What to Read Now

21 Jun What to Read Now

Here are our latest what to read now suggestions. Happy reading!

Diver’s Daughter: A Tudor Story by Patrice Lawrence ( suggestion for ages 9+)

Come on an epic journey to 16th century London, where you’ll meet Eve Cartwright, a young black girl, living with her mother. Life is far from easy for the Cartwrights, Eve’s mum works desperately hard, but despite this, they nearly always go hungry, 

More trouble is just around the corner when Eve nearly drowns in a boating accident. Thankfully her mum has some expert diving skills up her sleeve! Now the real adventure is on its way, for George Symons wants to send the Cartwrights on a special diving mission. Here you’ll find a gripping tale of excitement, hidden treasures, betrayal and danger. The Tudor world was no picnic (but it sure is exciting to read about)! This beautifully written tale is part of the ‘Voices’ collection, aiming to bring to life the valuable (and too often dismissed) contributions to Britain by immigrants.

Mic Drop (A High-Rise Mystery) by Sharna Jackson (suggestion for ages 13+)

Norva and Nik are delighted to find out that popstar Trojkat will be filming her new music video at their tower block. The pair are even more excited when they actually get to be a part of the video shoot! Soon tragedy strikes at the tower block, and Norva and Nik must do what they do best- solve the mystery. Was the incident an unfortunate accident? Or does Trojkat have a dangerous enemy? Mic Drop is Sharna Jackon’s second book in the High Rise mystery series; it’s so refreshing to see crime mysteries for children set in the inner-city. Here you’ll find a daring novel full of twists, adventure, and plenty of sass

My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay (suggestion for ages 16+)

Norman Greenwood grew up with a foster family, before enduring six years being moved from one care home to the next. At the age of seventeen, he was presented with his birth certificate. It was only then that he realised his name was, in fact, Lemn Sissay, and that he was of Ethiopian and British heritage. Lemn discovered that his real mother had pleaded for his return, ever since he was taken from her. In this powerful real-life story, Lemn seeks to unravel his identity. My Name is Why dissects themes of race, Britishness and the institutional care system. In this challenging tale, Lemn explores what ‘home’ means and reveals how the government secretly stole and imprisoned a child.

What books do you recommend? Don’t forget that if you are having trouble getting hold of books at the moment, libraries have excellent e-lending services and you can still join your local library online.

By Gemma Campbell