This month’s theme: Determination and Perseverance!
This month’s theme celebrates giving, generosity and kindness, perfectly timed for the festive season and the start of a new year, with stories that inspire reflection in a season of new beginnings. Where will your reading journey take you over the holidays?

Interview with Luke Jones, Vice Principal, Curriculum and Assessment

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

One of my fondest reading memories is being completely absorbed in a book to the point where time dissolves; reading late into the night, fully aware I would regret it in the morning, yet unable to stop. I remember that feeling vividly with novels that combined psychological depth with pace; stories where you are not simply following a plot but working through the puzzle alongside the characters. What stays with me most is the quiet perseverance within those narratives; characters pushing forward through uncertainty, refusing to abandon the search for truth. That narrowing of the world to the page, that steady pursuit of resolution, is still what I look for in a powerful book. 

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

I would be fascinated to meet Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. She is fiercely intelligent, morally complex, and relentlessly persistent. Her refusal to be defined by her past, and her determination to act when systems fail, make her compelling. I suspect a real-life meeting would be uncomfortable; she would see through pretence in seconds. Yet that uncompromising clarity and independence would make for an unforgettable conversation.

The character I would least like to meet is Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr Ripley. His calm manipulation and ability to reinvent himself without conscience is quietly chilling. He perseveres too, but towards self-preservation rather than justice; his charm masking a profound moral emptiness. That contrast makes him fascinating to read, yet deeply unsettling to imagine in reality.

What does The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo mean to you? Do you have any book suggestions for this theme?

One book about giving that really resonates with me is The Storm Whale by Benji Davies. It’s about a boy who discovers a small whale washed up on the shore and decides to care for it. His quiet act of kindness doesn’t just help the whale — it brings him closer to his father, showing how generosity can create connection in unexpected ways. It reminds me that giving doesn’t need to be big or expensive. It can be thoughtful and personal — a story shared, a voice offered to a cause, or even a short poem written for someone in a Christmas card. Small acts of care can have an incredible effect and taking time to write something for someone this Christmas in a card is my number one recommendation to give someone you care about a better Christmas this year.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo represents more than a crime thriller for me. It explores power, corruption, gender violence, and the idea of justice operating outside formal systems. Beneath the investigation sits a deeper question about who is believed, who is protected, and who must fight alone.

At its core, the novel is about perseverance; the refusal to be silenced, diminished, or erased. It is about surviving trauma without surrendering identity, and about pursuing truth even when the cost is high. That sense of endurance and agency is what lingers long after the final page.

If you are drawn to similar themes of resilience and moral tension, you might enjoy:

Key Stage 4/Senior Studies Recommendation:

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn; psychological complexity and shifting narratives around truth and control.
• The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris; intellectual cat-and-mouse with formidable mental strength at its centre.

Key Stage 3 Recommendation:

• Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah; a non-fiction story demonstrating how to persevere within the harsh constraints of apartheid.
• Displacement by Kiku Hughes; a graphic novel exploring a Japanese-American teenager’s journey into her grandmother’s past.

Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 Recommendations

Louise Warren – Foundation Stage Class Teacher

Tilda Tries Again by Tom Percival
In the picture book Tilda Tries Again, Tilda suddenly finds everyday tasks unexpectedly difficult. With the support of her friend, Percival, and by taking small steps and giving things another go, Tilda slowly realises those challenges can be managed. The story gently shows children how perseverance can help when things feel tough.

Amy Clark – Year 1 Class Teacher
The Clockwork Dragon by Jonathan Emmett

In The Clockwork Dragon, Max and Lizzie show determination by refusing to give up when the kingdom is threatened by Flamethrottle. Instead of relying on traditional methods that have already failed, they persevere through challenges and use creativity and problem-solving to build their mechanical dragon. Their success demonstrates that persistence, courage, and belief in your own ideas can overcome even the most frightening obstacles.

Key Stage 2 Recommendations: 

Jayne Jauncey–Leader of Primary Physical Education

Dare to Be You by Matthew Syed

This is a fantastic self-help style book that encourages children to be authentically themselves. With bright graphics, funny anecdotes, and relatable stories, it helps readers understand how past experiences and messages from the world around them can shape how they see themselves today. I really like this book because of its strong message around resilience and self-belief. It encourages children to embrace challenges, recognise that setbacks are part of learning, and understand that improvement comes through effort and practice over time. This book helps children see that progress doesn’t happen instantly. Perseverance, especially when it feels difficult, is what leads to growth. The interactive activities throughout the book also give children the chance to reflect and apply these ideas to their own lives.  

Chris Walsh-Assistant Leader in Primary PE

The Explorer by Katherine Rundell
The novel is about a group of children who survive a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest and have to figure out how to survive together. The characters don’t suddenly become superheroes, they doubt themselves, argue, get scared, but they keep going. They adapt, they learn and they grow stronger through the challenge. The book links nicely to perseverance because it highlights that resilience isn’t just about being physically strong; it’s about staying calm, supporting others, and pushing through when things feel uncomfortable.

Key Stage 3 Recommendations: 

Claypusit Sommer (7O)
Make your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

Make your Bed is about how small actions can change your life. McRaven was a Navy SEAL; he shares ten lessons from his training that can help anyone become stronger, braver, and more positive. McRaven explains that small wins can lead to bigger successes. He believes that failure is not the end, but an opportunity to learn and improve. His final lesson is ‘Never Quit’. Success comes from perseverance and consistency, even when things feel impossible. In conclusion, Make Your Bed shows that discipline, courage, and kindness can change your life. It proves that small actions like making your bed can build habits that lead to greatness.

Jasper Juengwirunchodinan (8V)
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

The Golem and the Djinn is a book based on the current situation for two characters, the female golem and the male djinn. This book is linked to perseverance because both characters must face unique problems, such as trying to simply fit into a new and terrifying society. They also must control themselves from revealing their true beings, while protecting their guardians from threats. The book weaves strands of Yiddish and Middle Eastern literature, historical fiction and magical fable, in a wondrously inventive tale that is mesmerizing and unforgettable.

Key Stage 4 and Senior Studies Recommendations: 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

The novel follows the four March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) as they grow up during the Civil War while their father is away and their family struggles financially. Guided by their mother, Marmee, the sisters try to live with kindness and self-discipline while facing everyday challenges. As they get older, they experience setbacks and change; their dreams don’t come easy, relationships are complicated, and the family faces real hardship and loss. The story relates to the theme of perseverance because the March sisters keep going even when life is unfair or painful. Perseverance shows up in how they continue working to support their family, try to improve themselves, and pursue their goals despite obstacles. Jo especially represents perseverance through ambition: she keeps writing and fighting for independence even when she’s rejected or pushed to be “more proper.”

Miss Adams—English Teacher
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Original Story by Simu Liu
We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story is a memoir by Simu Liu, the star of Marvel’s first Asian superhero film, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.” The book chronicles Liu’s journey from growing up in China to immigrating to Canada, detailing his struggles with cultural identity and stereotypes while pursuing an acting career. It is an inspiring story of overcoming challenges and finding his place in the world, ultimately leading him to become a leading figure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.