Fiesty Fairytales

The Wee Free Men

By Terry Pratchett

With Mrs Biggs

Learn useful things, such as the difference between a 'pixie' and a 'pictsie', and how to use a frying pan as a defensive weapon

The magic realism of historical fiction

Violeta

By Isabel Allende

With Ms Gomez

The epic story of Violeta del Valle, a woman whose life spans a hundred years and who witnesses the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century

Economics

Less Is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World

By Jason Hickel

With Mr Whitworth, Mrs Campion & Ms Huang

Less is More' challenges the myth that endless economic growth is the key to prosperity, offering a bold vision for a sustainable future. Hickel explores the environmental costs of capitalism, the origins of our growth-driven economy, and how embracing degrowth can build a fairer, healthier world for all

Dramatic Thriller

We need to talk about Kevin

By Lionel Shirver

With Georgia Simmons & Melissa Chapman

Explore the complex theme of nature vs nurture through a series of letters written in the perspective of a mother who's son has committed an awful massacre at his high school. The question of whether this tragedy was inevitable is at the heart of this unforgettable novel.

WWII History

SAS Rogue Heroes

By Ben MacIntyre

With Mr Gilbert

The story of how the SAS regiment of the British Army was created in North Africa during WWII. Reckless bravado and lots of explosions.

Dystopia

Divergent

By Veronica Roth

With Miss Cox

As we navigate Tris’s journey through the faction system, we’ll discuss themes of bravery, conformity, and the struggle for individuality in a divided society. What does identity mean in a world where your core values are chosen for you?

Post-apocalyptic short fiction

The Death of Grass

By John Christopher

With Mrs Robbins

The original dystopian short fiction book. When something as common as grass is wiped out by a global virus, how quickly does society break down and how far would you go to survive?

Crime fiction with a moral message

Elena Knows

By Claudia Pineiro

With Mr Evans

Ableism, ageism, and issue of class boundaries provide the backdrop to this story where a mother aims to uncover the truth about her daughter's death.

Justice and Humanity

The 57 Bus

By Dashka Slater

With Kitty Purcell & Mr O'Neill

PrideSoc presents a journalistic narrative of a true event when a teenage was set on fire on a bus ride in California in 2013. Following both sides of the story, it touches on homophobia, racism, restorative justice, forgiveness and the butterfly effect of small decisions.

A positive and engaging book about climate change

Not the end of the world

By Hannah Ritchie

With Ms Atherton

Surprising facts, dangerous myths and hopeful solutions for our future planet Earth. This book will transform how you see our biggest environmental problems – and show how together we can solve them.

Behavioural Science

The Psychology of Money

By Morgan Housel

With Miles Kerr & Charlie Pitts

Money is not just about numbers—it is about how we think, feel, and make decisions. This book uncovers the hidden forces that drive financial success, revealing how our mindset and behaviour shape our wealth

Business Management

Source code: My beginnings

By Bill Gates

With Lexie Hulme + Mia Flower

Bill Gates' deeply personal memoir offers an unprecedented look into his early years, revealing the experiences, relationships, and circumstances that shaped one of the most transformative figures in modern history. It delves into the creation of Microsoft, personal tragedies, and his neurodivergent traits, providing a rare glimpse into the man behind the software giant

Timey-wimey Science Fiction

This is how you lose the time war

By Amal El Mohtar and Max Gladstone

With Mr Wells

A novella told through letters between two rival agents in a time war, each striving to manipulate strands of time to ensure the future favours their cause. Through messages left for each other across time and space, it explores the futility of war and the profound connection that emerges amidst conflict.

Habits

Make Change That Lasts

By Dr Rangan Chatterjee

With Mrs Bateson

Nine simple ways to break free from the habits that hold you back. Dr Rangan Chatterjee offers a practical guide to lasting change, combining science and real-life stories to help you build healthier routines, improve your mindset, and transform your life for the better.

Jane Austen Fans

Mansfield Park

By Jane Austen

With Dr Cho and Miss Smith

Taken from the poverty of her parents' home in Portsmouth, Fanny Price is raised alongside her wealthy cousins at Mansfield Park, ever conscious of her humble origins and finding a sole ally in her cousin Edmund. During her uncle’s absence in Antigua, the arrival of the Crawfords brings the allure of London life and a dangerous penchant for flirtation. Widely regarded as Jane Austen’s first mature work, Mansfield Park features a quietly resilient heroine and offers a nuanced exploration of social status and moral integrity, marking it as one of Austen’s most profound novels

Native American injustice and the Osage murders

Young Adult Adaptation of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

By David Grann

With Mrs Poynter

A gripping true story of the Osage Nation murders in the 1920s, where wealthy Osage Native Americans were targeted by white settlers seeking control of their oil-rich land. Uncovering a chilling conspiracy, this book follows the FBI’s involvement in one of its first major investigations under J. Edgar Hoover. It exposes systemic racism, corruption, and exploitation, shining a light on a dark chapter of American history

Budding volcanologists

Mountains of Fire: The Secret Lives of Volcanoes

By Clive Oppenheimer

With Mr Rothwell

"A book that will make all readers want to become volcanologists.'
PETER FRANKOPAN

World-renowned volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer has worked at the crater's edge in the wildest places on Earth, from remote peaks in the Sahara to mystical mountains in North Korea. His work reveals how deeply volcanic activity is entwined with our climate, economy, politics, culture, and beliefs. From Antarctica to Italy, he portrays volcanoes as otherworldly, magical places where history is laid bare and nature speaks to something profound within us.
"

Hollywood mystery

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

By Taylor Jenkins Reid

With Mrs Moore-Bridger

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life

War non-fiction

Colditz

By Ben Macintyre

With Mr Gutteridge

The thrilling true story of the most notorious Nazi prison camp, where the most audacious Allied prisoners turned captivity into a battle of wits. Packed with ingenious escape attempts, daring plots, and eccentric characters, it reveals how resilience and resourcefulness triumphed behind enemy lines.

Space Opera

Dune

By Frank Herbert

With Ms Ferreira

You may have watched the film, but nothing compares to the book. The anthropologist and prolific researcher weaves wisdom, learning and every discipline into his epic work. Politics, technological advancement, religion, economics and enviromentalism collide with fiction. A true masterwork for the quality of writing and proverbs, as well as the creativity.

Sci-Fi

Ender’s Game

By Orson Scott Card

With Mr Wragg

"Ender's Game" explores themes of leadership, strategy, and morality through the story of Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy trained to combat an alien threat. It delves into the ethics of war, the manipulation of youth, and the psychological impact of isolation and pressure on young minds

Politics for the Clueless but Curious

How Westminster Works … and Why It Doesn’t

By Ian Dunt

With Dr Evans

Lifting the lid on British politics, How Westminster Works . . . and Why It Doesn't exposes every aspect of the system in a way that can be understood and challenged, from the heights of Downing Street to the depths of the nation's newsrooms, from the hallways of the civil service to the green benches of the Commons.

Ultra Runners

Born to Run

By Christopher McDougall

With Mr Rudd

A non-fiction book that blends biography, adventure and scientific exploration. Delving into the world of ultra-running, focusing on the Tarahumara people of Mexico's Copper Canyon, known for their extraordinary ability to run long distances. This book explores the history of running, human evolution and the physiology of endurance.

World fiction

Crooked Plow

By Itamar Vieira Junior

With Ms Briggs (CDB)

Deep in a neglected region of rural Brazil, two sisters find a myserious knife under their grandmother's bed. Mystified by its power, they decide to taste its metal. The shuddering violence that follows marks their lives and binds them together forever. A family saga set on a Brazilian sugarcane plantation.

Mythology

Gods Behaving Badly

By Marie Phillips

With Ms Oliver & Mrs Howe

A light-hearted novel which imagines the Greek gods living in a rundown flat in modern day London, having lost their powers as no one believes in them any more!

Holocaust biography

The Cut Out Girl

By Bart Van Es

With Ms Socker

This powerful true story follows Lien, a young Jewish girl in the Netherlands who was hidden from the Nazis during World War II, and the enduring impact of her experiences. Through Bart van Es’s journey to uncover her past, it delves into themes of family, memory, and the remarkable strength of resilience.

Classic adventure mystery

Ruby in the Smoke

By Phillip Pullman

With Ms Charlier

After Sally Lockhart’s father drowns at sea, a mysterious anonymous letter arrives with a dire warning—one so terrifying it causes a man to die of fear at her feet. Determined to uncover the truth behind her father’s death, Sally is thrust into a chilling mystery set in the dark heart of Victorian London. At its centre lies a deadly, blood-soaked jewel, drawing her deeper into danger. A gripping blend of action and intrigue, this tale brings Victorian melodrama to life with rich storytelling and vivid historical detail.

Psychology / Neuroscience

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

By Oliver Sacks

With Mr Rea

Delve into fascinating stories of patients navigating the often bizarre worlds of neurological disorders. Dr Oliver Sacks introduces us to people who can no longer recognise everyday objects or even their loved ones, who suffer from violent tics or uncontrollably shout obscenities, yet who possess extraordinary artistic or mathematical talents. While sometimes challenging to comprehend, these brilliant tales offer profound insights into what it truly means to be human.

Conformity vs Happiness

Convenience Store Woman

By Sayaka Murata

With Miss Gray

Keiko has never truly fitted in. At school and university, people found her odd, and her family worried she would never be "normal." To appease them, Keiko takes a job at a newly opened convenience store, where she finds peace and purpose in the store’s routine. However, in her social circle, it simply won't do for an unmarried woman to spend all her time stacking shelves. As the pressure mounts for Keiko to find a new job—or worse, a husband—she is forced to take desperate action...

Historical Fiction

Chocolate cake with Hitler

By Emma Craigie

With Miss Anderson

A gripping fictional retelling of the harrowing story of a twelve-year-old girl, the daughter of the Nazi Party’s head of propaganda, who spent the last ten days of her life in Adolf Hitler’s Berlin bunker. As defeat looms for the Germans, life underground grows increasingly tense. Through her eyes, the story unfolds with a chilling sense of innocence lost, revealing the unsettling truth that perhaps her golden childhood was not all it seemed. A powerful and haunting exploration of wartime innocence and the devastating impact of ideology

Science Short Stories

The Periodic Table

By Primo Levi

With Ms Bergquist

In this series of short stories, the chemist, writer and Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi uses chemical elements as prisms through which to explore ideas and experiences. Named ‘the best science book ever’ by the Royal Institution, it is an extraordinary mix of fiction and non-fiction, life and imagination, reality and metaphor.