FICTIONAnancy and Mr Dry-Bone by Fiona FrenchFrances Lincoln - Paperback - 9781845071646Anancy wins the hand of Miss Louise as he can make her laugh, unlike the rich, skeletal Mr Dry-Bone. He does this by borrowing the different items that make up his outfit from his animal friends - a jogging suit from Tiger, a hunting hat from Dog, etc. Fiona French’s illustrations are striking and original with their bold use of black and white tempered with orange and yellow.Artemis Fowl. The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, Andrew DonkinPuffin - Paperback - 9780141322964Artemis Fowl is a twelve year old master criminal in a gothic world. He plots to obtain gold from the underworld inhabited by the People, otherwise known as the fairies. To do this he needs to decipher the Book which is written in Gnommish and kidnap a fairy. But will he have met his match in elf Captain Holly Short? Eoin Colfer has co-operated with an experienced graphic novel writer and artists to produce this version of the first in the popular series which began with:Artemis Fowl Puffin - 9780141339092Audio CD: Puffin - 9780141803555The second book in the series is also available as a graphic novel:Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident - 9780141325866Asterix the Gaul by GoscinnyOrion - Paperback – 9780752866055/Hardback – 9780752866048

The first book about the plucky little Gaul whose village is holding out against the might of the Roman Empire. Not an easy read in terms of vocabulary, and the humour is based on, at times, quite subtle wordplay. However, comic strip books often provide great motivation for reluctant readers and teach us about different ways of reading. An early and important example of the rapidly expanding medium of graphic books. There are more than thirty Asterix books, the latest being: Asterix and the Picts Orion - 978-1444011692Bananas in My Ears by Michael RosenWalker - Paperback - 9781406337556

The contents of this book were originally published as four thematic collections, on the topics of breakfast, the seaside, doctors and bedtime. Each follows a similar pattern of rhymes, stories, sayings and anecdotes. Repetition is used to humorous effect, notably in the bickering dialogues between brother and sister Nat and Anna, while words and pictures work together especially effectively in the cartoon style spreads featuring ‘Things We Say’.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Years 5 & 6 Recommended Reading List

Billionaire Boy by David WalliamsHarperCollins - Paperback - 9780007371082Joe Spud is remarkably rich thanks to his dad’s invention of a loo roll which is moist on one side and dry on the other. All he really needs, though, is a true friend. The humorous story of how Joe and his dad discover there are things money can’t buy is littered with lists ranging from the all-time top ten of teachers’ catchphrases to the school canteen’s weekly menu including such disgusting delights as macaroni snot and dandruff risotto.Clown by Quentin BlakeRed Fox - Paperback – 9780099493617

Most children will be familiar with Quentin Blake’s distinctive illustrations. This is a wordless book but readers will need to bring their understanding of narrative informed by the conventions of comics to the story which has the cinematic quality of a silent film. The clown is an unwanted toy which comes to life and, after trials and tribulations, finds a happy home. The children’s literature tradition that only children are aware that a toy is alive is maintained throughout.Conker by Michael MorpurgoEgmont - Paperback - 9781405256391

A short chapter book with a satisfying conclusion which will help to build reading confidence. Nick is saddened by the death of his grandmother’s Alsatian dog which has always provided a barrier between him and a local bully. Nick needs to build skill and determination in order to beat the bully at the game of conkers and rescue a dog which is being ill-treated.Count Karlstein - Philip Pullman - CorgiPaperback – 9780440862666

A tongue-in-cheek Gothic tale, told in a blend of conventional text and comic strip. A ripping yarn with a host of interesting features such as maps, a cast of characters and contemporary ‘advertisements’. The list of ‘works consulted and ideas stolen from’ at the end gives scope for discussion about intertextual references and influences from literature, film, art and music. This book teaches much about developing as a reader.Counting on Leroy by Steve MillsBarrington Stoke - Paperback - 9781781121368

Leroy likes Maths facts, almost to the point of obsession. He relates everything he does to numbers and mathematical puzzles. Thanks to a mix up with a boy who has a similar sounding name, Leroy ends up representing his school in a TV quiz. Will the knowledge he has built up about his specialist subject serve when he is asked about other things?

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald DahlPuffin - Paperback - 9780141346441Hardback – 9780141333205

The tale of how Mr Fox outwits three dastardly farmers who would destroy him and the family he is struggling to feed. ‘Boggis and Bunce and Bean / One fat, one short, one lean. / These horrible crooks / So different in looks / Were nonetheless equally mean.’ is a refrain chanted by children. One of Roald Dahl’s most loved short novels which has been made into a film.FArTHER by Grahame Baker-SmithTemplar - Paperback - 9781848771338A boy pays tribute to his father’s dream of flying, a dream he was not able to fulfil in his lifetime as another call claimed him. The story contains strong echoes of the myth of Daedalus and Icarus although here the tragedy takes a different form. The reader needs to understand the symbolic references in the illustrations to gain the full meaning. Grahame Baker-Smith has made stunning use of the artistic possibilities of Photoshop to create these.Fearless by Daniel MordenBarrington Stoke - Paperback – 9781842996607

A powerful retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ folk tale of the boy who wanted to learn to shudder with fear. Communion with corpses holds no fear for him in this story with the time-honoured pattern of three incidents. It is not until he finds his true love and fears a parting from her that he attains his heart’s desire.

Fungus the Bogeyman by Raymond BriggsPuffin - Paperback – 9780141342696

First in a comedy series of ten titles about Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III and how he becomes a Viking hero from very unlikely beginnings. First he has to catch his dragon and then train it and, of course, in order to do that he has to learn Dragonese. Example phrases are provided and, if you can believe it, the whole thing is translated from the Old Norse!Hiccup: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida CowellHodder - Paperback - 9780340999073

A suspenseful short novel peppered with plenty of humour as well as dead bodies, which is narrated by Nick Diamond whose clueless older brother Tim is a private detective. They travel to Crocodile Island, to attend a school reunion, and soon Tim’s former classmates are dropping like flies, in true Agatha Christie style.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

I Know What You Did Last Wednesday by Anthony HorowitzWalker - Paperback – 9781406308501

A suspenseful short novel peppered with plenty of humour as well as dead bodies, which is narrated by Nick Diamond whose clueless older brother Tim is a private detective. They travel to Crocodile Island, to attend a school reunion, and soon Tim’s former classmates are dropping like flies, in true Agatha Christie style.Living with Vampires by Jeremy StrongBarrington Stoke - Paperback - 9781842999981

Kevin is just an ordinary boy but unfortunately his parents are vampires, although only at Grade 3 level. This causes him some embarrassment, especially as parents are required to accompany their children to the school disco. How can Kevin prevent his parents from revealing their vampire ways so he can get to know the lovely Miranda Nightingale?Sam's Sandwich by David PelhamWalker - Paperback - 9781406357462An inventive lift the flap book. Sam is a boy with a devilish smile who builds up a sandwich for his greedy sister which is chockful of tasty ingredients. The thing is - he contrives to slip in some other tasty morsels too... The bright pictures make the food look appetising but wait till you see what’s lurking underneath. The text is set out in four line stanzas which are in rhyming couplets.Snow White in New York by Fiona FrenchOxford University Press - Paperback – 9780192722102

One of today’s most accomplished illustrators has taken one of the best-known fairy tales and given it a startlingly updated setting in the ‘Big Apple’ of the 1920s, except that in this case the poisoned fruit is a cherry. The text is straightforward in style at the same time as being sophisticated in meaning, which gives it appeal for older readers.Stormbreaker. The Graphic Novel by Anthony HorowitzWalker - Paperback - 9781406340662An action-packed adaptation of the first book in a series about Alex Rider, a schoolboy recruited as a spy by MI6 after the death of his uncle. Equipped with multifarious gadgets (he is shown visiting a secret department in a well-known toy store!) he has to save the world from a computer virus which promises to become more than a virtual reality.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil GaimanBloomsbury - Paperback - 9780747578406

A picture book which has a layout similar to the graphic novels. The story develops a strong pattern. The narrator covets two goldfish owned by his friend Nathan and swaps his dad (who never takes his nose out of a newspaper) for them. Of course, his mum demands that the swap be reversed and there follows a quest in which the boy and his little sister follow a somewhat surreal trail to find him. An accompanying CD is read by the author.The Rabbits by John MarsdenHodder - Paperback - 9780734411365

A powerful allegory depicting the devastating effects of colonialism. The surreal and abstract illustrations are in a variety of styles and media. The rabbits who take over the land are recognisable as such – however, they are portrayed in an elongated and angular manner and they are not individualised, more like automatons, and their actions are mechanistic.The Sad Book by Michael RosenWalker - Paperback – 9781406317848

In this moving picture book, provoked by his son’s death, the poet reveals his own feelings about grief and shows how he deals with them. His longstanding working relationship with Quentin Blake means that both light and shade are apparent in the illustrations as well as the words which reflect on happy memories as well as sadness.The Silence Seeker by Ben MorleyTamarind - Paperback – 9781848530034Joe makes his own sense of what he hears when his mother tells him that the new boy next door is an asylum seeker. Convinced that the boy is a ‘Silence Seeker’, he tries without success to help him find peace and quiet in various places throughout the neighbourhood. Then the boy and his family leave as quietly as they came. A moving and thought-provoking picture book with an accessible text.The Wolves in the Walls by Neil GaimanBloomsbury - Paperback - 9780747591627Two masters of the graphic novel for adults have created this picture book for all ages. Lucy is convinced there are wolves in the walls of her house, but no-one in her family believes her. Then, of course, one night…The story in this very contemporary book, with illustrations blending collage, photographs and drawn and painted images, has a pattern and shape reminiscent of traditional stories. It’s a scary story laced with humour that keeps you returning for that frisson of fear.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Wacky Wednesday by Dr SeussHarperCollins - Paperback - 9780007175161This story has rhyme, pattern and humour which are key features of the 'Beginner Books'. The child reading the story and the child in the story need to find an increasing number of 'wacky' things in successive pictures before everything returns to normal. It is surprisingly time-consuming to discover all the strange goings-on in the deceptively simple illustrations. This necessity to look closely at the pictures provides plenty of opportunity for talk.War and Peas by Michael ForemanAndersen Press - Paperback - 9781842700839

The Fat King refuses to help the Lion King’s starving country and sends his army to attack them. Instead, they find a novel way of fighting back, by making use of the food mountains which are mouth-wateringly depicted. A thought-provoking picture book.You're a Bad Man, Mr Gum! by Andy StantonEgmont - Paperback – 9781405223102

The series of books about Mr Gum, a horrible ‘grimsters’ old man who hates children and is always up to dastardly deeds, has proved very popular. The stories are full of knockabout humour and invented language, often repeated. Characters have catchphrases like ‘The truth is a lemon meringue!’. The narrator speaks directly to readers and there is a clear consciousness that we are in the midst of a story which is still being written.

NON-FICTIONA Really Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill BrysonCorgi - Paperback - 9780552562966

Travel writer Bill Bryson turns his friendly writing style to exploring the science associated with the history of the earth and the life on it, plus information about people who made scientific discoveries. He has adapted the text, originally published for adults, to make it accessible to young people and this is illustrated with photographs and cartoon-style drawings. As a non-scientist, Bryson enthusiastically interprets and explains the wonder of these facts and ideas: ‘When we die, our atoms will break up and move off to find new uses elsewhere – as part of a leaf or drop of dew, or even another human being.’Benjamin Zephaniah by Verna WilkinsTamarind - Paperback – 9781848530027

One of a series about the lives of black people who have succeeded in British society. This short biography describes the early life of performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah, including his close relationship with his mother, his conflicts with the law and his struggle to learn to read and write.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Book by John AgardWalker - Hardback - 9780744544787John Agard has personified the book in prose which is lyrical, chatty and informative. Book speaks to us across the ages describing its own history from the birth of writing on clay tablets to a modern day meeting with a young eBook ‘showing off what he called his hypertext’. At the heart of Book is its love affair with the codex form, describing ‘my pages being flipped, a tingle of excitement runs down my spine. Is this person about to read me? I’m thinking. Or are they just flipping and dipping into me?’ As befits the subject matter, this is a compact beautifully designed volume with quotations, poems and pictures permeating the prose.Charles Dickens - Scenes from an Extraordinary Life by Mick ManningFrances Lincoln - Paperback – 9781847805003/Hardback – 9781847801876This picture book cleverly combines significant scenes from Dickens’ own life adapted and abridged from his own writings with contextual information about Victorian life. Outline plots of several of his novels in comic strip are woven in. An interesting approach to biography which also provides an enjoyable introduction to Dickens’ work and times.H.O.U.S.E. by Aleksandra Machowiak, Daniel MizielinskiGecko Press - Hardback - 9781877467660

Human ingenuity and imagination are celebrated in this unusual book about the architecture of houses all around the world which makes readers question what a dwelling can be and consider what materials can be used for construction. The use of diagrams and plans is a real encouragement to dreaming up your own designs. A pictorial key is used throughout to indicate geographical and environmental locations, types of rooms and materials.If the World Were a Village by David J SmithA & C Black - Paperback - 9780713668803

An original way of making sense of global issues. Reducing the world to a village enables the author to break problems down into manageable statistics. In a village of 100 people, 60 would always be hungry, 16 hungry at least some of the time, and only 24 would always have enough to eat.Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela by Chris Van WykMacmillan - Paperback - 9780230013858An admirable distillation of Nelson Mandela’s autobiography into a picture book format by a South African writer and illustrator. Mandela describes his childhood, university education, involvement with politics and fight for freedom from apartheid, his long years in prison, and his eventual release and election as President of his country and emergence as one of the most significant figures in recent world history.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Look! Zoom in on Art by Gillian WolfeFrances Lincoln - Paperback - 9780711220218This book encourages active participation in making art as well as close looking at existing paintings. The writer has a friendly approach which both questions and explains, so that readers can focus on the details of the subject matter of the carefully chosen pictures as well as the techniques used to produce them. Artists whose works featured include Van Gogh, Bridget Riley and Arcimboldo.Mohammed's Journey by Anthony RobinsonFrances Lincoln - Paperback - 9781847802095This harrowing and moving narrative is based on the true story of a Kurdish boy who was born in the northern Iraq in 1994, illustrated in a combination of watercolours and photographs on a background which looks like handmade paper. Mohammed relates the circumstances and the journey that brought him and his mother to live in England, escaping violence and enduring family separation.The Complete Philosophy Files by Stephen LawOrion - Paperback – 9781444003345The author poses basic philosophical questions in an entertaining and thought-provoking way, challenging readers to make up their own minds. The book has a conversational style, with a strong feeling of the author’s presence as a friendly guide, making use of dialogues and stories, sometimes positing a possible Martian viewpoint of human behaviour, and referring to the theories of philosophers such as Plato. The cartoon style illustrations aid understanding as well as adding humour.The History of the Steel Band by Verna Wilkins, Michael La RoseTamarind - Hardback - 9781870516747A concise, accessible and very informative text describes the history of the steel pan from its beginnings in Trinidad to its modern day popularity throughout many countries of the world. Woven in with the descriptions of the development of the music and the instrument itself is the significance of the drum in Caribbean history and its suppression. An accompanying CD features a young steel band.The Usborne Introduction to Music by Eileen O'BrienUsborne - Paperback - 9780746067970Excellent use of internet links is made to extend the usefulness of this book, enabling readers to hear the wide variety of musical styles described, from pop and rock to classical, taking in traditional music from various regions of the world along the way. Listen to jazz radio or hear throat singing from Tuva. The book also provides an introduction to a range of instruments and a guide to reading music.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School

Think of a Number by Johnny BallDorling Kindersley - Paperback - 9781405358026A fun and highly informative book about mathematics. It begins by getting readers to imagine a world without numbers, then goes on to show how numbers have developed through time and across cultures. The subsequent spreads explain a variety of mathematical concepts involving numbers and shapes. Questions and quizzes are calculated to increase interest and understanding rather than as a testing device.Walter Tull's Scrapbook by Michaela MorganFrances Lincoln - Paperback – 9781847804914

The story of black footballer and soldier Walter Tull, presented as though it were an autobiography written by Walter himself. It has an appealing and accessible layout that makes use of contemporary photos and documents.War Boy by Michael ForemanPavilion - Paperback - 9781843650874Michael Foreman’s evocation of his Suffolk childhood during the Second World War. The reader is enticed into this carefully drawn world and in the process learns much about everyday life in Britain at that time. In addition to his wonderful watercolours, Foreman integrates contemporary visual elements, such as cigarette cards and advertisements, into the illustrations.We Are All Born Free. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures Frances Lincoln - Hardback – 9781845076504An admirable and attractive production which raises awareness of, and will provoke discussion about, a human rights agenda agreed internationally as one all people should aim to live by. Illustrators from a range of countries and cultures have interpreted this in diverse ways.What Mr Darwin Saw by Mick ManningFrances Lincoln - Paperback – 9781847801074/Hardback – 9781845079703A picture book which gives an outline of Charles Darwin’s life, his ideas and discoveries. It is set out like diary entries on pages torn from an exercise book superimposed on illustrations reflecting the drama and diversity of the places he visited and events he witnessed. Additional illustrations at the edges of the page are captioned with further contextualising information.

Collated and created by Lucy Coates and school councillors D’Yarna, Richard and Meriem for Heathbrook Primary School