Summer Reading Challenge
Summer reading challenge – A good reading challenge will not only promote reading and encourage reading for pleasure, but it will encourage a reading culture to spread like a virus throughout your school. Updated for 2026.
Recommended reading books for primary & secondary aged children in the UK
Lily Bailey is a British author and journalist known for her writing on mental health, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She has contributed articles to national newspapers and magazines, focusing on mental health awareness and advocacy. Bailey’s debut book, Because We Are Bad: OCD and a Girl Lost in Thought, was published by Canongate in 2017. The memoir details her personal experiences with OCD from childhood through adulthood, offering insight into the condition and its impact on daily life.
Bailey has participated in public discussions and media appearances to raise awareness about OCD and mental health issues. Her work has been referenced in mental health campaigns and she has spoken at events related to mental health advocacy. In addition to her memoir, Bailey has written for outlets such as The Guardian and The Independent, where she addresses topics related to mental health and wellbeing.
Her book Because We Are Bad was published in 2017 by Canongate.

Summer reading challenge – A good reading challenge will not only promote reading and encourage reading for pleasure, but it will encourage a reading culture to spread like a virus throughout your school. Updated for 2026.
Books for year 7 – our reading recommendation for 11 year olds at the start of secondary school in Year 7, including titles by A.M Dassu, Mitch Johnson, Lisa Thompson, Gillian Cross, Malorie Blackman, R.J. Palacio, Philip Pullman, Catherine Johnson & Michael Rosen.
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