Suggested reading for years 7 & 8: Summer term

Jakub usually looks after his mum – and now he’s caring for an injured otter. A gentle, compelling read. 

A collection of exciting, action-packed mystery stories from 13 brilliant contemporary authors – all with a summer theme. A perfect summer holiday read. 

Rex is not the sort of person to rob a bank… until he’s sent to stay with his Uncle Derm for the summer! Expect high jinks, close calls and lots of silliness in this delightful heist adventure.

When a group of boys refuse to let Amy get involved in the school comedy show, she’s detemined to stand her ground! A laugh-out-loud story that introduces young readers to big ideas around sexism and feminism.

Archie Blake can pick locks. And when a diamond necklace goes missing and his dad is arrested, it’s down to Archie and his unusual skills to prove his dad’s innocence. An action-packed thriller with many knife-edge moments, this is a real page turner.

A funny, informative collection of inventions, both useful and failed, across the centuries from a best-selling author and illustrator pair. 

A short, snappy rollercoaster of a horror story with a skilful build-up of tension from ​‘This sleepy town is so bland, nothing ever happens here’ to ​‘Aargh, we’re all going to die!’.

14-year-old Fred lives a double life. In school he’s a nobody, a ghost. But online, from his gaming chair, Fred is Existor – a streamer with a massive following. Fred must balance his two personas while dealing with bullies and a tough home situation. 

Can Wesley and his friends find out why his neighbour died – in nine nights? A mystery full of twists and turns, with cracking dialogue. 

Rebel the dog must track down his friend Tom before Tom and his rebel friends clash with the King’s army. A thrilling adventure for all animal lovers, told in Rebel’s voice. 

Can Anzu defeat the cruel underworld queen? A stunningly original graphic novel.

In this often hilarious, comic-style book, Mike Barfield and Franziska Höllbacher take readers through a huge variety of zany, unusual, and often wacky jobs.

Twelve year-old Clara can’t remember what happened last summer, or understand why her best friend is so angry with her. What mysteries will she uncover this summer?

Abby’s father is a magician but when things go awry in his latest performance he decides it’s time to call it a day on magic. While Dad finds a new job, Abby finds it hard to bid farewell to the past.

Lily Tripp travels back in time every New Year’s Day. Unfortunately, mean girl Georgia also time travels with her – and this time Lily is her servant! Can Lily cope with being bossed around, and – worse – live without chicken nuggets? A funny diary that teens will very much enjoy.

When Sam invents a new game, no one dares defy him even though they all think it’s a bad idea. A compelling, accessible, dyslexia-friendly story of male friendship that packs a huge amount into just over 100 pages.

The graphic novelisation of Jewell Parker Rhodes’ hit novel from 2018, about a 12-year-old boy who is killed by a police officer, but remains as a ghost. 

Endgame is the culmination of three previous books exploring the potential misuse of AI and other technologies: Echostar, AdelAIDE, and The Foundation. It can be read as a stand-alone story, but will be most appreciated by those who have read at least one of the preceding books. Dyslexia-friendly.