Primary School Class Novels Collection

MONAGHAN COUNTY LIBRARIES

CLASSROOM READERS 2021

www.monaghan.ie/library/schools

GUIDELINES FOR USE Monaghan County Library Schools Service provides a class novel loan scheme to primary schools in the county. This collection of classroom readers spans junior infants to 6th class level. Please note: These books are loaned on a temporary basis.

Each school can borrow one set of multiple copies of a particular title for a maximum of two calendar months. The service depends upon the timely return of books Schools can borrow up to three sets of books in each academic year.

Requests and enquiries can be placed via email to the Schools Librarian schools@monaghancoco.ie Requests should be placed at least 2- 4 weeks in advance to allow adequate time for processing & delivery.

Leave your school name and contact details along with your request Please be aware that due to demand the title you are looking for may be on loan. When placing requests please state titles in order of preference.

Books can be collected from your local branch library, where appropriate.

This catalogue is a guide and is subject to change.

"I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."

- J.K. Rowling

PICTURE BOOKS - JUNIOR TO 1ST CLASS

Handa’s Surprise

by Eileen Browne Handa puts seven different delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend Akeyo as a surprise. But Handa’s walk takes her past a variety of animals, and the fruits do look very inviting….

Big Blue Whale

by Nicola Davies

Just how big is the blue whale? Bigger than an elephant or even a dinosaur, it’s the biggest creature that has ever lived on earth. So, dive in, and learn what a blue whale eats, what it sounds like, and even what it smells like!

The Gruffalo

by Julia Donaldson A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood. A fox saw the mouse and the mouse looked good. But the fox is the least of the quick – witted mouse’s problems. He’s about to come face to face with an owl, a snake and… Oh help! Oh no! A Gruffalo!

The Great Paper Caper

by Oliver Jeffers A thrilling tale of mystery, crime, alibis, paper planes, a forest, and a bear who wanted to win.

PICTURE BOOKS - JUNIOR TO 1ST CLASS

Six Dinner Sid

by Inga Moore Sid has six owners, lives in six houses and has six dinners a day.

Since each owner believes that Sid is theirs and theirs alone, life is just about perfect… until the day he is found out!

Where the Wild Things are.

by Maurice Sendak When Max puts on his wolf suit and causes havoc in the house, his mother sends him to bed. From there, Max sets sail to an island inhabited by the Wild Things who name him king and hare a wild rumpus with him. But then, from far away across the world, Max smells good things to eat…

Owl Babies

by Martin Waddell

Three baby owls, Sarah, Percy and Bill, wake up one night in their hole in a tree to find that their mother has gone. So they sit on a branch and wait. Darkness gathers and the owls grow anxious, wondering when their mother will return...

The Pig in the Pond

By Martin Waddell One sunny day, when Farmer Neligan goes to town, his pig sits by the pond, watching the ducks and geese play on the cool water.

The pig gets hotter and hotter; the ducks and geese get louder and louder…Then Neligan’s pig does something quite unheard of!

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

A Witch in a Fix

by Marian Broderick (90 Pages) Anna’s science teacher really gets on her nerves – but is that a good enough reason to turn her into a giant rat? With a big, angry rat on the loose, Anna soon realises she’s made a bad mistake.

How will she turn it back into her teacher? And can she do it quickly, before anyone finds out that she’s an apprentice witch?

Anna can’t admit what she’s done, so no one can help her with her big, furry problem – or can they?

Flat Stanley

by Jeff Brown (62 pages) Amazing things can happen when you are flat!

Stanley Lambchop is just a normal healthy boy, but ever since a large notice board fell on him, he’s been only half an inch thick.

Stanley gets rolled up, sent in the post, flown like a kite, and helps catch two dangerous art thieves. He may be flat, but he’s a hero!

The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth

by Eoin Colfer (91 Pages)

“It wasn’t me. I didn’t hit you with the axe. This is just mistaken identity.” The ghost of wicked cut-throat pirate Captain Crow will not rest until he gets revenge on the cabin boy who got the better of him many years ago. And if he can’t find the cabin boy, any nine-year-old lad will do…

The Legend of Spud Murphy

By Eoin Colfer (89 Pages) Suddenly, a shadow fell across my brother. It was Spud. She had appeared without a sound, like a ninja librarian.

Will and his brother Marty are doomed to spend their holidays in the library. If they put a foot wrong Mrs. Murphy, the legendary librarian, will use her dreaded gas-powered spud gun and they don’t want that – just ask Ugly Frank how he got his nickname!

But in Will and Marty, has Spud Murphy met her match…?

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

How to train your Dragon

by Cressida Cowell (240 Pages) Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III is a truly extraordinary Viking hero known throughout Vikingdom as “The Dragon Whisperer”…but it wasn’t always so. Travel back to the days whn the mighty warrior was just a boy, the quiet and thoughtful son of the Chief of the Hairy Hooligans. Can Hiccup capture a dragon and train it without being torn limb from limb? Join the adventure as the small boy finds a better way to train his dragon and become a hero!

Esio Trot

by Roald Dahl (55 Pages) Esio Trot is the story of a very shy man and a very kind woman, and a small tortoise called Alfie who brings them together.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

by Roald Dahl (81 Pages) Every time Mr. Fox steals a chicken from the farm, Farmer Boggis, Bunce and Bean grow wild with rage! They’re the nastiest crooks in the valley, and they’ve concocted a cunning plan to dig him out of his hole once and for all.

But it never occurs to them that Mr. Fox has a fantastic plan of his own…

George's Marvellous Medicine

By Roald Dahl George Kranky is eight years old and wondering what sort of mischief he might get into. George’s Grandma is a grizzly old grouch and George wants to teach her a lesson…

And when Grandma’s finished drinking George’s marvellous medicine she’ll really have something to grumble about.

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

The Twits

by Roald Dahl (86 Pages) A hideous, vindictive, spiteful couple known as the Twits live together in a brick house without windows. They continuously play nasty practical jokes on each other out of hatred for one another, ranging from Mr. Twit hiding a frog in his wife's bed that he claims is a monster, to Mrs. Twit tricking her husband into eating worms in his spaghetti.

Walter Speazlebud

by David Donohue (107 Pages) Walter Speazlebud is a whizz at spelling backwards. He also has the power of Noitanigami (that’s imagination, backwards) Can the power really make people, and animals go backwards in time?

Time to find out when horrible Mr Strong and Danny the bully keeps picking on Walter…

Moon Man

by David Donohue (278 Pages) Did the moon landing really happen? One boy with amazing abilities is going to find out! Using the incredible power of Noitanigami – and with his grandad’s help - Walter Speazlebud will travel to 1969 to discover the truth.

It’s a big step for a small man…

The Giggler Treatment

By Roddy Doyle (102 Pages) Who are the Gigglers? If adults are mean to children, they get the Giggler Treatment. It’s smelly. It’s squishy. And it sticks to your shoe. But sometimes, just sometimes, the Gigglers make a mistake… Can Robbie, Kayla, Jimmy and Rover the Wonder Dog come to Mr Mack’s rescue before the poo hits his shoe?

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

The Angel of Nitshill Road

by Anne Fine (83 Pages) Barry Hunter is a real bully and Penny, Mark and Marigold are horribly unhappy. But then a girl in a snow-white frock appears at the school gates and everything changes. How does Celeste do it? Is it possible that she’s a real angel?

Bill’s New Frock

by Anne Fine (99 Pages) One morning, Bill wakes up to find he’s a girl. And, worse, his mum makes him wear a pink frock to school. Can the day get any worse? Bill’s about to discover that everything is very different for girls…

Care of Henry

by Anne Fine (59 Pages) Hugo has to choose who to stay with while his mum’s having a baby. Granny? Mrs. Mariposa next door? Uncle Jack? Who will care for him – and his dog Henry-the best?

The chicken gave it to me

by Anne Fine (103 pages) Gemma can’t believe that a chicken would write a book – chickens can’t even read! But the Andrew shows her The True Story of Harrowing Farm and it sounds… well, chickeney.

It’s an epic tale of one brave chicken who flies frillions of miles to try to save us humans…

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

The Diary of a killer cat

by Anne Fine (55 pages) Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. But Tuffy can’t understand what all the fuss is about. Who on earth will be the next victim to arrive through the cat flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her beloved pet to change his wild, wild ways before he ends up in even deeper trouble?

The Imagination Box

by Martin Ford (278 pages) One button stood out. It was big and circular and green. With no conscious though, Tim’s hand moved forward and pressed it.

If you found a box with the power to create anything you imagine, what would you make? Toys? Bouncy jam? A miniature monkey? Just think of all the possibilities…

Diabolic Downloads

by Jim Halligan (78 pages) We all like to get something for free… right? Free downloads of ringtones and pictures for your phone? Brilliant! Everybody is thrilled when Nicky Nixxon from Nixxter Express starts giving away free ringtones. Everybody except Jack Keely, that is. His phone is a wreck and couldn’t download as much as a cold. But then, some gifts can come with strings attached. Jack soon finds out just how diabolic a free download can really be...

The Butterfly Lion

by Michael Morpurgo (124 pages) Bertie rescues an orphaned white lion cub from the African veld.

They are inseparable until Bertie is sent to boarding school far away in England and the lion is sold to a circus. Bertie swears that one day they will see one another again, but it is the butterfly lion which ensures that their friendship will never be forgotten.

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

Cool!

by Michael Morpurgo (102 pages) Robbie lies in a coma, after a terrible car accident involving his dog, Lucky. He can hear, but he can’t move or speak. He can’t tell his family that he loves them, that he’s going to be ok. Everyone comes to visit Robbie, desperate to reach him – even the famous Chelsea footballer Zola. But Robbie is on the brink of death and nothing is working. Will they ever be able to bring him back?

The Worst Witch

by Jill Murphy (99 Pages) Mildred Hubble is the worst witch at Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches – she’s always getting her spells wrong. But she manages to get by until she turns Ethel, the teacher’s pet, into her deadly enemy…

Animals don’t have ghosts

by Siobhán Parkinson (79 Pages) Dara and his sister, Sinead, are visiting their know-it-all cousin Michelle in the city. They’re on a fun tour of dead bodies, slicedpan ducks, midnight feasts, sticky buns and lots more! But Dara is scared of the stuffed animals in the Natural History Museum and Michelle just can’t help teasing him. That’s when Dara’s not getting lost, becoming a movie star, or being airlifted by giant balloons...One thing is certain; the big city is never a boring place.

You’re a bad man, Mr. Gum!

by Andy Stanton (159 pages) Mr. Gum is a complete horror who hates children, animals, fun and corn on the cob. This book is all about him. And an angry fairy who lives in his bathtub. And Jake the dog, and a little girl called Polly and an evil, stinky butcher all covered in guts.

And there’s heroes and sweets and adventures and everything!

MIDDLE FICTION

2ND - 4TH CLASS

Beware! Killer Tomatoes

by Jeremy Strong (129 pages) Jack’s in trouble, big trouble. Not only is he in hospital (boring!), but he knows the police are coming for him.

Because of an accident – a tomato – related accident.

Who would have thought tomatoes could be so dangerous!

Chicken School

by Jeremy Strong (144 Pages) Tim’s family is the Most Boring Family in the World and he’s fed up.

He wants fun! Thrills! Adventure! And school’s just as boring too.

But one day a phantom message about Tim appears and everything changes.

The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour dog

by Jeremy Strong (122 pages) Streaker is no ordinary dog. She’s a rocket on four legs with a woof attached, and Trevor has got until the end of the holidays to train her. If he fails, he’ll lose his bet with horrible Charlie Smugg, and something very, very yucky involving frogspawn will happen….

Cliffhanger

by Jacqueline Wilson (90 pages) I slipped backwards and suddenly… There I was! Suspended.

‘Help!’ From climbing and abseiling to canoeing and a Crazy Bucket Race, the adventure holiday promises to be full of action.

There’s just one problem as far as Tim is concerned: he is hopeless at sports of any kind…Can Tim survive the horrors of a week absolutely packed with activity? Can his team – The Tigers – be the overall champions? There are some surprises in store for everyone!

USBORNE YOUNG READING Classic stories for young readers who have just started reading alone

The Emperor’s New Clothes Retold by Susanna Davidson (47 pages) The emperor loves new clothes and his new clothes are the best yet. What’s more, they’re invisible to anyone stupid. So, the emperor is a little worried that he can’t actually see them himself….

Rapunzel Retold by Susanna Davidson (47 Pages) Kidnapped at birth by a wicked witch, then locked up in a tower, Rapunzel thinks all is lost…until a handsome prince comes to save her. But the witch is more cunning than they realise. Will Rapunzel ever escape?

Aladdin & His Magical Lamp Retold by Katie Daynes (48 pages) When Aladdin meets his long-lost uncle, he finds a magic lamp that changes his life. Inside, is a genie with the power to grant wishes. But can even the genie help Aladdin win the Sultan’s daughter? And is his long-lost uncle all he seems…

Hansel & Gretel Retold by Katie Daynes (47 Pages) Hansel and Gretel are lost and starving in the deep, dark forest.

Even stale bread and a scary stepmother would be better than endless trees. Then they spy a house made of chocolate and cake. Surely it’s too good to be true…

USBORNE YOUNG READING Classic stories for young readers who have just started reading alone

Jack and the Beanstalk Retold by Katie Daynes (48 Pages) When Jack sells the family cow for five dried beans, his mother is furious. But overnight the beans sprout into a giant beanstalk. Join Jack as he climbs the stalk… and discovers a dangerous world above the clouds.

Puss in Boots Retold by Fiona Patchett (48 pages) Just a cat? Tom’s horrified this is all his father leaves him in his will.

But he soon finds out that this is no ordinary cat – he wears boots for one thing, and what’s more, he talks! He also has plenty of crafty ideas up his sleeve. Soon, Tom and his cat are mixed up in an incredible adventure with an ogre, a king and a princess.

Sleeping Beauty Retold by Lesley Sims (48 pages) At Sleeping Beauty’s christening, the king and queen forget to invite a very important guest. Sixteen years later, that guest’s wicked wish comes true…

USBORNE YOUNG READING SERIES 2 Classic stories for young readers who are growing in reading confidence

A Little Princess retold by Susanna Davidson (62 Pages) Rich little Sara Crewe loves to imagine things. At her English boarding school, surrounded by luxury, she sees herself as a princess. But then disaster strikes as Sara is forced to work as a servant. Only her imagination can make life bearable, until something truly incredible happens.

Pinocchio Retold by Katie Daynes (64 pages) Only good sons have a chance of becoming real boys, warns the wise cricket. But, try as he might, Pinocchio the puppet just can't stay out of trouble. Is Pinocchio doomed to be wooden forever?

The Wizard of Oz Retold by Rosie Dickins (64 pages) Open these pages and be whirled away with Dorothy, to the magical Land of Oz. Meet a talking scarecrow, a rusty tin man and a cowardly lion, and follow their amazing adventures as they search for their heart's desire.

Gulliver’s Travels Adapted by Gill Harvey (64 Pages) Gulliver sets sail for adventure and finds a country beyond his wildest dreams. He’s certainly never met anyone like the people of Lilliput. But then the people of Lilliput have never met anyone quite like Gulliver….

USBORNE YOUNG READING SERIES 2 Classic stories for young readers who are growing in reading confidence

The Story of Football

by Rob Lloyd Jones (64 pages) From the Roman army to rowdy medieval mobs, people have been booting balls for centuries. Take a lively look at football through the ages and find out when the first matches kicked off, why the first rules developed, and how rugby and American Football were born.

The Story of Heidi Retold by Mary Sebag-Montefiore (63 pages) Heidi loves living with her grandfather, high in the mountains. But then her aunt arrives to drag her off to the stifling city. “I’ll never forget Grandfather,” Heidi promises herself.” One day I’ll come back to him.”

Black Beauty – by Anna Sewell Adapted by Mary Sebag-Montefiore (64 pages) When the young black beauty is sold, he has no idea of the hardships he’s about to face. Read his story in his own words as Black Beauty overcomes danger and cruelty, working at everything from pulling cabs in a smog-filled city to carriages in the country.

The Railway Children –by E. Nesbit Adapted by Mary Sebag-Montefiore (64 pages) When their father mysteriously disappears, Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis’ lives change overnight. They have to leave London for the country, but every day they wave at the London train, sending their love to Father. Will he ever come back?

USBORNE YOUNG READING SERIES 2 Classic stories for young readers who are growing in reading confidence

The Secret Garden Adapted by Mary Sebag-Montefiore (63 pages) When Mary Lennox arrives in her uncle’s gloomy house on the moors, she feels forlorn and lonely. But the house is filled with exciting secrets and behind an old ivy-covered wall is a garden, waiting to be discovered…

Beauty & the Beast Retold by Louis Stowell (62 pages) I took a rose from the garden of a monstrous beast and he has sworn to kill me…” When Beauty reads this letter from her father, she bravely rides to the Beast’s enchanted castle in his place. The Beast is truly terrifying, but, as Beauty soon realises, nothing is quite as it seems.

Robinson Crusoe Retold by Angela Wilkes (62 pages) When Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked on a desert island, he didn’t expect to be stuck there for thirty- five years!

This is the incredible story of how he survived

Treasure Island Retold by Angela Wilkes (62 pages) Climb aboard the Hispaniola! Cabin boy Jim Hawkins is setting off in search of treasure. But there’s mutiny ahead. Jim must outwit the cunning pirate Long John Silver if he’s to stay alive.

The classic adventure story by Robert Louis Stevenson re-told for children growing in reading confidence and ability.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Carrie’s War

by Nina Bawden (210 pages) It’s wartime, and Carrie and her little brother, Nick, have been evacuated to Wales to live with grumpy old Mr. Evans and his timid mouse of a sister. Their friend Albert is luckier, living in Druid’s Bottom with the strange Mister Johnny and Hepzibah Green, who tells wonderful stories. Gradually they begin to settle into their new surroundings, but then Carrie does the worst thing she ever did in her life…

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

by John Boyne (215 pages) The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas explores the beauty of a child's innocence in a time of war, the common desire we all have for friendship, and the fences—both literal and figurative—that we must all navigate and choose whether or not to break down.

The Boy at the top of the mountain

by John Boyne (214 Pages) Pierrot knows nothing about the Nazis when he is sent to live with his aunt in a mysterious house at the top of a mountain.

But this is no ordinary house, and this is no ordinary time. It is 1935, and this is the Berghof. Taken under Hitler’s wing, Pierrot is swept up into a dangerous new world of power, secrets, betrayal and lies.

Greta’s Story

by Valentina Camerini (129 Pages) Greta Thunberg’s story is about hope, courage and determination.

You are never too young to make a difference. It’s 20 August 2018. Late summer in Stockholm, and it feels incredibly hot in the city. The TV news is reporting rising temperatures, and there have been numerous fires throughout Sweden. Fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg decides she can’t wait any longer to do something to save the environment.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Airman by Eoin Colfer (414 pages) One dark night on the island of Great Saltee, fourteen-year-old Conor is framed for a terrible crime he didn’t commit. Thrown into prison by the dastardly Hugo Bonvilain, Conor is trapped in a seaswept dungeon and branded a traitor. He must escape and clear his name; he wants his old life back – his family, his friends… and his princess. Conor knows there is only one way out. It’s an impossible task that has never been done before. But Conor is determined to do it, He’ll have to fly The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer (424 pages) Eleven-year-old Myles and Beckett Fowl are twins. One night, the twins are left in the care of their house-security system. In that single evening, the boys discover a troll on the run from an evil immortal duke, meet a knife-wielding nun and are shot at, kidnapped, buried, arrested and killed (temporarily). Prepare for an epic adventure fraught with danger, impressively high-tech gadgets and two boys who are infuriating beyond measure.

Fields of Home by Marita Conlon-McKenna (189 pages) Eily, Michael and Peggy survived the Great Famine, but now Ireland is in turmoil again. Here, the struggle for the land is vividly explored through the story of Eily and her young family. Will little Mary- Brigid suffer the hardships endured by her mother? And when the big house burns, will Michael find work?

In Deep Dark Wood by Marita Conlon-McKenna (206 pages) Bella Blackwell, a mysterious old lady, moves in next door to Mia and Rory. Soon Mia falls under the old woman’s spell and her mind is filled with stories of dragons, giants and a place where magic still exists. Then Mia disappears. In a desperate quest to find his sister, Rory travels to a world where he must face fierce creatures and terrible dangers. Will the children ever return to the lives they once knew?

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Under the Hawthorn Tree

by Marita Conlon-McKenna (153 pages) The Great Irish Famine brilliantly recreated through the story of three young survivors. Left alone when their father and mother disappear, Eily, Michael and Peggy set off on a long journey in search of the great-aunts they have only heard about in their mother’s family tales. A story of courage, danger, adventure and survival, and a brother and two sisters who never give up Wildflower Girl

by Marita Conlon- McKenna (173 pages) The story of Irish emigrants of the nineteenth century lovingly told through the life of thirteen-year-old Peggy, who takes the treacherous sea journey all on her own to start a new life as a maid in a grand house in America.

A story of courage, independence and adventure

Moondial

by Helen Cresswell (292 pages) Even before she came to Belton, Minty Cane had known that she was a witch, or something very like it…Minty is the kind of girl who notices things. Pockets of cold air on a stairway. Cries on the wind.

Ghosts. On night-time expeditions from the house where she’s staying, Minty stumbles upon a moon dial which takes her back in time. There she finds Tom, a sickly kitchen boy, and Sarah, a girl whose family think she has the mark of the devil…

Will Minty find her way home, or will she be stuck in the past forever…?

The Demon Headmaster

by Gillian Cross (146 pages) Something weird is happening at school. The children are too well behaved – almost like robots. What strange power does the eerie headmaster hold over them… and can anyone resist it?

Are Dinah, Lloyd and Harvey doomed to become part of the Demon Headmaster’s dark plan?

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

The BFG

by Roald Dahl (198 pages) Every night, when the world is sleeping, big gruesome giants guzzle up whoppsy-whiffling human beans. And there's only one giant who can stop them - the BFG. He's the kindest giant there is and, with his friend Sophie in his top pocket, he sets out to rid the world of the Bloodbottler, the Fleshlumpeater and all their rotsome friends forever . . .

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl (189 pages) Charlie Bucket loves chocolate. And Mr Willy Wonka, the most wondrous inventor in the world, is opening the gates of his amazing chocolate factory to five lucky children. It’s the prize of a lifetime! Gobstoppers, wriggle sweets and a river of melted chocolate await – Charlie needs just one Golden Ticket and these delicious treats could all be his.

Danny The Champion of the World

by Roald Dahl (213 pages) Danny lives in a gypsy caravan with his father, the most marvelous and exciting father any boy ever had. All the land around them belongs to Mr. Victor Hazell, a rich snob with a great glistening beery face and tiny piggy eyes. Nobody likes him, not one little bit. So, one day Danny and his father concoct a daring plot that will give the old blue-faced baboon Victor Hazell the greatest shock of his life – so long as they don’t get caught…

James and the Giant Peach

by Roald Dahl (148 pages) James Henry Trotter’s parents have been eaten by a rhinoceros, so now he lives with his two repulsive aunts. One hot day something peculiar happens and an enormous peach grows in their garden. Soon James and the Giant Peach are rolling away from his horrible aunts, towards a most marvelous and wonderful place…

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS Matilda by Roald Dahl (232 pages) Matilda Wormwood's father is a mean crooked crook. And her mother's just plain stupid. They think Matilda is a nuisance who should watch more TV and read fewer books! But her lovely teacher Miss Honey thinks Matilda is a genius. Matilda has a few extraordinary tricks up her sleeve, so her horrible parents and even more horrible headmistress had better watch out.

The Witches by Roald Dahl (201 Pages) Witches really are a detestable breed. They disguise themselves as lovely ladies, when secretly they want to squish and squelch all the wretched children they despise. Luckily one boy and his grandmother know how to recognise these vile creatures – but can they get rid of them for good?

Katie’s War by Aubrey Flegg (192 pages) Katie’s father comes home shell-shocked from the Great War. He stands staring into the distance. He wants to open up the mines he owns, and friends come from Wales to help. But Ireland is in turmoil. For Katie there is no avoiding the war. Should she side with her rebel brother Seamus? Or support the handsome Free State soldier she met in Nenagh? Or agree with her father that all guns are evil? There is something she can do, but it is daring and dangerous. And her only help is the scrawny Welsh boy whom she nicknames Frog.

Anne Frank; the Diary of a young girl

by Otto H. Frank & Mirjam Pressler (335 pages) The Diary of a young girl remains the single most poignant true-life story to emerge from the Second World War. I July 1942 Anne Frank and her family, fleeing from the horrors of Nazi occupation, hid in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Anne was thirteen when the family went into the secret annex and over the next two years, she vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such confined quarters, the constant threat of discovery, the hunger and fear. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 1944, she and her family were finally discovered by the Nazis.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Coraline by Neil Gaiman ( 184 pages) Coraline is not the kind of girl to be put off by a sign of danger read in some tea leaves or indeed a message sent to her by some very talented mice! No, she is the kind of girl who faces a challenge with bravery, intelligence and a lot of determination. Which is just a s well because she is going to need all those skills, and more, in this wonderful, spooky tale of a girl caught on the wrong side of the door, with counterfeit parents who have buttons for eyes and who clearly do not intend to set her free. Read it if you dare!

Once

by Morris Gleitzman (149 pages) Once I escaped from an orphanage to find Mum and Dad. Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house. Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh. My name is Felix. This is my story.

The Easter Rising

by Pat Hegarty This interactive journal tells the story of the 1916 Easter Rising through the eyes of a young Dublin Boy. From the early preparations through to the bloody aftermath, find out about the main characters and events in a week that changed the course of Irish History. Includes pop-ups and flaps throughout and a fold-out facsimile of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

I Am David

by Anne Holm (184 pages) David lay quite still in the darkness of the camp, waiting for the signal.

“You must get away tonight”, the man had told him. “Stay awake so that you are ready just before the guard is changed. When you see me strike a match, the current will be off, and you can climb over – you’ll have half a minute for it, no more” David escapes from a concentration camp and flees across Europe. He is utterly alone – who can he trust? What will await him back home? And all the while he knows that they may catch up with him…s

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS How to train your parents

by Pete Johnson (199 pages) I’ve just started at a posh new school, and it’s full of the biggest swots I’ve ever met. Suddenly, Mum and Dad are obsessed with homework and tests and after – school clubs. They’ve even nicked the telly out of my room! This is a total nightmare - but my new friend Maddy can help. She told me her parents used to be like this, too – until she trained them! All parents have to be trained.

And she knows how…

When Hitler stole pink rabbit

by Judith Kerr (282 pages) Anna is too busy with schoolwork and tobogganing to listen to talk of Hitler. But one day she and her brother are rushed out of Germany in alarming secrecy, away from everything they know.

Their father is wanted by the Nazis – dead or alive. This is the start of a huge adventure, sometimes frightening, very often funny, and always, always exciting.

Stig of the Dump

by Clive King (244 pages) Everybody had told Barney not to play too near the edge of the chalk pit. But today was one of those grey days when there was nothing to do, nothing to play, and nowhere to go. Except to the chalk pit. The dump. And so, Barney lands in a cave in the middle of the rubbish dump – and that’s when he meets Stig.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

by Jeff Kinney (217 pages) Let me get something straight: this is a JOURNAL, not a diary. This was Mom’s idea, not mine. But if she thinks I’m going to write down my “feelings” in here or whatever, she’s crazy. The only reason I agreed to do this at all is because I figure later on when I’m rich and famous, this book is gonna come in handy. But for now, I’m stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.

Today is the first day of school, so I figured I might as well write in this book just to pass the time. Just don’t expect me to be all “Dear Diary” this and “Dear Diary” that.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard (322 pages) Darkus can’t believe his eyes when a huge insect drops out of the trouser leg of his horrible new neighbour. It’s a giant beetle – and it seems to want to communicate. But how can a boy be friends with a beetle? And what does a beetle have to do with the disappearance of his dad and the arrival of Lucretia Cutter, with her taste for creepy jewellery?

The Young Rebels by Morgan Llywelyn (220 pages) St Enda’s is no ordinary school, and Padraic Pearse is no ordinary headmaster. His pupils are inspired by his vision of freedom and an Irish Republic, and John Joe and his friend Roger see the Easter Rising as their chance to fight for Ireland’s freedom.

The two boys are horrified to learn that they are too young to take part; they disobey orders to stay away from the city centre and quickly become caught up in the dramatic events of the rebellion.

Called to be brave and resourceful beyond their years, they witness events that change their lives forever.

Number the stars by Lois Lowry (169 pages) “They plan to arrest all the Danish Jews. They plan to take them away. And we have been told that they may come tonight.”

In wartime Copenhagen, the world is suddenly a scary place for ten-year-old Annemarie. There are food shortages and curfews, and soldiers on every corner in the city. But it is even worse for Annemarie’s Jewish best friend, Ellen, as the Nazis continue their brutal campaign. With Ellen’s life in danger, Annemarie must summon all her courage to help stage a daring escape.

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian (304 Pages) Young Willie Beech is evacuated to the country as Britain stands on the brink of the Second World War. A sad, deprived child, he slowly begins to flourish under the care of old Tom Oakley – but his new-found happiness is shattered by a summons from his mother back in London…

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Tomi

by Eithne Massey (172 pages) In 1944, nine-year-old Tomi was sent to the Nazi concentration camp in Bergen-Belsen. Unlike thousands of others, he survived.

This is his story.

The Great pig Escape

by Linda Moller (144 pages) Confined to their farmyard pen with only a tiny patch of sky to look at, the pigs are bored and unhappy. One smart pig finds a way to escape and off they go to freedom in the wild. It is frightening and challenging. Will they be caught and forced back to the old ways?

An Eagle in the Snow

by Michael Morpurgo (264 pages) 1940. The train is under attack from German fighters. In the darkness, sheltering in a railway tunnel, the stranger in the carriage with Barney and his mother tells them a story to pass the time. And what a story. The story of a young man, a young soldier in the trenches of World War I who, on the spur of the moment, had done what he thought was the right thing. It turned out to be the worst mistake he could have made – a mistake he must put right before it is too late…

The Ghost of Grania O’Malley

by Michael Morpurgo (213 pages) Everyone knows the Big Hill is full of gold, and now the islanders are intent on cutting the top off it and making themselves rich. Jessie and Jack are determined to save the Big Hll but what can they do? A plan is needed, and fast. Could the ghost of Grania O’Malley, the pirate queen, be the answer?

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo (176 Pages) I heard the wind above me in the sails. I remember thinking, this is silly, you haven’t got your safety harness on, and you haven’t got your lifejacket on. You shouldn’t be doing this . . .

Washed up on an island in the Pacific, Michael struggles to survive on his own. With no food and no water, he curls up to die. When he wakes, there is a plate beside him of fish, of fruit, and a bowl of fresh water. He is not alone . . .

War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo (182 Pages) “I saw the grey soldiers ahead of us raise their rifles and heard the death rattle of a machine gun…”

A powerful story of the truest of friendships in the worst of wars from the award-winning master storyteller Michael Morpurgo.

The Easter Rising 1916 – Molly’s Diary

by Patricia Murphy (291 Pages) Easter 1916. The Great War rages in Europe with up to a hundred thousand Irishmen fighting in the British Army. But a small group of Irish nationalists refuse to fight for Britain and strike a blow for Irish freedom. Caught up in the action in Dublin is twelve-year-old Molly O’Donovan. As violence and looting erupts in the streets of Dublin alongside heroism and high ideals, Molly records it all. The Proclamation at the GPO, the arrival of the British troops, the Battle of Mount Street. But will Molly’s own family survive, and will she be able to save her brother? This is her diary.

Little Croker

by Joe O’Brien (187 pages) There’s one thing Danny Wilde wants more than anything else in the world and that’s for his team, the Littlestown Croker, to win their league. With the help of his dad – their coach, Mick – he knows they can do it.

But when things go wrong, and Danny has to go and stay with his horrible uncle and aunt – and his cousins who know nothing about GAA – he wonders if the Croker can make it at all?

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS Féile Fever

by Joe O’Brien (206 pages) Danny Wilde and his teammates are finding the Under-14’s Division tough going. They’ve lost one of their best forwards to injury and it looks like they’ll have no chance of winning the County Féile! Could Todd, the new Australian kid, be the answer to their prayers? Todd’s an Aussie Rules player – tough and skillful – but can he become a GAA player in time for the Féile? The sequel to “Little Croker” The Custodian by D.A. O’Connor (263 pages) Matt’s life is falling apart. His sister is mean to him, his mother won’t get out of bed and he hasn’t seen his father since his family was kidnapped in a tiger raid seven years ago. Even worse, the bullies in his new school are just as bad as the ones in his old school, and his only friend is a nameless person he met online.

Things however are about to change...

Football Academy: Boys United

by Tom Palmer (168 pages) Jake loves football and dreams of becoming a professional player.

He’s worried about his height though – what if he’s too small for football? On the day of his trial for United’s under-twelves, Jake is quick on the ball and he even scores – but he doesn’t know if it’s enough. Jake just wants to pull on a United shirt and join the team...

Four kids, three cats, two cows, One witch (maybe)

by Siobán Parkinson (192 pages) Beverly the bossy one, stuck up, and fussy. Elizabeth more easy-going, a bit of a dreamer. Kevin a good looker and cool dude. Gerard (who insists on taking his wretched cat everywhere) is barely tolerated by the girls.

Three cats – well there’s Gerard’s Fat Cat or Fat for short. And then there are the two Pappagenos… Two cows – what are they doing in this story?

One witch (maybe) – Well, is she, or isn’t she? Kevin seems to know but he’s not telling. And what is a witch anyway? The four, plus cat, set out for Lady Island, hoping for adventure, maybe even a little danger. But nothing prepares them for their encounter with the eccentric Dympna and the strange events that follow.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS The Moon King by Siobhán Parkinson (173 pages) Ricky is scared, he’s scared of the tall, tall house with the sloping garden and all the stairs. He’s scared of the laughing gang of children who live in it. He wants to go home. But he can’t go home.

Mam is in hospital, and anyway, Ed might be there…Is he ever going to settle into this house of love and sunshine where he is fostered?

No Peace for Amelia by Siobhán Parkinson (216 pages) The conflicts in Europe and Ireland in 1916 bring heartbreak and divided loyalties into the lives of Amelia Pim and her friend, Mary Ann. Amelia’s boyfriend, Frederick, goes off to fight in the Great War, leaving his pacifist quaker family shocked, and Amelia wondering if she will ever see him again. Meanwhile, Mary Ann’s brother, Patrick, becomes involved in the Easter Rising and seeks refuge in the Pim household. The girls can protect Patrick, what what will happen to Frederick, so far away?

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (177 Pages) Jesse Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the class, but when Leslie Burke moves in to the neighboring farm his life changes forever. Even though she runs faster than him Jesse thinks Leslie is all right – she’s clever, funny and has good ideas. It is Leslie who invents Terabithia, the secret magical kingdom on an island across the creek where Jesse can escape his troublesome family.

But one day tragedy strikes, and Jesse needs to find the courage to overcome his fears…

Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce (227 pages) When Tom is sent to stay at his aunt and uncle’s house for the summer, he resigns himself to endless weeks of boredom. As he lies awake in his bed he listens to the grandfather clock chiming in the hall downstairs.

Eleven…Twelve…Thirteen… Thirteen! Tom races down the stairs and finds, outside the back door, a wonderful garden. A garden everyone told him didn’t exist. Tom’s midnight garden is full of magic and adventure, and children too. Are they ghosts? Or is it Tom who is really the ghost…

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Adam’s Starling

by Gillian Perdue (149 pages) Adam is shy and a dreamer. He is picked on at school and he doesn’t know what to do. Then his special starling, who follows him to school, needs his help. Will Adam find courage at last?

Freak the Mighty

by Rodman Philbrick (196 pages) Max is used to being called stupid. And he is used to everyone being scared of him, on account of his size and looking like his dad. Kevin is used to being called dwarf on account of his size and being some cripple kid. But greatness comes in all sizes, and together Max and Kevin become Freak the Mighty and walk high above the world.

A bit of a Hero

by Gervaise Phinn Trumpeter and ace footballer Tom has lost all his interest in playing now that he’s lost his dad. There’s a big bully at school, Mum is finding new male friends, but Tom just wants his fireman dad back. Will he find the same courage his father showed, stand up to the bully and look for the best in life?

The Scarecrow and his Servant

by Philip Pullman (229 pages) One night there was a thunderstorm. A tattered scarecrow stood in the wind and rain, taking no notice…. until a bolt of lightning struck his turnip head. The scarecrow blinked with surprise and came to life.

So begins the story of the scarecrow, a courteous but pa-brained fellow with grand ideas. He meets a boy, Jack, who becomes his faithful servant, and they set out to journey to Spring Valley together. Along the way there’s no end of excitement – a battle and a shipwreck, brigands and tricksters – and it’s up to Jack time after time to save the day.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

The Boy at the back of the class by Onjali Q. Rauf (256 Pages) There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He's nine years old (just like me), but he's very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn't even like lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!

But then I learned the truth: Ahmet isn't strange at all. He's a Refugee who's run away from a War. A real one. With bombs and bullies that hurt people. The more I find out about him, the more I want to help. hat's where my best friends Josie, Michael and Tom come in. Because together we've come up with a plan!

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

by J.K. Rowling (331 Pages) Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the LETTERS start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in GREEN INK on a yellowish parchment with PURPLE SEAL, they are swiftly confiscated by his GRISLY aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry’s eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed GIANT of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

TKnights of the Borrowed Dark

by Dave Rudden (339 Pages) Grey placed his finger in the middle of the shadow. “What’s this?” he asked.

Denizen frowned. “It’s a shadow.” “No, it isn’t, “Grey said, “It’s a door.”

Denizen Hardwick doesn’t believe in magic – until he’s ambushed by a monster created from shadows and sees it destroyed by a word made of sunlight. That kind of thing can really change your perspective. Now Denizen is about to discover that there’s a world beyond the one he knows. A world of living darkness where an unseen enemy awaits. Fortunately for humanity, between us and the shadows stand the Knights of the Borrowed Dark.

Unfortunately for Denizen, he’s one of them…

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS Holes by Louis Sachar (233 Pages) Stanley Yelnat’s family has a history of bad luck, so he isn’t too surprised when a miscarriage of justice sends him to a boys’ juvenile detention centre. At camp Green Lake the boys must dig a hole a day, five feet deep, five feet across, in the dried-up lake bed. The warden claims the labour is character building, but it is a lie. Stanley must dig up the truth.

There’s a boy in the girls’ bathroom

by Louis Sachar (194 pages) Bradley Chalkers tells lies. He’s been to the White House. (He hasn’t.) He likes to eat dog food. (He doesn’t.) His only friends are toy animals. (Well, actually…) No one likes Bradley.

No one, that is, except the new boy Jeff, and the school counsellor, Carla. They appreciate his far-fetched stories. They think he’s kind and generous. If only Bradley felt the same way.

Sometimes the hardest thing in the world is believing in yourself The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier (192 pages) The night the Nazis come to take their mother away, three children escape in a terrifying scramble across the rooftops. Alone in the chaos of Warsaw, the have to learn to survive on their own.

Then they meet Jan, a ragged boy with a paperknife – the silver sword – that they recognize as belonging to their long- lost father.

The sword becomes their symbol of hope as, with Jan, they begin the hazardous journey across war-torn Europe to find their parents.

Tom Crean – Ice Man; The adventures of an Irish Antarctic Hero

by Michael Smith (121 pages) The frozen land of Antarctica is not for ordinary people but Tom Crean was no ordinary man. When he was fifteen he ran away from home to join the navy.

His next step into the unknown took him to the Antarctic where he spent even more time than the famous explorers Scott or Shackleton.

Going to the Antarctic 100 years ago was like going to Jupiter today.

Explorers were cut off for years, thousands of miles from the nearest outpost.

Temperatures plunged far below zero. It was a struggle to survive.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS Shackleton: The Boss by Michael Smith (127 pages) Aged sixteen, Irishman Ernest Shackleton left school to join the merchant navy and went on to become a legendary explorer. His extraordinary adventures of endurance and survival in the Antarctic have thrilled generations. Here, for the first time, a bestselling author on Polar exploration writes about Shackleton’s gripping exploits for children.

Hitler’s Canary by Sandi Toksvig (300 pages) Bamse is used to drama: his mother is a famous actress, and his best friend Anton is one of the most daring boys in Denmark.

When the German troops invade, Bamse doesn’t know how to act: should he stay out of trouble – or follow his brother into the resistance and take the most demanding role of his life?

A tale of a daring rescue inspired by the experiences of Sandi Toksvig’s father during the Second World War.

The Beast of Buckingham Palace

by David Walliams (461 pages) Prince Alfred, a sickly boy of twelve, has never known life outside Buckingham Palace. Evil forces are at work and he must do battle with the King of the Beasts – The Griffin…

Billionaire Boy

by David Walliams (278 pages) Meet Joe Spud, the richest 12-year-old in the world. Joe has everything he could ever want: his own Formula One racing car, a thousand pairs of trainers, even an orang-utan for a butler! Yes, Joe has everything he wants, but there’s just one thing he really needs: a friend…

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Mr. Stink by David Walliams (267 pages) Chloe is just about the loneliest girl in the world. But then she meets Mr. Stink, the local tramp. Yes, he smells a bit – but he’s the only person who’s ever been nice to her. So, when Mr. Stink needs a place to stay, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed! But Chloe’s about to learn that some secrets have a way of leading to disaster. And speaking of secrets, there just might be more to Mr. Stink than meets the nose…

Rat burger

by David Walliams (316 pages) “Meet Zoe. She’s got a lot of things to be unhappy about….

Her stepmother is so lazy she asks Zoe to pick her nose for her.

And the school bully loves flobbing on her head. Worst of all, the dastardly Burt has terrible plans for her pet rat. I can’t tell you what those plans are, but there’s a clue in the title of this book…”

Time Travelling with a Hamster

by Ross Welford (390 pages) I suppose if you’d asked me before, I’d have said a time machine might look something like a submarine. Or perhaps a space rocket. Instead, I’m looking at a laptop and a tin tub from a garden centre. This is my dad’s time machine. And it’s about to change the world. Well, mine, at any rate

The Guns of Easter by Gerard Whelan (167 pages) Dreams of glory and battle turn to dust when one young Dubliner is faced by the harsh reality of war. It is 1916 and Europe is at war: Jimmy Conway’s father is fighting for the British Army in France. Jimmy dreams of becoming a soldier and winning glory on the battlefield. Then rebellion breaks out in Dublin and Jimmy witnesses the taking of the General Post Office. Soon buildings are destroyed, and people are killed. His uncle Mick is among the rebels. Where do Jimmy’s loyalties lie now? In an attempt to find food for his family, Jimmy crosses the battle-scarred city, weaving through army patrols and dodging shooting. He sees strange and terrible sights. And at every corner danger threatens.

SENIOR FICTION 5TH - 6TH CLASS

Winter of spies

by Gerard Whelan (191 pages) A sequel to The Guns of Easter in which Sarah’s older brother Jimmy sees the catastrophic events of 1916 unfolding on the streets of Dublin. In the winter of 1920 the War of Independence is raging, and Dublin is a place of terror. But eleven-year-old Sarah is afraid of nothing – British soldiers, checkpoints, even the dreaded Black and Tans. She wants to be “a rebel for Ireland”.

Then she discovers that there is a secret, deadly war going on behind closed doors. This is a war of spies and counterspies, of whispers and assassinations, all under the watchful eye of Michael Collins. And Sarah’s family are up to their necks in it all… now she too knows things that could cost her her life.

Charlotte’s Web

by E.B. White (243 pages) One spring morning a little girl called Fern rescues a runt and names him Wilbur. But then Wilbur is sent to live on a farm where he meets Charlotte, a beautiful large grey spider. They become best friends and, when Wilbur is faced with a dreadful fate, Charlotte must find a very clever way to save him.

Hope against Hope

by Sheena Wilkinson The year is 1921, Ireland has been at war for two years. Communities are torn apart by bitter hatred – and now a hard border splits the island. In Belfast, Helen’s Hope hostel is a progressive space where young women live and work together – a haven of tolerance and diversity in a fractured city. But some people hate Helen’s hope and its values.