Zac Mendelsohn (Year 9) and Joshua Goldstein (Year 7) are Gold and Bronze award winners.

Zac Mendelsohn completed both the Silver Award and Gold Award this year. This involved reading 9 substantial literary works including drama and poetry. It also involved writing an extended essay discussing the texts and the impact they had on him. Joshua Goldstein read three texts and wrote a 500-word essay to complete his Bronze Award. Both pupils met with members of the English Department to talk in detail about the texts they had read.

The Challenge is not an easy one in an age in which reading is not the go-to form for entertainment or pleasure. Even for people who do read, I am not sure how many have taken on David Copperfield, for instance, at over 750 pages of dense prose.

The essay is also challenging as pupils are expected to write a critical appreciation of the texts and make links between them. Zac’s essay clearly demonstrated appreciation for the complex and, at times, mature themes the writers explore. Zac's essay ends as follows:

"I also think The Book Award is a great programme as nowadays kids aren’t as keen on reading as they used to be, but I wanted to read the books and I think other kids should try to do the same thing I did. I found it a real benefit in increasing my vocabulary and it made me more enthusiastic to read more. I preferred Silver to Gold, not because it was shorter; in fact, because I actually preferred the books that were chosen and my favourite of all the books was Murder on the Orient Express. I think Mr Spitz did a great job with these books and I am thankful to him for making this course."

If you are inspired by Zac and Josh, why not take on the challenge? – the reading list is suitable to all levels of ability so choose which level suits you best, read the books, complete the writing task and participate in a discussion group organised by the English Department. The award will certainly reflect well on personal statements or records of achievement. Most of the books are available on Audible.com for those pupils who enjoy listening or who like to read along with an audio recording.

KS3 - THE BRONZE LIST

1) Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter

2) The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ by Sue Townsend

3) 100 Poems for Children ed Roger Mc Gouch

4) Going Solo by Roald Dahl

5) What Lexi Did by Emma Shevah

KS3 - THE SILVER LIST

1) Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

2) 100 Poems for Children ed. Roger Mc Gough

3) Journey’s End by R.C. Sherrif

4) Life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

5) Going Solo by Roald Dahl

KS3 - The Gold List

1) David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (Novel)

2) Book of Matches by Simon Armitage (Poetry)

3) The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (Play)

4) To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee (Novel)

5) Boyhood by JM Coetzee

GCSE & A Level – The Gold List

1) The Periodic Table by Primo Levi

2) Disgrace by JM Coetzee

3) Ariel by Sylvia Plath

4) Emma by Jane Austen

5) Copenhagen by Michael Frayn

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