Longman English & Drama - Pearson Schools

ALLAN
STRATTON
Chanda’s Secrets
Sixteen-year-old Chanda Kabelo,
living in sub-Saharan Africa,
knows only too well the truth
behind the secret people are
trying to keep hidden: that all
around her people are dying of
AIDS. When her young
stepsister dies, Chanda takes
charge, organizing the funeral
for her grief-stricken mother.
But can Chanda stay strong
whilst helping her family
to survive?
International Reading
Association Children’s
Hardback
978 1 4058 2977 9 256pp £7.50
@
ROBERT
SWINDELLS
Branded
Dale’s older brother, Gav, has
been convicted of killing five
women, so Dale and his family
have no choice but to change
their names, move away and
start new lives somewhere
where they won’t be branded
with the stigma of Gav’s crimes.
But Dale can’t move away from
the fear inside himself that he
might one day become just like
his brother – a monster. When a
tabloid journalist tries to track
down the family and expose
their new identities, Dale is
forced to confront his fears in a
battle to protect the new lives
they have built.
What’s the hook?
A powerful, gripping and
poignant novel about
adolescence and injustice
from the bestselling author of
Stone Cold.
What are the themes?
Freedom, identity, sense of
community, growing-up,
bullying, responsibility,
relationships, honour.
Teaching points
Ideal for thought-provoking
work exploring a range of
challenging contemporary
issues, especially the role of the
media. The range of narrative
techniques, including shifts
between narrative voices,
presents excellent opportunities
for exploring structure and
characterisation.
Hardback
978 1 4058 2847 5 192pp £7.50
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ROBERT
SWINDELLS
No Angels
Cold, hungry, lonely and scared,
Nikki soon discovers that life on
the streets of London is even
tougher than she thought it
would be. Nick, though, is used
to scraping together a living for
himself and his family. And
whilst neither of them means to
break the law, they soon find
that it isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Two teenagers, a hundred years
apart, offer a compelling insight
into homelessness in this
powerful novel from the author
of Stone Cold.
What’s the hook?
The intriguing parallel narratives
give unique perspectives on the
subject of homelessness.
What are the themes?
Prejudice, courage, survival,
family, loyalty, homelessness
and injustice. Cross-curricular
links to History, Geography and
PSHE are strong.
Teaching points
The thought-provoking parallel
narratives of Nikki in the
present day and Nick in the
mid-nineteenth century
make this an ideal text for
Key Stage 3.
“ The uncomfortable
themes make this book a
bleak comment on
contemporary society and
a provocative read. ”
NATE
Hardback
978 0 582 84860 3 256pp £7.50
FREE Online Teacher’s Support
TIM
WYNNE-JONES
The Boy in the
Burning House
Hardback
customer.orders@pearson.com www.longman.co.uk
Jim Hawkins has had a difficult
time since his father vanished a
year ago. Recovering from the
shock hasn’t been easy. So
when Ruth Rose, the troubled
stepdaughter of the local pastor,
tells Jim that she believes his
father was murdered by her
stepfather, he doesn’t want to
believe her. After all, she is crazy,
isn’t she? But Ruth’s
determination is infectious, and
as they delve into the past,
painful secrets come to light.
What’s the hook?
This powerful and gripping
thriller has a rare mix of
characters pupils can identify
with, a plot full of tension and
suspense and a fast pace.
What are the themes?
Bereavement, guilt, truth, family,
authority, independence, loyalty,
peer pressure.
Teaching points
An excellent novel to explore
the narrative techniques of the
thriller genre. The beautifully
drawn setting also provides
opportunities for teaching about
different cultures. Thematic
contrasts between charity and
suspicion, love and hate provide
good discussion points.
“ This is a gripping read
and a thoughtful, realistic
and sustained examination
of trust, guilt and betrayal.
Books for Keeps
978 1 4058 4310 2 £7.50
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ADELINE
YEN MAH
Chinese Cinderella
“Your father has instructed me
not to talk to you about your
dead mother...he ordered all her
photographs destroyed.”
Adeline Yen Mah’s mother died
at birth, and her stepmother
despised and ignored her. In this
vivid autobiography, the author
describes her childhood in China
at the time of the Cultural
Revolution.
Book Award
Guardian Children’s Fiction
Prize Shortlist
Recommended by NATE/DFES
What’s the hook?
An uncompromising look at the
AIDS crisis in Africa through the
eyes of an engaging narrator.
Humour and a hopeful ending
counterbalance the tough
issues.
What are the themes?
Growing-up, responsibility,
identity, relationships, education,
loyalty, honour and conflict.
Teaching points
Excellent for multicultural work,
with very topical relevance.
The first-person narrative is
accessible to a wide range of
abilities, allowing them to
confront powerful issues at an
appropriate level.
“ Painful and powerful
in equal measure – as it
should be. An extraordinary
literary achievement. ”
Michael Morpurgo
NC
author
NC
author
Fiction
11 – 14
NC
author
What’s the hook?
A fascinating and moving
autobiographical novel.
What are the themes?
Different cultures, families/
generations, friendship,
school life and the individual
vs. society.
Teaching points
Superb for multicultural work as
it is set against a background of
life in Japanese-occupied China.
Ideal for exploring narrative
structure as it is told simply
as a series of snapshots. Includes
the original story of Cinderella
that originated in the Tang
dynasty (AD 618-908) for
comparative work.
Hardback
978 0 582 84888 7 246pp £7.50
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