KS3 READING LIST

Watch the Video in the Reading folder in your English class folder on how to sign up to the ‘Open Library’, or follow the instructions below:

Right click on this link: https://openlibrary.org/ or google ‘open library’.

1. Click on Sign Up 2. Enter your school email address and give yourself a username - it will need letters & numbers - ie

Alyson4832 3. Create a password and confirm your password - make a note of your password in your planner 4. Click on I’m not a robot - you may be asked to prove it by clicking on a series of pictures 5. Click on Sign Up at the bottom of the page 6. It will then send you an email with a link, so you will need to return to your emails 7. The email will be from Internet Archive and will ask you to click on a link (it might go into your Junk Mail

folder) 8. You will need to login again with your email address and the password you chose 9. Search for your book in the search box or look through the selections 10. Click on Borrow

You can borrow up to 10 books at a time from the Open Library online.

Scroll down the list to find a book at your Accelerated Reading Level – early levels are first.

Featured books coming soon!

Reading List

Drama by Raina Telgemeier AR 2.3

The Great Desert Rally by Kean Soo AR 2.5

Life Stinks by Christopher Sitt AR 2.5

Dream Big by Ian Falconer AR 2.5

Callie rides an emotional roller coaster while serving on the stage crew for a middle-school production of MOON OVER MISSISSIPPI as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.

This book combines artwork from Ian Falconer's picture books about the precocious pig, Olivia with inspirational quotations about imagination, having big dreams, and enjoying life.

March Hare's first race for Tuttle Racing is the infamous Desert Rally, and when he discovers that his sister has signed on with his rival, Lyca the Fox, he is angry, but he has even bigger problems ahead.

No preview available.

El Deafo by Cece Bell AR 2.7

Cheyenne Again by Eve Bunting AR 2.9

The Time Warp Trio series by Jon Scieszka AR 3.0

Maxed Out by Daphne Greer AR 3.0

Don’t Call Me Slob-o by Doris Orgel AR 3.2

The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli AR 3.2

The Creature from Club Lagoona AR 3.3

Spoiled Rotten by Dayle Gaetz AR 3.5

Twelve-year old Max struggles to manage a grieving mother, a special-needs brother and a desire to play hockey.

In the late 1880s, a Cheyenne boy named Young Bull is taken to a boarding school to learn a new way of life.

Twelve-year-old Tad is the only member of his family who is not thrilled to be holidaying at Club Lagoona resort & water park, and his fear of the water is more than justified when he discovers a huge green monster lurking beneath the surface.

Having been turned into a frog by a hag, a frog-prince makes the best of his new life as he mates, raises a family, and instils a new kind of thinking into his frog family.

Shrimp must decide whether to befriend the new boy in his neighbourhood, who is a Croatian American, or join the kids who make fun of his name and accent.

Three boys find themselves taking hilarious trips through time due to the gift of a mysterious book.

Jessica must trek through bear country to save her stepsister.

In this graphic-novel memoir, author/illustrator Cece Bell chronicles her hearing loss at a young age and her experiences with the Phonic Ear, a very powerful and very awkward hearing aid. Miss Littlewood really loved this book - great pictures!

Reckless by Lesley Choyce AR 3.7

How I Became a Ghost by Tim Tingle AR 3.6

Abomination by Robert Swindells AR 3.8

The Frog Princess of Pelham by Ellen Conford AR 3.8

Boy Proof by Cecil Castellucci AR 3.8

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman AR 3.9

Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls AR 3.9

A week without his bike motivates Josh to hike into the woods to confront the crazy old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek.

A Choctaw boy tells of his tribe’s removal from its homeland, and how it led him to become a ghost – one able to help those left behind.

When a kiss from Danny turns Chandler, a wealthy but lonely orphan, into a frog, Danny's humorous attempts to change her back into a human land the pair on a television talk show.

A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places.

Martha is twelve, and very different from other children; no TV, no computer, no cool clothes - and no friends. She can never invite anybody home, in case they discover her parents' terrible secret: Abomination. From the writer of “Stone Cold” - a great read - Miss Littlewood

Eleven-year-old Sam McQueen, who has leukaemia, writes a book during the last three months of his life, in which he tells about what he would like to accomplish, how he feels, and things that have happened to him.

Egg is a teenager who likes being control, knows all the right answers and can't be bothered with friends, until she meets Max. He turns her world around.

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman AR 4.0

Framed by Frank Cotterall Boyce AR 4.2

Tightrope by Gillian Cross AR 4.2

Small Steps by Louis Sachar AR 4.2

The Tulip Touch by Anne Fine AR 4.4

The Recruit by Robert Muchamore AR 4.5

Holes by Louis Sachar AR 4.6

Framed tells the story of how paintings moved from the National Gallery in London to a cave in North Wales alter the lives of the village folk, especially Dylan.

Stanley Yelnat IV’s family has been cursed since great-great-grandfather’s time and Stanley has been wrongly accused of stealing the shoes of Clyde “Sweet Feet” Livingston, a star basketball player.

In a world where the pale-skinned noughts are discriminated against by the politically and socially powerful dark-skinned Crosses, teenagers Callum, a Nought, and Sephy, a Cross, test whether their love is strong enough to survive their society's racism. Another of Miss Littlewood’s favourite books!

James is going wrong in his life, with a dysfunctional family and a future of crime and prison. Until he is recruited into CHERUB, that is, where his dubious talents can be exploited to fight terrorism. Book #1

When she begins receiving bizarre threatening messages from someone who seems to know her every move, teenage Ashley, after seeking help from the neighbourhood tough guy, comes to realise that she alone can end the stalker's reign of terror.

Three years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is trying hard to keep his life on track. But when his old pal X-Ray shows up with a tempting plan to make some easy money scalping concert tickets, Armpit reluctantly goes along. Miss Littlewood recommends!

Natalie is the only one who doesn't seem to care about Tulip's strange behaviour, but even she begins to realise that it is going too far. Miss Littlewood recommends!

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton AR 4.7

The Indian in the cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks AR 4.7

A Wrinkle in Time by Madaleine L’Engle AR 4.7

Wonder by J R Palacio AR 4.8

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger AR 4.7

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer AR 4.9

Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy AR 4.9

Charles Wallace Murry’s father has disappeared and Charles sets out to find a wrinkle in time – a gateway to a parallel universe – to try to save him. A captivating and imaginative story. The first in a series of great novels for pupils interested in science.

Omri is disappointed with his birthday present – a little red plastic Indian figure – until it comes alive and becomes a real person. An easier read.

Augie wants to be like every other 10 year old. But whenever anyone looks at him they treat him differently because of a terrible facial abnormality. Can he convince everyone that he’s just like them inside?

An impassioned teenage author tells it like it is with the long-haired kids from the wrong side of the tracks.

Jennifer Jones is released from prison after serving six years for killing her best friend when she was just ten. She and the press want to know if she deserves happiness. A thought-provoking novel.

When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realise is not wholly human. Miss Littlewood recommends!

A cynical teenager explains the events following his expulsion from prep school and subsequent nervous breakdown.

Set in the future when the birth rate has dropped after a nuclear disaster, the human race has started recycling people. 12-year-old Brin observes a family of ‘reborn’ people who originally lived during WW2. Easy to read, this book has a sudden and unexpected ending and is ideal for fans of The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. A more challenging read for pupils.

The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird AR 4.9

Raptor by Paul Zindel AR 5.1

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway AR 5.1

Brighton Rock by Graham Greene AR 5.2

A Rag, a Bone and a Hank of Hair by Jonathan Gash AR 5.2

The Cay by Theodore Taylor AR 5.3

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins AR 5.3

Mamo is from a very poor family where everyone has died except for him and his sister, Tiggist. Then a slave trader, who claims to be his uncle, kidnaps Mamo…

In a world of mutant dinosaurs in Utah, Zach tries to find which dinosaur infected him with reptilian blood.

When World War II breaks out, 12-year-old Phillip and his mother board the S.S. Hato but the ship is torpedoed, and Phillip is blinded by a blow on the head and left stranded on an island with a man named Timothy.

One person from each district in the country is selected to fight to the death in a reality TV lottery. Katniss vows to win. A more mature series of novels for pupils to get hooked on. One of Miss Littlewood’s favourites!

It is 1930s Brighton and gangs are in control of the town. When a journalist is murdered, a chance acquaintance, Ida Arnold sets out to track down the guilty and comes up against Pinkie Brown, a teenage gang leader.

In this beautiful, symbolic story an old fisherman catches a giant marlin, only to have sharks strip it to the bone.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon AR 5.4

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee AR 5.6

I am David by Anne Fine AR 5.6

Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness AR 5.6

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson AR 5.6

Z for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien AR 5.6

The Giver by Lois Lowry AR 5.7

When Christopher finds a neighbour's dog killed he determines to unravel the mystery. But the world is a very strange place seen through the eyes of an autistic and gifted 15-year-old boy, and Christopher soon finds out more than he could ever imagine. Another one of Miss Littlewood’s favourites!

When "the man" helps David escape from the prison camp where he has lived all his life, David can't quite believe it. Everything in the world outside is strange and wonderful. But he knows that at any moment "they" might catch up with him.

Orphaned Maia is sent to greedy relatives in the Amazon who have only offered to take her in for the sake of her money. Luckily she is accompanied by her gutsy governess and together they find freedom in the glorious setting of the rainforest.

This novel by the Newberry Award-winning author of MRS FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH is about the aftermath of nuclear devastation.

While training to be the Receiver of Memory, Jonas experiences joy and sadness for the first time. He becomes convinced his society has given up too much, and he can no longer accept the sameness. Book #1 Read this over Christmas and loved it - Miss Littlewood

As a world-ending war surges around them, Todd and Viola face monstrous decisions, questioning all they have known as they try to find the best way to achieve peace. The plot contains profanity and violence. Book #3

Two children witness the effects of racial prejudice, as their father courageously defends an innocent black man who has been accused of attacking a white woman. Best American novel ever in Miss Littlewood’s opinion!

Shadowmancer by G. P. Taylor AR 5.8

Blitzcat by Robert Westall AR 5.9

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo AR 5.9

Cue for Treason by Geoffrey Trease AR 5.9

Boy by Roald Dahl AR 6.0

Watership Down by Richard Adams AR 6.2

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper AR 6.2

Possibly the best and most well-known animal adventure. Fiver has a sixth sense for danger and he persuades Hazel to lead a group of rabbits to escape certain disaster and search for a new home. This is an ideal book for more advanced readers.

The horrors of the blitz are told through the eyes of a cat who is searching for his lost owner. Very atmospheric. The follow-up to Machine Gunners. Loved both the Machine Gunners and this - Miss Littlewood

A gripping description of the horrors of war, told from the perspective of Joey, a horse, who sees the senselessness of war and the importance of friendships more clearly than the soldiers around him.

Roald Dahl’s hilarious autobiography charting his childhood and school days.

Just before his 11th birthday, Will discovers he’s the last person left with the power of the Old Ones, and his mission is to guard the Light and drive out the Dark. A gripping and imaginative story. This is the first in a captivating series of titles readers interested in fantasy and mystery.

Two young runaways become actors in London, where they meet William Shakespeare. They then help foil a plot to kill the Queen. An ideal book for Y7 pupils interested in history.

Obadiah Demurral seems to be a man of God, but is really a sorcerer who is seeking to control the highest power in the universe. He will stop at nothing. The only people in his way are Raphah, Kate, Thomas - and the mysterious Jacob Crane.

His Dark Materials: Northern Lights by Philip Pullman AR 6.2

His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman AR 6.2

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen by Alan Garner AR 6.3

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett AR 6.3

Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin AR 6.3

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken AR 6.5

In an alternative reality, King James III rules in 1832 and wolves from the Channel Tunnel plague the country. However, for Sylvia and Bonnie it is not clear whether it is the wolves or their governess, Miss Slighcarp they should be more afraid of.

A wizard who has been searching for a lost magic stone for over 100 years saves Colin and Susan from mysterious creatures. Can the two children defeat the dark forces at work?

When Lyra finds out there’s an expedition to find other worlds very different to her own, a chain of events catapults Lyra into several perilous journeys and a search for the truth. Loved this series - can’t put them down! Miss Littlewood

Will has killed a man and is on the run in a parallel world. When he meets Lyra, with her gifts and his cunning determination, they set out to find Will’s long-lost father. Love it! Miss L

A saga of growing up, struggle, tradition and corruption in eighteenth-century London and Gloucester. Coram Boy spans the lives of several fortunate and less fortunate young people of the day.

Orphan Mary Lennox discovers the key to a hidden door which leads her to the magical world of a garden which has been kept a secret for many years. Her curiosity leads to the redemption of Colin, who has been led to believe he is a sickly invalid. One of my favourites from when I was a child - Miss Littlewood

Anne Frank: the diary of a young girl AR 6.5

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain AR 6.6

Dracula by Bram Stoker AR 6.6

His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman AR 6.7

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff AR 6.7

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill AR 7.2

The Sword in the Stone by T.H. White AR 7.5

Anne Frank’s diary written when she was 13-15 and living in hiding above and Amsterdam warehouse during WW2. ‘One of the greatest books of the 20th century’ – Guardian.

Will and Lyra have become separated but must find each other to prevent dark forces taking over their worlds, and every other world. A stunning conclusion to the trilogy. Love it! Miss L

Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer have made lots of money, but all Huck wants is to escape from his guardian, Miss Sawyer. A great American novel and a more challenging read.

An entertaining fantasy adventure set in medieval England following the life of King Arthur. A great book for pupils interested in history.

During what is meant to be a perfect summer, Daisy is sent from America to live in England. War breaks out, and the country is occupied. Then Daisy falls in love. Unfortunately, it is with her cousin, Edmond.

When a young solicitor is sent to attend to the paperwork of the late Alice Drablow, he finds himself in a spooky old house at the end of a causeway. Who is the mysterious woman in black he keeps seeing and what is her terrible secret? A classic. Very spooky! Miss L

Vampires, werewolves, creatures dead and yet still living abound amidst people determined to eliminate them.

Peter Pan by J M Barrie AR 7.7

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell AR 7.7

The Call of the Wild by Jack London AR 8.0

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson AR 8.3

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas AR 8.8

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley AR 12.2

The classic timeless story of the boy who never grew up. In Neverland, Wendy, her brothers and the Lost Boys are in constant danger from Captain Hook.

Buck is stolen from his California home and shipped north to the Klondike to become a sled dog. Can he survive the cold, the work and the lead dog Spitz? A more challenging book for Year 7 pupils.

Victorian London is vividly portrayed through the eyes of a horse - Black Beauty – in this timeless classic of children’s literature.

While going through the possessions of a deceased guest who owed them money, the mistress of the inn and her son find a treasure map that leads to a pirate fortune and great danger.

In this abridged edition, young sailor Edmund Dantes escapes from the island fortress where he has been imprisoned for treason, then sets out to discover the treasure of Monte Cristo and seek revenge against the people who falsely accused him.

A gifted scientist attempts to break new frontiers and create human life from nothing, but has his quest driven him mad? Can he control the monster he has unleashed on the world? The tragic story of Dr Frankenstein is a masterpiece of suspense.