Books have the rare ability to transport us to places and worlds different from our own, expanding our horizons and enriching our awareness of the world in which we live.
Inviting students and staff to travel through literature to each of the world’s seven continents, the George Green’s Reading Challenge for 2022 is to Read Around the World.
To complete the challenge, read a book either by an author from or set in a country in each of the world’s seven continents in any order:
1. Africa 2. South America 3. North America 4. Asia 5. Europe 6. Oceania 7. Antarctica
Share your reading experience of Reading Around the World by: – change yourOffice 365 icon to the book cover you are currently reading and include it in your email signature for example: Currently reading: When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten – tag @ friend or teacher in your class or form class TEAMS channel to recommend a book directly – write a review to let everyone know what you thought – simply email these to LRC@georgegreens.com and we’ll post it
We have a lot of books from around the world and by international writers in the LRC. To help get started, please look at our recommendations below and explore Book Reviews also which contains many titles from around the world. For older readers, please flick through the host of recommendations below from staff
If there is a book you’d like to read for the challenge but cannot find in the LRC, please email LRC@georgegreens.com or speak to Ms Brown or Ms Harrison and we’ll happily get it in.
We hope you take on the challenge to read more literature from around the world and that you the journey inspiring and rewarding.
Good luck!
1. Africa:
Set in Malawi (biography)
Set in Kenya (thriller, murder mystery, best for Year 9+)
A YA fantasy novel inspired by Nigerian mythology (best for Year 9+)
Set in Cape Town, South Africa (fantasy fiction)
Set in Nigeria (fantasy novel, best for Year 8+)
Set in Dadaab a refugee camp in Kenya, this has captured the hearts of all students and staff who have read it (see Book Reviews)
Set in Nigeria (society and culture, bildungsroman, best for Year 11+)
Set in Nigeria (think Black Panther meets Percy Jackson best for Year 7/8)
Set in Nigeria (adventure, best for Year 7 to age 90!)
2. South America:
Set in Mexico (mystery, YA best for Year 10+)
Set in Ecuador (fictionalised biography best for Year 8+)
Set in Guatemala (historical fiction)
Argentinean cartoon series recommended by the MLF Faculty.
Set deep in the Ecuadoran jungle.
By the Brazilian author Paulo Coelho and one of the most widely translated international bestsellers.
3. North America:
Set in Cuba (sport, Bildungsroman)
Set in Cuba (poetry, fictionalised biography best for Year 8+)
Set in Cuba (YA Fiction, best for Year 9+)
Set in Jamaica (mystery, fiction)
Set in New York City, United States (fiction, Bildungsroman)
Set in Indiana, United States (romance, YA fiction)
Set in Barbados (mystery, fiction)
Set in the Native American Ojibwe community in Michigan, US (mystery, thriller, best for Year 10+)
Set in Canada (thriller)
Set in Alaska, United States (historical fiction, Bildungsroman, best for Year 9+)
Set in Harlem, New York, United States (fiction, Bildungsroman, best for Year 10+)
Set in United States (bildungsroman YA fiction)
4. Asia:
Set in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia (Bildungsroman, fiction)
Set before and after the independence of India and subsequent division with Pakistan (historical fiction, read reviews here).
Set in the Philippines at the end of 19th Century (Bildungsroman, historical fiction)
Set in India (Bildungsroman, fiction)
Set in Japan for Japanophiles of all ages
Set in the Bangladesh (Bildungsroman, fiction, best for Year 10+)
Set in Seoul Korea (dramatic fantasy-romance novel, best for Year 9+)
Set in Qatar (fiction think Sun is Is Also a Star, best for Year 10+)
Set in North Korea (memoir, best for Year 10+)
Set in Japan (fantasy-romance novel, best for Year 7+)
Set in Japan (epic fantasy fiction, mythology best for Year 9+)
15 popular Asian folktales and myths (young adult fiction, Folklore, Fantasy Fiction)
Set in Japan/US (Bildungsroman)
5. Europe:
Set in Sweden (Bildungsroman, feel-good YA best for Year 8+)
Set in Paris, France (romance, comedy)
Set in Finland (fiction)
Set in Austria (WWI) (fantasy fiction)
Set in Russia (fantasy fiction, best for Year 9+)
Set in Paris but focuses on the experiences of Moroccan immigrants (best for Year 9+).
Set in Italy (modern fiction in translation)
Set in post war Madrid (historical fiction, best for Year 11+)
A road trip around Europe (best for Year 10+).
6. Oceania:
Set in Australia (mystery, YA best for Year 9+)
Set in Papua New Guinea during the civil war in 1990s (best for Year 10+)
Set in Australia (mystery, ghost story best for Year 10+)
7. Antarctica:
Set in Antarctica (quirky, ‘a love letter to ballet’)
Following the last of the Arctic terns (birds) to Antarctica (adventure fiction, best for Year 9+)
