Reading for Pleasure Resources

According to research, regular reading for pleasure has an extremely beneficial effect on students' overall academic achievement. However, regular reading for pleasure also has a myriad of benefits maybe of even more worth. Books are a window into the world, of experiencing other lives and cultures, as well as a means of understanding ourselves too. They also can have an invaluably positive effect on our well-being and mental health.

So, certainly, students should be encouraged to read for pleasure as much as possible. However, if students have limited access to bound books, reading material can be downloaded for free here:

LANCASHIRE LIBRARIES (if students have a library card) ebooks. Also, audio versions are available.
LANCASHIRE LIBRARIES. Free articles to read.
Gutenberg Free ebooks (for copies of GCSE texts)
Audible - Currently free audio books for young people.
World Book Day - three free teen books available to download for free
Kindle app — lots of free books available.
BBC Classic Stories - Audio versions of key classic works of literature.
Open library - have to create an account
MyOn has made lots of fiction and non-fiction eBooks available - suited to developing readers. Some classics as graphic novels available i.e. Macbeth, A Christmas Carol.
Epic! American company aimed at readers under 12 but might be useful for students whose reading age is below their chronological age. Is a subscription site but it's offering free access until the end of June.

Reading Websites to Support Reading for Pleasure

BBC 100 Novels That shaped Our World - A Great starting point for enthusiastic year 11, 12 and 13 readers. Lots of clips and interviews to also explore.

Bookbuzz is a reading scheme run by the Booktrust that offers a selection of books to students between 11 and 13 at participating schools for a reduced rate. Schools are invited to register by July for participation in the following academic year.

Carnegie Medal The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually by youth librarians to the writer of an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. Longlists are published in February and shortlists in March, with the winners announced at a ceremony in June. Student reading groups are invited to shadow the award, which is an excellent introduction to some quality fiction for young people.

Carnegie 2020 Shortlist

Previous Carnegie Medal winners

Lancashire Book of the Year

The prestigious Lancashire Book of the Year is the longest running young people's regional book award in the country. The award remains one of the few book awards in which young people themselves are solely responsible for choosing both the shortlist and the overall winning book. Schools are invited to participate in September and year 9 judge the entries to produce a shortlist in March, with the overall winner announced in July.

Lancashire Book of the Year 2020 Shortlist

LoveReading is a valuable book recommendation website that allows students and teachers to search for books according to age, topic and genre. LoveReading4kids allows students to read reviews written by their peers.

Readathon is a charity that invites young people to raise money to provide books for sick children in hospital through sponsored reading. Schools who take part receive free book vouchers to spend at Scholastic Book Clubs worth 20% of their sponsorship total.

How to run a Scholastic book fair

Scholastic provide pop-up bookshops for schools to run their own book fairs and earn free books for their school as a result.

The Royal Society - The Young People's Book Prize

Schools can apply to be part of the judging process for books (usually open February) that inspire young people up to the age of 14 to read about science.

World Book Day This website provides information and resources to support schools' annual celebration of World Book Day. World Book Night is another opportunity to celebrate reading, particularly with older students.

YA Book Prize is a national book prize for books written for a teenage market.

200 million minutes is a national reading challenge that requires participants to read as much as possible in a given period annually with the aim of reaching 200 million minutes reading time.

General Reading Resources

Hertfordshire Grid for Learning

Please click on the picture below

Interesting Articles/Blogs

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-whole-class-reading/