Summer Reading List for 11+ and Entrance Exam Students

If your child is sitting the 11+ or entrance exams for selective schools like Altrincham Grammar, Loreto Grammar, Sale Grammar, Stretford Grammar, Manchester Grammar School, Manchester High School for Girls or Stockport Grammar School, one of the simplest and most effective ways to boost their English skills over the summer is through regular reading.

A good reading habit builds vocabulary, improves comprehension and sharpens inference skills, all vital for success in these competitive exams. It also helps prevent that dreaded ‘going backwards over the summer holidays’ problem I hear so many parents worry about.

In this blog, I’ve put together a carefully chosen reading list designed to engage, challenge and prepare children for the types of texts and language styles they’ll encounter in entrance exams.

✅ Why Summer Reading Matters

The comprehension passages in 11+ and independent school entrance exams often come from older or more formal texts, with unfamiliar words and complex sentence structures.

Regular reading helps children:

• Get used to varied writing styles

• Build a broader vocabulary

• Improve inference and deduction skills

• Develop stamina for reading longer passages under timed conditions

It also gives them fresh ideas and examples to draw on in creative writing sections.

✅ Recommended Summer Reading List

Here’s a mix of classic, contemporary, adventurous and challenging reads to help build the skills examiners love to see:

📚 Modern & Accessible Stories

• Wonder by R.J. Palacio

• The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf

• A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

• Orphans of the Tide by Struan Murray

These build empathy, comprehension and inference skills through character-driven narratives.

📚 Classic Literature to Challenge Vocabulary

• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Ideal for getting children used to older language styles and descriptive passages.

📚 Short Story Collections (Great for Busy Summer Days)

• Short! and Even More Short! by Kevin Crossley-Holland

• Goodnight Mister Tom: Puffin Modern Classics (try one chapter at a time)

These improve reading stamina and introduce literary techniques like similes, metaphor and symbolism.

📚 Non-Fiction to Build General Knowledge & Vocabulary

• Young, Gifted and Black by Jamia Wilson

• The Extraordinary Life of Malala Yousafzai by Hiba Noor Khan

• Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World by Kate Pankhurst

Many entrance exams feature non-fiction extracts, and these help build understanding of tone, viewpoint and formal vocabulary.

✅ Tips for Making Summer Reading a Success

• Let your child choose a few titles they’re interested in.

• Read alongside them occasionally and chat about what’s happening in the story.

• Use ‘what do you think might happen next?’ and ‘how do you think that character feels?’ questions to build inference skills.

• Encourage them to jot down new words and guess their meanings.

Even 15–20 minutes a day can make a huge difference by September.

✅ How One-to-One Tutoring Can Help

In my 11+ and entrance exam tutoring sessions, I:

• Use tailored comprehension extracts from a range of texts like these.

• Help children tackle unfamiliar language and sentence structures.

• Teach exam skills like skim-reading and quick inference.

• Build confidence with creative writing inspired by characters and themes from these stories.

I can also recommend reading lists tailored to your child’s specific interests to keep them engaged, because when children enjoy what they’re reading, they make faster progress.

Final Thoughts

A good summer reading habit is one of the simplest ways to keep your child’s English skills sharp and entrance exam-ready. This carefully chosen list combines enjoyment with challenge and will help prevent them going backwards over the summer holidays.

I have a limited number of one-to-one tutoring slots available both online and in-person across Stockport, Cheshire, Trafford and surrounding areas. Contact me today for a private tutoring quote,  whether it’s for tailored 11+ practice, entrance exam skills or English confidence-building over the summer.

Visit my Contact page to get in touch.