The Sign of Four
Arthur Conan Doyle
A young governess, Mary Morstan, brings Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson a puzzle. Her father vanished ten years ago, and ever since, a single pearl has arrived for her by post every year. Now a mysterious letter asks her to meet a stranger at a London theatre and to bring two friends.
- Length
- About 43,000 words
- To read it
- About 29 days
- Stage
- GCSE
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 The Sign of Four is on the list
- Year 10, Stretch. A step up in length or difficulty, for a confident reader. AQA GCSE 19th-century novel.
- Year 11, Stretch. A step up in length or difficulty, for a confident reader. AQA GCSE 19th-century novel.
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.