Dear Parents of Year 4,

I have created a list of books that I would recommend children ages 8 and 9+ should begin to read for pleasure.

These books are literary texts. They contains a wide variety of styles, sentence structures, a range of vocabulary, punctuation and expose the children to issues and plot lines which are different from what they are used to reading. Exposing children to a wide range of literature and encouraging reading is vital at this stage of education. Additionally, they are similar to the styles of text which we use in our Shared Reading and main English lessons.

Although books such as ‘Diary of a wimpy kid’ and ‘Moody Judy’ may be entertaining, they do not possess the quality of writing as the list of books below. Please try to encourage your child to read often for pleasure, and use the reading comprehension questions alongside their reading (particularly inference questions).

Reading for pleasure is a great way to learn. It is equally a fantastic way relax which is beneficial for our mental health and wellbeing.

Many of these books can be bought on websites for a reduced price if bought used or the children may want to add them to their Christmas list! Buying used books not only saves money but is also fantastic for our environment! Please consider this if you decide to purchase any of these books.

If you need further recommendations please do not hesitate to contact me.

I look forward to reading some reviews on our blog.

Mr. Kersys.