Recommended reading books for primary and secondary aged children in the UK
Ciara Smyth is an Irish author known for her young adult fiction. She studied at Trinity College Dublin. Smyth’s debut novel, The Falling in Love Montage, was published by Andersen Press in 2020. The book explores themes of identity and relationships, centring on a teenage protagonist navigating romance and family dynamics.
Her second novel, Not My Problem, was published by Andersen Press in 2021. This work follows a teenager who becomes involved in solving other people’s problems, leading to unexpected consequences and personal growth. Smyth’s writing is characterised by its focus on contemporary issues relevant to young adults.
In 2021, The Falling in Love Montage was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in the Older Readers category.
Contemporary fiction for children and teens with titles by Jacqueline Wilson, Alice Oseman, Angie Thomas, R. J. Palacio, Onjali Q. Raúf, Elizabeth Acevedo, Patrice Lawrence, Juno Dawson, Benjamin Dean, and Dean Atta.
School stories including titles by Allan Ahlberg, Mo Willems, Lisa Thompson, Pamela Butchart, Matt Goodfellow, Onjali Rauf, Elle McNicoll, Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, Alice Oseman, and Holly Bourne.
LGBTQIA+ themed books for secondary schools, featuring titles by Simon James Green, Alice Oseman, David Levithan, Phil Stamper, Rainbow Rowell, Dean Atta, Meg Grehan, Juno Dawson, Kalynn Bayron, William Hussey and Erin Ekins.
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