Why is reading in Year 7 important?

Moving from primary school to secondary is a huge change for eleven-year-olds. It is also a pivotal moment in defining their reading habits. With the beginning of secondary school comes new distractions and motivating students to read can become challenging.

Fostering a love of reading has a huge impact on students’ progress and overall socio-economic success in life. The Reading Agency states that “children who read books often at age 10 and more than once a week at age 16 gain higher results in maths, vocabulary and spelling tests at age 16 than those who read less regularly.” Reading regularly also helps concentration levels, improves writing skills, and expands vocabulary.  

But it’s not just about providing students with the crucial ability to read in order to aid future success. It’s also about offering them help now. Books offer escapism at times when children may feel unsettled. Reading has been proven to give a sense of wellbeing and reduce anxiety and stress. Seeing reading as a hobby, an action to take for some ‘me time’, rather than something purely associated with their studies offers an amazing outlook which will help in supporting mental health.

Reading should be a choice rather than a chore, and although instilling a reading culture in today’s world is harder than ever, the rewards are worth it. If we can find the right books to ignite a passion for reading then we have succeeded in gifting today’s students a truly essential life skill.

What are the criteria for a great book for Year 7’s?

  • Relatability — The characters can’t be too young. Pupils always prefer to read about characters that are older than them. However, the characters can’t be so old that their life experience is unfamiliar. Books have to be relatable for the reader to connect with them.
  • Content — We screen for inappropriate content in books for each age group. Year 7 books would not contain any sex, suicide, or drug references. Occasional mild swear words would be ok when appropriate to the context. Writing about the beginnings of innocent romantic  relationships, such as a first kiss, could also be included.
  • Engaging — whether it’s thought-provoking, laughter-inducing, or tear-jerking, the story has to pull emotion from the reader.

“Reading for pleasure for me as a child meant escaping to a new planet, or through a portal to a fantastical place. I could build a fort in the tiny corner next to my bed and within minutes of opening a book, be somewhere amazing. But that “amazing” is different for each child. So many kinds of books in the world! Once each child discovers where they want to go on their next adventure, all they need are those special books, a quiet corner, or a tiny fort on the side of their bed.” - Donna Barba Higuera, author of The Last Cuentista.

 

Quick-fire reasons to read our Best New Books for Year 7 shortlist

I ensured the shortlist was balanced across genre, with humorous, emotional, realistic and fantasy books, as well as a diverse cast of characters. Offering a wide variety of choices can really make a difference to a pupil engaging with reading and enjoying the book. Secondary students hold a HUGE range of interests, and this should be reflected in the books available to them. That being said, I could only pick 10 so have done my best to keep them as varied as possible!

 

The Mountain Rescue Dog by Juliette Forrest

  • Emotional portrayal of loss and grief

  • Evocative mountain setting

  • Lovable dog best friend

Keep a look out on our twitter account for a competition to win a signed copy of this book.

 

The Elemental Detectives by Patrice Lawrence

  • Inequality in Georgian London

  • Captivating protagonists

  • Fantasy elements

Keep a look out on our twitter account for a competition to win a signed copy of this book.

 

Locked Out Lily by Nick Lake 

  • Dark and foreboding, with spooky demon parents but also fun, magical, animal sidekicks

  • Coming to terms with life-changing events, such as a new sibling or long-term illness

  • Beautifully eerie illustrations

 

Be Brave, Maple Mehta-Cohen! by Kate McGovern

  • A delightful biracial heroine who is wrestling with dyslexia

  • A true love of stories at its heart

  • Themes of identity, self-esteem and resilience

 

If You Read This by Kereen Getten

  • Moving depiction of life after the death of a parent

  • Treasure hunt set in vibrant Jamaica

  • Beautiful exploration of different relationships, from friendships to a grandparent with dementia to a neglectful father

Keep a look out on our twitter account for a competition to win a signed copy of this book.

 

The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill

  • Fable-like tale about the importance of community

  • Stunning playful language

  • A charming ogress heroine and a love-to-hate mayor as the evil villain.

 

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera 

  • Amazing must-read sci-fi dystopia

  • Highlights the importance of both oral and written storytelling

  • A homage to Mexican folklore

 

Theodosia and the Serpent of Chaos by Robin LaFevers 

  • Historical fantasy set in Edwardian London featuring black magic

  • Genius, witty female protagonist

  • Delightful museum setting with a focus on Egyptology

 

Looking for Emily by Fiona Longmuir

  • Fast-paced narrative filled with humorous dialogue set in a small seaside town

  • LGBTQ rep in same-sex parents

  • Fundamental theme of tween friendships and camaraderie

 

My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin

  • A giant octopus you are guaranteed to fall in love with
  • Magnificently described Victorian England, from London to Brighton
  • Examines human rights issues such as child labourers and sweatshops

Keep a look out on our twitter account for a competition to win a signed copy of this book.

 

Don't forget to vote for your favourite in the Badger Book Awards — Voting is open to everyone, and every entry gives you the opportunity to nominate a school for the chance of winning £500 worth of books. The winning author of each category will also receive £500 worth of books to donate to the school of their choice!