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June 5, 2026

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    • Blog, IB, IGCSE, University

      How To Write An Effective Conclusion

      14 Oct 2022
      Blog, IB

      IB Chinese Revision Tips

      07 Oct 2022
      News

      Congratulations to our IGCSE champs!

      21 Aug 2022
      News

      Congratulations to all our IB students!

      08 Jul 2022
      Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB

      Top 10 Summer 2024 Reads for Grade 12!

      06 Jul 2022
      Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB, IGCSE

      Summer 2023 Books to Read for Grade 11

      06 Jul 2022
      Blog, Extra Curriculars, IGCSE

      Top 10 Summer 2024 Reads for Grade 10!

      06 Jul 2022
      Blog, Extra Curriculars

      Summer 2022 Holiday Reads for Grade 9!

      06 Jul 2022
      Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB, IGCSE

      Summer Reading List 2023 for Grades 7 & 8!

      05 Jul 2022
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    Blog, IB, IGCSE, University

    How To Write An Effective Conclusion

    14 Oct 2022
    Blog, IB

    IB Chinese Revision Tips

    07 Oct 2022
    News

    Congratulations to our IGCSE champs!

    21 Aug 2022
    News

    Congratulations to all our IB students!

    08 Jul 2022
    Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB

    Top 10 Summer 2024 Reads for Grade 12!

    06 Jul 2022
    Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB, IGCSE

    Summer 2023 Books to Read for Grade 11

    06 Jul 2022
    Blog, Extra Curriculars, IGCSE

    Top 10 Summer 2024 Reads for Grade 10!

    06 Jul 2022
    Blog, Extra Curriculars

    Summer 2022 Holiday Reads for Grade 9!

    06 Jul 2022
    Blog, Extra Curriculars, IB, IGCSE

    Summer Reading List 2023 for Grades 7 & 8!

    05 Jul 2022
    « Previous 1 … 104 105 106 107 108 … 111 Next »

    Main idea. Check. Intro. Check. Purpose of Essay. Check. Effective Conclusion. Umm…

    Now let’s imagine this. You just had the best meal of your life. Scrumptious, juicy, and flavourful. And then came the dessert – a mousse that was chalky and grainy in texture. That perfect meal isn’t so perfect anymore.

    This is similar to a perfectly ruined essay. From our years of teaching experience, we have found that students lose important marks because they don’t end their answers well. Be it an IGCSE exam, an IB exam, or a University Essay, every component of your essay needs to be done properly. Some students begin very well, but then lose their flow in the middle, or even towards the end. By the time they’ve reached their conclusion, they’re in the middle of an ocean with no shore to swim to.

    "SpongeBob diligently crafting an effective conclusion - a humorous depiction of focused writing and thoughtful conclusion-building."

    This blog post should help give some insight into writing an effective conclusion that also functions as an appropriate ending or a close.

    But first, why is the conclusion so important?

    It is an appropriate close to a thesis statement or an argument. Where the thesis answers the ‘what’ or ‘why’, the conclusion answers the ‘so what now’. It leaves a lasting effect on the reader with a thought process to carry forward.

    Writing An Effective Conclusion for your essay

    1. PLAN
    "Image emphasizing the importance of organization and planning for crafting an effective essay conclusion. A visual representation of strategic thinking and thoughtful writing process."

    Our students know this. We teach them from the very beginning to plan their answers before they begin. This not only organizes your ideas in a logical sequence but you’re also equipped with points to include in your conclusion.

    A good body structure is the basis for a good conclusion.

    1. BE CONSISTENT
    "Visual representation highlighting the importance of consistency in crafting an essay conclusion. Consistent writing style and coherence contribute to a polished and impactful conclusion."

    While writing your conclusion, make sure that your tone and style are consistent with the rest of your thesis argument. A contradictory tone will confuse the endpoint and hamper your main ideas explained throughout.

    Your conclusion must reinstate the same points that you’ve touched upon, but try not to use them verbatim, and summarise your points in a brief manner.

    1. AVOID NEW SENTENCES OR IDEAS
    "Image advising against introducing new sentences or ideas in an essay conclusion. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus and summarizing existing content for a cohesive conclusion."

    Avoid bringing in new ideas in your conclusion. This is another thing that we notice in students’ answers. Bringing in new ideas does not do justice to them, and they also have no scope for exploration, nor do they add value as they’re left incomplete. Instead, shift these new points from your conclusion to your body paragraphs, giving them more scope for exploration.

    1. FORM A CONNECTION
    "Image underscoring the significance of a seamless connection between introduction, abstract, and conclusion in an essay. Demonstrating the coherence that ties the entire piece together for a comprehensive and unified reading experience."

    The point of your conclusion is to bring an appropriate end to your answer or essay. And, that means that you need to connect your closing statement with your opening statement. That makes the end of your answer look more structured, systematic, and cohesive.

    This displays your focus on organizing your ideas and sets a neat impression on the examiner or the admissions officer.

    Apart from these, here are other pointers to help you write a strong conclusion for your next writing project:

    1. Plan your conclusion just like you’d plan the rest of your essay to ensure a great flow of ideas.
    2. Maintain a consistent tone throughout your conclusion.
    3. End on a positive note.
    4. Rephrase and summarize your main points.
    5. Communicate the importance of your argument.
    6. Write with the intention of providing closure to the reader.
    7. Avoid beginning your conclusion with the words ‘in conclusion, to conclude, in summary, to recap’, etc.

    Here’s a brief outline to help you plan your conclusion paragraph:

    1. Topic sentence – This would be a repetition of your thesis statement or overarching idea. You must make sure not to repeat the exact words and yet retain the essence of the thesis.
    2. Supporting sentences – These should include all your important points that support your thesis statement, and express the importance of your ideas as well.
    3. Concluding sentence – Being the final word on the subject, the closing statement should connect back to an image or an anecdote that was initiated in the introductory paragraph.

    Remember, if you’re an IB or IGCSE student needing help with your essays, our experienced, dedicated teachers are there to guide you. Contact us!

    The most necessary task to do for an increase in productivity during exams is to revise the topics learned so far. The key is to not forget what you have learned and retain it for a long time. Memory is formed by revision that depends on consistency, frequency, and regularity. However, if it’s not planned properly, the process can become tedious. The IB Chinese with the course code CHIN 1002, is rather an easy-to-score paper if planned and revised properly. Here are a few tips which could be used to make revising less daunting. 

    Read and Highlight 

    Image depicting the effectiveness of reading and highlighting for IB Chinese revision. A study strategy that enhances comprehension and aids in focused review for exam preparation.

    Reading is a skill that can be nurtured and developed. Consistent reading practice will make you better at it day by day. While reading through a new text, it is also important to highlight the words that are unfamiliar to you. This will help improve your vocabulary and will also enable you to understand the text better.

    Since you are learning a new language, content mastery is also important.

    Write

    "Image illustrating the benefits of writing for IB Chinese revision. A study technique that reinforces memory, enhances language skills, and aids in thorough exam preparation."

    Documenting all the new words learned might help you navigate through the syllabus better. It can be beneficial if you are able to consolidate all the content you have been exposed to, into one place. Try to add at least 20 words every day to the list. This will broaden your vocabulary so that you are able to articulate concepts accurately and more effectively to others.

    Thus apart from learning your subject material, this will also increase your ability to communicate. Writing also helps in improving your spelling.

    Practice

    "Image emphasizing the significance of practicing for IB Chinese revision. Reinforcing language skills through active practice for effective exam preparation."

    As the famous proverb goes, “Practice maketh a man perfect”, it is important to continuously practice especially while learning a new language. It is advisable to write down each of the new words three times along with the English words so that you can comprehend them in a better way.

    Practicing 10 -20 new words every day and repeating the process when you read through another new lesson will help you in the long run.

    Stick to a study plan

    Image highlighting the importance of a study plan for revising IB Chinese. A structured approach to preparation, ensuring comprehensive coverage and effective understanding for exam success.

    With multiple distractions coupled with the intense rigor of the IB syllabus, students might find it hard to focus on studying, especially for their SL subjects such as IB Chinese. Hence, it is necessary for students to craft a study plan and stick to it. It is important to create a study plan that is feasible and realistic. Taking breaks in between your study hours is advisable.

    Every day, take 15-20 minutes to read a book that is not a part of your IB Chinese syllabus. When you learn any new words and phrases, find some friends speaking the language and practice what you have learned with them. 

    Learn with a Chinese Expert

    "Image promoting the benefits of improving IB Chinese through expert tutoring. Personalized guidance to enhance language proficiency and excel in IB Chinese studies."

    For those who come from non-Chinese speaking backgrounds and are not exposed to Chinese on a regular basis, the language will be challenging. They may need to spend extra time and effort learning the language and find themselves discouraged easily whenever they do not see large improvements. For this reason, it is beneficial to get extra help. 

    At Young Scholarz, students will have an allocated amount of time every week for targeted, personalized help in Chinese. You can register for 1:1 or group classes with us and learn from our expert Chinese teacher. Check out our IB Mandarin ab initio and IB Mandarin Language B at both SL and HL.

    “Mrs Sunita, I have 93% A* in English First Language”

    “Dear Sunita, thank you for your patience and guidance for the past two years. My son  scored A* for both English Language and English Literature.”

    (more…)

    “Thank you so so much for all your help, advice, love, and support all these years. You genuinely helped me build my confidence in English and I loved learning from you.”

    (more…)

    Reading has multiple benefits! To name a few it can help boost your mental health, it’s the ultimate relaxation, helps you understand history, develops your imagination and creativity, and opens up new avenues of learning. The benefits of reading help you give direction and help you become successful in life. And the best part? You get all these benefits while enjoying it! We know it can be daunting to decide what to read. We’re happy to help! We have made a list of the top 10 Summer 2024 reads suitable for grade 12 students who are ready to jump into intensive reading. 

    Download the checklist at the end to track your reading list. 

    Once you’ve finished our top picks? Fret not! We have an extensive list of books at the bottom for you bibliophiles. 

    Your Top 10 must-reads for grade 12

    1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    “Every book that has been written about artificial intelligence since Frankenstein owes something to Mary Shelley. I found the relationship between monster and creator compelling and fascinating”

    • The Guardian, dated August 6, 2014
    2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

    “Someone who likes suspense and adventure books would enjoy this. It also helps to have a good sense of humor.”

    • The Guardian, dated March 4, 2012
    3. Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

    “A compelling novel about the tragedy of corrupting power, set in post-independence Kenya…Ngugi writes with passion about every form, shape, and color which power can take.” 

    • ​Sunday Times
    4. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams 

    “Tennessee Williams’s 1955 masterpiece shows you a Mississippi world awash with whisky and lies. Brick – former college football star and impotent husband of Maggie the Cat – would rather numb himself to oblivion with booze than own up to the real nature of his relationship with his dead friend Skipper.”

    •  Review on independent.co
    5. The Trials of Brother Jero and Jero’s Metamorphosis by Wole Soyinka

    “(The play is) a broad spoof of a religious humbug, a con man of prophecy who lives by mulcting his worshipers, or ‘customers,’ as he calls them in moments of absent-minded lucidity.”

    • Review in Time magazine
    6. The Changeling by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley 

    “This punchy cocktail of modern parenting and ancient magic taps into contemporary unease and age-old fears. It follows Apollo Kagwa and Emma Valentine, who fall in love in a New York library and have a child. Parenthood’s feverish early days end in an act of brutal violence, and suddenly the anxieties of fatherhood, race, and money are dwarfed by otherworldly peril.”

    • The Guardian, dated September 1, 2018
    7. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

    “Crime and Punishment” is about many things—the psychology of crime, the destiny of families, the vanity and anguish of single men adrift. But, midway through the book, Dostoyevsky’s writerly exuberance allayed my worries. He’s an inspired entertainer, with his hectic style of comedy. His characters show up reciting their troubles and lineages, their lives “hanging out on their tongues,” as the critic V. S. Pritchett put it.”

    • Review in The New Yorker
    8. Beloved by Toni Morrison

    “Beloved” is one of the few American novels that take every natural element of the novel form and exploit it thoroughly, but in balance with all the other elements. The result is that it is dense but not long, dramatic but not melodramatic, particular and universal, shocking but reassuring, new but at the same time closely connected to the tradition of the novel, and likely to mould or change a reader’s sense of the world.”

    • The Guardian, dated July 8, 2006
    9. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie

    “What makes Midnight’s Children so extraordinar­ily important, and (for literary importance isn’t always matched by a fetching readability), what makes it so vertiginously excit­ing a reading experience, is the way it takes in not just the whole apple cart of India and the problem of being a novel about India but also, and this with the unflagging zest of a Tristram Shandy, the business of being a novel at all.”

    • Review published in TLT on 8 March 1981 after book’s release
    10. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

    “If you don’t like someone’s story,” Chinua Achebe told The Paris Review in 1994, “write your own.”

    In his first novel and masterpiece, “Things Fall Apart” (1958), Mr. Achebe…did exactly that. In calm and exacting prose, he examined a tribal society fracturing under the abuses of colonialism…In many respects “Things Fall Apart” is the “To Kill A Mockingbird” of African literature: accessible but stinging, its layers peeling throughout multiple readings. “

    • From the New York Times

    We’ve also designed a printable version of our Top 10 reading list to help you track your progress and reflect on the book(s) as you read. 

    You can download it using the button below. Feel free to print and share with your friends too.

    Happy Reading!

    << Download the printable version of our reading list >>

    << Download the complete IB Reading List here >>

    summer-reads-young-scholarz

    Summer books for teens offer abundant benefits. Research consistently links active reading to improved grades, but the advantages extend beyond the classroom. Delving into the world of summer books exposes you to multiple perspectives, broadens your horizons, and significantly enhances your vocabulary.

    Well, what about life after High School? Reading’s got that covered too. The more you read, the more your reading, writing, and comprehension skills get developed, thus preparing you for any competitive exam you need to take – the SAT, ACT, GMAT – you name it. 

    This Summer, whether you’re reading for a hobby or to build your skills, we’re here to support you. Having vast experience with the IB syllabus and popular reads, here is our recommended list of top 10 books. If you’re game to read more, we’ve got a longer list for you at the end of this article – they even have PDF links! 

    We hope you can read, enjoy, and benefit from many of these brilliant summer books over the summer. Here is Our Top 10 Reading list, with reviews from acclaimed critics:

    Human Acts – Han Kang

    human-acts-han-king-summer-books

    Out of many summer books, our first recommendation is Human Acts by Han King. By focusing on the logistics of cataloging the bodies, Han lulls us into the horror, and before we know it, we are there, inside the gymnasium, awe-struck by the amount of pain humans can inflict on one another and, in the obverse, the dignity with which the volunteers wash and care for the dead. In essence, we witness the impossibly large spectrum of humanity and wonder how it is that one end could be so different from the other.

    Nami Mun's reveiw of the novel in the New York Times, dated January 10, 2017.

    Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

    the-handmaids-tale-margaret-atwood-summer-books

    Fiercely political and bleak, yet witty and wise, the novel won the inaugural Arthur C Clarke award in 1987, but Atwood has always maintained that the novel is not classifiable science fiction. Nothing practiced in the Republic of Gilead is genuinely futuristic. She is right, and this novel seems ever more vital in the present day, where women in many parts of the world live similar lives, dictated by biological determinism and misogyny.

    Charlotte Newman’s review of the novel on its 25th Anniversary; The Guardian, September 26, 2016

    The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

    the-great-gatsby-scoot-fitzgerald-summer-books

    “Gatsby’s magic emanates not only from its powerhouse poetic style — in which ordinary American language becomes unearthly — but from the authority with which it nails who we want to be as Americans. Not who we are; who we want to be. It’s that wanting that runs through every page of Gatsby, making it our Greatest American Novel. But it’s also our easiest Great American Novel to underrate: too short; too tempting to misread as just a love story gone wrong; too mired in the Roaring Twenties and all that jazz.”

    Maureen Corrigan, in his book, ‘So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why it Endures'

    Klara and the Sun – Kazuo Ishiguro

    klara-and-the-sun-kazuo-ishiguro

    “ The narrative of Klara and the Sun is energized by the friction between two different types of love: one that is selfish, overprotective, and anxious, and one that is generous, open, and benevolent. It feels like a message for all of us as we go about our drearily circumscribed days. What’s beyond doubt is that Ishiguro has written another masterpiece, a work that makes us feel afresh the beauty and fragility of our humanity. “

    The Guardian, dated March 1, 2021

    One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich – Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

    one-day-in-the-life-of-ivan-denisovich-summer-books

    “The novel was a literary as well as a political bombshell; it received an enthusiastic reception on the part of liberal writers, a cautious one from the fence sitters, and it infuriated the die-hards.” 

    Leopold Labedz 

    The God of Small Things – Arundhati Roy

    the-god-of-small-things-arundhati-roy-summer-books

    “There is no single tragedy at the heart of Arundhati Roy’s devastating first novel. Although ”The God of Small Things” opens with memories of a family grieving around a drowned child’s coffin, there are plenty of other intimate horrors still to come, and they compete for the reader’s sympathy with the furious energy of cats in a sack. Yet the quality of Ms. Roy’s narration is so extraordinary — at once so morally strenuous and so imaginatively supple — that the reader remains enthralled all the way through to its agonizing finish.”

    Review in the New York Times

    Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert

    madame-bovary-summer-books

    “Not until the work of Flaubert did prose lose the stigma of aesthetic inferiority. Ever since Madame Bovary, the art of the novel has been considered equal to the art of poetry.”

    Milan Kundera in the preface of his novel, The Joke

    Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

    brave-new-world-aldous-huxley-summer-books

     “ Brave New World is a scary depiction of what could soon be our future. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well-written and thought-provoking novel.”.” 

    Review in The Guardian dated March 29, 2012

    Maus: A Survivor’s Tale – Art Spiegelman (Graphic Novel)

    Maus-summer-books

    “This was in equal parts outrageous, disturbing, subversive, witty — and yet somehow comforting,”

    Jeff Smith, director of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Festival, Ohio

    Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi (Graphic Novel)

    Persepolis-summer-books

    “…Sometimes funny and sometimes sad but always sincere and revealing.”

    Andrew Arnold of TIME, which included Persepolis in its "Best Novels of 2003" list

    We’ve designed a printable version of our Top 10 reading list to help you track your progress and reflect on the book(s) as you read. You can download it using the button below. We also have a complete IB Reading list with links to the books! Feel free to print and share with your friends too. 

    Happy Reading!

    << Download the printable version of our reading list >>

    << Download the complete IB Reading List here >>

    The Summer Break is coming up! We know you’re looking to make the most out of it before the fraught of grade 10 kicks in. We have made the perfect reading list to accompany and suit your every mood. Do you want to get lost in another world? Have a comfortable read? Go on an adventure? Or perhaps delve into a heart-touching story? We have got you covered. These top 10 Summer 2024 reads will not only quench your thirst for reading and learning but will also give you a headstart for grade 10!

    Get started with our carefully curated top ten with the help of our printable checklist at the bottom!

    We also have an extensive list of books if you check this list off!

    Here is Our Top 10 Reading list, with reviews from acclaimed critics

    1. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri 

    “(And yes, this is certainly a novel that explores the concepts of cultural identity, rootlessness, tradition, and familial expectation – as well as the way that names subtly (and not so subtly) alter our perceptions of ourselves – but it’s very much to its credit that it never succumbs to the clichés those themes so often entail. Instead, Lahiri turns it into something both larger and simpler: the story of a man and his family, his life and hopes, loves and sorrows.” 

    • The Guardian, dated January 17, 2004
    2. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

    “It is extremely engaging and not only is it a good laugh, but you get to travel along the journey of life with Kambili”

    • The Observer, dated October 27, 2015
    3. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 

    “Rebecca blends elements of psychological thriller, romance, and gothic horror. In many ways it is a retelling of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, but with stranger and more fascinating twists. So rarely do ‘classics’ qualify as page-turners, but Du Maurier’s novel fits the bill. It’s compelling and compulsively readable.”

    • Review by Tristen Brudy on readings.com
    4. Washington Square by Henry James 

    “We read James not for his stories or his characters but for the one thing that can’t be adapted: his mind. We know it, in its arguments with itself, it’s endlessly refining discernment, its flickering shifts and glints of wisdom.”

    • Review by Mona Simpson in The New Yorker
    5. Yerma by Federico García Lorca 

    “Lorca’s drama has a folkloric quality that can be summed up by a familiar children’s rhyme: the farmer wants a wife, the wife wants a child. Yet what happens after several barren summers when the wife is still trying, but the farmer is not trying nearly hard enough? Most interpretations focus on the anguish of Yerma’s continued failure to conceive in an oppressively Catholic, overtly superstitious society, which places faith in dubious fertility rites and regards childless women to be cursed.”

    •  The Guardian, dated October 28, 2011
    6. A Separate Peace by John Knowles 

    “I thought ‘A Separate Peace’ was a marvelous book. It was beyond anything he ever did later and anyone else had done of that sort” 

    • Gore Vidal on John Knowles’ book “A Separate Peace”
    7. A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney

    “a work of complete, exhilarating originality’ which provides a real escape from the middlebrow, middle-class vacuum of the West End”

    • Lindsay Anderson, prominent critic, of ‘The Taste of Honey’
    8. Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka 

    “A magnificent play, Death and the King’s Horseman transcends categorization with moments of comedy, poetry, music, philosophy, and drama. Soyinka speaks beautifully on death, life, and human nature in the play, and Mary Moody Northen Theatre and ProArts give us the full range in their vibrant, captivating, and true production.”

    • Review on theaustinchronical.com
     9. Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn Nottage 

    “The 17-year-old protagonist in Lynn Nottage’s “Crumbs From the Table of Joy” is free to indulge in Hollywood-fueled fantasies, but she also must confront the less glamorous reality of life in a troubled African-American family in Brooklyn in 1950.”

    • Review on variety.com
     10. A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

    “All I can say is that Mr. Williams has written a strong, wholly believable play that, starting in a low key, mounts slowly and inexorably to its shocking climax.”

    • Review in The Theatre by Wolcott Gibbs in 1947

    We’ve designed a printable version of our Top 10 reading list to help you track your progress and reflect on the book(s) as you read. 

    You can download it using the button below. Feel free to print and share with your friends too.

    Happy Reading!

    << Download the printable version of our reading list >>

    << Download the complete IGCSE Reading List here >>

    Grade 9 is the start of an exciting phase of learning with new IGCSE subjects to delve into. Yet, it can also be daunting too – with the pressure of Grade 10 looming ahead and the urgency to “improve your grades before it’s too late”. We’ve found the perfect way for you to both enjoy your vacation and use it productively. Here’s introducing you to the world of books! 

    Reading widely not only supports written subjects such as English, History, Geography, Drama, Economics and Global Citizenship, but also gives you an awareness of the world around you. Giving you new perspectives through the experiences of others, it lays rich foundations for your future IB studies, thus enabling you to learn without even knowing it. 

    To get you started we have carefully hand picked a full list of valuable prose and drama texts from the IGCSE Literature curriculums as well as personal recommendations. The full list can be accessed at the bottom of this page. We hope you are able to read as many of these brilliant works from over the summer. 

    Here is Our Top 10 Reading list, with reviews from acclaimed critics: 

    1. Hard Times by Charles Dickens (Prose)

    “(A) passionate revolt against the whole industrial order of the modern world” 

    • George Bernard Shaw’s review
    1. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (Prose)

    “A fabulous romp through an imagination by turns ecstatic, cunning, despairing and resilient, this novel is an impressive achievement—”a story that will make you believe in God,” as one character says.”

    • Review by Publishersweekly.com
    1. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera (Drama)

    “The genius of the movie (Play) is the way it sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough and genuinely moving.”

    • Roger Ebert’s review of the movie based on the bestselling Play. 
    1. Journey’s End by R C Sherriff (Drama)

    “At the end of the evening, in common with the rest of the audience, I went out into the street ennobled and simplified by a superb experience … For ten years we have demanded the truth about the War…Here in this play, “Journey’s End,” it is at last recovered.”

    • Hugh Walpole’s review in The Morning Post in 1929
    1. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay (Prose)

    “In the seemingly limitless pantheon of gone-girl literature, “Picnic at Hanging Rock” might take the prize for best setting.”

    •  Jia Tolentino’s review on Newyorker.com
    1. The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan (Prose)

    “The secret of Amy Tan’s enormous popularity is her ability to give a western audience nicely finessed representations of the exotic while convincing them of the universality of her themes. Here, as previously, her subject is the tension between a first-generation Chinese-American woman and her awkwardly semi-assimilated mother. Tan is at once standing on the inside – the purveyor of secret histories and forgotten traditions – and shaking her head in bewilderment from without.”

    • The Guardian, dated March 24, 2001
    1. Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert L Stevenson (Prose)

    “I don’t believe that there was ever such a literary feat before as the writing of Dr Jekyll. I remember the first reading as though it were yesterday. Louis came downstairs in a fever; read nearly half the book aloud; and then, while we were still gasping, he was away again, and busy writing. I doubt if the first draft took “so long as three days.”

    • Lloyd Osborne, Stevenson’s stepson, talking about the novel and Stevenson’s writing experience
    1. Of Mice and men by John Steinbeck (Prose)

    “The book is great, not only because of the great use of description, but the characters, because Steinbeck shows how children are, in some cases, better people than adults in the way that they do not judge people because they do not see people or things from that point of view.”

    • Children’s Review, The Guardian, dated, 21 December 2013
    1.  A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (Drama) 

    “In some ways …Miss Williams’s (a character in the play) flinty, intelligent underplaying keeps sentimentality at bay to give us a woman of commanding strength and pride. In her triumphant final moment – in which she takes a last look at her tenement home before leaving it forever – we can almost feel Lorraine Hansberry herself looking ahead to the future that she helped make but, tragically, never knew.”

    • Frank Rich, writing for the 25th Anniversary of the play, in The New York Times, dated Oct. 5, 1983
    1. An Inspector Calls by JB Priestley (Drama)

    “An Inspector Calls is scathing in its criticism of middle-class hypocrisy. The play gives voice to Priestley’s strong socialist principles, and carries a clear moral message, stressing the importance of social responsibility: ‘We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other”

    • The British Library

    We’ve designed a printable version of our Top 10 reading list to help you track your progress and reflect on the book(s) as you read. 

    You can download it using the button below. Feel free to print and share with your friends too.

    Happy Reading!

    << Download the printable version of our reading list >>

    << Download the complete IGCSE Reading List here >>

    summer-reading-igcse-ib

    Engaging in summer reading early not only lays a strong foundation for your education but also nurtures personal growth. It enhances your ability to express yourself, broadens your worldview, and cultivates critical thinking skills.

    We’ve carefully created a recommended Top 10 book list which you can also download and print to use as a checklist and track your reading progress through the summer! 

    The full reading list is also available in case you complete these 10 books. Click here to download it. 

    Here is Our Top 10 Reading list, with reviews from acclaimed critics: 

    The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros 

    “Cisneros draws on her rich [Latino] heritage . . . and seduces with precise, spare prose, creat[ing] unforgettable characters we want to lift off the page. She is not only a gifted writer but an absolutely essential one.” 

    Bebe Moore Campbell of the New York Times Book Review

    The Outsiders by SE Hinton

    the-outsiders-summer-reading

    “The Outsiders is a classic in young adult fiction that revolutionized the genre by presenting adolescent characters that were the opposite of everything a teenager, by adult standards, should have been.”

    The Guardian, dated September 23, 2015

    The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

    the-whale-rider-summer-reading

    “The genius of the movie (Play) is the way it sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough, and genuinely moving.”

    Roger Ebert's review of the movie is based on the bestselling Play

    The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 

    the-hobbit-summer-reading

    “This is the adventure of a lifetime. You will not be disappointed. I would give this book a solid 9/10 because it was just a great read overall. Being at the same level as the Lord of the Rings is no mean feat, but this book manages it with ease! ”

    The Guardian, dated July 18, 2013

    Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

    great-expectations-charles-dickens-summer-reading

    Altogether we take great joy in recording our conviction that Great Expectations is a masterpiece.

    Review in The Atlantic

    The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 

    the-absolutely-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-summer-reading

    There is something in the force of Alexie’s description that captures your heart, even while some of his raunchiest statements can turn your stomach…Knowing that he fought a successful fight against all the things that oppressed him as a kid gives (the book) even greater resonance. Hope is indeed the thing with feathers.

    Jana Siciliano's review on Bookreporter.com

    The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

    the-hate-you-give-summer-reading

    “Beautifully written in Starr’s authentic first-person voice, this is a marvel of verisimilitude.”

    Michael Cart writing in Booklist

    The Giver by Lois Lowry 

    the-giver-summer-reading

    “With a storyline that hints at Christian allegory and an eerie futuristic setting, this intriguing novel calls to mind John Christopher’s Tripods trilogy and Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl. Lowry is once again in top form – raising many questions while answering few, and unwinding a tale fit for the most adventurous readers.”

    Review by PublishersWeekly.com

    The Lord of the Flies by William Golding 

    the-lord-of-the-flies-summer-reading

    “I can promise you that you’ll finish the book, left with a new and fresh outlook on the world around you and perhaps a thought as to what exactly Lord of the Flies is about. Indeed its inner meaning is very dark, making the reader wonder how thin the line between good and evil really is.”

    The Guardian, dated January 24, 2012

    The Boys Who Challenged Hitler by Phillip Hoos

    the-boys-who-challenged-hitler-summer-readeing

    The heroism in Phillip Hoose’s “The Boys Who Challenged Hitler” reads almost like a pulp-fiction tale of juvenile swashbuckling…Told in straightforward, even prosaic language, this account will help young readers imagine themselves in the midst of the unimaginable — and will show them how kids much like them managed to survive.”

    M.T. Anserson reviewing for The New York Times, dated September 11, 2015

    Do share this summer reading list with your friends too! Happy Reading!

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