‘Bold, brilliant, thrilling’: leading authors on the novels every school should teach
A new term, a new PM … time for a new English curriculum? We ask writers from Ben Okri to Samantha Harvey to pick books that will inspire a lifelong love of reading
TL;DR
- There's a decline in children reading for pleasure, prompting a review of the GCSE English curriculum.
- The current curriculum heavily favors a few male-authored texts, with very few female authors represented.
- Schools are disincentivized from changing texts due to costs and commercial concerns, leading to a lack of diversity.
- Authors recommend a variety of books that promote empathy, explore diverse themes, and are more engaging for young readers.
- Suggestions include works by Claire Keegan, Ted Chiang, Jean Rhys, and anthologies of African and LGBTQ+ literature.