Mrs Jacobi's CNY holiday reading list

The Year of the Ox is almost upon us, and amid all of the celebrating you will be doing with family and friends, there will surely be some time to dig into a new book. Are you at a loss as to what to read? The Librarian in the International School Shanghai, Mrs Jacobi, has the perfect book for you, whether you are a pupil in Pre-Prep or Senior School or even a parent.

For our Pre-Prep pupils

The Friend I Need by Gabi Garcia

This book written by Gabi Garcia and illustrated by Miranda Rivadeneira offers a reminder to children that they can be kind, encouraging and supportive to themselves. It is a wonderful addition to your home library that will help nurture your child’s emotional resilience and wellbeing. You can also find free downloadable activities at www.gabigarciabooks.com.

How to Get a Job…by Me, the Boss by Sally Lloyd-Jones

This 'how-to' guide teaches you everything you need to know about seeking employment as told by a very bossy boss. It promises plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Illustrations come courtesy of Sue Heap.  

The Bug Girl by Sophia Spencer with Margaret McNamara

This book tells the real-life story of seven-year-old Sophia Spencer. She was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her inspiring story with illustrations by Kerascoët. This book celebrates women in science, critters of all kinds and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Frank n Stan by M.P. Robertson

Frank has no brother or sister to play with, so he decides to make one. He collects all kinds of junk and recycled materials and sets to work. The result is Stan, a friendly and helpful robot who soon fits into Frank's family life. At first, Frank and Stan do everything together, but when Frank's parents present him with a little sister, Stan begins to feel unwanted and plans to leave. This is a delightful comic adventure with much to say about family life.

For our Lower Prep pupils

The World needs Who You Were Made To Be by Joanna Gaines

With plenty of pink, a bounty of blue, orange and green and yellow too, this vibrant hot air balloon adventure celebrates every child and teaches kids that we are in this together. As the book says, "You're one of a kind, and it's so clear to see: The world needs who you were made to be."

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear by Kieran Larwood

Podkin is the son of a warrior chieftain. He knows that one day it will be up to him to lead his warren and guard it in times of danger. But for now, he is content to laze around, annoying his older sister Paz and playing with his baby brother Pook. Then Podkin's home is brutally attacked, forcing the young rabbits to flee. The terrifying Gorm are on the rampage, and no one is safe. Podkin must protect his family, uncover his destiny and defeat the most horrifying enemy rabbitkind has ever known.

Rumble Star by Abi Elphinstone

Magic, adventure, and a whole new world are waiting to be discovered! This series is perfect for adventurers aged 9+ and fans of Michelle Harrison, Piers Torday and Jamie Littler. The Unmapped Chronicles will not only leave children entertained, but will also empower them to battle climate change and environmental issues.

The Cities Book

Do not let being stuck at home close you off from the wider world. Do you know where in the world you can buy drinkable gold; why an 'elephant's foot' is one of the most dangerous objects in the world; or where you might have to swim to school? Discover the answers to these questions and loads more mind-blowing facts in this book from Lonely Planet, in which readers aged 8+ are taken on an incredible tour through 86 of the world's greatest cities. 

For our Upper Prep pupils

All Fall Down by Sally Nicholls

This book is certainly topical! Isabel and her family have nowhere to run as a pandemic devastates Europe. When the world she knows and loves ends forever, her only weapon is courage. Set during the Black Death of 1349, the deadliest plague in human history, All Fall Down is a powerful and inspiring story of survival in the face of real-life horror.

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

Fresh off the boat from England, Vita Marlowe has a job to do. Her beloved grandfather Jack has been cheated out of his home and possessions by a notorious conman with Mafia connections. Seeing that Jack's spirit is broken, Vita is desperate to make him happy again, so she devises a plan to outwit his enemies and recover his home. 

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Lauren is adopted and eager to know more about her mysterious past. But when she discovers she may have been snatched from her family as a baby, her whole life suddenly feels like a sham. Why will no one answer her questions? How can she find her biological parents? And could her adoptive parents have been responsible for kidnapping her?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This is the classic gothic horror novel that has thrilled and engrossed readers for two centuries. It is a superb blend of science fiction, mystery and thriller genres. Victor Frankenstein, driven by the mad dream of making his own creature, experiments with alchemy and science to build a monster stitched together from dead remains. Written by Mary Shelley, it is a story which she hoped would "curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart."

For our Senior School pupils 

Dead Time by Anne Cassidy

Rose and Joshua first met when Joshua and his father came to live with Rose and her mother. Then their world turns upside down when their mother and father go out for dinner one evening and never return. With police inquiries going nowhere, Rose is dispatched to live with her chilly, unfriendly grandmother and Joshua is sent to live with his uncle. Then Joshua comes to London to study and Rose is witness to not one, but two murders. Why is this happening to Rose? Could it have anything to do with the investigations Joshua has been conducting into this disappearance? 

Start Where You Are by Meera Lee Patel

Start Where You Are is not just an engaging read; it is a journal. This interactive book is designed to help readers nurture their creativity, mindfulness and self-motivation. It helps readers navigate the confusion and chaos of daily life, reminding us that by knowing ourselves we can know the world around us and achieve our dreams.

Skyhunter by Marie Lu 

Talin is a Striker, a member of an elite fighting force that stands as the last defence for Mara, the world's only free nation. As a refugee, Talin knows first-hand the horrors of the Federation, a world-dominating war machine responsible for destroying nation after nation with its terrifying army of mutant beasts known only as Ghosts. But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the battlefront to Mara's capital, Talin senses there is more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? What secrets is he hiding?

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

An alien threat is on the horizon, and if humanity is to be defended, the government must create the greatest military commander in history. The brilliant, young Ender Wiggin is their last hope. But first, he must survive the rigours of a brutal military training program to prove that he can be the leader of all leaders. But are they creating a hero or a monster?

For our staff and parents

Q by Christina Dalcher

It begins as a way to make things fairer, an education system that will benefit everyone, all in the name of progress. This is what Elena Fairchild believes. As a teacher in one of the government’s elite schools for children with high ‘Q’ scores, she witnesses the advantages first-hand. But when her daughter scores lower than expected, she is taken away. Elena follows her to her new home, a government institute that makes her question everything. Because this world is about perfection, and that comes at a terrible price.

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions on earth. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the sixth, which is predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. Elizabeth Kolbert combines brilliant field reporting, the history of ideas and the work of geologists, botanists and marine biologists to tell the gripping stories of a dozen species – including the Panamanian golden frog and the Sumatran rhino – some already gone, others on the brink of vanishing. The Sixth Extinction is likely to be mankind's most lasting legacy. Elizabeth Kolbert's book urgently compels us to rethink the fundamental question of what it means to be human.

The Mystery of Henri Pick by David Foenkinos

In the small town of Crozon in Brittany, a library houses manuscripts that were rejected for publication — the faded dreams of aspiring writers. Visiting while on holiday, young editor Delphine Despero is thrilled to discover a novel so powerful that she feels compelled to bring it back to Paris to publish it. The book is a sensation, prompting fevered interest in the identity of its author, one Henri Pick, a now-deceased pizza chef from Crozon. Sceptics cry that the whole thing is a hoax: how could this man have written such a masterpiece? An obstinate journalist, Jean-Michel Rouche, heads to Brittany to investigate.

Cold Mountain

The Hanshan, or 'Cold Mountain' poems are the most enduring works to come out of the poetically rich era of China's Tang dynasty (seventh to early tenth century). They entered modern Western consciousness through the Beat generation writers for whom they were a major influence. They are regarded as some of the most accessible works of classical Chinese poetry. Even if you do not relate to poetry, these writings are sure to resonate with you.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay 

New England is locked down. A strict curfew is the only way to stem the wildfire spread of a rabies-like virus. The hospitals cannot cope with the infected, as the pathogen's ferociously quick incubation period overwhelms the state. The veneer of civilisation is breaking down as people live in fear of everyone around them. Staying inside is the only way to keep safe. Does any of this sound familiar?

Wild by Patrick Barkham

Instead of growing up so fast, grow back down with this book. From climbing trees and making dens to building sandcastles and pond-dipping, many of the activities we associate with a happy childhood take place outdoors. And yet, the reality for many contemporary children is very different. The studies tell us that we are raising a generation who are so alienated from nature that they cannot identify common or plants. They do not know where their food comes from. They are shuttled between home, school and the shops, spending very little time in green spaces.