Year 5 Reading List

ARArmistice Runner by Tom Palmer

Lily has lots of worries. She is struggling to compete in her fell running races and, worse, she is losing her gran to Alzheimer's.

But then she discovers her great-great-grandfather's diaries from the First World War. Could his incredible story of bravery help her reconnect with her gran and even give her the inspiration she needs to push through and win?

 


Iguana Boy by James Bishop IB

Dylan has wanted a superpower for as long as he can remember, especially since his brother and sister have got really cool ones. But when his wish finally comes true, Dylan is MIGHTILY disappointed. For Dylan has become Iguana Boy. He can talk to Iguanas RUBBISH.

And when supervillain Celina Shufflebottom kidnaps all the superheroes in London, Dylan must work out how to use his new team of chatty Iguanas to save the day. 
 

WGThe White Giraffe by Lauren St John

When tragedy strikes on a winter's night in England, Martine is sent to live with her grandmother on a game reserve in South Africa. Her wild, beautiful new home is riddled with secrets, but lonely Martine finds comfort in the legend of a white giraffe who believes Martine has a powerful gift. Defying her grandmother by entering the reserve alone, Martine is plunged into a world of danger, mystery and adventure. Who can she trust? And how far will she go to save the only friend she has ever known?




Black Powder by Ally SherrickBP

England, 1605: 12-year-old Tom must save his father from hanging.

He falls in with a mysterious stranger, the Falcon, who promises to help him in exchange for his service. But on the long journey to London, Tom discovers the Falcon’s true mission – a plot to blow up Parliament with barrels of black powder.

Tom faces a terrible decision; secure his father’s release, or stop the assassination of the king.

 

Roller GirlRoller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

Astrid has always done everything with her best friend Nicole. So when Astrid falls in love with roller derby and signs up for a summer camp, she is sure Nicole will be right by her side, until Nicole signs up for ballet camp instead, with Astrid's biggest rival.

So begins the hardest summer of Astrid's life, as she struggles to stay on her skates, to learn who she is without Nicole and to find out what it takes to be a strong, tough, awesome roller girl.
 


The Last Bear by Hannah Gold TLB

There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to this remote Arctic outpost for six months. But one endless summer night, April meets one. He is starving, lonely and a long way from home. Determined to save him, April begins the most important journey of her life.


 

NbhThe Nightbus Hero by Onjali Q Raif

I have been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don't mind 'cos some of my best, most brilliant ideas have come from sitting in detention. But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything - even when I'm telling the truth! And it's only gotten worse since I played a prank on the old man who lives in the park.

Everyone thinks I'm just a bully. They don't believe I could be a hero. But I'm going to prove them all wrong!



Llama Out Loud by Annabelle SamiLOL

Yasmin Shah is a ten-year-old girl who is part of a big, noisy family and doesn’t ever speak. Levi is a rude, sassy toy llama, who talks a lot and has come to wreak havoc in Yasmin’s life.

Yasmin tries everything she can to escape Levi, but she can’t help being dragged along on his crazy antics and every day brings a new surprise, whether that’s an erupting bin, a flying tuna fish or a hat made from knickers. Life is never boring with Levi around and could it be that he has a secret plan to help Yasmin find her voice?
 

SunshineWay to make Sunshine by Renée Watson

Ryan Hart and her family live in Portland, Oregon, a family with siblings who bicker, parents who do not always get it right but a family that loves. A family working hard to make it in tough economic times, a family with traditions and culture, a family that tries new things. This is a black family growing up in middle class America, and Ryan is a girl who has much on her mind, school, family, friends, self-image but who knows how to make sunshine out of setbacks.


 


Clockwork by Philip Pullman CW

Tick, tock, tick, tock! Some stories are like that. Once you have wound them up, nothing will stop them.

A tormented apprentice clock-maker, a deadly mechanical knight in armour and the sinister Dr Kalmenius, who some say is the devil Wind up these characters, fit them into a story on a cold winter's evening, with the snow swirling down and suddenly life and the story begin to merge in a peculiarly macabre and unstoppable way. Almost like clockwork!

 

TFTroofriend by Kirsty Applebaum

Imagine having the perfect friend, one who never steals, lies or bullies.

Now you can, with the TrooFriend 560, the latest in artificial intelligence! What can go wrong with a robot buddy? Especially one that's developing human characteristics and feelings and who has just run away with her human?

 



The Book of (not entirely) Useful Advice by A.F. Harold UA

A riotous celebration of words and a modern take on cautionary tales - featuring advice on parrots, gravy, mathematics, castles (bouncy), spiders, vegetables (various), breakfast, cakes, and removing ducks from soup.

Not everything in this book is necessarily good advice and not all of it is sensible advice. But if you take the bad or un-sensible advice and do not follow it, then it may become useful advice in its own way.

 

Cat LifeMy Life as a Cat by Carlie Sorosiak

Leonard has never had a name, a body or a best friend. But he is excited to try being a human.

On their three-hundredth-birthday, every alien from Leonard's home galaxy gets to spend a month in the body of an Earth Creature. Leonard was supposed to become a forest ranger in Yellowstone National Park - but there was a mix-up. And now he's stuck as a stray cat. Luckily for Leonard, he meets a young human called Olive and together they set out on a journey to find home.
 

 

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan AikenWWC

Long ago, at a time in history that never happened, England was overrun with wolves. But as Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia discover, real danger often lies closer to home. Their new governess, Miss Slighcarp, doesn't seem at all nice. She shuts Bonnie in a cupboard, fires the faithful servants and sends the cousins far away from Willoughby Chase to a place they will never be found. Can Bonnie and Sylvia outwit the wicked Miss Slighcarp and her network of criminals, forgers and snitches?
 

BS
Brightstorm by Urshiti Hardy

Twins Arthur and Maudie Brightstorm receive word in Lontown that their famous explorer father has died in a failed attempt to reach the southernmost point in the world. Not only that, but he has been accused of stealing fuel before he died!

The twins don't believe the news so they join a new expendition crew to reach South Polaris. It is their only hope of learning the truth and salvaging their family's reputation. But will they find the answers they seek?

 

The Incredible Record Smashers by Jenny Pearson RS

Lucy is a fixer of broken things. But there is one thing she cannot fix and that is her unhappy mum. Until she comes up with an incredible plan. Along with her best friend, Sandesh, Lucy is going to smash a world record. Lucy is convinced that starry Paul Castellini, Record Smashers TV host and singing legend, is the answer to her mum's problems. But breaking a world RECORD when watermelons, kumquats, two baddies and a 30 cm shatter-resistant school ruler are involved isn't quite as easy as Lucy thought. Can she learn that sometimes happiness does not come with a plan?