Your 11+ Exam Prep Reading Adventure

Reading is an 11+ exam preparation superpower! Each of the 40 books in our 11+ exam prep reading adventure has been chosen to act as a story-filled portal to new vocabulary and will help your child get to grips with challenging texts the fun way – no flashcards required!

Preparing for the 11+ exam is hard work for the whole family, but reading is a great way to boost your child's vocabulary and super-charge exam preparation time – the fun way!

TheSchoolRun asked secondary English teacher, parent and 11+ exam tutor Emma Larard to choose 40 books that are guaranteed to challenge your child and move their reading comprehension up a level. From wonderland to Blitz-torn London, Stone Age caves to Narnia, these titles will introduce your young reader to wonderful fictional worlds and classic texts. They'll fall in love with the stories they read – and pick up huge amounts of new, rich vocabulary as they immerse themselves in books.

For readers who are keen to boost their vocabulary further we also have KS1 classic book recommendations and KS2 kids' classics picks – and some 11+ vocabulary flashcards too!

How does reading help your child prepare for the 11 Plus exam?

Reading is essential for success in the 11 plus exam for several reasons:

• Improves vocabulary: reading exposes children to a wide range of vocabulary words they might not encounter in everyday conversation. Many 11 plus exams include verbal reasoning sections where a strong vocabulary is crucial.
• Enhances comprehension skills: the 11 plus exam often includes comprehension passages where students must read a passage and answer questions about it. Regular reading helps improve comprehension skills, including understanding main ideas, making inferences, and identifying details.
• Develops critical thinking: reading challenges children to think critically about what they're reading. They must analyse the text, make connections, and draw conclusions, skills that are useful in all sections of the 11 plus exam.
• Boosts writing skills: many 11 plus exams include a writing component where students must write an essay or a creative piece. Reading exposes children to different writing styles, structures, and techniques, which they can then incorporate into their own writing.
• Increases general knowledge: the 11 plus often includes questions that test general knowledge in subjects like science, history, and geography. Reading a variety of books exposes children to different topics and helps broaden their knowledge base.
• Builds concentration and focus: reading requires concentration and focus, which are essential skills for tackling the timed sections of the 11 plus exam.

Overall, regular reading not only helps children prepare for the specific sections of the 11 plus exam but also fosters a love of learning and improves academic performance in general!