Parents and (sometimes) students often ask. What can the students read to help them improve in English? I normally say, anything that makes them think, but to be a little more specific here are some lists, links and places to look that may help develop healthy reading and viewing habits.

I say viewing because I don’t think we should underestimate the power of good film-making in helping us become better thinkers, communicators and writers.

A good place to find good books is all time lists. Challenge yourself to read as many as you can. The Guardian newspaper produced an interesting list in 2002 which you can view here.

A lot of these books are more suitable for older readers but the following are sometimes read by ambitious middle and high school students. Some of the books are of course often read as part of the IB Diploma literature course.

Jane Austen, England, (1775-1817), Pride and Prejudice

Emily Bronte, England, (1818-1848), Wuthering Heights

Charles Dickens, England, (1812-1870), Great Expectations

George Eliot, England, (1819-1880), Middlemarch

Astrid Lindgren, Sweden, (1907-2002), Pippi Longstocking

George Orwell, England, (1903-1950), 1984

Salman Rushdie, India/Britain, (b. 1947), Midnight’s Children

Jonathan Swift, Ireland, (1667-1745), Gulliver’s Travels

Mark Twain, United States, (1835-1910), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

More classics that might interest younger readers here.

Here is a link to the Costa book awards (formerly known as the Whitbread). They have different categories. Here is a list of winners of the children’s prize.

Here is a link to the top 100 books chosen by educators.

Another good link here with the lists split into grade level and details of the US based Newbery Prize

Some great films to watch,

The Wizard of Oz.

Kes

The Red Balloon

Little Fugitive

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), the new one is pretty good too but not as patch on this

Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Harry Potter films (2001, 2002, 2004…) Come on, he loves going to school.

Spirited Away (2001, Jap.)

Babe (1995)

Superman (1978)

Toy Story (1995)

Bugsy Malone (1976)

The Iron Giant (1999)

Mary Poppins.

Please feel free more links, books and films you think are essential reading and viewing for us all.

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