Reading for Pleasure
At Cornelius, we believe that reading is one of the most powerful tools for success, not just in school, but in life.
Research consistently shows that reading for pleasure has a profound impact on educational achievement. Young people who read regularly not only improve literacy, but also develop stronger vocabulary, broader knowledge, and a deeper understanding of the world around them. In fact, a child’s reading habits are one of the strongest predictors of academic success, more so than social or economic background.
That’s why we’re building a culture of reading at Cornelius. Reading is about more than decoding words. It’s about listening, imagining, and connecting ideas. When pupils hear and engage with stories, they’re exposed to new language, perspectives, and possibilities. We want every pupil to experience the joy of books and the confidence that comes with becoming a skilled reader.
Research on the impact of reading:
News websites:
Reading lists
Year 6 Reading List
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Boy X by Dan Smith
- Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
- Demolition Dad by Phil Earle
- El Deafo by Cece Bell
- Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
- Holes by Louis Sachar
- How to Capture an Invisible Cat by Paul Tobin
- Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
- My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara
- Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
- Perijee and Me by Ross Montgomery
- Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
- Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
- She Is Not Invisible by Marcus Sedgwick
- Small Change for Stuart by Lissa Evans
- The Astounding Broccoli Boy by Frank Cottrell Boyce
- The Dreamsnatcher by Abi Elphinstone
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan and John Parke Davis
- The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
- The School For Good and Evil by Soman Chainini
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
Year 7 Reading List
Classics
- The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
- Peter Pan - J. M/ Barrie
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn – Mark Twain
Contemporary Fiction
- The Many Worlds of Albie Bright -
- Skandar and the Unicorn Thief – A.F. Steadman
- Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Rick Riordan
- Amari and the Night Brothers – B.B. Alston
- Millions – Frank Cottrell-Boyce
- Goodnight, Mr. Tom – Michelle Magorian
- Artemis Fowl series – Eoin Colfer
- Abomination – Robert Swindells
- The Disconnect – Keren David
Non-Fiction
- Who Was…? Series – e.g., Who Was Anne Frank?
- Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) – Margot Lee Shetterly
- The Secret Footballer - Anon
- Be Resilient – Nicola Morgan
- Horrible Histories Series – Terry Deary
- You are a champion – Marcus Rashford
Year 8 Reading List
Classics
- Lord of the Flies – William Golding
- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
- Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson
- War of the Worlds – H. G. Wells
Historical Fiction
- The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
Contemporary Fiction
- Where the World Ends – Geraldine McCaughrean
- Madame Doubtfire – Anne Fine
- Marley and Me – John Grogan
- The Woman in Black – Susan Hill
- The Giver – Lois Lowry
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
- Refugee – Alan Gratz
- The Maze Runner – James Dashner
Non-Fiction
- Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World – Rachel Ignotofsky
- Blame my brain – Nicola Morgan
- You Are Awesome – Matthew Syed
- The Teenage guide to Digital Wellbeing – Tanya Goodin
- A Better Day – Dr. Alex George
Poetry and Drama
Year 9 Reading List
Classics
- Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
- The Hound of the Baskervilles – Arthur Conan Doyle
- Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
- Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
- Little Women – Louisa May Alcott
Contemporary Fiction
- The Infernal Devices series and Mortal Instruments series – Cassandra Clare
- The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
- Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
- Refugee Boy – Benjamin Zephaniah
- Lord of the Rings trilogy – J.R.R. Tolkien
- The King of Nothing – Nathanael Lessore
Non-Fiction
- Notes on a Nervous Planet – Matt Haig
- Dare to Be You – Matthew Syed
- Notes from a Small Island– Bill Bryson
Poetry and Drama
- DNA – Dennis Kelly
- Carol Ann Duffy: Selected Poems
- Philip Larkin – Collected Poems
- Overheard in a Tower Block – Joseph Coelho
Year 10 Reading List
Classics
- Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
- Hamlet – William Shakespeare
- To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
- 1984 – George Orwell
Contemporary Fiction
- Small Island – Andrea Levy
- A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
- Knife Edge – Malorie Blackman
- The Midnight Library – Matt Haig
- The Boxer – Nikesh Shukla
- Run, Rebel – Manjeet Mann
- All the Light we cannot see – Anthony Doerr
- Coram Boy – Jamila Gavin
Non-Fiction
- Prisoners of Geography – Tim Marshall
- Shakespeare: The World as a Stage – Bill Bryson
Poetry and Drama
- The Crucible – Arthur Miller
- Poetry by Simon Armitage
- Poetry by Imtiaz Dharker
Year 11 Reading List
Fiction
- Looking for Alaska by John Green
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger
- The Time Machine by H G Wells
- Remembrance by Theresa Breslin
- Vanity Fair by William Thackeray
- Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
- As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
- The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak
- Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
- Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
- The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
- Atonement by Ian McEwan
Nonfiction
- A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
- Yes She Can by Molly Dillon
- Mind Your Head by Juno Dawson
- The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
- Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of The Edelweiss Pirates, Teenagers Who Resisted The Nazis by K. R. Gaddy
