Please can all children read and record their reading a minimum of 3 times a week in their reading records. We always allow time in the school day for children to engage with and discuss texts, sharing their love of reading with their peers, as well as with younger children across the school. 

Set in Victorian times, Sophie, the twelve-year-old

protagonist, is seemingly orphaned as a result of a

shipwreck in which her mother, a cellist, is presumed to

have died. She is taken in by an eccentric, intellectual

guardian, Charles, who raises her in a somewhat

unconventional manner. Unfortunately, the Welfare

Agency decide to send Sophie to an orphanage, so,

with Charles, she escapes to Paris in search of her

mother, who she is convinced is still alive. Whilst there,

Sophie befriends Matteo and a network of children

who live on the rooftops. Full of adventures and

imaginative detail, this book explores the idea that

anything is possible with enough love and

determination.

The story centres around Cameron, a thirteen-year-old boy, who is in

need of a heart transplant. As time appears to be running out for him, he

agrees to take part in a pioneering transplant procedure, using a pig’s

heart instead of a human one. Desperate to be able to join in with his

friends and live to meet a new sibling, Cameron feels this is a chance

worth taking, despite the risks. The situation is further intensified for the

family when Cameron’s best friend, Marlon, breaks his promise to keep

the transplant a secret. Consequently, the family suffers intense scrutiny

from the press which challenges the relationships within and beyond the

family. As part of his recovery, Cameron swims daily and this leads to the

final drama of the book, where he is faced with more life-or-death

decisions.