The Bride's Farewell

Author: Meg Rosoff

Pretty, romantic and escapist. Evoking a great deal of empathy with Pell and the struggles she faces.

The Iron Man

Author: Ted Hughes

The Iron Man sees the world very differently; tractors are food not tools for farming. Poetic language and great suspense.

Your a Bad Man Mr Gum!

Author: Andy Stanton

Illustrator: David Tazzyman

Funny and disgusting.

Interesting to look at the character Mrs Lovely, especially her optimism and descriptions of her.

The Wind Singer

Author: William Nicholson

Gullstruck Island

Author: Frances Hardinge

Fantastic and thought provoking ideas on the supposed differences between religion, rituals and superstitions.

Northern Lights

Author: Philip Pullman

Interesting comments on the Church and religion. The opportunity to discuss and consider souls through the daemons and Iorek's armour.

The Wee Free Men

Author: Terry Pratchett

Subverting the features of fairy tales and the accepted notions of childhood in a humorous and typically brilliant Pratchett style.

Off the Road

Author: Nina Bawden

A real gem of a book with echoes of A Brave New World. Explores family, growing old and who can be trusted.

Eating Things on Sticks

Author: Anne Fine

A fun holiday read full of misunderstandings and boredom.

The Hobbit

Author: J R R Tolkien

Detailed and original with vivid characters and settings.

Skellig

Author: David Almond

An exploration of the nature of school, beliefs, family and learning.

Storm

Author: Kevin Crossley-Holland

Illustrator: Alan Marks

Annie faces her fears to help her sister.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Author: J K Rowling

These books are my guilty pleasure. They have fun clues to solve along the way and are familiar.

The series is useful for descriptions of setting, Latin and Greek derived words and names and looking at adaptation. It also explores reputation, primarily through Severus Snape.