Off The Record – Camryn Garrett

As part of Penguin’s brilliant Lit in Colour scheme, an initiative to promote and celebrate diverse authors in secondary school classrooms and libraries, I had the pleasure of coming across Off The Record by Camryn Garrett. This young adult novel follows the story of Josie, an aspiring young
journalist, who wins a competition to write a celebrity profile for a prominent magazine. It is a
dream come true for Josie and, after some deliberation, her parents agree that she can go, provided that she takes her big sister with her. However, once Josie arrives and begins to interview Marius, the dazzling new actor, truths begin to unravel that leave Josie having to make some very big decisions about what she does and does not choose to say.

Josie’s character is rich and complex, offering us a chance to think about a range of issues including
but not limited to: racial inequality, gender, power and the abuse of power, size and sizeism, anxiety
and mental health, family and love. Garrett’s novel shows us the magic of falling in love, the strength
and challenges of family dynamics, the necessity of speaking up against abuses of power and inequalities, and the power of writing. The novel shows us that we can – and must – make our voices heard, even when we feel as if we do not ‘fit in’ or when to take a stand against the silencing or oppression of others. It would make a good read for young people aged fourteen and up and is a great addition to any library bookshelf.

When The Sky Falls by Phil Earle

This award-winning book is really something special. I bought my copy during a Reading for Pleasure conference that I was presenting at earlier this summer and began reading it on the train home. I continued reading it that evening, and the next day, and the next, until I reluctantly came to an end.

When The Sky Falls is inspired by a true story. Set during the Second World War, it follows the journey of Joseph, who has been sent to stay in the city with Mrs F. This is not the life he wants and feels as if everyone and everything is against him – until, that is, he realises that there is more to Mrs F. She owns a zoo, now closed down and half-empty, in which Adonis, a silverback gorilla, resides. At first, Joseph is frightened of Adonis and does not understand how Mrs F can dare to enter his cage. However, as Joseph continues to live with Mrs F, reluctantly go to school and help at the zoo, he develops a connection with Adonis. As the bombs continue to fall, it is Joseph who is left to watch over Adonis’ cage and, if it should be damaged, have to decide whether or not to pull the trigger.

This historical fiction captures so many themes and emotions that resonate in our present world, from Joseph’s struggle with dyslexia, to the hardships of rationing and living in poverty, to the deep grief felt by both a parent losing a child and a child losing a parent. It celebrates the power of friendship, kindness and of sharing feelings, even when those feelings are almost impossible to put into words.

This is a powerful, moving read is magnificent, particularly for KS3 readers, and demonstrates the importance of showing care and compassion both for others and for ourselves.

Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Julia and the Shark is one of the most beautiful books that I have ever read. Written by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and illustrated by Tom de Freston, it introduces us to the wonderful protagonist Julia, who moves with her father and mother to a remote lighthouse on the Shetland Islands. Whilst her father is working on repairing the old lighthouse, her mother becomes determined with her mission to find the elusive Greenland shark. Meanwhile, Julia also meets Kin, who lives on the island with his mother and sister, and he teaches her that there is magic in the stars as well as the sea. As her mother’s desperation to find the shark continues to grow, Julia finds herself experiencing more turbulent emotions and more frightening dreams, before undertaking the ultimate quest to help put things right.

The novel touches on some really important themes: mental health and its impact both on those experiencing it and those around them, family and parental relationships, friendships, science and the natural world. I was lucky enough to hear Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston discuss their collaborative work at the Hay Festival in June 2022 and what stood out was their celebration of how the images and words continued to inspire each other and the process of creating this incredible book. There is something here that will touch the hearts of all readers, young and old, and I could not recommend it highly enough.

The Dark Lady by Akala

Akala’s debut novel, The Dark Lady, is a must-read. It brings the murky realities of Elizabethan England to life and, for students who definitely study Shakespeare at school, it is a brilliant, engaging adventure that shows the parallels between the social issues of the past and the present.

The protagonist, Henry, is a young orphan, outcast by society due to his class and race. He lives with Joan, who has magical powers, her less kind sister and their own children, picking pockets to get by. After one house theft goes wrong, Henry finds himself imprisoned by the Duke – but it is Henry’s own superpower, the ability to translate anything, that saves him and shows to the adults around him just how special he is.

Henry himself loves to read and is a natural storyteller; he surprises the people who meet him by revealing his literary prowess, as the judgements of strangers, he finds, are so often buried in stereotypes.

Akala is in incredible storyteller and Henry’s chronological narrative is interwoven with his dreams of the “dark lady”. The book explores the effects of prejudice, the magic of reading to both escape reality but also to reflect and define society’s expectations, as well as presenting the importance of family, relationships and open-minded kindness. The book brings to light how challenging life was during Shakespeare’s lifetime for those from poor and underprivileged backgrounds and gives a voice to those whose voices are not heard enough in portrayals of everyday Elizabethan life.

It is more than a historical fiction, though. Akala provides us with a mirror into our own world, making readers reflect on the inequalities that still pervade our society, the importance of allyship from all individuals as well as the transformative power that reading can have.

The Sound of Everything by Rebecca Henry

In the run up to Christmas, I began researching a range of freshly published YA fiction to read and enjoy over the festive break. I came across a blog by new author Rebecca Henry, a 22 year old writer, in which she described the motivations behind her novel, The Sound of Everything. Her own experience at school, with tumultuous classes and bad behaviour, provided the inspiration for the creation of her protagonist, Kadie. Although my PhD studies focus on fantasy fiction, I love reading YA realism and, as an English teacher by background, I am always interested to see how YA novels represent schools and the different challenges that can face adolescents.

So what is The Sound of Everything about? It follows the story of Kadie, a teenager who has been placed in various foster homes and struggles to feel wanted or a sense of belonging. She constantly finds herself in trouble and has taught herself to expected everything to fall apart. Although Kadie began to feel as if life would be brighter in her latest foster home, things start to go wrong, with constant fights and trouble at school and tensions with Shadavia, the daughter of her foster parents. Social media – especially Snapchat – is a platform for fuelling cruel behaviour and comments and Kadie also relies on Emerson, the knife that she carries in her pocket and cannot tell anyone the truth about.

It is when she meets Lips, a fellow student and talented musician at school, that she sees the joy that can come from trusting others and positive friendships and relationships. She begins to tell him some of her secrets and knows that she has to really share her vulnerabilities in order to let others in but it feels like an impossible task.

The Sound of Everything is most definitely worth a read, both for adults and young adults. It is a powerful debut and it is the voices of the characters that bring the novel to life, with believable, flawed, complex and real characters who show how individuals’ experience will affect their perspective on relationships, family and education and the possibility, although challenging, of making sense of trauma and pain and finding hope, particularly when learning how to let others in, allowing friendships and love to grow.

The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson

There is no greater joy than spreading a love of reading for pleasure and having young people choose to engage with books. In the summer term 2021, I ran a reading scheme with a small group of Key Stage 3 students. Each got to choose a book from the Carnegie shortlist, read it and produce a creative response – and keep the book. Being able to select a book that most appealed and receive this as a gift was important for many of the students in terms of engaging with the opportunity. Here was the chance to have some choice and creativity.

One of the shortlisted books available to the Year 7 and Year 8 students was The Girl Who Speaks Bear by Sophie Anderson. Of course, the bonus of running reading for pleasure schemes is that I can read all of the shortlisted books alongside the students, in order to be able to engage in conversations and to actively be promoting ‘teachers as readers’.

It is an absolutely magical book. It has a fairy-tale feel but draws on conventions – such as transformation, anthropomorphosis and magic – in original ways, using the folklore tradition to explore real, universal themes such as belonging, identity and the importance of love and friendships. The protagonist, Yanka, is an adventurer, a character that young people can sympathise with and relate to. Who is she? Where is she from? How can she shift from a sense of being othered to being able to accept – and embrace – herself for who she is?

Even for readers who did not usually read fantasy books or fairytales, The Girl Who Speaks Bear was a gripping tale from start to finish. I could not recommend highly enough for older KS2 and younger KS3 students. But, like all wonderful children’s fiction, it is a beautifully written tale for older readers too, reminding us all about the importance of acceptance and inclusivity, of valuing family and friends and of seeing the magic in life’s everyday moments.

The power of the book is evident through the creative responses that students produced. Setting a task that empowered young people to respond in whatever ways that they wished – from clay sculptures to poems from Yanka’s perspective – demonstrated the wonders of their imaginations. In addition, it showed that, by reading such powerful contemporary stories such as Sophie Anderson’s The Girl Who Speaks Bear, young readers are able to find and tell their own incredible and magical stories.

The Gifted, the Talented and Me by William Sutcliffe

Sometimes, all I want to read is a really funny book. A book that will make you smile, laugh and snort out loud. A book that can be tackling the most serious and complex human situations and emotions and still manage to leave its reader grinning after every page. And William Sutcliffe’s young adult novel, The Gifted, the Talented and Me is exactly that.

The book follows the journey of Sam, whose family move to London after making lots of money and where, for his Mum, his Dad, his brother and his sister, this means exciting new opportunities and a chance to achieve all those dreams and ambitions that were not possible in Stevenage. Sam, however, does not share these feelings. His new, trendy school is full of pretence and pretentiousness, and he feels less at home than ever.

This is a sharp, intelligent and downright hilarious young adult novel. It uses humour to help explore the ups and downs of family relationships, love, friendships, complex emotions and the challenges of trying to carve out a sense of self-identity, particularly with the inevitable peer and family pressures that accompany such a process. I particularly liked the developing relationship between Sam and his Mum – despite the misunderstandings that underpinned their relationship initially, they both grow to understand each other far more and, whilst their relationship is still not without its difficulties, they learn that their judgements about each other were often far from reality.

I absolutely loved reading this as an adult and would highly recommend to adults and young adult readers alike, both to feel less alone in the journey towards self-love and self-acceptance and to remind us to always take a moment to put ourselves in other people’s shoes to truly appreciate different perspectives and experiences and to develop the empathy that we all need to build more happy and fulfilled relationships with others and with ourselves.

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

What is it about?

In this world, Scarlett exists as an outlaw. She has been able to survive and get by – that is, until she meets the mysterious Albert Browne. The two of them are both remarkable in different ways and form an unlikely friendship as their lives collide and they embark on a dangerous quest.

Stroud’s adventure story focuses on a dystopian version of England, which has been radically altered by climate change. In the place of large cities, there now exists a lagoon, with the population of each town clinging to traditional lifestyles and avoiding the wild, empty lands around the edges.

YA discussion questions

What do you think of Scarlett? How is she both likeable and dislikable?

What do you think of Albert? How would you feel if you had his superpower?

What does the novel show us about climate change? What disasters do you think might happen in our future?

What do you think about the blend of fantasy, such as the monsters and superpowers, with thriller, such as gun fights and criminal chases?

What does the novel show us about families and friendships?

A favourite quotation

“In all her travels across the broken lands of Britain, Scarlett had seldom been so uncertain about what to do.”

On The Come Up by Angie Thomas

Half term = the perfect time to settle down with a great YA fiction book. Keen to take a break from fantasy (just for a novel or two!) I have just finished reading Angie Thomas’ On The Come Up.

It follows the story of sixteen year old Bri, a talented rapper from Garden Heights who believes that the only way to improve life for herself, her mother and brother is to make it in the music industry. She is seen as a troublemaker at school – although it is clear that racial bias certainly affects the way that she and her peers are treated.

The novel is not a light read but Thomas is so brilliant at tackling issues of gangs, crime and infrastructural racism in a way that feels more important now than ever. Bri’s character is wonderfully complex and engaging and the novel appeals to adult and teenage readers alike. Indeed, it is an example of YA fiction that, I believe, adults and educators SHOULD read, as Thomas gets to the heart of a sixteen-year-old’s perspective and frustrations and shines a light on the inescapable impact of poverty, racism, education and adult expectations and how overwhelming and unfair life can feel when experiencing such challenges during adolescence.

You might know Angie Thomas from her debut novel, The Hate U Give, which was so successful that it was soon adapted for the big screen. Whilst its content may not be suitable for readers under fifteen years old, it is a sure-fire hit for older teens and adult readers – and one that, if read widely enough, could begin to make us more actively challenge institutional inequalities. Give it a go!

Run, Riot by Nikesh Shukla: Run to Read This

Run, Riot – Nikesh Shukla
Shukla’s short but electrifying novel, Run, Riot, is real and timely. Based in the all-encompassing, gritty politics of the Firestone House estate, the story follows the lives of Taran, an aspiring MC, her twin brother Hari, who finds himself the victim of threatening gang violence simply by the nature of where he lives and their friend Anna, who lives on the estate with them.
However, Firestone House is under threat. It has been pinpointed as a potential new housing development, designed for the likes of gentrified city workers. Not Taran, Hari and Anna. But that isn’t the biggest threat. Along with his sort-of acquaintance, Jamal, Hari finds himself witness to a shocking murder of Sim, a fellow resident of Firestone House, at the hands of police officers. What follows this tragedy is a life-threatening, violent and sinister evening for the friends, who find themselves hiding from corrupt officers and holding onto their only ticket out: CCTV evidence of the crimes committed.

Shukla holds back no punches but creates the most powerful characters, desperate to reveal the truth and seek justice no matter the cost. They sacrifice their friendships, relationships and safety in their quest to put right the many wrongs that they have faced as a result of background, race, age and stereotyping. It feels closer to home more now than ever, in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd, exposing societal inequalities and also the hardships so many face, surviving life on a day-to-day basis but continually hoping – rightly – that change may be almost, but not completely, impossible.