Resources
How reading can promote writing for pleasure article
We believe that through reading a wide variety of books and texts, children can improve their vocabulary and grow more confident with their own writing ability. To help you with this, we have collated a host of resources and useful websites that you can use with your students for their creative writing. Find more resources on our School Zone.
When Secrets Set Sail – Blue Plaque Project
When Secrets Set Sail is the breathtaking new adventure from award-winning author Sita Brahmachari. Set in London, adoptive sisters Usha and Imtiaz must race to uncover the secrets of their family’s past, in order to save their home. In the story, Usha and Imtiaz discover that their house has an incredible history and was home to some very interesting people. Inspired by their adventure, why not research the history of your house, street or local area and see what you can discover? Download...
Mermaid School - Telling Tails writing activity
Marnie Blue’s class at Lady Sealia Foam’s Mermaid School are holding a cake sale to raise money for their school trip to the Mermaid Lagoon castle. Aunt Christabel says she’ll help Marnie, Pearl and Orla to bake some special treats to sell. On a new sheet of paper write a story about what happens.
Mermaid School - Create your own radio station activity sheet
In the Mermaid School books, Christabel Blue is a very successful DJ, with her own Big Blue Show on Radio SeaWave. In the activity sheet children can imagine they have their own show on mermaid radio. Filled with fabulous fishy fun, the Mermaid School series is perfect for fans of Unicorn Academy and Dork Diaries!
August 2020 - Comics, graphic novels and illustrated books booklists for children and young people
This month our booklist features comics, graphic novels and illustrated books that we think will draw children and young people into the story. We love comics, graphic novels and books that have beautiful illustrations, as well as being fun they can be important to a child’s reading journey. You can join in with the conversation online using #DrawInBooklist and tagging us using @readingagency on Twitter and @SummerReadingChallengeUK on Facebook.
Keith Among the Pigeons Activity Pack
Keith Among the Pigeons by Katie Brosnan is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! This Keith Among the Pigeons pack includes a cat and pigeon masks, colouring sheets, puzzles and more activities to enjoy at home, in the library, or at school. Find out more about this title on the Summer Reading Challenge website. Visit the Child’s Play website for more great titles and resources.
Tricks and Jokes Chatterbooks Activity Pack
In this Chatterbooks activity pack you’ll find some great suggestions for funny books to explore, read and enjoy together. Inspired by Lily the Frog from the Summer Reading Challenge’s Silly Squad, this pack will focus on her favourite things, jokes and tricks. We hope you enjoy the books as well as the discussion and activity ideas, and further reading suggestions.
The importance of comics, graphic novels and illustrated books article
Like Bamboozle the Panda from the Silly Squad, we love comics, graphic novels and books that have beautiful illustrations. As well as being fun they can be really important to a child’s reading journey. We also share useful sites and great resources. Find more resources on our School Zone and Summer Reading Challenge resources.
Dog Diaries Activity Sheets
Dog Diaries: Mission Impawsible by Steven Butler and James Patterson, with illustrations by Richard Watson, is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! This Dog Diaries activity pack includes wordsearches, puzzles, spot the difference and more! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website. Visit the Penguin website for more great titles and features.
Kevin's Great Escape: Comic Making Tips
Learn everything you need to know to make your own comics with these tips from Sarah McIntyre. Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website. Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Learn to draw Max
Keep Kevin company by learning to draw his best friend, Max, with a step-by-step guide from Sarah McIntyre. Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Learn to draw Daisy
Learn how to draw Max’s goth sister, Daisy (aka Elvira!) with a step-by-step guide from Sarah McIntyre. Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Learn to draw Kevin
Sketch a roly-poly flying pony of your own with this step-by-step guide from Sarah McIntyre. Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Create a legendary pet drawing activity
Kevin is an ABSOLUTE LEGEND. Have a go at creating your own legendary pet! Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Ordinary Legend Quiz
Take Reeve and McIntyre’s quiz to find out what kind of legend YOU are! Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Kevin's Great Escape: Cardigan Faun Colouring Sheet
Design some fabulous knitwear for the super-stylish Cardigan Faun. Kevin’s Great Escape: A Roly-Poly Flying Pony Adventure by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre is a Summer Reading Challenge 2020 recommended read! Find out more on the Summer Reading Challenge website. Visit the Oxford Children’s Books website for more great titles and resources.
Attack of the Heebie Jeebies by Tom Percival - Chapter 2 Discussion Notes
Meet the Dream Team! Turning nightmares into incredible adventures! Erika’s had a bad day. But going to sleep upset means bad dreams. She finds herself stranded in the Dreamscape along with a mob of hungry Heebie Jeebies – and to make matters worse, she’s being hunted by a terrifying Angermare! Enter the Dream Team! Can they help Erika overcome her worries and get home, or will she be trapped forever? Attack of the Heebie Jeebies is the first in a fun and engaging colour illustrated series...
Attack of the Heebie Jeebies by Tom Percival - Chapter 1 Discussion Notes
Attack of the Heebie Jeebies is the first in a fun and engaging series from Tom Percival, the Carnegie nominated author and illustrator. This series explores anxiety in children through action and adventure. Erika’s had a bad day. But going to sleep upset means bad dreams and she finds herself stranded in the Dreamscape along with a mob of hungry Heebie Jeebies – and to make matters worse, she’s being hunted by a terrifying Angermare! Enter the Dream Team! Can they help Erika overcome her...
July 2020 - The Great Outdoors booklist for children and young people
This month our booklist is about books that immerse a reader in an environment, where the setting plays an important part to the plot or shows the beauty of nature. We’ve picked some brilliant poetry, picture books, non-fiction and chapter books that celebrate the great outdoors. You can join in with the conversation online using #TheGreatOutdoorsBooklist and tagging us using @readingagency on Twitter and @SummerReadingChallengeUK on Facebook.
Parentkind and The Reading Agency - Reading as a Family: Top tips for reading together resources
Reading for pleasure delivers enormous benefits for children of all ages. It builds reading and literacy confidence as well as influencing children’s health and wellbeing, future academic achievement and adult life chances. Evidence shows that families can play a key role in helping develop a reading for pleasure habit, but it’s not always easy to motivate children who lack confidence or enthusiasm for reading. Our webinar discussion with Parentkind can be seen here. It was a chance to hear...
National Poetry Day reading group resource
This list of ten books is perfect for reading groups thinking of dipping into poetry, often edited or written by great names who love poetry so much that they want to share it – Clive James, John Carey, Kate Clanchy, Cerys Matthews and Carol Rumens.
Draw with Rob Biddulph activity pack
The viral phenomenon #DrawWithRob is now a brand-new activity book to help you to draw at home with creative genius and official World Book Day illustrator Rob Biddulph! You may have spotted Rob’s brilliant drawalong videos on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok or even on your TV – and did you know that Draw With Rob is now a Guinness World Record breaker too? Rob teamed up with Art World Records to smash the record for the largest ever online art lesson in May… perhaps you joined in...
The Dordogne Mystery series digital pack
Quercus are excited to invite libraries and reading groups across the country to celebrate Martin Walker’s Dordogne Mysteries series. A hugely popular series in Germany and the United States, Martin Walker’s novels take you to the Dordogne region of France where readers follow Bruno, Chief of Police as he investigates crimes and mysteries in the area. This is not just a gripping crime series as Martin transports you to the gastronomic heart of South-West France by incorporating its rich...
Heatstroke by Hazel Barkworth digital pack
Headline would like to invite libraries and reading groups across the UK to share their excitement about this summer’s hottest debut novel – Hazel Barkworth’s Heatstroke. We don’t want readers across the country to miss this gripping page-turner, described by the Evening Standard this week as ‘a perfect sun-lounger read: a sizzling page-turner with twists, turns and revelations in all the right places’. DIGITAL PACK CONTENTS: - An extract from Heatstroke - Reading Group questions - A Spotify...
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour by Ally Carter - digital pack
FIVE EXTRAORDINARY ORPHANS. ONE INCREDIBLE MYSTERY. Bursting with adventure, mayhem and friendship, this is the first in an action-packed new middle-grade series – from the bestselling author of Gallagher Girls, Ally Carter – and the perfect book for readers who love the mystery of Robin Stevens and the mayhem of A Series of Unfortunate Events… At the Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valour, nothing is what it seems, no one is who they say they are and nowhere is safe. And now a ragtag...
Stay-at-home with Football School - writing competition
A shout out to all sports fans aged 7-12! Do you dream of becoming a sportswriter, commentator or sports presenter in the future? Then this competition could help you reach your goal! The Guardian has teamed up with the authors of Walker Books’ bestselling Football School book series for a game-changing writing competition. Become the Young Sportswriter of the Year by writing no more than 600 words on a match report on any sporting event that has taken place, or a piece of feature writing...
Boys and Kids Who Dare to be Different - activity packs, audio extracts and journal
Stories for Boys who Dare to be Different is a beautiful and inspiring collection of stories about boys who changed the world without killing a single dragon or saving a single princess. Stories for Kids who Dare to be Different was born out of the success out of Stories for Boys and it a celebration inspirational and amazing boys and girls who stood up and stood out. This is a beautifully illustrated, evocative and inspiration book of amazing stories of amazing people, that will delights...
Starfell by Dominique Valente and Sarah Warburton - Digital Activity Pack
Step into the magical world of Starfell in the most spellbinding children’s fantasy series of the year! With beautiful illustrations by Sarah Warburton, Dominique Valente’s Starfell is perfect for fans of Cressida Cowell and Nevermoor. Willow Moss, the youngest and least powerful sister in a family of witches, has a magical ability for finding lost things – like keys, or socks, or spectacles. Useful, but not exactly exciting…until the most powerful witch in Starfell needs Willow’s help to...
How to host a virtual book club with your class article
Are you wondering how your reading group can continue to meet, even while you’re social distancing? With so many children and families at home, we know that books are so important to provide comfort, solace and escapism. Staying connected and keeping your regular reading group meetings in your diary, is going to be very important in keeping up morale and supporting children as they continue to adjust to a new way of living. In this article we give suggestions on how you can set up and run a...
How schools can get involved with Summer Reading Challenge 2020 article
The Summer Reading Challenge, presented by The Reading Agency and funded by Arts Council England, encourages children aged 4 to 11 to set themselves a reading challenge to help prevent the summer reading ‘dip’. For the Summer Reading Challenge 2020, we are asking everyone to get silly. The theme for the Challenge is “Silly Squad”- a celebration of funny books, happiness and laughter, featuring bespoke artwork from award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Laura Ellen Anderson. This...
