Stay engaged with our annual summer reading list

 

 

Pippa Jacobi

College Librarian

 

It is that time of year once again. Our librarian Mrs Jacobi has compiled her reading recommendations for the summer. Whether you are in Pre-Prep and want to learn about Russian cosmonaut dogs, or a parent keen to curl up with some Murakami short stories on the beach, rest assured she has the perfect book for you.   

This book is the original (and the best) remedy for children who do not want to go to sleep. It is full of wonderful yawning creatures who spread sleep thoughts at bedtime. More fun than counting sheep and more effective than the Sandman, this is the perfect book for early readers, and it has a new look that brings a worldwide favourite to a whole new generation.

Meet Belka and Strelka, the two dogs who changed the face of space history and became international celebrities in the process. In 1960, two stray dogs were plucked from the streets of Moscow to become space pioneers. This quirky and delightful picture book tells the incredible true story of these heroic strays. Selected from several potential canine cosmonauts, Belka and Strelka are put through their paces on the ground, as they practice rocket simulations and wearing spacesuits, before being launched into outer space as the first ever living creatures to successfully orbit the Earth.

Miraculously, the dogs survive the mission and upon their return embark on a tour of the USSR, clad in their carefully tailored jumpsuits —  one red, one green — becoming international celebrities. As for their legacy, less than a year after their safe return the Soviet space programme felt confident enough to send the first human into space.

This gorgeous, uplifting picture book celebrates the wildness in all of us, and the beauty of the world all around us. Prepare for a heart-lifting journey through the beauties of nature: from pine forests to awe-inspiring mountains, and from sparkling seas to starry skies, each page is full of wonders. Fly across oceans, run with wolves through the mountain snow, dance with fireflies, and prepare to be wild.

With a lyrical text from talented debut author Olivia Hope, and stunning, immersive illustrations by Daniel Egnéus, this stand-out book brims with joy and possibility and makes the perfect gift for any little one.

Why do elephants have trunks? Why are clouds different shapes? Why does my tummy rumble? Britannica’s huge, authoritative and lavishly illustrated question and answer book will satisfy even the most curious children, with over 100 questions verified by Britannica experts. Spanning a range of topics including animals, the body, machines, space and more, this book provides clear and accessible explanations — and even explores some of the mysteries that experts are still trying to solve!

By encouraging children to question how the world works, Britannica First Big Book of Why supports STEAM learning and nurtures enquiring minds. With stunning photography and gorgeous original illustrations by Kate Slater, this is the ultimate book for children aged 4+ who need to know why.

Lily knows exactly what she wants to be when she grows up, a superhero. But she is not interested in being a silly superhero. She does not want to wear her pants outside her trousers. Lily wants to be a real superhero, the kind who helps people and makes the world a better place. Join Lily as she meets the extraordinary superheroes all around us, from doctors, teachers and air ambulance paramedics to scientists, recycling truck drivers and carers. Discover the amazing work these real-life heroes do using their incredible superpowers of kindness, care and love.

Humphrey the whale is on a quest to find the one perfect object that will make him feel complete. He roams far and wide, gathering endless undersea treasure as he goes. Yet, no matter how many goodies he accumulates, Humphrey still doesn't feel content. Could it be friendship, not possessions, that will really make Humphrey's heart sing? A sparkling rhyming tale that encourages sharing and kindness, this heart-warming story of friendship is perfect for reading aloud.

When 10-year-old Stella wakes up to discover a world full of blank screens, her family, town and the whole world seems to have been thrown into chaos. And what about poor Grandma who is stranded at the other end of the country? Cue a rollicking madcap road trip, full of driving disasters and family fallouts, as they set off on a rescue mission. Along the way, Stella and her family discover that being away from screens might not be the worst thing ever, and, even though they might not be able to rely on technology anymore, they can rely on each other instead.

Firecrackers is packed full of wonderfully off-the-wall and out-of-this-world poems, little plays, tall tales, raps, fairy tales, haikus and much more. It is an Aladdin's Cave of magical words and gorgeous drawings just waited to be discovered. Reading it will not just spark the child's imagination, it will send it soaring. Jo Riddell's wonderful illustrations and her evocative line drawings draw the child in even deeper into that mysterious world where the everyday becomes magical.

A riotous celebration of words and a modern take on cautionary tales featuring advice on parrots, gravy, mathematics, castles (bouncy), spiders, vegetables (various), breakfast, cakes, and removing ducks from soup. This book is filled with colour illustrations and packed with silly rhymes, witty wordplay and thought-provoking story poems, this collection will delight children of all ages.

Take your seats for the entire history of Planet Earth, as we take a whistle-stop tour from the birth of our planet to the age of bacteria, the era of dinosaurs to the moment of people (blink and you will miss it).

Narrated by a friendly troop of insects and lively illustrations, this illustrated non-fiction book will entertain and educate as it describes the evolution of life on Earth.

From bestselling creator, Mini Grey, winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal, this is her first non-fiction book and it is told with wit, humour and heart.

George has always wondered what it is like to be a dog. One night, a magical mix-up with an enchanted fountain means he swaps places with Midnight, a huge and loveable hound!  Becoming a dog is an amazing adventure, until George uncovers a plan that could threaten Midnight's home. Can the two friends save the day before the clock strikes twelve and leaves them stuck in each other's bodies forever?

With this magical race against time for a boy and his dog best friend, discover the funny and heart-warming classic storytelling from bestselling author and beloved actor, Ben Miller.

Statistically, you are more likely to die from a vending machine than a shark. But, Rob Nelson knows many shark survivors. His college girlfriend was attacked by a crocodile and his roommate, a grizzly bear. His wife was sucked by a wave down a blowhole, he was left stranded at sea after a storm sank his sailboat, and the list goes on and on. To Rob, these “improbable” altercations are “random acts of nature,” and he has learned how to survive them.

Featuring 52 challenges you can encounter in the wilderness, this survival guide is your year-long crash course for ultimate disaster management. Whether you are preparing for a moose attack or a nuclear fallout,  Mother Nature is Not Trying to Kill You enables you to confront the natural world with skill and confidence.

Frank does not know how to feel when Nick Underbridge rescues her from bullies one afternoon. No one likes Nick. He is big, he is weird and he smells — or so everyone in Frank's class thinks.

And yet, there is something nice about Nick's house. There is strange music playing there, and it feels light and good and makes Frank feel happy for the first time in forever. But there is more to Nick, and to his house, than meets the eye, and soon Frank realises she isn't the only one keeping secrets. Or the only one who needs help.

Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches, and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald's growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?
 

The official screenplay of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the ultimate companion to the film and invites readers to explore every scene of the complete script penned by JK Rowling and Steve Kloves. Special features include behind-the-scenes content and commentary from David Yates, David Heyman, Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Colleen Atwood and more.

Science geek Meg is left to look after her little sister for 10 days after her free-spirited mum leaves suddenly to follow up yet another of her ‘big important causes’. But while Meg may understand how the universe was formed, baby Elsa is a complete mystery to her. And Mum's disappearance has come at the worst time. Meg is desperate to win a competition to get the chance to visit NASA headquarters, but to do this she has to beat close rival Ed. Can Meg pull off this double life of caring for Elsa and following her own dreams? She will need a miracle of cosmic proportions.

This seven-book series by legendary lawyer novelist John Grisham tells the story of a 13-year-old in Strattenburg, a small town where there are many lawyers, and though he is young, Theodore Boone thinks he's one of them. He knows every judge, policeman, court clerk and a lot about the law. Throughout the series Boone encounters scandals, murders, kidnappings, disappearances and more.

It is 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They have lost one home, but have they found another?

Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they cannot hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family.

Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever and all-around perfectionist secretly running Big League Burger's massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper's side. When he is not trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin Ethan's shadow, he is busy working in his family's deli. When Big League Burger steals his grandma's iconic grilled cheese recipe, he will do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All's fair in love and cheese until Pepper and Jack's spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know that while they are publicly duelling it out, they are also falling for each other on an anonymous chat app Jack built. As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate, even these two rivals cannot ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance.

Kara and Joe live outside the Wall, spending their days navigating perilous waterways and scratching out a living in the ruins of the old city. But when they get swept up in a police chase and find themselves in possession of a mysterious map, they are suddenly in a world of trouble!

As they delve deeper into a dark world of rebellion and revenge they soon have gangsters, cops and ruthless Mariner pirates in their hi-tech submarines hot on their heels. But as Joe and Kara are swept up into a revolution of justice and vengeance, they must find a way to fight back and save their city before the walls come tumbling down, and the waves come rushing in.

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg's mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia, but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives. And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

14-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life. He knows the rules: no going out after dark; no drinking; no littering; no fighting. You do not want to get on the wrong side of the people who run Little Town. When he meets Pavel Duda, a refugee from Old Country, the rules start to get broken. Then the bombs come, and the soldiers from Old Country, and Little Town changes for ever.

Sometimes, to keep the people you love safe, you have to do bad things. As Little Town's rules crumble, Charlie is sucked into a dangerous game. There is a gun, a bad man, his closest friend and his dearest enemy. Charlie Law wants to keep everyone happy, even if it kills him. And maybe it will.

The eight masterly stories in this new collection are all told in the first person by a classic Murakami narrator. From nostalgic memories of youth, meditations on music and an ardent love of baseball to dreamlike scenarios, an encounter with a talking monkey and invented jazz albums, together these stories challenge the boundaries between our minds and the exterior world. Occasionally, a narrator who may or may not be Murakami himself is present. Is it memoir or fiction? The reader decides. Philosophical and mysterious, the stories in First Person Singular all touch beautifully on love and solitude, childhood and memory, all with a signature Murakami twist.

There is a silent epidemic in America: loneliness. Shameful to talk about and often misunderstood, loneliness is everywhere, from the most major of metropolises to the smallest of towns. In this wide-ranging exploration of our inner lives and public selves, Radtke digs into the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another, and the distance that remains. Through the lenses of gender and violence, technology and art, Radtke ushers us through a history of loneliness and longing, and shares what feels impossible to share.

Ranging from the invention of the laugh-track to the rise of Instagram, the bootstrap-pulling cowboy to the brutal experiments of Harry Harlow, Radtke investigates why we engage with each other, and what we risk when we turn away. With her distinctive, emotionally charged drawings and deeply empathetic prose, Kristen Radtke masterfully shines a light on some of our most vulnerable and sublime moments, and asks how we might keep the spaces between us from splitting entirely.

The challenge: spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and avoid getting caught. The prize: enough money to change everything.

Even though everyone is desperate to win — to seize their dream futures or escape their haunting pasts — Mack feels sure that she can beat her competitors. All she must do is hide, and she is an expert at that. It is why the reason she is alive, and her family is not. But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes this competition is more sinister than even she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. 14 competitors. Seven days. Everywhere to hide, but nowhere to run.

For more than 17 years, Lin Kong, a devoted and ambitious doctor, has been in love with an educated, clever, modern woman, Manna Wu. But back in his traditional home village lives the humble, loyal wife his family chose for him years ago. Every summer, he returns to ask her for a divorce and every summer his compliant wife agrees but then backs out. This time, after 18 years of waiting, Lin promises it will be different.

All societies, whether big or small, try to hide their wounds away. In this, his Mishima Prize-winning masterpiece, Masatsugu Ono considers a fishing village on the Japanese coast. Here a new police chief plays audience for the locals, who routinely approach him with bottles of liquor and stories to tell. As the city council election approaches, and as tongues are loosened by drink, evidence of rampant corruption piles up, and a long-held feud between the villages captains of industry, two brothers-in-law, threatens to boil over.