The school librarian, Mr Jones, has compiled some extensive lists of book recommendations for different year groups to stay home, stay safe, and stay entertained during the Covid-19 crisis. Here are his recommended reads for Year 10.
Megan Abbott: The Fever – Mass hysteria hits a school when a fever brings on symptoms very similar to epilepsy. A clever and tricky adult thriller which is very accessible to good teen readers, as are most of Megan Abbott’s novels.
Jenny Bennett: Night Owls – Two teens fall for each other on the San Francisco ‘Owl’ night-bus in this fabulous coming-of-age teen drama feathered with romance and graffiti.
Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451 – Books are banned in this legendary novel, whilst ‘firemen’ scour the frightened, suppressed, cities for those who hide books. An all-time American classic which has much to say about censorship and freedom of speech which is still relevant today.
MR Carey: The Girl with all the Gifts – Astonishing hybrid of horror and thriller. Melanie attends school strapped to a chair and muzzled. Why? Secrets are revealed very slowly in this clever dystopian horror novel set in a destroyed Britain. Was also turned into a disappointing thriller.
Ernest Cline: Armada – Teen gamers try to save the world from an alien invasion of UFOs which come from a computer game they all play… ‘Armada’. This was the follow-up novel from the same author who wrote the huge hit ‘Ready Player One’ which also has a computer theme. Both books are perfect for dragging teenagers away from their devices.
Danforth, Emily M: The Miseducation of Cameron Post – After the death of her parents Cameron is brought up in rural Montana hiding the secret that she is gay. A complicated and intelligent read about identity, being yourself and the problems modern America have with homosexuality.
Susan Hill: I’m the King of the Castle – Terrifying and brooding thriller centring on complex servant master family relationships with bullying an integral part of the story between two young boys. Susan Hill is most famous for ‘The Woman in Black’ but I prefer this startling story of isolation.
Khalid Hosseini: The Kite Runner – A complex look at family life in Afghanistan in the 1970s which was also turned into a successful film.
Dawn O’Porter: Paper Aeroplanes – Teenage girls grow up on Guernsey in the 1990s in a funny coming of age tale which also has a loose sequel.
David Levithan: Every Day – Every day ‘A’ wakes up in a different body. This is normal for him until he wakes up as ‘Justin’ then meets his girlfriend Riahannon. The novel starts after this has happened over 5000 times and ‘A’ begins to recognise some of the bodies he jumps into, as they’re all in the same geographical area.
Temi Oh: Terra 2 – Six teens go on a 23-year journey to begin the colonisation of a newly discovered planet ‘Terra 2’. A very mature and thoughtful science fiction novel, which was also written by an Old Emanuel.
Jane Rogers: The Testament of Jessie Lamb – A terrorist virus prevents women from having children. Jessie sees no future for herself until a doctor makes her a proposal in which she becomes a type of martyr. This is one of my favourite dystopian novels of recent times, with the world seemingly ending with a quiet whimper rather than with the bang of a war or natural disasters.
Andrew Smith: Winger – Funny (American) tale of rugby, friendship and girls in an American boarding school. America and rugby? Strange, rude, but still great and also has an entertaining sequel.
Kathryn Stockett: The Help – This huge bestseller is a family tale of the coloured ‘help’ who work for rich white people in the 1950s and 1960s. This is a thoughtful and eye-opening memoir of their lives and struggles which was also turned into a hit film.
Lauren Weisberger: The Devil Wears Prada – Funny story of a young intern climbing the greasy pole of an international fashion magazine which spawned several sequels.
The Library Firefly page has a massive resource of reading lists, crib sheets from previous book talks and ideas for what to read next. Email Mr Jones if you need any help.