Pupils share lockdown reads for World Book Day

We love our books at Junior King’s. During the average school day it is not at all unusual to see pupils strolling between classes with their current reads tucked under their arms or cramming in a quick chapter in a sheltered spot in the grounds at breaktime.

With World Book Day fast approaching on Thursday 4 March, pupils across the school have been gearing up for the big day with book and reading themed activities in their online lessons. Members of Year 7 and Year 8 have spent time reflecting on some of their favourite books and have recommended some gems in the World Book Day spirit of sharing stories to read and love.

Treasure (Year 7) recommends El Deafo  by Cece Bell:

El Deafo has been a book that I have loved for years. It is about a girl who loses her hearing at a young age and tackles the struggles of growing up deaf. Cece loses her hearing at 4 years old and goes to a school for deaf children. In this school she feels like she fits in. The next year, she has to leave and go to a “normal” school. In this school, she is quite lonely and finds it hard to find friends that will like her despite her deafness. Cece perseveres and eventually finds what she has longed for – true friendship. This touching book shows resilience and is truly a great read.

Luca (Year 8) recommends Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall:

As a largely non-fiction reader, I have read many good and informative books. Possibly my favourite is called Prisoners of Geography. As seen on the front cover, Prisoners of Geography is divided into 10 chapters, each focusing on 10 different areas of the world: Russia, China, the USA, Western Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India and Pakistan, Korea and Japan, Latin America and finally the Arctic. The book focuses on the past, present and future of each area. From the political tensions in Crimea, to Chinese investment in Africa, this incredible book explains the who, what, where, when and why of geopolitics. It reveals how many world leaders are restrained by geography, for example Brazil, with the inhospitable jungle occupying its centre and limiting trade and growth. Some are left exposed by it, such as the flatlands west of Russia, which history shows is a weak spot in Russia’s defence. And some are protected by geography, such as the tall Himalayas separating the growing superpowers of India and China. Every time I have read this informative and gripping book, I pick up new information and understand more about global politics and how geography has and will always control our lives on Earth.

Sophia (Year 7) recommends Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo:

Joy, heartbreak and compassion combine in this bittersweet story of a champion greyhound’s journey through life. When the protagonist, Patrick, saves a litter of greyhound puppies from his local canal, he can’t bear to just give them up. He begs his parents to keep one of them and they finally agree. The next day, Patrick christens his new puppy Best Mate, and that is what he becomes. Patrick christens his puppy Best Mate, and that is what he becomes. Patrick’s favourite thing is to watch Best Mate running at full speed in the park, until one day Best Mate is kidnapped by a greyhound trainer and begins a new life as a champion race dog. Suzie, the greyhound trainer’s stepdaughter, loves Best Mate on first sight and gives him a new name, Bright Eyes. But what will happen when he can’t run anymore? I would recommend this book for 8–12-year-olds as there are some themes that young children may not like. This book is amazing and I highly recommend it.

Nick (Year 7) recommends Kidnap on the California Comet by M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman:

My book recommendation for World Book Day this year is Kidnap on the California Comet. This is the second book in the series. I recommend this book for all ages because it is full of suspense and excitement. Harrison Beck and his uncle Nathaniel Bradshaw are on a train in America: The California Comet and terror has arrived. The daughter of a billionaire and Hal’s friend have been kidnapped and it is down to him and his two new-found friends, Hadley and Mason, to find her before the train reaches San Francisco and she can be taken away for good! I really enjoyed this book because it is about a young boy who is a fantastic artist and thinks himself to be a detective. His friends even call him Sherlock Da Vinci as he uses his artwork to help him solve the mystery, sketching vigorously when anything suspicious happens. I recommend it for all ages and also think you should buy the other one in the series, The Highland Falcon Thief.

Molly (Year 8) recommends Twopence to Cross the Mersey by Helen Forrester:

Lockdown has given me the chance to read more books, and more widely. One of my favourites is a book by Helen Forrester called Twopence to Cross the Mersey. It tells the story of her life in Depression-bound Liverpool as the oldest child looking after six siblings as her arguing parents look for work day after day. One of the reasons I love it so much is that the story actually happened, and all the people in it are or were real. Forrester doesn’t tell it with self-pity, rather in a funny, moving way which really kept me reading. There are also another three books after, which I look forward to reading. This book is suitable for mature 8-year-olds and above.

Charlie (Year 8) recommends The CHERUB Series by Robert Muchamore:

I thoroughly recommend The CHERUB Series. If you find it difficult to be hooked into a book, then this is a great series for you. There are 17 books to the series and I’m currently on the 15th, which is called Black Friday. You may think that that is a lot of books to read, but trust me, you will read them very quickly. The first 12 books in the series are about a guy called James Adams who is recruited to be an agent for a kid spy agency called “CHERUB” that is in the UK. The books contain missions to take down renowned criminals. The next five books in the series are mainly about Ryan Sharma, who is aiming to take down the “Aramov clan”. Black Friday is part of this operation. The books are written so you get a point of view from all characters that are relevant to each other.

Find out more about English at Junior King’s and how we nurture a love of reading here. You can also read more about World Book Day here.