11 Plus Recommended Reading: A Parent’s Guide

Reading is one of the most powerful things you can do to prepare your child for the 11 Plus, and one of the easiest to fit into family life. Regular reading builds the vocabulary, comprehension and reasoning skills that grammar and independent school entrance papers test, and it does it in a way most children enjoy.

Why reading matters for the 11 Plus

The 11 Plus assesses how well a child can think, reason and understand what they read. A child who reads widely meets more words, more sentence structures and more ways of expressing ideas. That shows up directly in three places:

• Vocabulary: verbal reasoning questions reward children who know a wide range of words and their meanings.
• Comprehension: extracts are often taken from older or more challenging texts, so practice with similar writing makes a real difference.
• Reasoning: following a plot, predicting what happens next and understanding why characters act as they do all build the same thinking skills exams look for.

Books to start with

Classic children’s books are a brilliant starting point, because their language is richer than most modern fiction and they’re close to the style used in many exam extracts. Good first choices include:

• The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, a gentle story that builds empathy and introduces older vocabulary.
• The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, full of adventure and wonderful descriptive language.
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, a lively story that keeps reluctant readers turning the pages.
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, ideal for capturing a child’s imagination.
• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, perfect for younger readers building confidence.

How to support your child at home

• Make it a routine. Twenty minutes a day in a quiet, comfortable spot does more than an occasional long session.
• Read together. Take turns reading aloud and stop to talk about what’s happening and why.
• Talk about the book. Ask what they thought of the characters, what they would have done differently, and which words they didn’t know.
• Follow their interests. A child who chooses their own book is far more likely to finish it.
• Keep it enjoyable. A love of reading is worth more than any target, and it lasts long after the exam.

Take the guesswork out of choosing books

Finding the right books, at the right level, can take hours of searching through reading lists, and it’s easy to spend a small fortune on books your child never opens. Our Geek Readers Bookshelf gives your child a ready made library of classic books chosen for 11 Plus preparation, to read online or download and keep. It’s included with every Geek School reading club, where children read and discuss classic texts together each week with an English tutor.