We know how hard it can be to find the right book to read, so we’ve put together an essential Year 7 and 8 reading list for students in Australia!
Year 7 and 8 gives you plenty of free time to spend digging into a good book or movie, and with the added bonus of preparing you for English in senior years, what’s not to love?
Take a peek at some of these texts and click on the links provided for a more in-depth summary! If you take a shine to some of them, be sure to check them out at your school or local library catalogue!
Our Year 7 and 8 reading list has been compiled based upon the recommendations of NESA, which you can find here.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive in!
Fiction
Text | Author | About |
---|---|---|
A Monster Calls | Patrick Ness | Family love, loss and hope |
A Tale of Two Cities | David Mairowitz | Classic novels, suspense and comedy |
Coraline | Neil Gaiman | Classic novels, suspense and comedy |
Crocodile Tears | Anthony Horowitz | Adventure, action and explosions |
Dragon Keeper Trilogy | Carole Wilkinson | Dragons, magic and Chinese history |
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone | J.K. Rowling | Wizards, magic and spells |
Hitler's Daughter | Jackie French | Historical fiction and intrigue |
Liesl & Po | Lauren Oliver | Stories about friendship, hope and magic |
Samurai Kids: White Crane | Sandy Fussell | Samurais, action and Japanese history |
Shakespeare’s Apprentice | Veronica Bennett | Shakespeare and historical romance |
Skellig | David Almond | Familial love, friendship and cranky angels |
Wonder | R.J. Palacio | Stories full of heart, love and a dash of humour |
Poetry
Text | Author | About |
---|---|---|
Animal Poems | Valerie Worth | Animals and all their quirky characteristics |
Do-Wrong Ron | Steven Herrick Caroline Magerl (illustrator) | Heart-warming stories about friendship and growing up |
Pearl Verses the World | Sally Murphy Heather Potter (illustrator) | Free-verse poetry and stories about love, life and loss |
Rhyme Stew | Roald Dahl | Fairy tale characters but with an eccentric Dahl twist! |
The Highwayman | Alfred Noyes | Adventure, action and drama |
The Red Room Company | Johanna Featherstone (website director) | Exploring a variety of poems online |
Picture Books and Graphic Novels
Text | Author | About |
---|---|---|
Coraline: The Graphic Novel | Craig Russell | Mystery and creepy tales |
Into the Forest | Anthony Browne | Black and white illustrations and adventure |
The Lost Thing | Shaun Tan | Stories about belonging and finding yourself |
The Whale's Song | Dyan Sheldon | Magical whales and beautiful paintings |
Where the Forest Meets the Sea | Jeannie Baker | Rainforests and nature |
Non-Fiction
Title | Author | About |
---|---|---|
Boy: Tale of Childhood | Roald Dahl | Stories about growing up in England |
Chinese Cinderella | Adeline Yen Mah | Coming-of-age memoirs and Chinese culture |
Playground | Nadia Wheatley | Landscape photography and Indigenous history |
The Diary of a Young Girl: Anne Frank | Otto H Frank | History and moving stories of courage and survival |
Trove | National Library Australia | Collections of books, articles and more! |
Film
Text | Author | About |
---|---|---|
A Midsummer’s Night Dream (PG-13) | Michael Hoffman | Shakespeare and magic |
Babe (G) | Chris Noonan | Adorable farm animals and their shenanigans |
E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial (G) | Steven Spielberg | Friendly aliens and childhood adventure |
Ever After (PG) | Andy Tennant | Fairy tales and cinderella |
Hugo (PG) | Martin Scorsese | Tales of mystery and sprinkles of steampunk |
March of the Penguins (G) | Luc Jacquet | Penguins and heartwarming stories |
Shrek (PG) | Andrew Adamson Vicky Jenson | Adventure, comedy and ogres |
The Princess Bride (PG) | Rob Reiner | Fairy tales and tales of true love |
We hope this Year 7 and 8 reading list for students in Australia helps you out in getting started on your reading journey! Enjoy!
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Millicent Tai hopes to one day become a full-time teacher and is currently studying a Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Science at UNSW. She enjoys tutoring students at Art of Smart in English and Maths and has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. In her spare time, you can find her avidly reading Christian biographies or fishing in Animal Crossing.