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The SASS CANON

At school we have identified the body of books which we expect every student to read whilst a student in years 7, 8 & 9. This is called the SASS canon. These books are:

Year 7

  • Frankie’s World by Aoife Dooley
  • When Secrets Set Sail by Sita Brahmachari
  • You Are Awesome by Matthew Syed
  • When Life Gives you Mangos by Kereen Getten
  • Rhythm and Poetry by Karl Nova
  • Horrible Histories: The Groovy Greeks by Terry Deary and Martin Brown
  • Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
  • His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
  • Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
  • The Stuff of Nightmares by Malorie Blackman

Download a guide to the Year 7 canon here – YEAR 7 CANON.

Year 8

  • Arsenic for Tea by Robin Stevens
  • Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello
  • Clap when you Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
  • She Wore Red Trainers by Na’ima B Robert
  • Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle
  • One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
  • Children of Blood and Bone by TomiAdeyem
  • Sawbones by Catherine Johnson
  • That Asian Kid by Savita Kalhan
  • The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Download a guide to the Year 8 canon here – YEAR 8 CANON.

Year 9

  • This Book Kills by Ravena Guro
  • Life of Pi by Yann Martel
  • The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
  • Let’s Play Murder by Kesia Lupo
  • Thief by Malorie Blackman
  • Lord of the Flies by William Golding
  • You Must be Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied
  • Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
  • I’m the King of the Castle by Susan Hill
  • Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Download a guide to the Year 9 canon here – YEAR 9 CANON.