Omar and his family have no choice but to flee their homes.

‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’ by Mark Haddon relates the story of a gifted boy called Christopher Boone (exceptional at Maths but finds people confusing). He investigates the killing of a dog and in doing so has an adventure of self-discovery.

 ‘Wolf Hollow’ by Lauren Wolk. Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet life, until the day new student Betty joins her class. While Betty’s bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. Annabelle will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here’ by Patrick Ness explores the idea of ‘what if I’m not the chosen one – the one who’s supposed to chase zombies or fight ghosts?’ What if I’m just ordinary? Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

‘Hatchet’ by Gary Paulsen. Brian Robeson boards a plane headed from New York to the Canadian north woods to visit his father. When the pilot has a heart attack, Brian is forced to take over the controls. After a harrowing descent, the plane crashes into a lake in the woods, where Brian is stranded. And so begins Brian’s story of survival, with nothing but a hatchet.

‘The Call’ by Peadar O’Guilin masterfully blends fantasy, horror and folklore. The Sídhe are vicious fairy-type creatures that have been banished by humans to another land. They take their revenge by ‘calling’ teenagers to the Grey Lands, where the teens are hunted, tortured or killed.

‘Maggot Moon’ by Sally Gardner tells the story of a dyslexic schoolboy, Standish Treadwell, who lives in an alternative 1950s Britain ruled by a ruthless regime.

As his family and friends disappear around him, Standish finds himself involved in a plot to win the race to the moon.