A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

'The Woman In Black' by Susan Hill

12.07. There’s a monster at Conor’s window. It’s not the one from his nightmare. But it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.

Eve of Man by Giovanna and Tom Fletcher.  Against all odds, she survived. The first girl born in fifty years. They called her Eve. Eve lives alone in the Tower under the strict gaze of the Mothers. She is prized and protected, because she is the last girl on earth. Eve has always understood that the survival of the human race is in her hands. Now she's sixteen, and three males have been selected. Eve knows it's time to face her fate. Until she meets Bram. Eve sees a chance for something she never thought could be hers. But how do you choose between love and the future of humanity?

The opening two pages of one of the greatest stories about humanity - ever told!

Chapter 3 - 'Refugee Boy' KS3-5 by Benjamin Zephaniah

Wolf Hall  - Hilary Mantel KS4/5

Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in Otera, where a woman's worth is tied to her purity.  When Deka bleeds gold - the colour of impurity, of a demon - she faces eternal torture.  She is saved by a mysterious woman who reveals the truth - Deka is an Alaki, a near-immortal with exceptional gifts.  Her choice: fight for the Emperor with her kin, or be destroyed. This is a fast-paced fantasy adventure with some scenes of violence, injury and death which some readers may find distressing.  However, it is also the story of discovery and of the deep bonds of friendship and belonging. A great story for questioning how we can ever know someone's true gifts, if the rituals and routines of a society do not encourage them to flourish.

'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger

An extract from 'Sweet Sorrow' by David Nicholls

An extract from 'Birdsong' by Sebastian Faulks. A war novel and family saga.