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Friendship - The story of Skellig revolves around a unique and unexpected friendship between Michael, a young boy, and Skellig, an older man living in the garage. The bond between them transcends normal boundaries, and as they spend more time together, Michael discovers the power of friendship to create understanding and joy.

Nature - Skellig introduces readers to a magical world of nature through its enchanting descriptions of wildlife, creatures and plants found in Michael’s backyard. Michael slowly begins to realise how connected he is with everything else in the world through his interactions with animals and observing the beauty of nature.

Death - The story takes on a darker tone when it deals with mortality and death. With Skellig’s deteriorating health, readers are given an insight into how death can be thought about differently. Through this exploration, we gain a deeper appreciation for life and value each moment more fully.

Discovery- Michael discovers many unexpected things about himself and those around him throughout his journey with Skellig. He finds strength within himself that allows him to accept and understand the challenges he encounters. At the same time, Michael also believes that miracles can happen when one least expects them.

Heroism - Greek heroes tend to share uncommon strength, immense bravery, and noble morality. They also depend upon a certain degree of clever ingenuity to achieve success. For example, Perseus could not have killed Medusa if he did not have the smarts to steal the Gray Women's eye. Exceeding the limits of average men, the heroes act somewhere between gods and mortals in the hierarchy of the Greek myths. Their stories are some of the most memorable; consider Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus. Through these figures, the modern reader can understand many Greek values.

Fate - Throughout the myths, fate appears as a powerful force that no human or god may contend with.  Cronus received a prophecy that he would be overthrown by his son, as did King Laius. Both men tried to prevent the outcome, and both failed. In this sense, mankind and gods share a similarly naive character when it comes to reconciling themselves to fate. But these tales raise the question of who controls fate, if not the gods. Is there an even higher power than those on Mount Olympus, if even the gods cannot control fate? Or is fate just a way of characterizing the truth about what will happen at a future time?

Sacrifice - Sacrifices recur throughout the Greek myths, not just because physical sacrifice was significant in ancient Greek societies.  Antigone stands as the best example, for she sacrifices herself in order to bury her brother. Pyramus and Thisbe sacrifice themselves for each other. Baucis and Philemon sacrifice their comfort in order to house two travelers in their small house. In these and other cases, heroism becomes something not just reserved for strong people (like Hercules) but a quality that any common person can achieve. Through sacrifice, characters are rewarded by gods and stand as good examples to the characters surrounding them. In the case of Baucis and Philemon, this example is so extreme that the gods flood out everyone else in the village. While it is not easy, as Prometheus can attest, sacrifice often must be made for the sake of honor and morality rather than simply out of the love of one's own.

Famiy

Loss

Death

Hope

Disabilities  

Friendship

Roman History

Make a change - At the heart of the book is the message that we can all make change and that there is still something we can do to help our planet. It encourages team work, friendships and working together to make a better place for us all to live.

The Environment

Sustainability

Imagination

Responsibility

Dreams and Goals

Resilience

Bravery

Friendship

Fate — the story of the family curse by Madame Zeroni has a huge impact on the Yelnats family. It affected all the generations of their family until it was broken. Although, it is still a fairy tale element that makes a clever reader question whether the curse really existed, or is merely an excuse for all the failures the family encountered.Justice — Stanley is accused of a crime he did not commit, and he is punished for it. The reader has an opportunity to rethink the modern criminal justice system and note its weaknesses. Another side of justice that we see is in relation to Kissin’ Kate and her murders. Her loved one was killed and she attempts to fight for justice in her own ways and becomes a criminal.

Choices — characters throughout the book face many situations where their choices affect their lives. Elya Yelants chooses to go to America and neglects the promise he had given to Madame Zeroni. His choice influences his life and generations after him. Then, Stanley chooses to go after Zero, which also has plenty of consequences for his family, this time positive. Here, themes of choice and fate are contradictory: do characters determine with their actions what will happen to them, or are they merely predetermined plans of fate?

Power — many characters throughout the story exercise and abuse power. Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski have absolute control over the boys and their time at Camp Green Lake. They even decide when they have water—a necessity without which survival is impossible. When Mr. Sir does not see eye to eye with Stanley, he demonstratively pours water on the ground instead of giving it to him. He therefore shows him who is in charge, and emphasizes that Stanley and other kids are nothing compared to him.

Transformation — Stanley undergoes many transformations in the story. He gets to Green Lake Camp as an abused and bullied teenager, but through a series of relationships with other boys he becomes more confident and ends up being able to stand up for himself. Another vivid transformation happens to Katherine Barlow. At first, she is a sweet and caring schoolteacher. Later, she becomes a murderer who cold-heartedly kills everyone who gets in her way.

The Battle Between Good and Evil - The two main characters in the magical world, Wizard Howl and the Witch of the Waste, are engaged in a battle which is essentially good versus evil. The theme in this novel also extends to showing that being good or evil is a choice as several times it is wondered whether Howl, who was always on the side of good, has turned towards evil instead. The theme is also that through choosing the right path good will prevail.

Love - The novel is a love story of sorts and love dictates the actions of many of the characters. Howl is said to steal the hearts of young girls and metaphorically he does this. When they fall in love with him he loses interest. Sophie is in love with Howl which he knows and for this reason he believes she will keep Miss Angorian from coming in the castle. Sophie is anxious to show she is not jealous about his feelings for her and so let's her in,both courses of action setting off the trail of events that end in the Witch's demise, but both courses of action caused by love. The relationships of Michael and Lettie, and also Fanny and her new husband, also play into the theme of love

Magic - Magic is one of the main themes of the book. Magic is seen to be something that is pursued as a career choice rather than something that's comes from within, but there are also those in whom the gift lies unbeknownst to them, and Sophie is one of these people. The book shows that magic is magic and only becomes good magic or black magic according to the intentions of the person practicing it.

Importance of Family- Family is a positive theme throughout the novel and although Sophie stays away from her beloved sisters because she can't bear for them to know she has been turned into a crone, they in fact already know and are doing everything they can in order to protect her. She in turn is trying to protect them from the broken hearts she knows Howl will cause them. Similarly Howl will do anything to protect his family from the Witch and does not need magic to do so as his love for them is more powerful than any magic he possesses.

Loyalty - Beowulf celebrates a warrior culture. For this reason, loyalty is of paramount importance. One of the central points, which demonstrates this, is the conflict between Beowulf and Unferth. Beowulf is from another place and another tribe. His allegiance to Hrothgar is through a family debt, yet he proves himself more loyal to Hrothgar than Unferth who is one of Hrothgar’s own men. As Beowulf distinguishes his loyalty to the king, Unferth fails. The real test of the hero is his loyalty to the king, to knightly virtue, and to his honesty.

Bravery and Valor - Beowulf is the perfect embodiment of bravery and valor. He shows no fear and never wavers from his quests throughout the poem. Unferth, on the other hand, lets his bravery waver and proves himself to be an unworthy knight. We never see any deliberation on the part of Beowulf. As a warrior knight, his only choice is to act and to never show fear in the face of adversity.Grendel and his mother demonstrate nothing but malice, on the other hand. They do not act out of valor, but only out of a malicious desire to destroy. Even Grendel’s mother, who seeks vengeance for the death of Grendel, acts on blind revenge and never a duty to her son.

Vengeance - Again, the Danes and Geats are part of a warrior culture. While engaging in battle is a necessary feature of life, blind vengeance seems to be both understood and a something which lacks virtue. As much as Beowulf owes his allegiance to Hrothgar, Grendel’s mother shows no allegiance to anyone or anything other than her thirst for revenge. Grendel is also a figure of blind vengeance. He kills and terrorises simply for the thirst for blood. For this reason, the violence of the monsters is evil.

Generosity and Hospitality - Even as the poem draws our attention to feats of valor and strength, there is almost as much emphasis on the generous hospitality offered by King Hrothgar and his wife. The feasts and celebrations are as detailed as the battles. After his victories, Beowulf is treated with songs about his strength and bravery. As a virtuous king, Hrothgar shows his virtue through generosity. Beowulf in his turn provides the same openheartedness during his peaceful reign, and he generously rewards his own hero with the throne.

Exploration – Exploration and discovery is a strong theme in Kensuke’s Kingdom. The use of maps and inclusion of geographical vocabulary helps to elevate this theme further.

Loss – The theme of loss is explored when Michael becomes marooned on the island. We later discover that Kensuke is mourning the loss of his family and comrades during World War Two.

Friendship– As the friendship between the two characters develops, we learn that friends do not always need to agree on everything and should learn to forgive each other.

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom is a self-growth story that is suitable for children year 5 and above. The story has themes of friendship, Americanisms, self-image and self-esteem, growing up and appropriate behaviour.

Flashbacks and flash forwards.

Self Acceptance

Love

Friendship - Carrie and Nick form strong friendships with local children Albert and Daisy. The four of them work together and combine their courage to put a stop to the illegal activities going on near their home.

Loyalty - The story highlights the importance of loyalty – between friends, such as Carrie and her brother, Nick’s dedication to his sister and Albert and Daisy’s friendship with each other – and loyalty within the family, such as Auntie Lou’s unwavering commitment to Carrie and Nick.

Courage - This novel’s characters face difficult situations but display incredible courage in adversity. Even when faced with fear or danger, they find the strength to persevere and fight for what is right.

Resilience - Throughout the story, Carrie learns to be resilient despite the constant changes and hardships she must endure. Eventually, she discovers an inner strength which allows her to adapt to new surroundings and keep going no matter what life throws at her.

Standing Up for What is Right - The novel centres around themes of justice and morality, encouraging its young readers to stand up for what is right even in a time of hardship. In the end, courage wins out over corruption as Carrie teams up with her friends to do what must be done to achieve justice.

Truth and Freedom - Truth and freedom are the main themes of The Other Side of Truth by Beverley Naidoo. Sade and Femi’s father was a journalist who stood for truth, eventually leading to his death. Through their journey, the children learn that speaking the truth can be dangerous and liberating. They understand the power of true stories and how they can be used to fight against oppression.

Power of Family - Family plays a large part in The Other Side of Truth. When Sade and Femi set out independently, they face many challenges they could not have imagined. However, they can find strength in each other and those around them. Even though long distances separate their family, they draw comfort from knowing that those close to them love them no matter what happens.