Hello. I'm still in secondary school, or high school, so this is the list of my favourite required reading so far.
1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
This is about two friends, Lennie and George, trying to make a living during the Great Depression in America. They find work on a farm, and life is tough. George always has to try and keep Lennie out of trouble, as he has a mental disability.
I really liked this book when I read it for class three years ago. It's incredibly sad, but well worth the read.
2. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
This is about a group of English schoolboys who get stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. They must try to work together in order to survive. At first, it's all fun and games, but the boys soon realise that they're not going to get off the island anytime soon, and it's all downhill from there for the boys.
I read this two years ago for class, and I recall writing many papers on it. I enjoyed it and found it interesting, but it's also frightening and disturbing. It can be quite brutal. I'd recommend this to you if you're looking for a creepy read.
3. Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna
This is the first book in a trilogy following three Irish children in 1840s Ireland during The Great Famine, in which the potato plant rot and Irish people had no other food. Left alone and afraid of being forced to go to a workhouse, they set off to find the great aunts their mother told them about in her stories.
I read this when I was in primary school, like a lot of Irish people. It's Ireland's most famous children's book. It was very interesting for me at the time to read a novel set during the Famine in English and then return to learning about the facts behind it in history. I remember reading ahead and finishing the book before the rest of my class, and then continuing on with the trilogy.
4. Rosie's Quest by Ann Carroll
This is about a young girl named Rosie who time travels back to 1950s Ireland and finds herself in the body of her aunt Rose, her mam's twin sister. She tries to find out what happened between them and fix their relationship while living life in a world so different from her own.
I adored this book when I read it in primary school and I continued on with the series. There is six books in total. I realise now that even when I was younger, I enjoyed reading historical fiction, and it's one of my favourite genres today. I loved reading about what life was life in 1950s Ireland, and this was my first time travel book.
5.
Holes by Louis Sachar
This is about a boy named Stanley who is sent to a detention centre, Camp Green Lake, after being falsely accused of stealing a pair of trainers. They dig holes all day long and Stanley wonders what they're looking for and tries to steer clear of the crazy warden.
I read this about four years ago. I actually can't believe that it's been that long. We read this in class while listening to it on audiobook and I really liked it at the time.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I had a lot of fun writing it and looking back on my school favourites over the years.
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