This year we will be reading the books below. These texts have been chosen to support and the develop reading skills required to understand texts and to inspire a love of reading.
During the start of our Autumn term the class will read 'Skellig' by David Almond. The story follows Michael, a young boy who has just moved into a dilapidated house. Michael is faced with many worries and challenges, that are made more complicated with the discovery of a mysterious man in his derelict garage - if he is a man that is. With the help of his strange neighbour, Mina, Michael goes on a journey to help heal the mysterious man, and in the process discover the mysteries of the world he lives in. The children will be examining themes of nature, the power of empathy and the mystery life holds.
After we have finished our immersive unit of Skellig, we will begin reading Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg. Queen of the Falls is about a 62-year-old woman named Annie Edson Taylor who remembers getting closer and closer to Niagara Falls with her father, entranced by the sight and sound of the water. Finally, as a 62-year-old, she goes over the falls in a wooden barrel, seeking fortune and fame.
For our Spring term we will be looking at The Darkest Dark. It is a story about a boy called Chris who loves rockets and planets and pretending he’s a brave astronaut, exploring the universe. Only one problem–at night, Chris doesn’t feel so brave. He’s afraid of the dark. But when he watches the ground-breaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is–and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company.
In our last term for the Summer, we will be reading the Radiant Child. Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat is a 2016 picture book biography by Javaka Steptoe about Jean-Michel Basquiat. Using a style similar to Basquiat's, the book tells the story of his childhood and early career.