Reading
Please read with your child at least five times a week. Sign their reading diary each time and your child can earn a merit every week!
Encourage your child to also access Century, where they will find opportunities for comprehension skills practice.
Book Study
In Year 5, we study the following books throughout the year. We kindly ask that you avoid reading these in advance to ensure the most can be made out of in-school activities related to these texts.
If your child enjoyed these books, click on the image to go to the lovereading4kids site where you may find further reading suggestions that your child might enjoy.
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|
'George's Secret Key To The Universe' by Lucy Hawking and Steven Hawking |
'The Indian in the Cupboard' by Lynne Reid Banks and Hampshire Illustrated Book Awards texts |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|
Immigration: 'The Weight of Water' by Sarah Crossan, 'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan and 'The Matchbox Diary' by Paul Fleischman |
'Moondial' by Helen Cresswell |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|
'Rooftoppers' by Katherine Rundell |
'The Borrowers' by Mary Norton |
Year 5 Recommended Reads
Here you can find some great suggestions for books to read this year. Let us know which ones you have read and enjoyed or if you have any recommendations to add:
Bell, Alex - Polar Bear Explorer’s Club
Feisty orphan Stella Starflake Pearl and her unlikely crew embark on a spectacular adventure in a fantastical land of ice and snow, which leads Stella to make a startling discovery about her own identity.
Butler, Steven - Nothing to See Here Hotel
A goblin prince arrives at the hotel that Frank and his parents run for magical creatures causing them all sorts of problems!
Carroll, Emma - Sky Chasers
Magpie's life is changed forever when she sees a boy dangling from the sky. An historical adventure around the race to put a balloon in the sky.
Clary, Julian - Bolds on Holiday
The hyena family are off to Cornwall for a spot of camping. Plenty of terrible jokes as trouble awaits.
Colfer, Eoin - Imaginary Fred
Have you ever thought about how hard it is to be an imaginary friend? What happens when your ‘friend’ finds a real pal of their own? Oliver Jeffers illustrations complement this thoughtful and amusing tale from a distinctively original perspective. Shortlisted for the SLS Hampshire Illustrated Book Award 2017.
Colfer, Eoin - Mariella Queen of the Skies
Mariella is so keen to make and invent things that she sets out to trick time in order to get everything done. But what is the impact of all that lack of sleep?
A Little Gems, Hi-Lo read.
Edge, Christopher - Infinite Lives of Maisie Day
Maisie is mad keen on science but her interest is put severely to the test when she wakes up on her 10th birthday in a parallel universe. Lots of science theories and facts in amongst her adventures.
Elliott, David - Baabwaa & Wooliam
Drily written and highly amusing KS2 Picture Book about two sheep, one of whom reads and the other who knits, and their literal and literary encounter with ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’!
Evans, Maz - Simply the Quest
The adventure continues as the Greek immortals are still camped out at Elliot's home. A great series with plenty of humour and zany characters.
Green, Julia - To the Edge of the World
Mara doesn't want to go to school and sets out to sail away from her remote Scottish Island, taking Jamie with her. Along with her dog, they find themselves on a wild sea adventure.
Harris, Robert J - Vanishing Dragon
One day, young Artie Conan Doyle will create one of the greatest literary detective characters’ of all time, but for now he’s growing up in 19th Century Edinburgh solving mysteries and learning all sorts of useful tricks. Second in series.
Harrold, A F - Greta Zargo and the Death Robots from Outer Space
Fast paced and witty story about an intrepid, orphaned, junior reporter who also happens to save the world. First in series.
Laird, Elizabeth - Song of the Dolphin Boy
Finn finds that he bonds more with dolphins than he does with people, but how can he stop his new friends being hurt?
Leonard, M G - Battle of the Beetles
Third and final instalment of a great adventure series. Three young friends battle to overcome the fearsome Lucretia Cutter in her attempt to rule the world. Series celebrates the extraordinary powers of the insect world
McLaughlin, Tom - Day that Aliens nearly ate our Brains
Freddy and Sal must stop a brain eating alien from invading earth in this wacky adventure.
Martin, Laura - Edge of Extinction
In a world where dinosaurs roam and humans live underground, Sky decides she needs to go "up top" to find her father in this thrilling read.
Mattick, Lindsay - Finding Winnie
At the outset of WW1, a Canadian vet rescues a bear cub and names her Winnie (short for Winnipeg). He gives the bear to London Zoo for safekeeping where she is visited by a little boy called Christopher Robin. The story is told by the great granddaughter of the vet, Captain Harry Colebourn, and Winnie is believed to be the inspiration for Winnie-the-Pooh. Shortlisted for SLS Hampshire Illustrated Book Award 2017.
Metcalf, Dan - Codebusters
Jax and his new friends are secret code breakers. When the Maths trophy goes missing the Codebreakers have a real mystery to solve.
O’Neill, Richard - Ossiri and the Bala Mengro
This is an entrancing story blending elements of traditional storytelling and folklore together with a positive presentation of the lives and work of traveller communities. There is some ‘Romani’ language in the text and a small glossary. Beautiful folk art style illustrations too.
Shortlisted for SLS Hampshire Illustrated Book Award 2017.
Riddell, Chris - Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony
4th in the series that still has lots to offer. Lord Goth and Ada are organising a music festival, ‘Gothstock’, to which the finest composers and musicians in the land are to be invited. An opportunity for mishap, mystery solving and adventure; told with wit, humour and amazing illustrations
Smith, Alexander McCall - Hari and his Electric Feet
Hari is an endearing young boy, who watches Bollywood films and begins to dance. The dancing is infectious and has quite an effect on the people and communities around him. The story has a fable like quality to it and is interlaced with detail about family life in India. Beautifully illustrated by Sam Usher.
Stower, Adam - King Coo
While escaping from a bully at school, Ben accidentally falls down a hole and finds himself in a forest world ruled by the extraordinary King Coo, who is, amongst other things, a bearded girl. In the midst of adventures and mayhem, Ben learns some valuable life lessons.
Symes, Sally - Pet Dragon
Great spoof style pet owners manual. It has everything a dragon owner needs to know from choosing an egg to feeding, grooming and training a dragon. Lots of text boxes and broken up text.
