Our biggest thanks to those of you able to join us for our recent bookclub meeting, sharing with us your tried and tested recommendations for reluctant readers. As you can see the list is quite lengthy, which is a wonderful result! We have indicated suitable age range next to each title, however this is merely a guide and as always we encourage you to use your own judgement, as you know your students best. JF – indicates Junior Fiction, MG – Middle Grade, YA – Young Adult, A – Adult.
We have linked each title through to the Readings Website. Please keep in mind that if an item is out of stock, it may take some time to become available again, particularly if it is coming from overseas.
Disclaimer: The lists generated as a result of Book Club discussions are not, by any means, an exhaustive list of all titles or authors for each genre/category discussed. Nor will all titles be suitable for all libraries. We advise staff discretion when referencing these lists, to properly confirm individual title suitability for individual libraries, school and students needs. These are suggested titles only, shared by our members and inclusion on, or exclusion from, a list does not suggest SLAV endorsement or rejection of a title.
Happy reading and don’t forget to join us for our next meeting on August 27th 2020 to dicuss book covers! Register HERE.
Books that have been turned into films often work
The Enemy Series by Charlie Higson YA
Polly and Buster Series by Sally Rippin MG
Choose Your Own Adventure by George Ivanoff MG
Real Pigeons Fight Crime Series by Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood JF/MG
Swerve by Philip Gwynne YA
Pale by Chris Wooding YA
Cherub Series by Robert Muchamore YA
Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz YA
The Bad Guys Series by Aaron Blabey JF/MG
The Fall and Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks MG
Royal Flying Doctor Series by George Ivanoff MG
Escape From Furnace Series by Alexander Gordon Smith YA
Wings of Fire Series by Tui. T Sutherland MG
Warrior Cats Series by Erin Hunter
Rangers Apprentice Series by John Flanagan MG
The Witching Hours Series by Jack Henseleit MG
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens MG
Ruby Redfort Series by Lauren Child MG
It by Stephen King A
Skullduggery Series by Derek Landy YA
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen YA
Exploding Endings by Tim Harris JF/MG
The Minutes to Danger Series by Jack Heath MG
Scythe, Toll and Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman YA
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series by Jeff Kinney MG
Treehouse Series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton JF
Bro by Helen Chebatte YA
David Walliams Books MG
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (post movie) MG
Barrington Stoke Series (for students with reading difficulties) MG – YA
Orca Series JF
Weirdo Series by Ahn Do JF
Able by Dylan Alcott YA
Audio books were also suggested as a way into story
Graphic Novels and Manga also allow a way into the story through illustration
Amulet Series by Kazu Kibuishi MG
Sport Biographies
Nova Weetman titles ALL
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck YA
Garfield JF
Lark by Anthony McGowan YA
Iris and the Tiger by Leanne Hall MG
Once and Then by Morris Gleitzman MG
Grimsdon by Deb Abela MG
Ghost by Jason Reynolds YA
The Dog Runner by Bren McDibble MG
The Stubborn Seed of Hope by Brian Falkner (short stories) A
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley MG
The Girl Versus the World Series by Various MG
Speak and Shout by Laurie Halse Andersen (trigger warning – sexual assault) A
One by Sarah Crossan YA
Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers YA
Nit Boy by Tristan Bancks JF/MG
Life On the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers YA
Risk, Black, Wreck and Found by Fleur Ferris YA
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link (short stories) YA
M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman (short stories) MG/YA
The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman YA
Road to Winter Series by Mark Smith YA
10 Futures by Michael Pryor MG
The Iron Man by Ted Hughes MG
Lips Touch by Laini Taylor (short stories) YA
Things a Map Won’t Show You (short stories) YA
Little Legends Series by Adrian Beck and Nicole Hayes JF
Specky Magee Series by Felice Arena MG
Take the Shot by Sue Whiting YA
Tiny Timmy Series by Tim Cahill JF
Sporty Kids by Felice Arena JF
The Legend Series by Michael Pankridge MG
Foul Play by Tom Palmer YA
The Bench Warmers by David Lawrence MG
Little Fur Series by Isobelle Carmody MG
More Than a Kick by Jennifer Castles and Tayla Harris ALL
Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi YA
My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbalestier YA
The Breakways by Cathy. G Johnson MG
Boris Series by Andy Joyner JF
Selby Series by Duncan Ball JF
Rabbit and Bear Series by Julian Gough JF
Parvana by Deborah Ellis YA
Tom Weekly Series by Tristan Bancks MG
All Graphic Novels by Raina Telgemeir MG
One of Us is Lying Series by Karen. M McManus YA
Special Forces Cadets by Chris Ryan MG
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo YA
The Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer MG
Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman YA
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas YA
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han YA
Unwind by Neal Shusterman YA
Ice Station by Matthew Reilly YA
What We Are Reading
Anything by Dervla Mc Tiernan A
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid A
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson A
Factfulness by Hans Rosling A
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah A
Mothering Sunday by Graham Swift A
This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay A
Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater A
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins YA
Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy A
Smart Ovens For Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan A
Deep Water by Sarah Epstein YA
Every Tool is a Hammer by Adam Savage A
About a Girl by Rebekah Robertson YA
The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina A
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett A
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens A
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George. M Johnson YA
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta YA
Missing Person by Sarah Lotz A
The Second Sleep by Robert Harris A
Phosphorescence by Julia Baird A
Thanks for giving us the opportunity to participate in the SLAV Book Club. I am finding it an enjoyable and useful experience. The discussion is stimulating. It is great to draw on our collective knowledge. The book list is a wonderful resource.
At book club we were talking about short stories as a way to encourage reluctant readers. I just thought of ‘Rich & Rare’ edited by Paul Collins. It is an anthology of Australian short stories, poetry and artwork. I just checked the Ford Street website it is available. It has lots of great Australian authors. It was published in 2015 and has teacher’s notes. It is a good introduction to different genres. It could be used to find the genre a student might like if they are unsure.