Term 4 

The Hobbit: J. R. R. Tolkein

The hobbit Bilbo Baggins lives a quiet and peaceful life. One day the wizard Gandalf comes to him, and with him thirteen dwarves. The dwarves tell their story about the lonely mountain and how Thorin’s dad was the king but one day the dragon Smaug killed all of the dwarves by the Lonely Mountain and took all their treasure. Gandalf would like Bilbo to come with them to restore their treasure and be the master thief. At first Bilbo did not want to, but later he agreed to join them.

Gandalf during their travels had to save the group from three trolls, but what the group found by the trolls was some gold and swords. Gandalf, Thorin and Bilbo each got a sword. As the group travels east over the Misty Mountains, they are attacked by Goblins (Orcs). Gandalf saves them and the group flees. During their flight Bilbo gets lost, and tries to find a way out by himself. In the tunnels Bilbo finds a ring. By an underground lake, Bilbo meets the creature Gollum. Gollum and Bilbo play a game of riddles. If Bilbo wins the game, Gollum will show him the way out; if Gollum wins, he will eat Bilbo. Bilbo realizes that the ring makes him invisible. With the help of the ring he can follow Gollum and get out of the caves. Outside, Bilbo again meets Gandalf and the dwarves.

The dwarves and Bilbo travel to the Lonely Mountain. They can find the secret door into the mountain, and open it. Bilbo steals a golden cup, and finds out that Smaug has a weak place on his left chest. Bilbo tells this to the dwarves, but a thrush (a bird) also hears it. Smaug is angry and goes out to destroy Lake-town. A big part of Laketown is destroyed, but Smaug is killed. The humans and elves start a siege of the Lonely Mountain. After a while the other dwarves of Thorin's people come: Dáin II Ironfoot and an army of dwarves. Gandalf tells them that an army of Goblins is coming to the Lonely Mountain, and because of that the humans, elves, and dwarves have to fight the Goblins together. The Battle of Five Armies is long and hard, but is finally won with the help of the Great Eagles and Beorn. Dáin becomes King under the Mountain. Everyone gets a part of the dwarves' treasure. In the end Bilbo returns home, and lives happily everafter.

Term 3

Letters from the light house - Emma Caroll

Letters from the Lighthouse is set during World War II. It’s a story that is wrapped in mystery, secrecy and suspense. When Sukie goes missing, her brother and sister embark on a remarkable journey to find her. The children are evacuated from London to the countryside and it’s there where young Olive and her brother Cliff will plunge into a mysterious, rollercoaster of an adventure to be reunited with their sister. Twists, turns, coded messages and conflicts prevail in this beautifully pitched story that provides a fine balance between sensitivity and adventure.

Take a look at the front cover...

What sort of story will it be? Who might enjoy it and why?
What could ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’ mean?
Where might this story be set?
Who could the characters on the front cover be? Why are they important to the story?
Why might those characters be there?
When do you think this story is set?

Term 2

Reading for pleasure in Year 6

This term, we are reading Clockwork: all wound up by Philip Pullman. 
One bitterly cold and snowy evening in the German town of Glockenheim, the story of a down-on-his-luck apprentice clock-maker, a brave young girl, a deadly mechanical knight, an evil doctor and a clockwork prince are brought together seamlessly by an arrogant story teller . This sets in motion a macabre, gothic adventure, which will delight older readers. Indeed, this is a twisted fairy tale of the highest calibre, full of suspense and excitement.

A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens

We have relished this ground-breaking text and how it taught the aristocracy of the day that social issues should  be considered by even the richest of people. We have loved exploring the changes in Ebenezer Scrooge. As an end of term treat, we even watched The Muppet's version!

Term 1

Reading for pleasure in Year 6...

This term we are reading an intriguing book called, ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ written by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Chapter 1:

Key Vocabulary: thriving, unemotional, likeable, fellow, reprimand, express, conducted, reputation, interruption, traders, sinister-looking, neglected, trampled, resistance, harpies, rogue, cheque, scarcely, detestable, deformed

•  What is blackmail? What might occur in a chapter called ‘Blackmail House’?
• What impression do you get of Mr Utterson? P7 – model and discuss the word impression.
• Why do you think that it was a mystery to people why Mr Enfield and Mr Utterson were friends?

Chapter 2:

Key Vocabulary: retire to bed, benefactor, possessions, a rational man, offended, offensive, merely, disgrace, prematurely, snort, balderdash, enraged, recover his composure, trudged.

•  What is a last will and testament?
• ‘…he took a candle and went to his study,’ what impression does this give you of when the story is set?
• What impression do you get of Utterson as a friend?