The Felixstowe 50 Reading Challenge
Can You Complete the Felixstowe 50?
At Felixstowe School, we believe that reading is one of the most powerful tools a young person can develop. Reading for pleasure is strongly linked to improved academic achievement, increased vocabulary, stronger writing skills, greater empathy, and enhanced wellbeing. Students who read regularly are more likely to succeed across the curriculum, become confident communicators, and develop a lifelong love of learning.
To encourage students to broaden their reading experiences and discover new authors, we have created The Felixstowe 50 Reads
The challenge invites students to read their way through a carefully selected collection of 50 books, featuring a wide range of genres, authors, time periods and themes. From modern favourites and thought-provoking contemporary fiction to timeless classics and inspiring real-life stories, there is something for every reader.
How Does It Work?
The Felixstowe 50 has been organised into recommended age groups and reading stages, helping students to gradually develop their confidence and reading maturity. However, students are welcome to read the books in any order they choose.
When a student finishes a book, they should visit Mrs Glanfield (Sixth Form) or Mrs Evans (Reprographics) at lunchtime. Students will be asked a couple of comprehension questions about the book they have read. Successfully answering these questions will earn them a Felixstowe 50 Reads stamp for their logbook and count towards their challenge progress. This ensures that students are engaging with and reflecting on their reading whilst celebrating their achievement.
Rewards
As students progress through the challenge, they will earn a range of exciting rewards.
Bronze Award
Read 10 books
- Bronze bookmark
- Silver Ticket
Silver Award
Read 25 books
- Silver bookmark
- Silver Ticket
Gold Award
Read 40 books
- Gold bookmark
- Silver Ticket
Felixstowe 50 Challenge Completion
Read all 50 books
- Felixstowe 50 Pin Badge
- Certificate
- Silver Ticket
We hope that students will challenge themselves to explore new stories, discover favourite authors, and celebrate the joy of reading.
The Felixstowe 50 Reads Book List
Years 7-8
- Wonder – R.J. Palacio
- Holes – Louis Sachar
- The Boy at the Back of the Class – Onjali Q. Raúf
- The Goldfish Boy – Lisa Thompson
- A Kind of Spark – Elle McNicoll
- Skellig – David Almond
- The Girl of Ink & Stars – Kiran Millwood Hargrave
- The Explorer – Katherine Rundell
- Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief – Rick Riordan
- The Crossover – Kwame Alexander
- Noughts & Crosses (Graphic Novel) – Malorie Blackman
- The Breadwinner – Deborah Ellis
- The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Pax – Sara Pennypacker
Years 8-9
- Private Peaceful – Michael Morpurgo
- The Giver – Lois Lowry
- The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
- A Monster Calls – Patrick Ness
- The Book Thief – Markus Zusak
- Stargirl – Jerry Spinelli
- The Tulip Touch – Anne Fine
- The Girl Who Speaks Bear – Sophie Anderson
- The Last Wild – Piers Torday
- The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
Years 9-10
- To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
- Animal Farm – George Orwell
- Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury
- The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas
- The Poet X – Elizabeth Acevedo
- I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai
- The Fault in Our Stars – John Green
- The Knife of Never Letting Go – Patrick Ness
- Red Queen – Victoria Aveyard
- The Dark Lady – Akala
- One of Us Is Lying – Karen M. McManus
- Salt to the Sea – Ruta Sepetys
Years 10-11
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
- Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
- Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
- The Diary of Anne Frank – Anne Frank
- The Woman in Black – Susan Hill
- The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
- Purple Hibiscus – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
- The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
- Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro
- Lord of the Flies – William Golding
- The 57 Bus – Dashka Slater
- Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
- A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder – Holly Jackson