Recommended reading

As an author, I am hugely privileged to have amazing authors, librarians and teachers among my friends – and the incredible Barbara Band has put together a list of books you might like to consider alongside/after Jelly. Thank you SO much, Barbara!

Barbara says…

Below is a selection of books that explore the issues raised in “Jelly”. These are all aimed at “middle grade” readers (approximately Key Stage 2, ages 8 – 12 years). However, as children vary in their emotional maturity as well as their reading levels and capacity for inference, there are recommended ages given for each title. Those aimed at older readers will obviously cover more mature themes.

Additionally, in the same way that “Jelly” touches on several issues within the story, so do these books. For example, “Wonder” is listed under Empathy but it is also a story about bullying and friendship. It is hard to categorise a book into a single genre. However, that’s a good thing because usually a child will be attracted to a particular book because something in the blurb connects with them and yet, by reading it, they will be exposed to a whole range of experiences and emotions that will take them further into their reading journey.

If you are unsure about any book the best thing you can do is to read it yourself; that way you can decide for yourself whether your child will enjoy it and you can also discuss the story with them. Sharing books together is one of the pleasures of reading!

Barbara Band
School Library, Reading and Literacy Consultant

Body Image

  • Karma Khullar’s Mustache
    Kristi Wientge
    Simon & Schuster, 2018
    ISBN: 978-1481477710
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • The Girl Guide
    Marawa Ibrahim
    Illustrated by Sinem Erkas

    Lincoln Children’s Books
    ISBN: 978-1847809483
    Recommended: 10 – 13 years
  • Smile
    Raina Telgemeier
    Scholastic, 2010
    ISBN: 978-0545132060
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years
  • Body Image And The Media
    Grace Jones

    Crabtree Publishing Company, 2018
    ISBN: 978-0778752004
    Recommended: 10 – 13 years

 

Bullying

  • 7 Days
    Eve Ainsworth
    Scholastic, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1407185903
    Recommended: 10 – 13 years
  • Thief!
    Malorie Blackman

    Corgi Children’s Books, 2004
    ISBN: 978-0552551656
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Freak The Mighty
    Rodman Philbrick
    Usborne Publishing, 2017
    ISBN: 978-0746087251
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • The Song From Somewhere Else
    A F Harrold
    Illustrated by Levi Pinfold
    Bloomsbury Children’s Books
    ISBN: 978-1408884751
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years

 

Empathy

  • Out Of My Mind
    Sharon M Draper

    Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2016
    ISBN: 978-1416971719
    Recommended: 10 – 12 years
  • The Hundred Dresses
    Eleanor Estes
    Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
    Houghton Mifflin, 2004
    ISBN: 978-0152052607
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • The Boy At The Back Of The Class
    Onjali Q Rauf

    Orion Children’s Books, 2018
    ISBN: 978-1510105010
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Wonder
    R J Palacio

    Corgi Children’s, 2014
    ISBN: 978-0552565974
    Recommended: 10 – 12 years

Family

  • Counting By 7s
    Holly Goldberg Sloan

    Piccadilly Press, 2014
    ISBN: 978-1848123823
    Recommended: 10 – 13 years
  • Boy Underwater
    Adam Baron
    HarperCollins, 2018
    ISBN: 978-0008267018
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Boy In The Tower
    Polly Ho-Yen
    Corgi Children’s, 2015
    ISBN: 978-0552569163
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years
  • The Exact Location Of Home
    Kate Messner
    Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018
    ISBN: 978-1681198989
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • The Light Jar
    Lisa Thompson
    Scholastic, 2018
    ISBN: 978-1407171289
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years

Friendship

  • The Polar Bear Explorer’s Club
    Alex Bell
    Illustrated by Tomic Tomislav

    Faber & Faber, 2018
    ISBN: 978-0571332540
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Ruby Redfort, Look Into My Eyes
    Lauren Child
    Harper Collins, 2015
    ISBN: 9780007334070
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Do You Speak Chocolate?
    Cas Lester
    Piccadilly Press, 2017
    ISBN: 9781471405037
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • Liar And Spy
    Rebecca Stead

    Andersen Press, 2013
    ISBN: 978-1849395427
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years

 

Self Confidence/Self-Esteem

  • Reaching The Stars
    Liz Brownlee, Jan Dean and Michaela Morgan

    Macmillan Children’s Books, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1509814282
    Recommended: 9 – 12 years
  • Sticks And Stones
    Abby Cooper
    Square Fish, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1250115263
    Recommended: 10 – 12 years
  • The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up And Becoming Your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self
    Katty Kay et al
    HarperCollins, 2018
    ISBN: 978-0062796981
    Recommended: 8 – 12 years
  • You Are Awesome: Find Your Confidence And Dare To Be Brilliant At (Almost) Anything
    Matthew Syed
    Wren & Rook, 2018
    ISBN: 978-1526361158
    Recommended: 9 – 13 years

 

Creative Writing

  • How To Write Your Best Story Ever!
    Christopher Edge

    OUP Oxford, 2015
    ISBN: 978-0192743527
  • Story Writer’s Ideas Journal
    Lara Bryan and Sarah Hull

    Usborne Publishing, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1474922487
  • How To Write Poems
    Joseph Coelho
    Illustrated by Matt Robertson

    Bloomsbury Activity Books, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1408889497
  • Creative Writer’s Handbook
    Katie Daynes and Megan Cullis

    Usborne Publishing, 2017
    ISBN: 978-1474922494
  • The Creative Writing Book
    Louie Stowell

    Usborne Publishing, 2016
    ISBN: 978-1409598787