The Puffin Back to School Reading Challenge is the much needed break from school work your child needs.
‘Tis the season…for Back to school shopping but what better things to buy your kids, than some fun companions: books!
We know it’s that time of the year when summer vacations are a throwback to the lazy and fun times spent with your kids. However, reading with your kids can be the perfect opportunity to make new memories.
We have an exciting reading challenge that will not only help your young learners discover their interests but also help sensitize them to important topics in their formative years.
From breaking gender stereotypes to solving engaging math puzzles and exploring foreign lands, we have amazing recommendations for kids in Kindergarten to Middle school.
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For 4-7 year olds:
Peppa Pig: Peppa Plays Cricket by Peppa Pig
It is a very sunny day. Perfect for a game of cricket! Daddy Pig teaches Peppa, George and Suzy Sheep how to play cricket in the garden, followed by the most important part of the game – taking a break for tea and cake! Everyone loves cricket, especially Daddy Pig!
The perfect book for your little cricketers, teaching them the rules of the game as well as teamwork and sportsmanship.
Eric Carle’s Book of Many Things by Eric Carle
Children will have hours of fun learning first words and first concepts in this beautiful book from the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. From food and clothes to animals and feelings, this is the perfect way for little ones to learn what they need to navigate their busy worlds.
Pink and Blue by Ritu Vaishnav (Author), Vishnu M Nair (Illustrator)
Pink is for girls. Blue is for boys
Girls play house. Boys play cricket
Cry like a girl. Kick like a boy
Sometimes grown-ups can say silly things that just aren’t true–not for all kids anyway! This book is an attempt by a mum to start a conversation with her little one about gender stereotypes. It encourages kids to question these notions before they begin to shape their thinking and offers adults an opportunity to initiate this very necessary discussion.
Helping Others Is Cool (My Book of Values) by Sonia Mehta
Nicky and Noni both badly want to win the School Champ contest, so they’re much too busy to help anyone around them. But along the way, they realize what it takes to be an all-rounder. What do they learn? Read on to find out.
For 8-10 year olds:
Middle School: Hero To Zero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
After a mostly-successful stint at Hills Valley Middle School, Rafe is excited to visit the incredible city of London with his class. Sightseeing around a foreign country sounds like a blast, until Rafe finds out his roommate will be none other than Miller the Killer, bully extraordinaire! And it’s no surprise that Rafe’s bad luck follows him across the pond, putting him in one crazy situation after another–out of all of his adventures, this trip could prove to be Rafe’s most embarrassing yet, undoing everything good he has going for him back home!
Detective Nosegoode and the Music Box Mystery (Detective Nosegoode 1) by Marian Orlon
At first glance, Mr Ambrosius Nose Goode seems to be a perfectly ordinary older gentleman.
But appearances can be deceiving: this unimposing man was once a famous detective and his dog isn’t an ordinary mutt either – he can talk! When a mysterious man with a fake black beard comes to town and a music box goes missing from the workshop of clockmaker Mr Ignatius Blossom, the two friends begin to investigate.
Globe Trotters by Arefa Tehsin (Author), Nafisa Nandini Crishna (Illustrator)
Hudhud is horrible to everyone. He polishes off his classmates’ lunches, plays cruel pranks on his teachers and troubles innocent creatures. Until his strange new history teacher decides to set him straight.
The lesson? A curse! Now Hudhud must roam the vast earth . . . with-and as-the greatest migratory animals. And so begins Hudhud’s remarkable journey.
Follow Hudhud on this surreal trip, through the Arctic Ocean and the Sahara Desert, among fragrant flowers and tall grass, and find out all about the inner lives of some majestic animals and the wonders of the wild.
The Cloudfarers by Stephen Alter
Paramount Academy is nothing short of a prison. As Kip comes to terms with this awful military-style school, he makes new friends who have a terrible secret: they are Cloudfarers-a lost tribe of beings from another planet, who have been exiled on earth. And they need his help to get back to their land, away from Principal Captain Lovelock, who is on to them. But time is running out . . .
Join Kip and his friends as they embark on a stormy adventure on the clouds and through dangerous cliffs and mountains to reach a safe haven.
For 10-13 year olds:
The Firework Maker’s Daughter by Philip Pullman
What Lila wants to be more than anything else in the world is . . . a Firework-Maker!
But firework-making is not just about being able to make Crackle-Dragons and Golden Sneezes. There is also one special secret: every Firework-Maker must make a perilous journey to face the terrifying Fire-Fiend!
Not knowing that she needs special protection to survive the Fire-Fiend’s flames, Lila sets off alone. Her friends, Chulak and Hamlet – the King’s white elephant – race after her. But can they possibly reach her in time?
Maths Sutras From Around The World: Speed Calculations On Your Fingertips by Gaurav Tekriwal
Learn how to be quick and better at Maths with this well-researched book that has an amazing collection of mathematical techniques from around the world. Explore ingenious maths concepts and systems, and try your hand at popular puzzles like KenKen, Kakuro and Alphametics. Who says maths can’t be fun?
My First Book of Money by Ravi Subramanian and Shoma Narayanan
They say time is money. But they never really tell you why. They say money doesn’t grow on trees. But they don’t tell you where it comes from. Aman and Anya are as clueless about cash as you are. Then, they start asking questions. Egged on by clever Dadi and forthcoming Mom and Dad, Aman and Anya learn what finances are really all about.
So go ahead! Read on for a rollercoaster ride through the world of money.
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Look out for our Independence Day reading challenge next week!
