Thinking Allowed

Building a Culture of Reading

One of the most joyful aspects of catching up with former Year 12 students at the beginning of this year was hearing about the books they were reading. With a little more time on their hands, and the pressures of the HSC behind them, these young women spoke excitedly about how they were reading all of Ishiguro’s novels after encountering the Booker winning novelist in their Year 12 course, how they were enjoying some escapist thrillers by Jane Harper, or about how they were reading Sylvia Plath’s diaries after being fascinated by their study of her poetry.

“Reading for enjoyment has been shown to be positively associated with enhanced academic performance at school and enhanced mental health. Another recent study found that reading for enjoyment has social benefits and can improve students’ sense of connectedness to the wider community as well as providing an insight into human nature and decision-making.”

Unfortunately, we also know from the most recent international 2018 PISA report that there is a significant increase in the number of students who “read only if I have to.” As teachers and parents, I think that we are all too aware of the way the many distractions of the modern world can make it difficult to prioritise the immersion in fiction. One of the central foundations of the new Year 7–10 English Curriculum is encouraging reading for “challenge, interest and enjoyment.”

The English Department is committed to finding effective strategies to re-engage students with literature. As a department, we strongly believe that wide reading develops a student’s understanding of texts and their ability to compose their own powerful written work.  We are carving out time and space in our classrooms to really prioritise reading and are considering how we might promote books and create a sense of dialogue about literature around the School.

The role modelling and support offered at home is often central to building a strong reading practice, and so we are keen to engage each of you in our crusade to build an excitement for reading. Reading requires time and space, and it is often those times at home on the weekend, in the evening before bed, or during the school holidays where students have the opportunity to get “hooked” by literature.

We are so fortunate at SCEGGS to have a passionate and knowledgeable Library team who we collaborate with as we recommend novels to students and help them to access audio books as well as written texts. While there are countless websites and resources which can recommend novels for particular ages, over the year we would also like to share some of our own “reading recommendations” from a variety of staff and students – in the hope that this might spark some interest and discussion in your household. Our first recommendations for the year can be found below. Don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know if you have any recommendations that your family would love to share with the SCEGGS community!

	Lonely Castle in the Mirror by Mizuki Tsujimura This beautiful Japanese novel follows seven students who learn how to navigate the difficulties they face in their own High Schools after forging social bonds in a magical realm. Appropriating well known fairytales, this magical realist novel is compelling and sensitive in its exploration of the challenges of adolescence. I found this book hard to put down and was completely engaged by the struggles of Kokoro and her peers. “Lonely Castle” is an uplifting read which ultimately celebrates the power of friendship and empathy. Ms Bean Head of English
	Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis The ‘Thieves’ Gambit’ by Kayvion Lewis is about Rosalyn Quest, a young girl raised by a legendary family of thieves, who only have one rule: trust no one. After planning to leave the world of heists and stealing, she takes on what she thought to be her last job but ends up leaving her mother’s life hanging on a thread. Desperate to save her family, Rosalyn must enter the Thieves Gambit, a famous international competition with a big prize but a big challenge. She will have to overcome backstabbing competitors, old friends, life-threatening games and even some love interest. This book is a roller coaster of emotions with many plot twists and is an action and romance jam-packed book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a book they can’t put down.  Zoe Butcher (Year 9)
	The Dance Tree by Kiran Millwood Hargrave ‘The Dance Tree’ by Kiran Millwood Hargrave is set in Strasbourg in the boiling summer of 1518 where a plague strikes the women of the city. First it is only one woman dancing alone in the town square, but as more and more women join her, the authorities declare an emergency, stating “The devil will be danced out of these women.” I really liked this book; usually I’m into Sci-Fi so this was a nice change. It follows a woman who continually loses children trying to carry a child for a husband she doesn’t love, but more for herself than him. I liked how the focus was on the protagonist’s life and the people around her. It felt quite insular, her life’s restricted to very few people, but those few people are a world within themselves. It was a really interesting read. There are some adult themes in the novel, but nothing too graphic or terrible. Jemima Lowe (Year 10)
	The Midnight Library by Matt Haig These holidays I read “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig. I really enjoyed this book because it was very light-hearted, but also an interesting read that I was able to get through quickly. It explores the possibility of a liminal space between life and death and the infinite possibilities of our lives, which I was personally really intrigued by. I think it would appeal to anyone in Year 7-12 who is interested in a philosophical or literary exploration of the big questions, and would be worth a read for everyone. Daisy Singleton (Year 12)

Jenny Bean
Head of English