YEAR 8 SUGGESTED READINGS
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow – impossible though it seems – they may still be alive.
Library call number: FAN F RIGG
Me, Earl & the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
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 – cue extreme adolescent awkwardness – 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.
Library call number: F ANDR
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
After pulling off a seemingly impossible heist in the notorious Ice Court, criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker feels unstoppable. But life is about to take a dangerous turn – and with friends who are among the deadliest outcasts in Ketterdam city, Kaz is going to need more than luck to survive in this unforgiving underworld. .
Library call number: FAN F BARD
The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis
Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die. One Mission: Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him. One Problem: The loculi are the relics of a lost civilisation and haven’t been seen in thousands of years. Seven Wonders: Because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Library call number: FAN F LERA
The Testament of Loki by Joanne M Harris
Ragnarok was the End of Worlds. Asgard fell, centuries ago, and the old gods have been defeated. Some are dead, while others have been consigned to eternal torment in the netherworld – among them, the legendary trickster, Loki. A god who betrayed every side and still lost everything, who has lain forgotten as time passed and the world of humans moved on to new beliefs, new idols and new deities. But now mankind dreams of the Norse Gods once again, the river Dream is but a stone’s throw from their dark prison, and Loki is the first to escape into a new reality.The first, but not the last. Other, darker, things have escaped with him, who seek to destroy everything that he covets. If he is to reclaim what has been lost, Loki will need allies, a plan, and plenty of tricks.
Library call number: FAN F HARR
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
There was a wild crashing sound, a ripping of metal, and the plane blew through the trees, out over the water and down, down to slam into the lake… Brian is a city boy, not used to living rough, until his plane crash lands in the Canadian wilderness. All he has is a hatchet – and a desperate will to survive. Now Brian must learn to live the hard way, or die.
Library call number: ACT F PAUL
The Book of Lies by James Moloney
The newest boy at Mrs Timmins’ Home for Orphans and Foundlings awakes at first light with no name and no memory. But a strange girl who hides among the shadows of the orphanage tells him that a mysterious wizard’s creation, the Book of Lies, holds the answers, and then gives him one clue: “Your name is Marcel.” With that knowledge, and the help of three new friends, Marcel begins a quest to find the truth about his real identity – a truth that is hidden in the Book of Lies.
Library call number: FAN F MOLO
Magnus Chase & the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and truant officers. One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down – his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to out-manoeuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus’ birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands years.
Library call number: FAN F RIOR
Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
Ever since he saw the legendary player known as the ‘Little Giant’ compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! He decides to join the team at the high school the Little Giant went to-and then surpass him. Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else?
Library call number: GRA F HAI
Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
When Ellie and her friends return from a camping trip in the Australian bush, they find things hideously wrong — their families are gone. Gradually they begin to comprehend that their country has been invaded and everyone in their town has been taken prisoner. As the reality of the situation hits them, they must make a decision — run and hide, give themselves up and be with their families, or fight back.
Library call number: ACT F MARS
One Punch Man by Yusuke Murata
Nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his un-impressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem – he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of super-powered boredom?
Library call number: GRA F ONE
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?
Library call number: GRA F LEN
Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
They told him his uncle died in an accident. He wasn’t wearing his seatbelt, they said. But when fourteen-year-old Alex finds his uncle’s windshield riddled with bullet holes, he knows it was no accident. What he doesn’t know yet is that his uncle was killed while on a top-secret mission. But he is about to, and once he does, there is no turning back. Finding himself in the middle of terrorists, Alex must outsmart the people who want him dead. The government has given him the technology, but only he can provide the courage. Should he fail, every child in England will be murdered in cold blood.
Library call number: ACT F HORO
Full Metal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg… and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher’s Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…
Library call number: GRA F FULL
iBoy by Kevin Brooks
Before the attack, Tom Harvey was just an average teen. But a head-on collision with high technology has turned him into an actualised App. Fragments of a shattered iPhone are embedded in his brain. And they’re having an extraordinary effect on his every thought. Because now Tom knows, sees, and can do more than any normal boy ever could. But with his new powers comes a choice: to avenge Lucy, the girl he loves, will he hunt down the vicious gangsters who hurt her? Will he take the law into his own electric hands and exterminate them from the South London housing projects where, by fear and violence, they rule? Not even his mental search engine can predict the shocking outcome of iBoy’s actions.
Library call number: OTH F BROO
The Saturday Boy by David Fleming
If I’ve learned anything from comic books, it’s that everybody has one thing that can totally ruin their day without fail. For the wolfman, it’s a silver bullet. For Superman, it’s kryptonite. For me, it was a letter. With one letter, my dad was sent back to Afghanistan to fly Apache helicopters for the U.S. army. Now all I have are his letters. Ninety-one of them to be exact. I keep them in his old plastic lunchbox – the one with the cool black car on it that says Knight Rider underneath. Apart from my comic books, Dad’s letters are the only things I read more than once. I know which ones to read when I’m down and need a pick-me-up. I know which ones will make me feel like I can conquer the world. No matter what, each letter always says exactly what I need to hear. But what I want to hear the most is that my dad is coming home.
Library call number: HIST F FLEM
Messi by Luca Caioli
Luca Caioli draws on numerous exclusive testimonies to tell Messi’s story: his parents and extended family; his coaches at Grandoli and Newell’s Old Boys; Rjikaard and Zambrotta from Barcelona; Jorge Valdano and many others from Argentina, Manchester City’s Pablo Zabaleta and ex-Chelsea defender Asier del Horno.
Library call number: BIO 796.334 CAI
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
One cruel night, Meggie’s father reads aloud from a book called ‘Inkheart’ and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. For only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever.
Library call number: FAN F FUNK
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realises he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands
Library call number: FAN F PAOL
The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata
Ikal is one of the ten students of the Muhamaddiyah School, the oldest and poorest school in the Indonesian tin-mining island of Belitong. Like him, his classmates are from the most downtrodden families in the region. But the school has two weapons – its teacher Bu Mus, a slight fifteen-year-old girl with burning courage and a passion for education, and Lintang, the boy genius who inspires his classmates to dream and fight their destiny. Soon the island’s underdogs become its champions.
Library call number: F HIRA
Black Clover by Yuki Tabata
Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem – he can’t use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can’t use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing’s for sure – Asta will never give up!
Library call number: GRA F BLA
Monster Blood Tattoo by David Cornish
Set in the world of the Half-Continent – a land of tri-corner hats and flintlock pistols – the Monster Blood Tattoo trilogy is a world of predatory monsters, chemical potions and surgically altered people. Foundling begins the journey of Rossamund, a boy with a girl’s name, who is just about to begin a dangerous life in the service of the Emperor. What starts as a simple journey is threatened by encounters with monsters – and people, who may be worse. Learning who to trust and who to fear is neither easy nor without its perils, and Rossamund must choose his path carefully.
Library call number: FAN F CORN
House of Secrets by Chris Columbus
Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything: two loving parents, a beautiful house in San Francisco, and all the portable electronic devices they could want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job in the wake of a mysterious incident. Now in dire straits, the family must relocate to an old Victorian house that used to be the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff. By the time the Walkers realise that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they’re banished to a primeval forest. Their parents? Gone. Their friends? A world away. And they aren’t alone. Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land.
Library call number: FAN F CORN
Paper Cranes Don’t Fly by Peter Vu
This story describes the life of a cancer patient in a way that no other young adult book does, focusing not just on living with cancer, but going through it, with the help of patience, love, and friendship. Despite the ever-growing tumour in his head, Adam just wishes he was normal. This is until his latest operation, when everything seems like a lost hope, and he knows he isn’t normal. He doesn’t know what to do, because there is nothing he can do. All he feels he has left are his friends. But that may be all he needs.
Library call number: F VU
The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger by Stephen King
In the first book of this brilliant series, Stephen King introduces readers to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, The Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner on a spellbinding journey into good and evil. In his desolate world, which frighteningly mirrors our own, Roland pursues The Man in Black, encounters an alluring woman named Alice, and begins a friendship with the Kid from Earth called Jake. Both grippingly realistic and eerily dreamlike, The Gunslinger leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
Library call number: FAN F KING
GONE by MIchael Grant
In the blink of an eye, everyone disappears. Gone. Except for the young. There are teens, but not one single adult. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what’s happened. Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.
Library call number: OTH F GRAN
Twelve Nights by Andrew Zurch
Kay’s father is working late – as usual. Fed up, her mother bundles her daughters into the car and drives to her husband’s Cambridge college to collect him. But when they arrive, the staff claim that nobody by his name has ever worked there. Kay is puzzled by her mother’s reaction – silent tears, not anger and confusion. And what is even more puzzling is the card on her pillow when they return home: Will O. de Wisp, Gent. F.H.S.P. and Phillip R. T. Gibbet, Gent. F.H.S.P. K.Bith. REMOVALS.That night, Kay is woken by voices at her window: the voices of Will and Phillip, the Removers. But they are not human. And Kay shouldn’t be able to see them. Except she can…
Library call number: FAN F ZURC
Hood by Stephen R. Lawhead
For centuries, the legend of Robin Hood and his band of thieves has captivated the imagination. Now the familiar tale takes on new life, fresh meaning, and an unexpected setting. Steeped in Celtic mythology and the political intrigue of medieval Britain, Stephen R. Lawhead’s latest work conjures up an ancient past and holds a mirror to contemporary realities. Prepare yourself for an epic tale that dares to shatter everything you thought you knew about Robin Hood.
Library call number: HIST F LAWH
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
A dark, gripping and witty thriller in which the only thing humanity has control over is death. In a world where disease, war and crime have been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional scythes. Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythes’ apprentices, and despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation, they must learn the art of killing and understand the necessity of what they do. Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice and as Citra and Rowan come up against a terrifyingly corrupt Scythedom, it becomes clear that the winner’s first task will be to glean the loser.
Library call number: OTH F SHUS
The List by Patricia Forde
The city of Ark is the last safe place on Earth. To make sure humans avoid the mistakes of their past and are able to survive, everyone in Ark must speak List, a language of only 500 words. Everyone, that is, except Letta. As apprentice to the Wordsmith, Letta can read all the words that have ever existed. Words like freedom, music, and even pineapple tell her about a world she’s never known. One day her master disappears and the leaders of Ark tell Letta she is the new Wordsmith and must shorten List to fewer and fewer words. When Letta meets a mysterious boy who somehow knows all the words that have been banned, she’s faced with a dangerous choice: sit idly by and watch language slowly slip away or follow a stranger on a path to freedom… or banishment.
Library call number: FAN F FORD
Below Zero by Dan Smith
Twelve-year-old Zak, who has an inoperable brain tumour, is with his sister and parents when their private plane is disastrously diverted. Wrecked on a remote research outpost in the Antarctic, they find themselves in an abandoned base. Then Zak’s parents disappear, and the base’s equipment starts 3D-printing nightmarish spider-like creatures. Zak’s bizarre visions appear to suggest a link to something else beneath the ice which only he can understand…
Library call number: ACT F SMIT
The Cabinet of Curiosities by Paul Dowswell
When Lukas Declercq is orphaned, his uncle summons him to Prague, a refuge for Europe’s greatest alchemists and natural philosophers. Uncle Anselmus is court physician to Rudolph II, the reclusive and unstable emperor. He is also curator of Rudolph’s bizarre Cabinet of Curiosities, a series of vast rooms stuffed with wonders and scientific marvels. As Rudolph retreats further into his fantasy world, the threat of rebellion hangs in the air. Dorantes, a diplomat from Spain, comes with his daughter, Celestina, on a mission from Philip II to persuade Rudolph to give up his heretical ways. Soon Lukas discovers the terrible truth behind Dorantes’s mission. But sinister forces have plans for Lukas too, and before he can thwart the plot against the emperor, Lukas must save his own life.
Library call number: HIST F DOWS
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
When Faith’s father is found dead under mysterious circumstances, she is determined to untangle the truth from the lies. Searching through his belongings for clues, she discovers a strange tree. A tree that feeds off whispered lies and bears fruit that reveals hidden secrets. But as Faith’s untruths spiral out of control, she discovers that where lies seduce, truths shatter…
Library call number: CRI F HARD
The Four-Fingered Man by Cerberus Jones
When Amelia’s parents decide to reopen a creepy old hotel, Amelia and her new friend Charlie quickly discover that the place is much more than it seems. The Gateway is no ordinary hotel – and its guests aren’t just visiting from out of town!
Library call number: OTH F JONE
My Side of the Mountain by George Jean Craighead
Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods – all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever.
Library call number: ACT F CRAIG
One of us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Pay close attention and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app. Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?
Library call number: F MCMA
Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks
One afternoon, four police officers visit Ben Silver’s home. Minutes after they leave, his parents arrive. Ben and his little sister Olive are bundled into the car and told they’re going on a holiday. Which is weird, because Ben’s family never goes on holidays. Things aren’t right and Ben knows it. His parents are on the run. So Ben and Olive are running, too. Ben’s always dreamt of becoming a detective – his dad even calls him ‘Cop’ because he asks so many questions. Now Ben gathers evidence, jots notes and tries to uncover what his parents have done. The trouble is, if he figures it out, what does he do next? Tell someone? Or keep the secret and live life on the run?
Library call number: CRI F BANC
The Dogs of Winter by Bobbie Pyron
When Ivan’s mother disappears, he’s abandoned on the streets of Moscow, with little chance to make it through the harsh winter. But help comes in an unexpected form: Ivan is adopted by a pack of dogs, and the dogs quickly become more than just his street companions: they become his family. Soon Ivan, who used to love reading fairytales, is practically living in one, as he and his pack roam the city and countryside, using their wits to find food and shelter, dodging danger, begging for coins. But Ivan can’t stay hidden from the world of people forever. When help is finally offered to him, will he be able to accept it? Will he even want to?
Library call number: HIST F PYRO
Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
Basketball has always been an escape for Finley. He lives in gray, broken Bellmont, a town ruled by the Irish Mob, drugs, violence, and racially charged rivalries. At home, he takes care of his disabled grandfather, and at school he’s called ‘White Rabbit’, the only white kid on the varsity basketball team. He’s always dreamed of getting out somehow with his girlfriend, Erin. But until then, when he puts on his number 21, everything seems to make sense. Russ has just moved to the neighborhood. A former teen basketball phenom from a privileged home, his life has been turned upside down by tragedy. Cut off from everyone he knows, he now answers only to the name Boy21 – his former jersey number – and has an unusual obsession with outer space.
Library call number: F QUIC
Maze Runner by James Dashner
Thomas, a teenager, arrives in a glade at the center of a giant labyrinth. Like the other youths dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group and soon after demonstrates a unique perspective that scores him a promotion to Runner status – those who patrol the always-changing maze to find an escape route…
Library call number: OTH F DASH
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
Uglies is set in a world in which everyone has an operation when they turn sixteen, making them supermodel beautiful. Big eyes, full lips, no one fat or skinny. You might think this is a good thing, but it’s not. Especially if you’re one of the Smokies, a bunch of radical teens who’ve decided they want to keep their own faces. (How anti-social of them.)
Library call number: OTH F WEST
The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
Six unforgettable kids — with no families, no homes — are running for their lives. Max Ride and her best friends have the ability to fly. And that’s just the beginning of their amazing powers. But they don’t know where they come from, who’s hunting them, why they are different from all other humans… and if they’re meant to save mankind — or destroy it.
Library call number: OTH F PATT
Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson
Ancient China, Han Dynasty. A slave girl saves the life of an ageing dragon and escapes her brutal master. Pursued by a ruthless dragon hunter, the girl and the dragon make an epic journey across China carrying a mysterious stone that must be protected. This is the story of a young slave girl who believes she is not worthy of a name but finds within herself the strength and courage to make this perilous journey — and do what must be done.
Library call number: FAN F WILK
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
Darling is only ten years old, and yet she must navigate a fragile and violent world. In Zimbabwe, Darling and her friends steal guavas, try to get the baby out of young Chipo’s belly, and grasp at memories of Before. Before their homes were destroyed by paramilitary policemen, before the school closed, before the fathers left for dangerous jobs abroad. But Darling has a chance to escape: she has an aunt in America. She travels to this new land in search of America’s famous abundance only to find that her options as an immigrant are perilously few…
Library call number: F BULA
The Laws of Magic by Michael Pryor
Aubrey Fitzwilliam is the son of a prominent ex-prime minister. He’s also brilliant at magic, but he’s stuck at military school. At least he has his best friend, George, there to back him up. At a royal hunting party, the boys discover a golem, a magical creature built to perform one task: to kill Prince Albert. Aubrey and George are hailed as heroes for foiling the murder attempt – but who sent the golem, and why? Aubrey is far too curious to let the authorities handle this one, and he and George start investigating…
Library call number: FAN F PYRO
Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama
In this post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming mankind. Seemingly unintelligent, they have roamed the world for years, killing everyone they see. For the past century, what’s left of man has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 100-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, but the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything.
Library call number: GRA F ISA
Forest of Bones by David Kennett
Canus is a Roman dog boy, a slave looking after the general’s dog pack. Ursus belongs to the tribe that the Romans have conquered. He hates Romans. The two boys share a love for a wild animal of the forest, but this bond will be tested by the terrible events that are about to unfold.
Library call number: F KENN
