Summer reading sorted: using the Purple Mash Library for summer tutoring

As a tutor with Purple Mash, you and up to 20 students get access to Purple Mash with just one subscription. Included in that subscription is the Purple Mash Library.

What is the Purple Mash Library?

Purple Mash Library is an online platform full of engaging ebooks for ages 5-11. There are over 250 books covering a range of genres and topics, all neatly organised into 8 smaller libraries, making it easy to find the perfect book for your student. Read on tablets, laptops, or print out copies, and you can even download packs of complementary comprehension and writing resources for group or 1:1 use.

Summer Reading Resources

As a tutor, summer can either be your busiest or quietest time of year - but with Purple Mash Library, that doesn't matter as you can keep children reading whether they're with you or away travelling the four corners of the globe.

Encouraging Children to Read During the Holidays

Got some students who are away this summer? One of the standout features of Purple Mash Library is the ability to set books online. The whole book can be set, or individual chapters can be serialised, with students receiving notifications automatically when it's time to read.

There are also short online quizzes for each chapter that can be set, to see how much of the text they have understood.

As a tutor, you can track what they have read, when they read, how long for, and how well they did in the quiz - making it really easy to restart lessons again in September.

If you've been working with a child who is more reluctant to read, there is a whole section with dedicated books to pique their interest: The Fire Bolts Library. In this section of the library are series of books written with lower difficulty levels, but high interest.

💡 Tutor Tip: If your student is travelling, remind them they can access their books from a tablet or laptop wherever they have an internet connection.

Summer Reading Lessons

If you're continuing to teach lessons over the summer, then there are plenty of great books to choose from in the Purple Mash Library for reading sessions!

As well as the Fire Bolts Library that's been created to help reluctant readers, there are:

• 4 gem libraries, organised by age
• Comets, containing longer novels
• A Poetry library
• DK Learning non-fiction books

Across the whole library, you can use the search bar to find books related to particular topics, making it easy to create interesting reading lessons for your students

Books in the Diamonds, Emeralds and Sapphires Libraries all include downloadable teaching resource packs. Let's look at one of the books and the resources included.

Included with this contemporary fantasy book from the Emeralds Library is:

• Online and printable multiple choice comprehension questions for every chapter
• A chapter sequencing activity for every chapter
• SPaG questions for every chapter
• A book review sheet
• Writing activities for four of the chapters

An Example Summer Tutoring Session

Wondering how a lesson with Purple Mash Library resources might look? Take a look at our 55-minute example below.

20 mins: Read the chapter together, discuss the story and vocabulary

10 mins: Complete the multiple choice quiz, referring back to the text and modelling finding the answers

20 mins: Complete a writing activity

5 mins: Set the next chapter for home learning, discuss predictions

💡 Tutor Tip: Set one chapter every week or every few days, instead of the whole book. Smaller reading goals often feel more achievable for reluctant readers and keep them engaged throughout the holidays.

Supporting SEND Students

There are lots of accessibility features in the Purple Mash Library to support students with SEND. Many of the books have audio narration, which also highlights the text as it reads, allowing children to read books even if they find decoding words difficult.

Font type, size and colour can be changed, as well as the page colour. There is even a dyslexia-friendly font called Aravis.

The background and layout of the book can also be changed to minimise distractions.

💡 Tutor Tip: If a child lacks confidence, start with the Fire Bolts Library. The engaging stories and accessible language help build reading stamina.

Start September One Step Ahead

By keeping pupils reading little and often over the holidays, you'll spend less time revising old skills and more time building new ones.

Before your first lesson back, you can:

• See which chapters were completed
• Review quiz scores
• Identify any misconceptions
• Choose follow-up comprehension activities
• Plan writing tasks based on the books they've enjoyed

That means your first tutoring session in September can begin with confidence instead of catching up.

💡 Tutor Tip: Ask pupils to set themselves a reading goal for the autumn term based on what they achieved over the summer.