This month’s theme: Renewal

As Songkran approaches, Thailand’s season of water and renewal invites us to pause, reflect, and begin again. What better companion than a good book? This selection explores stories of transformation, resilience, and fresh starts. It reminds us that, like the new year itself, every page turned offers the possibility of change ahead. You will notice that the majority of our contributors this month are Year 11 and Year 13 students, in recognition of their development towards formal exams and graduation, and their transformation into post-16 students and young people heading to university, or the world of work.

Interview with Anisa (Panna) Ngamtrakulpanit, 13S

What is one of your fondest or most favourite reading memories?

My favourite reading memory was from reading the Land of Stories by Chris Colfer, as it immerses the reader into a different world where the characters travel through storybooks and learn more about themselves. This is a highlight for me as it demonstrates the idea of adapting our personality to different situations. Reading this book made me feel that the characters are a reflection of who I am, which was a real hook that drew me into reading the whole series.

Which fictional character would most like/least like to meet in real life and why?

A fictional character that I would love to meet in real life is Froggy, as he is the representation of renewal. To me, he represents a character forced into hiding and separated from others through his curse, but at heart, he represents someone who is kind and truly understands change and adaptation. I would, therefore, love to meet him in person, to not only further understand his character but to learn and adapt his mindset into my own life.

What does renewal mean to you? Do you have any book suggestions for this theme?

To me, the theme of renewal can be interpreted as a fresh start to something and the opportunity to really learn and develop themselves as a person. I feel that there are many books that fit this theme, like Parachutes by Kelly Yang, which explores a more realistic theme of renewal. 

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Recommendations

Martha Fricsay-Myers, 11V

The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt
A lovely tale about a boy, Duncan, who desperately wants his beloved crayons to be happy, but he’s not sure how to go about this. All of them have different issues: Some are too short and tired out from overuse, some are ‘boring’ shades and never get touched, some are chewed and tattered, the list goes on… Each page contains a personal letter from the individual crayons, as they explain to their owner what changes need to be made to make them feel valued and worthy again. Inspired, and somewhat humbled, Duncan seeks to adapt and transform his crayoning habits, resulting in a beautiful ending, in which every crayon is loved and cherished, just for being them.

Khudeja Irfan, 11T
The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

This is a heartwarming story about a fish with iridescent scales, who shimmers more brightly than any other fish in the ocean. Despite his beauty, the titular rainbow fish is vain, arrogant and conceited, and he looks down on others. I like this story as it has to do with a change of personality; the fish becomes lonely and sad, so learns to be more generous. This is a great lesson for young children as they negotiate relationships and friendships, and it is beautifully illustrated.

Key Stage 2 Recommendations: 

Jitkaew (Plearn) Charoenpiwatpong, 13K

The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds   

Until a single dot makes all the difference, Vashti thinks she is incapable of drawing. She learns that small actions can result in significant changes, and that mistakes can become beginnings, through support and a willingness to try again. The Dot represents the theme of renewal by demonstrating to young readers that every new endeavour is an opportunity to start over, and that growth frequently begins with a single step. It subtly fosters courage, inventiveness and the guts to see possibilities where doubt once existed.  

Norie Tohi, 13S

Wonder by RJ Palacio
A boy with facial differences starts school, desperate to be treated ‘normally’ and accepted. Auggie is smart, funny and kind, and he is thrown into a world in which he has to navigate bullying, prejudice and intolerance. However, he is also able, for the first time, to explore his own identity and develop friendships built on kindness and compassion. Throughout the course of the story, many characters are renewed; they grow, they develop, and they ultimately change their perspectives on how we choose to treat those around us.

Key Stage 3 Recommendations: 

Poonyanuch (Amy) Soontharinka, 8J
A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

The main character of this book, Tru, can paint the future, which symbolises the potential for change and transformation. Truyan Saigas takes the burden of taking care of her mother and two younger sisters, after her father gets lost at sea. She has to find money to pay for her mother’s gambling debts, but one day she meets Lord Elang (a dragon) who says that he will help her family, but only as long as she agrees to go to the underwater realm with him. In their adventure, they find that many things in the realm are not quite right, and that it might give answers to the case of Tru’s missing father. I loved this book, because the adventure combined with the fantasy was top notch and it was amazing because the tension the author used to build it was really good. It is well suited for people who wish to find books that encourage people to not give up, even in the midst of desperation, and this story truly inspired me because it was so imaginative.

Ting Yu Claudia Tan, 7B
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The main character in this book, named Avery Kylie Grambs, (which spells out a very risky gamble) was chosen to inherit from a billionaire. In this story, Avery randomly receives the fortune from Tobias Hawthrone – a billionaire who she never met, or knew of, at the time. But, in order for her to claim Tobias’ fortune, she has to move into the puzzling world of the Hawthornes. At the house, there are tons of undiscovered secrets, puzzles, riddles and secret passages. Avery has to solve each of them to fully understand the ‘game’, but she doesn’t solve it all alone. She teams up with three Hawthorne brothers- each with different and unique agendas. I enjoyed reading the series very much, as it involves lots of riddles which make sense in the end. The book contains a mix of mystery, romance, suspense and family drama. It’s a good book to read as, it helped develop my use of vocabulary and the style of writing is truly inspiring. The series is technically a trilogy, but if you want to read even more, there are extra books to fulfil your understanding of the story. I feel like the moral here is ‘perseverance’, as well as ‘renewal’, since despite everything, she never gave up in the game.

Key stage 4 and Senior Studies Recommendations: 

Evie-Grace Meadows, 11N

The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins is a psychological thriller that follows Rachel, a troubled woman who spends her daily train journeys watching a seemingly perfect couple from afar. When the woman, Megan, she observes suddenly goes missing, Rachel involves herself and becomes entangled in the investigation due to her beliefs on how Megan disappeared. This investigation, in turn, forces her to confront her own unreliable memories, past mistakes, and destructive habits. At its heart, the novel explores renewal through Rachel’s journey of self-confrontation and change. The story suggests that renewal isn’t instant or easy; it requires facing uncomfortable truths and taking responsibility for past actions. Through this, the book shows that even deeply broken situations can lead to growth, making it an engrossing but ultimately thought-provoking read.

Emily van Ek, 11S
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
This book tells the protagonist’s story from childhood to adulthood and all the difficulties in navigating it. It shows the impact of childhood bullying and the long-term effects of it, and the duplicitous, unclear line between friends and enemies, as well as the main character’s struggle to understand what is happening to her. Eventually, when she grows up, she is left with mixed feelings about her childhood and is portrayed as quite bitter or uncaring. She often sees glimpses of her childhood bully, or thinks about her in everyday situations, showing how much she was really affected by the torment. In the end, she begins to accept and leave what happened behind, allowing her to move on from the feelings of resentment that remained, allowing her to become a newer person. This story shows the struggle of accepting difficult or traumatic life events but shows that overcoming them is ultimately necessary in order to change for the better, and that a fresh start is possible.