The National Year of Reading 2026 | Series 1, Episode 33
Season 1, Episode 33 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for August 2025 and The National Year of Reading 2026.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Kathryn Clark is a British writer and mentor specialising in young adult fiction and supporting authors. She holds a Master of Arts in Writing for Young People (Distinction).
Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in anthologies and online magazines, and she has placed or been shortlisted in several competitions, including the Faber Imagined Futures Prize (in which she was runner-up in 2023).
Her debut YA novel, Things I Learned While I Was Dead, is scheduled for publication by Faber Children’s in July 2025. The novel explores issues of medical ethics, consent and familial love.
Clark works as a freelance writing mentor, editor and reader for writers at various stages of their careers, offering feedback, critique and coaching.
During her MA she served as one of the co-editors of the anthology Paper Worlds, published by her course cohort.
Season 1, Episode 33 of the School Reading List podcast. New book post, 30 great books for August 2025 and The National Year of Reading 2026.
July 2025’s book club includes titles by Huw Lewis Jones, Becky Wilson, Jon Agee, Humera Malik, Jim Smith, John Agard, Emma Swan, Philip Kavvadias, Ciannon Smart, Kathryn Clark, Jay McGuiness, and Jessica S. Olson.
Science fiction books for children and teens with titles by Karen Inglis, Christopher Edge, Madeleine L’Engle, Louis Sachar, Donna Barba Higuera, S. F. Said, Malorie Blackman, James Dashner, Douglas Adams, Soyoung Park, Ben Oliver & more.
Things I Learned While I Was Dead is a thrilling and scarily real dystopian adventure that will appeal to fans of Lauren James’ The Quiet at the End of the World and Gemma Malley’s The Declaration.
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Our latest reading national curriculum year group recommended reading lists:
Picture books for the under 5s | Books for Reception | Books for Year 1 | Books for Year 2 | Books for Year 3 | Books for Year 4 | Books for Year 5 | Books for Year 6 | Books for Year 7 | Books for Year 8 | Books for Year 9 | Books for Year 10 | Books for Year 11