Register Now for our Year 4 Reading Celebration 2024!

This is really popular with schools and a lovely way to celebrate reading and support Government objectives and your own work encouraging reading for pleasure in school. We hope to inspire your pupils to enjoy reading and to use their school and local libraries.

Participating pupils will be asked to borrow and read any four books from their local library and record their thoughts in a specially designed Reading Log, which will be sent to schools in January 2024. They can read physical books or e-books. Your whole Y4 class/year can take part and there will be a whole class creative challenge in response to their reading.

Your school will select a team of four pupils to attend a Final Celebration Event that will take place during the week commencing 11th March 2024. Each class team will have the opportunity to share their class creative challenge work at the beginning of this event. Teams will take part in a fun, book related quiz and activities, competing against other schools in the County.

The winning teams will be presented with prizes and a trophy to keep and display at their school. There will be a separate trophy for the creative challenge winning team and the quiz/activity winning team. All pupils attending the Final Celebrations will receive a Star Reader medal and certificate. All year 4 pupils will receive a certificate.

The COST to take part is £40 for WSLS subscribing schools and £50 for non-subscribing schools. This price includes 30 Reading Logs, a Toolkit and an invitation for your school team of four pupils to attend the Final Celebration Event. You can purchase additional Reading Logs at a cost of £1 per pupil if required. 

PLEASE CLICK HERE AND FILL OUT THE FORM IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SCHOOL TO TAKE PART.

Any questions, please get in touch with us at schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk

Please visit our website to find out more about what we do.

'Feel Good' Reading Sets

We have created some fantastic 'Feel Good' Reading Lists for primary and secondary schools and we think these books are just the thing to engage, enthuse and make your pupils laugh and feel good. Developed to support the pure pleasure of getting lost in a good book and ideal for use in a classroom reading corner or whole library space. There are 4 different lists covering Years 3-9.

You can download and print the posters below for free. Just click on the images below:

Years 3/4                  Years 5/6                 Years 7/8                  Year 9

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions or if we can help in any way:

schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk

Recommended Reads KS2

We have a bumper crop of books to recommend for children across the whole of KS2. This has been created to suit all abilities and interests and with a mix of best loved classics and recent titles. Including quick reads, graphic novels and lengthy titles to curl up with, we're sure there will be something for everyone. As ever, many titles are available on BorrowBox from Warwickshire Libraries. Click on the image for the full list. Which are your favourites?

Recommended Reads for Years 7 & 8

There are books to suit all sorts in our brand new recommended reads list for Years 7 and 8 pupils. Sometimes something challenging and more grown up - but not too grown up - is required and sometimes what's needed is to go down a well-trodden path and read something familiar. Or maybe somewhere in between. This list has something for all and we hope it is useful. As ever, check out the pages of BorrowBox from Warwickshire Libraries for titles available to read for free! Click on the image for the full list.

Recommended Reads for Year 9

A fantastic range of top titles grace the pages of our recommendations for those in Year 9. Re-imagined classics, rapid reads, series and graphic novels are just some of the topics included. Selected to suit a range of interests and abilities, we are sure there is something for everyone. Many titles are available for free on BorrowBox from Warwickshire Libraries. Please share with your students. Click on the image for the full list.

Year 6 Transition Reads

Take a look at the list of fantastic titles we've put together for Year 6 pupils to read during their transition from primary to secondary school. A mix of non-fiction and fiction titles; offering glimpses into what is to come, hints and tips and school tales - from overcoming nerves at a new school to challenging yourself to achieve big things. Many titles may already on the bookshelf, with now the perfect time for a re-read. Many are available on BorrowBox with Warwickshire Libraries. There's something for everyone!

First Reading Adventure!

We are really excited to be able to share our First Reading Adventure with you. This is a reading engagement package for Years 1 and 2 to promote:

• sharing of books
• recent and fun picture books
• themes of well-being and empathy
• first steps in reading

Our adventure will take children on a journey to greater understanding of themselves and the world around them as well as increasing their confidence with books and early reading.
The high quality texts, chosen by Warwickshire SLS staff, will engage children of all abilities by their attractive design, quality illustrations and exciting narratives.

What do teachers that have been using it say? 
'...a great selection of books that the children have really enjoyed listening to. We have had some lovely discussions sparked by the topics in the books, particularly when it comes to protecting our planet. Some of the children have enjoyed doing their own book reviews after they have chosen to read a book independently. 
The book activity cards with a brief overview and activity ideas have also been useful.'
Mrs Helen Everley
Head Teacher
Henley Montessori Primary

How does it work?
Warwickshire SLS arranges for the books to be delivered to your school (30 new books for you to keep), designed to be used over thirty weeks of the year (10 a term) but schools can use the books in any way they choose. The books come jacketed to make them both easy to clean and long-lasting, making bent corners and scuff marks a thing of the past. 
A pack will be sent to the named school contact electronically. It will include a quick guide for staff or volunteers, including activities and curriculum links, and ideas for parents. It will also have copiable promotional materials (pdfs) to keep the pupils engaged in a fun way, which will be emailed to you when you buy the pack. 

Why is it needed?

• There is increasing concerns among educators and from the government to have books available that both inspire children to read more and more widely.
• This will help them to engage in a wider understanding of the world and to develop a sense of empathy for other people.
• Many parents and early years’ settings are asking for recommendations of appropriate texts to share with very young children around issues that might be quite difficult to discuss – loss, family changes, first experiences – as well as books that are simply a joy to read!
• Staff in settings and schools do not always have the time to research and select these books themselves. Our team of staff at Warwickshire SLS select books for school on a daily basis and have many years of collective experience.
• This pack from Warwickshire SLS provides your school with brand new books for your school to keep. They are there for you when you are ready to add them in to your topics with Year 1 or 2 and we are confident these titles are timeless in their appeal. They may also meet curriculum needs. 
• The selection of books will fulfil your need for ready-to-use stock without the headache of having to select and order books yourselves.

Costs:

• The First Reading Adventure pack price for one set of the 30 books with jackets, plus accompanying materials and pdfs is £250
• Further sets of the 30 books may be bought for £200

If you are interested please fill out our online form and we will send you all the books and information that you will need to take part.

If you would like to get in touch with us to find out more information, please email us here: schoolslibraryservice@warwickshire.gov.uk

Previous Recommended Reads

For our previous book recommendations please take a look at our back issues pages.  This can be found at the bottom of this page, please select the edition you want and click go!