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Helping your child read more

Helping your child develop a love of reading is one of the most valuable contributions you can make to their academic success and personal growth. Encouraging consistent reading habits, starting with at least 30 minutes every evening, sets the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Reading not only improves literacy skills but also opens the door to a world of knowledge, imagination, and critical thinking. At Mossbourne Fobbing Academy, we’re committed to supporting your child’s reading journey, and we ask that you play an active role in fostering this essential habit. Below are some practical ways you can help your child make the most of their reading time.

Insisting that your child reads for 30 minutes every evening. This amount is as the bare minimum expected, parents and carers must ensure this happens every single day. Good routines are essential.
Supporting them to comprehend their reading by asking them questions about the book in question. Support your child by being really positive about reading - it's a fantastic use of time! It can also be really beneficial to read newspapers and create family reading time. Reading credible news online may also be suitable.
Considering credible magazine subscriptions. Some non-fiction magazines are really informative and subscriptions ensure that your child will continually read.
Encouraging your child to select books through us. We can then check if they are appropriate. When reading independently, a text needs to have the right amount of challenge to ensure readers can be challenged but also supported.
Supporting your child to find a book that excites and intrigues them. The school wants pupils to read for pleasure and leisure. The school library is available to all pupils and we are happy to advise.
Encouraging your child to tackle the school’s reading list (see below). We would expect all pupils to tackle the majority of these wonderful books during their time at Mercia School.
Asking yourself the question - is my child reading everyday?

Useful websites:

The best of what has been written:
Classic and Modern Fiction: 1984, Animal Farm – George Orwell. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck. A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens. The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen. Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë. Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton. Little Women – Louisa May Alcott. Lord of the Flies – William Golding. Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley. The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde. Dracula – Bram Stoker.	Contemporary and Young Adult Literature: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne. Wonder – R.J. Palacio. The Book Thief – Markus Zusak. The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini. A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness. Noughts and Crosses – Malorie Blackman. The Fault in Our Stars – John Green. Looking for JJ – Anne Cassidy. Face – Benjamin Zephaniah. The Tulip Touch – Anne Fine. Science Fiction and Fantasy: Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury. The Time Machine – H.G. Wells. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams. Empire of the Sun – J.G. Ballard. The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula K. Le Guin.	War and Historical Fiction: Private Peaceful – Michael Morpurgo. War Horse – Michael Morpurgo. Goodbye to All That – Robert Graves. The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank. Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northup. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave – Frederick Douglass. Non-Fiction and Poetry: On the Origin of Species – Charles Darwin. A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking. The Interpretation of Dreams – Sigmund Freud. The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole – Mary Seacole. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Adapted Edition) – Nelson Mandela. Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories – Arthur Conan Doyle. Selected Poems – Robert Burns. Songs of Innocence and Experience – William Blake. Lyrical Ballads – William Wordsworth & Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

The best of what has been written:

Classic and Modern Fiction:

1984, Animal Farm – George Orwell.
To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee.
Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck.
A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens.
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens.
The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger.
Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen.
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë.
Treasure Island – Robert Louis Stevenson.
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton.
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott.
Lord of the Flies – William Golding.
Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë.
Brave New World – Aldous Huxley.
The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde.
Dracula – Bram Stoker.

Contemporary and Young Adult Literature:

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas – John Boyne.
Wonder – R.J. Palacio.
The Book Thief – Markus Zusak.
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini.
A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness.
Noughts and Crosses – Malorie Blackman.
The Fault in Our Stars – John Green.
Looking for JJ – Anne Cassidy.
Face – Benjamin Zephaniah.
The Tulip Touch – Anne Fine.

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury.
The Time Machine – H.G. Wells.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams.
Empire of the Sun – J.G. Ballard.
The Left Hand of Darkness – Ursula K. Le Guin.

War and Historical Fiction:

Private Peaceful – Michael Morpurgo.
War Horse – Michael Morpurgo.
Goodbye to All That – Robert Graves.
The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank.
Twelve Years a Slave – Solomon Northup.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave – Frederick Douglass.

Non-Fiction and Poetry:

On the Origin of Species – Charles Darwin.
A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking.
The Interpretation of Dreams – Sigmund Freud.
The Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole – Mary Seacole.
Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Adapted Edition) – Nelson Mandela.
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories – Arthur Conan Doyle.
Selected Poems – Robert Burns.
Songs of Innocence and Experience – William Blake.
Lyrical Ballads – William Wordsworth & Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Helping your child read more

Classic and Modern Fiction:

Contemporary and Young Adult Literature:

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

War and Historical Fiction:

Non-Fiction and Poetry:

Literacy

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