Amy Smith Literature

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Reading for Pleasure: What is It?
Sep 20, 2025 · original
It has been a busy few weeks in the realm of engaging students with reading. Our Year 6 Summer Reading Challenge has drawn to a close (with students responding creatively to the novel they read over the 6 weeks), Open Evening in the school library (where students added their favourite books to our “shelfie” display), and prizes for the “1000 Minute Reading Challenge” (download here ). As well as that, I have been having lots of conversations with staff from all subject areas about how we can promote “reading for pleasure”. If you’re following this series of blogposts, you will already know that I’m particularly interested in engaging with students in Year 9 and above – where there is a relative dearth of resources (in comparison to the wealth of ideas available online for students in Key Stages 2 and 3). I want to inspire these students to experience the joy of RfP – which @blodwyn22 des
Reading for Pleasure: Inspiring Older Students
Sep 20, 2025 · original
A long time has passed since my last blog post: too long! I have almost forgotten the joy of writing these. But in that time I have been working on another project (watch this space), as well as some resources for students: my Macbeth revision videos are now available here and my updated Othello teaching booklet is available here . Feel free to use, chop, or change them for your students. I have also started some work on Keats, which is here . Another area I have been working on is the thorny topic of reading for pleasure. If you have been following me for a while, you will know that I have been interested in this for quite some time. However, since Christmas I have been more intentional in my reading and research, revelling in the sheer exuberance of many Young Adult books and exploring how and why we should be encouraging students to read beyond the curriculum. You will be familiar wit
Historical fiction reading recommendations (Summer 2024)
Aug 24, 2024 · original
Reflecting on my reading over the past year, I have found that I have been drawn to a considerable amount of historical fiction, most of which takes the lives of marginalised women as a starting point. Here are my top recommendations in this genre – as usual, in no particular order. The Maiden by Kate Foster In June I did a literary walking tour of Edinburgh (I know, a book geek’s dream!), and then we went down into the dank warren known as Mary King’s Close. It was then that I discovered that what I had imagined to be Edinburgh’s underground tunnels were technically not underground at all; instead, the closes that run perpendicular to the Royal Mile and cut steeply downwards actually mark the original street level. From the 18th century onwards, these closes were gradually covered over by new buildings, leaving the old streets, houses, and businesses below ground level. So when a friend
Non-Fiction Reading Recommendations (Summer 2024)
Aug 16, 2024 · original
Anyone who follows me on Twitter/X or who has spoken to me about reading knows that I find non-fiction tricky to read. The reason for this is that I need a strong narrative to drive the book forward, and I quickly get bogged down by the level of detail in non-fiction. Will I need to remember what year an event took place in, or the precise definition of a scientific term, or which theorist disagreed with someone else? So this year, I’ve challenged myself to read more non-fiction, focussing on the narrative and not worrying too much about remembering all of the details (I can always look it up later, right?). I am not an absolute convert, but this approach has helped me warm to non-fiction a little bit more! Anyway, in no particular order, here are my recommendations from the last year. A History of Britain in 21 Women by Jenni Murray This is exactly the kind of non-fiction text I can get
Young Adult Fiction: Recommendations (Summer 2024)
Aug 10, 2024 · original
When I started my teacher training, my PGCE tutor recommended that I read more Young Adult fiction. Having graduated from children’s books to fantasy (mainly Tolkien) to “books for grown ups”, I almost completely skipped the YA genre in my teenage years. Consequently, I was unaware of the wealth of absolute brilliance written for young people. In my current role leading on reading at school, I have plunged into the world of YA fiction so that I can design relevant resources and make reading recommendations. So here are my top 10 recommendations of YA books. I have read many of these while collaborating with our fabulous Curriculum Leaders for RS, Computer Science, and English to create reading challenges for Key Stage 3. Our focus has been compiling selections of books which will function as satellite texts for the schemes of work in these subject areas, but which are also highly engagin
Jekyll and Hyde Character Analysis 4: Dr Lanyon
Jun 15, 2024 · original
Stevenson first introduces Dr Hastie Lanyon when Utterson goes to seek his help. Lanyon is described as a “hearty, healthy, dapper, red-faced gentleman… [with] a boisterous and decided manner”. Here, Stevenson is at pains to emphasise Lanyon’s energy and enthusiasm for life, as well as his “decided” (determined, definite) opinions about both friendship and science. It is these definite opinions which has led Lanyon and Jekyll to fall out with one another: Lanyon describes Jekyll’s experimental medicine as “unscientific balderdash”. Yet in this initial description, Stevenson also mentions that there is something “theatrical” about Lanyon’s behaviour: like Jekyll and Enfield, is Lanyon also playing a part? Is he concealing a different type of behaviour and darker desires? Stevenson builds on this hint later in the novel, when Jekyll/Hyde writes to Lanyon asking for help. Jekyll has complet
Jekyll and Hyde Character Analysis 3: Mr Utterson
Jun 12, 2024 · original
It might be surprising that a novel entitled The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde begins with a description of an entirely different character: Mr Utterson. Stevenson places Utterson in the position of the detective, whose task is to gather knowledge relating to the mystery of Jekyll and Hyde – and who guides the reader through the events. In Chapter 1, Stevenson emphasises Utterson’s role as a stereotypical Victorian gentleman and highlights his reliability. This is necessary as the lawyer is the focaliser for the strange and increasingly unbelievable events which are to follow: Stevenson needs to build trust between Utterson and the reader. Therefore, in Chapter 1, we quickly discover that Utterson was “austere with himself”, avoiding indulging in hedonistic activities. For instance, Utterson has not been to the theatre for 20 years, and “drank gin to mortify a taste for vintages”
Jekyll and Hyde Character Analysis 2: Mr Hyde
Jun 8, 2024 · original
Stevenson introduces Hyde through Enfield’s description of the trampling of the young girl. Enfield recalls that Hyde was “like some damned Juggernaut” – a simile which reinforces his strength, violence, and inhumane callousness – going on to say that he “trampled calmly over the child’s body”. The juxtaposition of Hyde’s attack and the girl’s innocence highlights his brutality. This tale also establishes the novel’s central mystery: what is the connection between Jekyll and Hyde? The girl’s family blackmail Hyde to keep them quiet about the attack, and to pay them off he hands them a cheque signed by Dr Jekyll. When Utterson hears this story, he starts to reflect on Jekyll’s will, in which all his money is left to Hyde. Stevenson misdirects the reader by following Utterson’s train of thought: the reliable lawyer believes that the connection between Jekyll and Hyde will lead to “disgrace
Jekyll and Hyde Character Analysis 1: Dr Jekyll
Jun 5, 2024 · original
In a novel entitled The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde , it may seem strange that Jekyll is introduced fairly far into the text: this allows Stevenson to build tension and mystery around the novel’s protagonist. When Jekyll is introduced, he is presented as a wealthy and educated gentleman who is clearly hiding a dark secret – a secret which is connected to the will in which Jekyll leaves all his money to the violent Mr Hyde. When Utterson questions Jekyll about this, “there came a blackness about [the doctor’s] eyes”, a phrase Stevenson uses to hint at the repressed side of his personality. Despite the warning look in Jekyll’s eyes, Utterson pursues his questions, and Jekyll responds: “the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr Hyde”. Through this strong statement, Stevenson reveals Jekyll’s hubris and lack of self-knowledge: the crux of the story is that Jekyll is not in control an
Macbeth Character Analysis 7: Banquo
May 30, 2024 · original
At the start of the play, Shakespeare parallels Macbeth and Banquo. Both are courageous warriors responsible for winning the battles against Ireland and Norway, and both are described in Act 1 Scene 2 as fearsome animals (“eagles” and like a “lion”). Duncan rewards both men for their bravery, making Macbeth Thane of Cawdor and telling Banquo that he will make him “full of growing”. And both receive prophecies from the witches. However, it is in their responses to the witches that Banquo and Macbeth start to differ. Whereas Shakespeare presents Macbeth as believing in the witches almost immediately, Banquo reasons that “to win us to our harm, / The instruments of darkness tell us truths”. Shakespeare shows how Banquo is more sceptical than Macbeth, and that he is better at spotting the truth: Banquo recognises the witches as “instruments” of the devil, who spread “darkness” – or evil – in

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