Sophie’s first book for July was Go Big by Matthew Burton. This really useful book is a guide for kids about to head up to secondary school, and will also be useful for those kids who have recently made the transition. The book is aimed at a British audience and covers the British secondary school experience which can be very different from the US one, although Sophie is sure many sections would translate easily.

Written by a headteacher with lots of school experience, Go Big is divided into four main sections. “On The Way Up” covers some of the biggest fears kids may have about moving to “big school” including getting lost and the myths and rumors that swirl around the move. Sophie agrees that despite hearing about it, she has never known anyone who actually got their head flushed down a toilet.

Section two, “Getting Comfortable” encourages kids to embrace their weirdness, frankly discusses bullying and what to do if it happens to you, handling friendships and fallouts, and it also talks about why uniforms are a necessary evil. “Conquering Challenges” – section three – covers exams, how to handle subjects you struggle with, and what might happen if you find yourself getting into trouble with explanations of terms like detention, isolation, and exclusion. The final section is “Leaping Into the Future” and looks at careers and what to do after final exams.

With a son coming to the end of Year Five, Sophie thinks this book will be invaluable for him and his friends and will be encouraging him to consult it when he has questions and fears about his upcoming move. She highly recommends it to all parents of Year Five and Year Six kids.