Plymstock School Readers 2025

Little Bang
Little bang is a bittersweet romance showing mel being pregnant and the challenges and differences between her and other people in different aspect of her life which led which led to some bad decisions and as a teenager she learnt bad from good with the mistakes she made which will lead to a mature adulthood.

tomilola

Play
Play is an interesting story exploring the difficulty on men in their youth. The boys all go through struggles in their lives, especially trying to figure out who they are. Play talks about emotional and distressing topics but it is also good for spreading awareness of these topics in boys/teenagers.

Caitlyn

Glasgow Boys
I thoroughly enjoyed this book- it offered a wholesome romance while being relatable for many readers. I enjoyed the double perspective and the realness of the scenes which tackled mental health and academic stress and believe that this book encourages empathy towards everybody.

Grace

Play
This book was an adventure from start to finish: it was engaging and relatable as well as staying appropriate and effectively raising awareness to topics such as county lines, drug abuse and suicide. I have read many similar books but they have not handled the topic in such an empathetic and raw way before- this book truly allows the reader to step into the young boys' shoes and understand their individual coping methods and ways they navigate teenhood.

Grace

The Things We Leave Behind
I thought this book was wonderful: it handles the topic carefully and effectively makes the reader feel empathy for the characters by making you feel close to them. The structure of the book is easy to follow and engaging as well as being beautifully descriptive and a pleasure to read.

Grace

Little Bang
I really enjoyed Little Bang; it is a touching book with just the right amount of humour and seriousness which tackles a sensitive topic in the appropriate manner. I believe it effectively reduces the stigma around abortion and teen pregnancy while also being appropriate for young teens.

Grace

The Final Year
The Final Year is about a boys last year of primary school. There are some sad parts about Nate's brother and I found the book a bit depressing. It wasn't my favourite read but it I like the way it was written.

Francesca

The Final Year
I really enjoyed reading the final year as I felt like in some ways I could relate to the main character Nate. Another reason why I enjoyed this book was because it had moments where I would smile and moments where I would cry. Overall, I just really felt like I could connect to the book and immerse myself in it.

Lucy

The Things We Leave Behind
Includes spoilers! The Things we Leave Behind presents readers with a dystopian London, where Clem and her half-sister Billie escape on a journey to Scotland. Clare Furniss crafts an interesting narrative that explores themes of resilience. The novels includes richly developed characters and their complicated relationship. Clern's determination to protect her sister, Billie, is both heartwarming and heart-wrenching as they face challenges and difficult choices. The portrayal of a society in environmental and political panic creates a sense of urgency. I particularly liked the part when the reader realises Billie isn't alive and hasn't been alive for the majority of the book. It was very unexpected and took me by surprise. Although it did make me feel disappointed that Billie was not okay.

Faith