‘Male role-models’ in Literature

Interview with Murray Sutcliffe, Secondary English Teacher

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

When I was a kid, I really loved reading spooky stories, and there was a great series called ‘Goosebumps’. I remember scanning book shop windows for the trademark Goosebumps front covers, featuring some new monster or ghost story that I could immerse myself in. My mum wasn’t happy about the nightmares the books would inevitably cause, but she appreciated how much I enjoyed reading them. 

More recently, a memory that I am particularly fond of is reading ‘Bewilderment’ by Richard Powers. The book features a touching relationship between a father and son, whilst simultaneously dealing with larger issues regarding man’s destruction of the planet. There is nothing special about the memory itself, as I was simply sat at home in my favourite reading chair, but to this day I still vividly recall the cathartic sadness it stirred in me. I think many of my best reading memories have more to do with the emotions I was made to feel than anything else. That for me is the power of a good book – no pun intended. 

Which male character from fiction would you most like to meet and why?

I’d quite like to meet Dorian from ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, simply to see what all the fuss is about. In Oscar Wilde’s novel, all the other characters are so taken by his looks and charm, that I can’t help but wonder what he’d be like in real life – my prediction is insufferable. 

A character I would actually like to spend time chatting to, is Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov from ‘The Gentleman in Moscow’, by Amor Towles. An expert conversationalist and aficionado of fine wine, he would be great at a dinner party. I feel like I really got to know Count Rostov while he was imprisoned in the Metropol hotel in Moscow during the Bolshevik revolution. He is one of those characters that when you turn the final page, you are disappointed to have to say goodbye to. 

What does being a male role-model mean to you? Do you have any book recommendations for this theme?

There is a big debate online at the moment about masculinity and what it means to be a man, and it is difficult for young boys to know what the answer is. Sometimes it is useful to look to fiction, as both Count Rostov and Theo Bryne (the father in Bewilderment) demonstrate what it means to be a positive male role-model. 

I personally think there is something to be said about the way a man treats others and the way they approach their relationships – whether that is with their family, friends or even complete strangers. I like how from the beginning, Count Rostov lives up to his name as a ‘gentleman’ and treats everyone with the greatest of respect, regardless of social class or background. However, what I came to admire most about his character is the way that he learns to be less self-absorbed, and becomes gradually more selfless as the novel progresses, ultimately becoming a father figure to an orphaned young girl. 

Another character that embodies these attributes is Bill Furlong in Claire Keegan’s ‘Small things like these’. Throughout the novel, we as readers question whether Bill will take action and rescue a young girl that he sees is being mistreated. Being a male role-model is not about being a hero, but instead about living up to the values you claim to live by and acknowledging the responsibility you have to be in service to others. Despite his fear of the associated risks, Bill decides to take the girl home to his family on Christmas, because he finally realises it is the right thing to do. And there is nothing manlier than that.

Key Stage 1 Recommendations

Colin (Phurich) Preedanont, 1R

A Little Golden Book Biography — Lionel Messi

I enjoyed reading the Little Golden Book biography. The book I read was about Lionel Messi. He is my favourite football player. He is amazing and a great role model. What surprised me most was that he had scored more than 230 goals by the time he was only 8 years old. He also performed ball tricks such as juggling the ball with both feet and balancing it on one foot. I especially liked Messi when he represented Argentina in the FIFA World Cup 2022. People call him the GOAT because he is considered the Greatest of All Time. 

Violet O’Callaghan-Burke, 1R

Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival

My recommendation is Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival. I like this book because Norman is very brave. At the beginning of the story he is worried and anxious, he doesn’t want anyone to know about his wings so he keeps it a secret. At the end of the book, he is brave and stops hiding his secret and other children copy too. The pictures are fun to look at, when Norman is happy they are bright and colourful and when he is sad, they are grey and black. This book teaches us that it is okay to be different. I give this book 5 stars.  

Key Stage 2 and 3 Recommendations

Stephen Murgatroyd, Cross Campus Head of Libraries

The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow

Nate is entering his final year of primary school, but life is not as simple as new books, new routines and getting ready for secondary school. At home, he is the eldest of three brothers, carrying more emotional weight than many adults realise. At school, friendship with his best mate begins to shift, and Nate’s feelings often arrive faster than he knows how to manage. Told in verse, the story gives readers direct access to Nate’s inner voice: funny, raw, defensive, loving and frightened. As pressure builds, Nate has to learn that being strong is not about lashing out or pretending not to care. It is about finding language for what hurts, accepting help, and choosing repair.

Boy Underwater by Adam Baron

Cymbeline Igloo has never been swimming. Not once. Unfortunately, he has also told everyone that he is brilliant at it. When school swimming lessons begin, his lie leads to embarrassment, panic and a chain of events that uncover something much deeper in his family’s past. What begins as a funny school story gradually becomes a moving mystery about memory, grief, family love and the things adults sometimes hide from children. Cymbeline’s voice keeps the story lively and accessible, even when the emotions become serious.

When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

Omar and his younger brother Hassan live in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya, after being separated from their mother during conflict in Somalia. Their days are shaped by waiting: waiting for food, waiting for news, waiting for family, waiting for a future that may never come. Omar wants to go to school, but he also feels responsible for Hassan, whose communication needs mean he relies on Omar’s care and protection. The graphic format makes the story accessible, but the emotional and ethical questions are profound. How do you keep hoping when nothing seems to change? How do you care for someone else when you are still a child yourself? How can education become a path towards dignity?

As an inspiring male author …

On the Move by Michael Rosen

Michael Rosen models something vitally important for children and students – he uses words to inform, amuse, remember, question, grieve, empathise, challenge injustice and connect personal history to wider human experience.

His book, On the Move, models a version of male authorship rooted in memory, kindness, moral courage, emotional openness, humour and public responsibility.

It is a book that shows men can use language to remember the past, stand with others, and make the world more humane.

In On the Move, Michael Rosen uses poetry to explore what it means to move, to leave, to arrive, to remember and to belong. Some poems draw on his own family history, including migration, Jewish identity, war and relatives lost in the Holocaust. Others look outwards towards contemporary experiences of refugees and displaced people. Quentin Blake’s illustrations bring lightness and humanity without reducing the seriousness of the subject. The poems are accessible enough for children in upper KS2, along with KS3 students, but they open deep questions: What is home? What do people carry with them when they move? How do memory, language and family stories shape who we become?

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Castle Cranshaw has always known how to run. He ran from danger in his own home, and now he runs from anger, shame and memories he cannot easily explain. One day he challenges a boy at a track practice and discovers he has extraordinary speed. Coach Brody sees the talent, but he also sees the pain underneath Ghost’s swagger. Joining the track team gives Ghost structure, but it does not magically fix him. He still has to face his choices, his temper, his past and his desire to belong. The story is fast, accessible and emotionally sharp, showing that a young person’s future can change when someone combines belief with boundaries.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
 
Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan are basketball stars. On the court they know the rules, the rhythm and the moves. Off the court, life is becoming more complicated. Jordan starts changing, family tensions rise, and their father’s health becomes a shadow over the household. Josh narrates the story in energetic verse that sounds like sport, music, argument and confession all at once. What begins as a lively sports novel becomes a moving story about brotherhood, jealousy, pride, discipline, grief and love. It shows that being a strong young man includes learning how to apologise, how to lose well, and how to love people while there is still time.covery.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

William Kamkwamba grows up in a village in Malawi where drought and famine make daily life increasingly precarious. When his family can no longer afford his school fees, William’s formal education is interrupted, but his learning does not stop. He uses books, curiosity and salvaged materials to teach himself about electricity and engineering. Against doubt and difficulty, he builds a windmill that can bring power to his home. The story is inspiring without being shallow: it shows hunger, frustration and exclusion, but also the extraordinary power of reading, experimentation and perseverance. For students, it offers a practical and hopeful model of intelligence in action.

Key Stage 4 Recommendations

Nathan Chevangkul, Year 10

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls is a powerful and emotional story about a boy named Conor, whose mother has been diagnosed with cancer. Whilst struggling with fear, anxiety, and anger, Conor is visited by a mysterious monster who appears outside his window each night. Rather than being frightening, the monster becomes an unexpected guide, telling stories that help lead Conor through this difficult path. Although the story can be sad at times, the monster’s mysterious visits and vivid story telling make it very exciting to read. It takes readers on an emotional journey and keeps them wondering what will happen next. 

The theme of a male role model is reflected in the monster’s relationship with Conor. The monster acts as a mentor, helping him navigate the emotional challenges of his mother’s illness, especially when he feels alone and overwhelmed. Instead of simply solving Conor’s problems, the monster teaches him how to understand and accept his feelings. The story shows that a role model isn’t always someone who protects you from hardship, sometimes, it’s someone who helps you build up the courage to face it yourself.