Kensuke's Kingdom
Michael Morpurgo
When Michael's parents lose their jobs, the family sets sail round the world in their yacht, the Peggy Sue, with Stella the dog. One stormy night Michael and Stella are swept overboard and wash up on a tiny island. They seem to be alone, until food and water start appearing for them.
- Length
- About 42,000 words
- To read it
- About 28 days
- Stage
- Key Stage 2
Reading time at 1,500 words a day, the pace we start from until we know your child’s own.
Where it is taught
Why Kensuke's Kingdom is on the list
- Year 5, Core. The books most schools teach in this year. A good place to start.
Reading it here
What your child does with it
- 1
Choose it and set a finish date
You get a suggested target from the length of the book and your child's reading pace.
- 2
Check in along the way
A longer book has short check-ins every week or two, so it keeps moving and nothing is forgotten.
- 3
Answer two questions
When they finish: a review of the book, and a deeper question about how it works.
- 4
Get it marked, and redraft
Every answer is marked against the rubric for their year, with a reason for every score.