Resources
Red Joan reading group guide
A reading group guide written by author, Jennie Rooney. About the book Joan’s voice is almost a whisper. ‘Nobody talked about what they did during the war. We all knew we weren’t allowed to.’ Joan Stanley has a secret. She is a loving mother, a doting grandmother, and leads a quiet, unremarkable life in the suburbs. Then one morning there is a knock on the door, and suddenly the past she has been so keen to hide for the last fifty years threatens to overturn her...
Space Chase Family Favourites Activity Sheet
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge for children celebrates 50 years since the first Moon landing, making it the perfect theme to inspire readers of all ages. Use this activity sheet to create a record of the books you’re enjoying and to spark conversations around reading with family and friends.
Space!
To tie in with this month’s launch of Space Chase, the theme for the 2019 Summer Reading Challenge, we are bringing you some of our favourite books about outer space. From brain-bending books on physics to comic tales from the furthest edges of the universe, there’s something for everyone.
Changemaker Reads
To celebrate National Reading Group Day on 15 June, we asked reading groups which books inspire them to change the world. Tackling themes of identity, discrimination and equality, these are some of the books that make you want to make a difference.
The Lost Man by Jane Harper Extract
Read an extract from the gripping new novel from the author of the Sunday Times top ten bestsellers, The Dry and Force of Nature.
Side-splitting Stories
This month we’re bringing you chapters to make you chortle and sentences that will have you in stitches. Including novels, essays and poetry, these books will have you laughing all day long.
The Handmaid's Tale Reading Guide
A reading guide to The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. The Handmaid’s Tale went back into the bestseller charts with the election of Donald Trump, when the Handmaids became a symbol of resistance against him; and the 2017 release of the award-winning Channel 4 TV series. Sales of the English language edition have now topped 8 million copies worldwide. About the book It is the world of the near future, and Offred is a Handmaid in the home of the Commander and his wife. She is...
National Reading Group Day 2019 - poster
This year, National Reading Group Day will take place on Saturday 15 June, the start of Independent Book Week. We have a downloadable poster that you can use in your library. Just click on the link below to download.
The Silence of the Girls Readers' Guide
Download a free readers’ guide for The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
Ordinary People Readers' Guide
Download a free readers’ guide for Ordinary People by Diana Evans, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
The Sister, the Serial Killer Readers' Guide
Download a free readers’ guide for My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
Milkman Readers' Guide - Women's Prize for Fiction
Download a free readers’ guide for Milkman by Anna Burns, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
Circe Readers' Guide
Download a free readers’ guide for Circe by Madeline Miller, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
An American Marriage Readers' Guide
Download a free readers’ guide for An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, one of the shortlisted books for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
Dementia friendly booklist
After being diagnosed with Young-onset dementia in July 2014 Wendy Mitchell set about finding other ways to keep reading. She shares some of her favourite books with us here.
Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life by Rose Tremain, Reader's Guide
Here is a reading group guide for Rose Tremain’s Memoir, Rosie: Scenes from a Vanished Life. About the book Rose Tremain (or Rosie as she was then) grew up in post-war London – a city still partly in ruins, where both food and affection were fiercely rationed. But when she is ten years old, everything changes. She loses her father, her house, her school, her friends and is dispatched to a freezing boarding-school in Hertfordshire. Slowly though, the teenage Rosie escapes from the cold...
The Remainder - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title The Remainder by Alia Trabucco Zerán, translated by Sophie Hughes by clicking below.
The Shape Of The Ruins - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title The Shape Of The Ruins by Juan Gabriel Vásquez, translated by Anne McLean by clicking below.
Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones by clicking below.
The Pine Islands - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title The Pine Islands by Marion Poschmann, translated by Jen Calleja by clicking below.
The Years - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title The Years by Annie Ernaux, translated by Alison L. Stayer by clicking below.
Celestial Bodies - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 9 April the Man Booker International Prize revealed the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Man Booker Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi, translated by Marilyn Booth by clicking below.
Amateur - Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 19 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Amateur by Thomas Page McBee by clicking below.
The Trauma Cleaner Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 18 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein by clicking below.
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
On Tuesday 19 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh by clicking below.
Murmur Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 19 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Murmur by Will Eaves by clicking below.
Mind on Fire Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 19 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Mind on Fire by Arnold Thomas Fanning by clicking below.
Heart: A History Readers' Guide
On Tuesday 19 March the Wellcome Book Prize announced the shortlist of six books for the 2019 prize. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the prize rewards exceptional works of literature that illuminate the many ways that health, medicine and illness touch our lives. Discover the excellent books that have been chosen for the Wellcome Book Prize shortlist. You can download a Readers’ Guide for shortlisted title Heart: A History by Sandeep Jauhar by clicking below.
All The World's a Stage - booklist
Some of the most loved stories have been adapted for the stage—either as plays or musicals. Some you may know, but others might surprise you! We’ve collected some of our favourite books that have been adapted for the stage.
International Women's Day 2019
This International Women’s Day we have come up with a list of twelve books that we hope express a small section of the enormous range of challenges faced by women across the world in the 21st century. Let us know your recommendations on social media.
