Why Should I Read?

… because reading is brilliant and books are fun!

• LIVE DANGEROUSLY. Through reading, you can share the challenges, fears, thrills, and achievements of those you are reading about, without the risk.
• HAVE A FEW LAUGHS. Some books are hilarious, and they will leave you aching from laughing too much.
• SEE THE WORLD. Without leaving your room, you can visit places that fascinate you, places you may never go, places that don’t exist other than in the wild imagination of the writer and you.
• TRAVEL THROUGH TIME. Historical fiction and science-fiction move a reader back and forth in time.
• USE YOUR BRAINS. You may enjoy solving a mystery by figuring out whodunit, outwitting a crafty villain, or thinking through a perilous situation.
• GET SOME FREE ADVICE. Lots of novels feature characters that have problems and pressures similar to those you may be dealing with.
• DISCOVER NEW INTERESTS. Through reading, you may develop an interest in something you knew nothing about before.
• FIND A CAUSE. Learn more about an issue that matters to you.
• ESCAPE. You can escape noise, tension, or boredom by escaping into the magical world of a book.

The more you read, the more you learn to deal with different people, and you will need to learn to deal with all kinds of different personalities in your life. The more we read about fictional characters, the more we learn how to deal with real people: their reactions, their decisions, their disagreements. Reading more books helps us to understand our friends and our families, and that can’t be a bad thing!

Ready, set.....read!

The Books

The majority of the books that I have chosen for the reading list are award-winners. This means they are really good quality and very well-written. Most of them have also been recommended by the children that I teach. I have a dedicated team of young readers, whose advice I ask for constantly. Kids know best!

I always try to put books on the list that appeal to both boys and girls, so that everyone can join in.

Some people say that you should “never judge a book by its cover.” Well, I think that’s crazy! Have you seen the amazing artwork on some of these books? I like to choose books that look great on your shelf. There’s something very satisfying about building up a collection of beautiful books in your bedroom!

The Big Book Quiz

How Do I enter?

Go and speak to your English teacher or class teacher, and tell them that you would like to be part of the greatest reading quiz event of all time! All they need to do is to fill in the entry form on the website, and all you need to do is come up with a cool and original team name!

What do I have to read?

You will be given a list of four books to read. There could be five children on your team, so you could read one each with somebody doubling up. If you are really keen, you can read ALL of the books!

What can I expect on the night?

Your teacher will let you know where The Big Book Quiz is taking place, and you will arrive there in full school uniform with your team. You can decorate your table: bring a mascot, balloons, or maybe a banner. There will be a round of ten questions on each of the books, and your team will write down the answers.

What happens if there is a tie?

There will be a tie break round to decide the winner. The tie break questions will not be based on the books you have read, but could be on any book or writer!