Literary Canon

At Holsworthy Community College, we believe that reading is one of the most powerful tools for improving academic success, developing vocabulary, broadening knowledge and fostering a lifelong love of learning. Through our tutor reading programme, students are given regular opportunities to engage with ambitious, thought-provoking texts beyond the classroom curriculum.

Our Literary Canon forms a central part of this provision. Twice each week, tutors read aloud to students, modelling fluent and expressive reading whilst students actively follow the text. Through structured discussions and reciprocal reading strategies, students develop their ability to summarise, clarify, question and predict, strengthening both reading fluency and comprehension.

The Literary Canon has been carefully designed to expose students to influential texts that encourage reflection on significant themes, develop cultural capital and promote meaningful discussion.

Our Literary Canon: Autumn Term 2026

Year 7

Boy by Roald Dahl

An autobiographical account of childhood, resilience and growing up in a different era. The text supports discussion around personal responsibility, courage and how attitudes and education have changed over time.

Year 8

Lark by Anthony McGowan

A powerful story exploring family relationships, perseverance and survival. Students consider how individuals respond to challenge and adversity whilst developing empathy and resilience.

Year 9

Anita and Me by Meera Syal

A coming-of-age novel that explores identity, belonging, friendship and diversity. The text encourages students to think critically about prejudice, inclusion and community

Year 10

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

A thought-provoking novel exploring choice, resilience, hope and personal growth. Students are encouraged to reflect on how decisions shape our lives and the importance of wellbeing and perseverance.

Looking Ahead

The Literary Canon continues to evolve as we seek to expose students to a rich and diverse range of texts. We welcome suggestions from students, families and staff regarding future books that could form part of our tutor reading programme. Through working together, we can continue to build a culture of reading that inspires curiosity, discussion and a lifelong appreciation of literature