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The Other Life | Susanne Winnacker
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 12
The Other Life is a romantic horror book.
It is about rabies and how everyone has to stay in bunkers. But when Sherry’s family run out of food after 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days, Sherry and her Dad go looking for more. Unfortunatly, something goes very, very wrong. Sherry finds somwhere to stay and a boy, Josh, who cares about her and together they search for her Father. This is an amazing, must-have book, with lots of gripping detail. Altogether, this book is brilliant and I will be looking forward to reading Book Two, The Life Beyond.
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The Incredible Adventures Of Professor Branestawm | Norman Hunter
Reviewed by Timothy Hand,
Professor Branestawm is a book that was written a while ago. It has been republished as part of a set of ‘classics to treasure’. However, I do not believe that Professor Branestawm is a classic. I also do not believe that it deserves be treasured.
Before I explain why I think I should tell you about the book. It follows the adventures of a zany professor, who has the habit of building inventions and having ideas that tend to go wrong. These mishaps include changing history, bringing wastepaper to life and being captured by his anti-burglar machine. Now you may wonder what is wrong with these storylines. Indeed, the ideas are amusing and original. The book is let down not by its initial storylines, but by the way the author writes. Despite the fact that his ideas are amusing, the book lacks the charm and style that can be found in other books written at the time. Although the storylines are clearly meant to be amusing, and have potential to be, the way the author presents his tales makes reading a chore. You may think that the only reason that I did not enjoy the book was that it was written for a younger age group, but so is Paddington Bear, and that still makes me laugh today. So in conclusion, despite the fact that it has interesting stories and characters, I do not think that the author succeeded in bringing it to life. However, other people do have a positive opinion of this book, so if you want to give it a try you might enjoy it, but I do not believe it lives up to the title of a children’s classic.
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Secrets Of The Henna Girl | Sufiya Ahmed
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 14
A thought provoking read, this perception of forced marriage and Pakistani culture gives an amazing viewpoint. Zeba is taken on holiday to Pakistan with her family but from their her world falls to pieces. Protecting her father’s honour, she is expected to do what he wishes but will this be the case?? The book will make you laugh and cry- sometimes simultaneously- and brings out emotions only a woman/ girl could know. I would say this could be a bit of a heavy subject but the manner in which it is written depicts a much lighter read. I still don’t think I’d recommend it to most people under the age of 13 and definitely more for girls. I loved this book and I’d give it at least 4 out of 5.
India Dark | Kirsty Murray
Reviewed by Rosalie Barret Lawton, age 12
India dark is an intriguing novel by Kirsty Murray, which is based on a true story. During the book, the main characters, quiet and good natured Poesy, and older more confident Tillly, go on a journey with the theater group the liliputians. But instead of going to the anticipated America they go to India in search of funds. However, because of this, many problems occur and the girls, innocent Poesy especially, and the rest of the children find it difficult to cope.
Although this is not the type of book I usually choose to read, I enjoyed the surprising and constantly developing plot, as well as the many twists and turns. The wide variety of characters made the book even more intresting and engaging. This difference is most obvious between the two main characters whose personalities are a complete contrast. The story is also so realistic, as if the author had travelled with them, this gave it a brilliant perspective.
The only downside for me was that the story was a bit bleak overall, what with the many hardships the characters suffer. Aside from this, however, I loved the inspirational book and may even read more of its genre.
I’d recommend this to anyone from 13 onwards as although it mainly involves children, I’m sure adults will love it too, as the complex plot will interest anyone.
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Crow’s Revenge | Marcus Alexander
Reviewed by Alfie Skinner, age 11
Crows Revenge is a great book that I couldn’t put down. It’s got all the qualities of a good book, with sad parts, scary parts but most of all funny parts. There’s a great plot with twists and turns that are difficult to understand at first but after the first hundred pages it all becomes clear. The storyline is fantastic with a couple of cheeky characters and a few deceiving ones as well. It’s a great book and I can’t wait till the second one.
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The Probability Of Miracles | Wendy Wunder
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 14
Campbell is no ordinary seventeen year old. Her mother and father dance in the ‘Spirit of Aloha’ show at Disney’s Polynesian Hotel and she lives in a so called Floridian paradise. She disagrees. Cam is a realistic, who gave up hope when her father tragically died and she spent the rest of her life slowly dying of supposedly lifesaving cancerous cures. She has no hopes, other than to die painlessly, which is highly unlikely. After a trip to the hospital (yet again), Cam finds out that she has mere months to live a lifetime. She needs a miracle. Therefore, her ever optimistic mother and sister ask around. A mystical neighbour has heard rumours of such a place, where purple dandelions grow and sunsets last forever. When Cam discovers that this place is called Promise, she is more cynical than ever. Perhaps Promise could be her salvation after all.
I enjoyed this book as it was contenting, depressing and mystical. We saw Cam slowly grow up within herself, finding out that it depends which way life is looked at, but almost everything is a miracle. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….
Fever | Dee Shulman
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimmons, age 13
Seth is a roman gladiator, feared in his time for being one of the most ferocious gladiators fighting in the arena. But when he receives a serious wound when distracted, what is the mysterious fever that sets in, enabling him to travel to different times?
When exposed to a new substance in a biology lesson at her new school, will Eva survive the virus suddenly coursing through her body? And if she does, how will she handle the attentions of a gladiator who should have lived hundreds of years ago?
Together, they try to piece together why they have been drawn together and what the virus they are dealing with entails. With old enemies still haunting both of them, they need each other more than ever to survive.
I finished ‘Fever’ the day I received the book, as not only is the plot fast moving and enrapturing, the characters are loveable and interesting. Any teenage girl would love this novel and I would recommend it to any of them.
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The Ranger’s Apprentice | John Flanagan
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, age 11
I really enjoyed this book. When I first recieved it, I was a tad dissapointed, becauase I looked at the cover and thought “oh my god, this is so going to be a boys book”. Well, the saying – you should never judge a book by it’s cover – was true for me in this case! I started reading it, and after a few chapters I had to admit that actually, this book was very gripping and exciting. It is set in medieval England, with the main character, Will, being chosen to uptake an apprenticeship with one of the country’s few Rangers – Halt. This book is actually the first two books in one, and I liked the fact that when I finished the first and couldn’t wait to start the next, it was already there!
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A Small Free Kiss In The Dark | Glenda Millard
Reviewed by Lauren Townsend, age 15
“Not many people visit funfairs that don’t work, especially when there’s a war going on.”
‘A small free kiss in the dark’ is definitely not a book to be judged by its cover. The blurb hardly gives any insight into how truly beautiful this novel is written and pieced together. It is an account of the events in the life of Skip, a young boy with no family to call his own. His world is torn apart by war and fear and he seeks a new family with Billy, an old homeless man and Max, a six-year-old boy who lost his mother in a bomb attack. Despite the structured main plot of the novel, however, lies an intertwining web of secrets from the past – leading to the emotional relationships forged between the characters themselves and also with the reader.
It is similarly written to Meg Rosoff’s ‘How I Live Now’, so I would definitely recommend it to fans of her novels, but also to anybody who simply enjoys reading. ‘A small free kiss in the dark’ makes you want to laugh and cry and never put it down – a definite must-read for anybody and everybody.
Just as a piece of advice for this novel, I did personally find ‘A small free kiss in the dark’ rather difficult to get into in the first couple of chapters but it is a novel that is well worth the perseverance – you don’t just read Skip’s story; Glenda Millard makes you part of Skip’s story.
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The Witch’s Boy | Michael Gruber
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 13
The Witches Boy is an amazing fantasy book about a boy called Lump. Lump is the ugliest boy in the world. As a baby he is given to a witch who decides to raise him as her son.
With a witch for a mother, a bear as a a nurse and a demon as a teacher, Lump lives an unconventional, though, happy childhood. But, Lump is unprepared for the outside world and he finds the challenges he faces hard to endure.
The book shows Lump’s journey into becoming a man as he struggles to find his place in the world.
Although The Witches Boy didn’t completely appeal to me in the beginning, it is well written with brilliant descriptions and insights. With a plot that is clever and, sometimes, funny, although not always entirely exciting, The Witches Boy makes an enjoyable read.
Michael Gruber has cleverly and subtly included a few well known faery tales (with a twist), such as Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin, to the story, which gives the book a humorous quality. Although I felt the middle of the book dragged a little, it makes up for it, in full, at the end. Overall it is a satisfying read and is definitely the book for you if you love a happy ending.
I recommend this book to young fantasy fans (maybe 10 – 14 year olds) who love an interesting, well told story.
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Noah Barleywater Runs Away | John Boyne
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 12
Noah Barleywater Runs Away is an amazing story of a young boy (aged 8) who runs away from home. He passes through 3 little towns; the first 2 although quite strange hold no patch on the third, where he spends most of the books duration. There he finds a friendly daschund and a very hungry donkey next to a big strange tree and a wonky toy shop. He is told stories of childhood and slowly begins to realise something amazing.
It is quite short and, if I’m honest, I could have read more of these crazy happenings but good anyway. I really enjoyed this book despite my earlier scepticism and would reccommend it to most people in for a bit of a cray but very good read!! I’d give it a 4 and a half out of 5 (nothing’s perfect is it??) Keep Reading!!
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Four Tales | Phillip Pullman
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11
Four tales is a charming little group of stories by Philip Pullman. They are enjoyable and amusing to read, and I think they would appeal to all ages.
The first story is called The Firework-Maker’s Daughter. It is a funny and entertaining tale about Lila, the daughter of a firework maker who is desperate to follow in her Father’s footsteps. But when he does not tell the final secret of firework making, she is forced to embark on an exciting journey to Mount Merapi, to retrieve the royal sulphur from the fire spirit, and become a true firework maker. This story was very enjoyable to read, and was full of original characters, like Hamlet the white elephant and Rambashi the pirate, who is trying to find his calling in life. A very good story.
The second story, “I Was A Rat!” is just as good. The story begins with one of the greatest openings ever. As an elderly couple are working late, somebody knocks on their door. It is a small boy in an odd uniform, who says “I was a rat”. The elderly couple try to find out where the mysterious boy has come from. However, the strange boy spreads chaos wherever he goes, and seems to understand nothing about how to behave. Could he really have been a rat? This was another entertaining yarn, and Roger the rat-boy is a funny original character.
The third story, Clockwork, is of a far more sinister nature. It begins in an inn in a small German town, where Fritz, the local storyteller, weaves a terrifying tale of dead men animated by clockwork machinery, and the sinister Dr Kalmenius. When a mysterious stranger of the same name enters the inn, the villagers flee in terror. All except Karl, the disgruntled Clockmaker’s apprentice, who is certain to fail his apprenticeship. Dr Kalmenius gives him a terrifying clockwork knight, which Karl plans to use for evil. Meanwhile, Gretl, the innkeeper’s daughter, finds out about the chilling truth to the story.
Clockwork is a much more macabre story than the others, and although it is a good story, it is somewhat out of place among the more cheerful tales.
The final story, The Scarecrow and His Servant is my personal favourite in this collection of stories, mainly because of its wonderful storyline. It begins with an old scarecrow being brought to life by a bolt of lighting. He befriends a homeless boy named Jack and employs him as his servant. The story takes us through their adventures, from trying to scare brigands to becoming soldiers and actors. However, as they continue on through their misadventures, they are both unaware of the fact that the scarecrow possesses something that could save the countryside from the greedy Buffaloni family.
This story was extremely funny and heart warming, as is the rest of the whole book. The author may describe these stories as fairy tales, but I assure you that anyone can enjoy these. A highly recommended book.
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Ice Shock | M.G. Harris
Reviewed by Alfie Skinner, age 11
Ice shock is just one of my favourite books. It’s a very interesting and fast paced book about a boy’s father who dies and the boy doesn’t believe it was an accident!
He thinks it was something to do with a lady but who this is he does not know.
It’s a very complicated ending but for all you adventure readers it’s a good one. It’s a very exciting, tense and sometimes even scary book. I would recommend this book for any one from the age of nine to sixteen. It’s a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
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A Small Change For Stuart | Lissa Evans
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 12
When small-for-his-age Stuart Horten moves house with his genius parents, he isn’t aware for some of the suprises that lie
instore, including a freaky girl as a next door neighbour, who happens to be a triplet!
However, this is nothing compared to the secret he discovers about his great uncle, who turns out to be the Great Hordini, a mysterious magician.
I was suprised at how much I enjoyed this book, as it’s not the kind I would usually read. It was very gripping, and I was sucked in by the first chapter.
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A Tangle Of Magicks | Stephanie Burgis
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 13
This book was ‘right up my street’! It is the second book of The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, which I have not read, but I was drawn into the adventurous like of Kat – a feisty, magical, curious 12 year old – and her troublesome family instantly!
Set in the 18th century, magic is considered most improper. Kat’s sister (Angeline) is a practicing witch and Kat is a Guardian – a protector of Society – who also has magic. On Kat’s eldest sister’s wedding day, Angeline’s true love was taken away from her, so the whole family take a trip to bath to find her a suitor. Due to a horrendous mistake, Kat is thrown out of the Order of the Guardians and discovers a plot to harness the power of the baths, including the sacrifice of her brother! While trying to save Society, her cousin is possessed by Sulis Minerva – the Goddess of the Baths.
Kat discovers the true identity of the schemer – the Head of the Order of the Guardians, a man who wanted Kat to be pacified and destroy all of her magic and most of her mind! No-one will believe her. Therefore, she must prove it! But how can she, when her brother’s life, her magic and her most prized possessions are at risk? Also, in despair, Angela has run off with a terrible man who will ruin her, just to get a suitor. What she doesn’t know is that her true love is searching for her! How can Kat save her brother, her sister and the whole of Society?
A Tangle of Magicks is exciting, energetic and enthusiastic, with a cliff hanger at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and now want to read the first book!
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X Isle | Steve Augarde
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11
This is a very exciting and mysterious book, which is set on Earth in the future, where the land has been consumed by floods. The story begins on the mainland, a lawless city built on the rooftops of a drowned town. But there is one way to escape the mainland. The supply boat, run by the brutal Eck brothers, will take young and strong boys to X isle, the one surviving piece of land, where in return for hard work, the boys will be given food, and a bed for the night. When teenager Baz gets a place on the boat, he is sure that life is going to get better. But when he arrives on the island, he finds that the other boys there are virtually slaves, working for the cruel ‘capos’ Steiner and Hutchinson, and the ruler of the island: the unhinged Preacher John. The island is brutal, with forced hard labour in return for one can of food a night. But when Preacher John begins to speak of sacrifices; and boys start dying and disappearing, Baz and the other boys must decide whether to keep things as they are and hope for the best, or to get rid of Preacher John and his overseers…..
I found this story a great read, full of action, excitement and mystery. It also explores some interesting issues, such as isolation, and the justification of murder. The characters are interesting and well developed, and are brought to life by the author. I would recommend this book to teenagers over the age of 11. The only bad thing about this book is that it contains minor offensive language, and it is a bit similar to Louis Sachar’s book Holes. Otherwise, I would seriously recommend this book to you, if you love exciting mystery stories. I would rate this book 8/10
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Eight Keys | Suzanne LaFleur
Reviewed by Eve Foster, age 14
The tagline for ‘Eight Keys’ by Suzanne LaFleur says ‘Eight secrets, one girl about to unlock her past…’ I instantly assumed the book would be of the fantasy genre. If you’re looking for a fantasy book, Eight Keys is not one, however it is still definitely worth reading. The book is about Elise, a girl just about to turn twelve. Elise has had a difficult childhood, and suddenly things change as she moves up to a new school. She finds herself picked on by one of the most popular girls and a distance growing between herself and her best friend, Franklin.
At first, Eight Keys seems like a typical tween novel, aimed at ages 9 and up, however this is not the case. Elise is a relatable, realistic hero, who faces struggles that will be familiar to not just most children, but most people. LaFleur doesn’t sugar-coat her story – the mean kids stay mean, we just find a way to deal with them; friends fall out, and it takes work to bring those friendships back. The eight secrets mentioned on the cover were a unique twist to the story that I didn’t expect. Elise’s mum and dad have both died, but her dad left her many gifts behind, for her to find as she grows up. The eight keys Elise finds lead to eight rooms, and each one teaches her a lesson about herself that she needs to learn. In short, Eight Keys is a thoughtful story about loss and growing up, and whilst we watch Elise learn her lessons, we might just learn some about ourselves. Although the book’s intended audience is children aged nine, I think this story would be enjoyed by people many years above this age, too.
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T
he Sweet Far Thing | Libba Bray
Reviewed by Kayleigh Stewart, age 15
The third and final book of the “Gemma Doyle Trilogy”, you re-encounter Gemma and her friend’s magical and thrilling adventure, bigger and better than before. Set In England in the late 1800’s, you walk through Gemma’s fascinating life style, switching between the nice, neat boarding school, where a woman’s freedom is restricted, to her care free, exhilarating magic making in the realms, and slipping into her visions, a terrifying and blood curdling experience. It is time she, Felicity Worthington, Ann Bradshaw and Kartik to take on the world they face, including their old friend Pippa, someone they believed to be dead. Not only do you see her struggles with the realms, where she has to fight the magic which she contains and everyone else who wants it, but with her friends, her drug addict father, her forbidden love, her longing to finally be accepted into society, not to be ruined in front of everyone. You forget, after all, she is just a teenage girl. What will happen to the mysterious Gemma Doyle?
One of the best books I have ever read, hard to get your head round but once you enter the realms, it is 100% magical. If I could rate it out of ten, I would give it a nine. I highly recommend for people around 13+, for anyone who enjoys history, gothic fantasy, romance and adventure.
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Forest Of The Pygmies | Isabel Allende
Reviewed by William Moloney, age 10
The book was really good and exciting, it has magic, evil kings, executions and the slave – trade in. It was a book I would read again. The Characters are Kate, an old lady and the journalist, Alexander, her grandson, Nadia, Alex’s friend, Joel, the photographer, Brother Fernando, the catholic missionary and Angie, their pilot. It’s about a group of journalists who go to see the first elephant-led safari when they meet a witch doctor who shows them the future.
Whilst they were in Africa they met a missionary who told them about two other missionaries who had gone to a village to set up a school. But the missionaries went missing. When they reach the forest where the village is they find there’s no where to land, they try to land the plane in the only place there’s no forest (apart from the village) but they crash-land and find one of the plane’s propeller is bent so they can’t leave.
They camp by the river for the night when two canoes come along. They decide to go to the village for four days, no more. But when they reach the village of Ngoube they find that there is an evil king in charge who has been accused of acts as horrible as cannibalism.
At Ngoube they find a tribe of pygmies that have been forced into slavery by the king, Kosongo.
They find the missionaries have been executed, so they decide to over throw king Kosongo and help the pygmies escape from slavery. Will they succeed…
Forest of the Pygmies is a very good book I would recommend it to people nine and over.
A Tangle of
Magicks | Stephanie Burgis
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11
This is an amusing book set in England’s rural villages and urban cities. The story kicks off in Yorkshire and ends in Bath. But for me this book didn’t end, I felt that the author had gone away and forgotten to finish it, still it was a very good read.
This book is all about Kat (Katherine) who has inherited her mother’s guardian powers. All her mother left her was her magic mirror. Elissa goes away on her honeymoon during this book. Angeline is a witch learning from her mother’s magic books. Charles since he was sent away from Oxford College, always sleeps to get out of conversations and tricky moments. Kat finds out that the town of Bath is fizzing with wild magic, in which Charles is involved.
As I have already said, I felt the book was unfinished. It was an amusing and amazing adventure with Kat. Burgis cleverly makes you feel that you are with Kat the whole way. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in magic.
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Johnny Swanson | Eleanor Updale
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11
Do you want a book that can be funny, exciting and scary at the same time?
Then Johnny Swanson is the book for you!
This book is about a teenage boy in 1929 called Johnny. He is small and weedy and a regular target of the school bullies. When he sees an advert in the paper charging for the secret of instant height, Johnny steals some money from his Mum to pay for it. He is furious when he finds that all it says is “ stand on a box.” Needing to replace the money he took, Johnny invents a fictional aunt and uses her name in his own scamming, with questions like “How to stop your baby wetting the bed.” Answer “Make him sleep on a chair”. Johnny quickly makes a small fortune. However his Mum finds out, and storms off in fury. The next morning Dr Langford, who employs Johnny’s mum, is found murdered in his house. Johnny’s Mum is arrested and taken away to prison because her apron is found in the pool of blood by the Doctor’s body, and a busybody neighbour saw her go near the Doctor’s house on the night of the murder. Johnny knows his Mum didn’t do it. But who did? Why would anyone want to kill a mild mannered doctor? Could it have something to do with the illegal cure for T.B he was working on?
One thing is for certain: If Johnny doesn’t find out the truth his Mum will face execution!
I really enjoyed this book, for these reasons.
Johnny is an original character, and despite his mischievous ways you can’t help identifying with him.
The book contains a thrilling, intriguing murder mystery.
All of the characters are realistic.
It is an exciting page turner, that you will want to read again!
The only (very small) negative point is that the story ha s a bit of a slow start.
Altogether this is a great read, which I rate 9 out of ten. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will love this book!
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A Small Free Kiss in the Dark | Glenda Millard
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 11
Teenager Skip hates his life. With an abusive father and a school which looks down on his artistic talents, he just wants to get away from it all. So, he runs away, and teams up with old man, Billy, six year old Max and beautiful dancer Tia. However, when war strikes it seems as though Skip’s world will never be the same again.
This book was a captivating page-turner, with a tear worthy ending. It was impossible to put down.
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Wish Me Dead | Helen Grant
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, age 14
Steffi Nett is shy. She has been, for as long as she can remember. Nothing exciting ever happens to her, or in her hometown Bad Münstereifel. However, when Steffi and her friends stumble across some ancient magic, they cannot stay away.
The journey to the witch’s house consists of a long drive along a bumpy track, a steep and slippery climb up a tree-covered hillside and finally slipping through the crumbling walls into the abandoned house. The first time Steffi and her group of friends went there, it was dark. They wished for an old folk singer Klara Klein to die. At first, it was just a prank. Then, Klara Klein was found in her house. Dead.
Steffi’s world is opened up to a possibility of wishing for things she has always wanted. She wishes for the most gorgeous boy in town to ask her out. She wishes for the woman that destroyed her family to die. She wishes for huge amounts of money that could save her family’s business. They all came true.
After her father becomes critically ill, Steffi finds out her best friend is a serial killer and finally learns the true meaning of the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.’
Helen Grant’s ‘Wish Me dead’ is a mix of magic, mystery and murder. The book is chilling in places and forces the reader to expect the unexpected. A true thriller.
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City of Fallen Angels | Cassandra Clare
Reviewed by Megan Godber, age 14
This book is the fifth in ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series and is a sure-fire winner for any fan of the supernatural! It follows 16 year old Clary Morgenstern and her Shadowhunter friends in the city of Manhattan where they spend their lives hunting demons.
This book picks up where Clary and the Shadowhunters have returned to New York from the ancient city of Alicante, and her life is going well. She has begun her training as a Shadowhunter, and can finally say that Jace, the boy she has a really mixed up relationship with, is her boyfriend. But when Jace suddenly begins to pull away from her, Clary realises that she has caused a certain chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves, including Jace.
New faces and old faces alike surface as the plot unfolds, one that may be quite unwelcome, as it happens. Though it is not as action packed from start to finish as previous books in the series, this book really teaches the reader a lot about certain events that are key to some of the older characters in the story. Strong relationships are formed between many of the characters, and the series begins to take on a real balance between action and romance.
This book will leave the reader feeling instantly satisfied and has an ending that will leave you itching for more.
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Wickedness | Deborah White
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, age 13
When Claire’s mum decides to see an Egyptian, emerald casket, she has no idea that a strange and powerful man will do anything to obtain it. After finding a family manuscript and realizing that the man may not be what he seems, can Claire overcome her fears of history repeating itself and with the aid of a gold ring and a charming rope-walker, shake off a devastating prophecy, involving her red hair, and her blood…
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, the characters come alive, and the language is both exciting and enticing. For any teenager looking for an extremely good read, I would strongly recommend this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Trash | Andy Mulligan
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 13
This book was written mainly from 3 boys’ points of view each taking different parts with a couple of other narrators appearing for small sections to better explain the story. I think it handled the poor boys’ life on the dumpsite cautiously and showed both pros and cons of dumpsite work. One discovery on the dump turns their whole world into a search for something but noone quite knows what.
Raphael, the main narrator, is a small, cute 14 year old – a dumpsite boy born and bred. He often gets anxious and agitated but the others need his brains. Then one incident changes the way the other boys look at him for ever.
Gardo, another 14 year old dumpsite boy, just hours older, is very protective of Raphael. With most of his family gone, Gardo has had his fair share of bad events and uses his brawn to fight whether rightly or wrongly.
The final boy is younger, Rat or Jun-Jun by his true name. He was not born at the dump but came after roughing it out on the streets for a few years. Although he cannot read or write, he provides the contacts and area knowledge the others lack as they have never left Behala. His old friend always help in any way they can, making him an essential part of the team.
I absolutely adored this book and was captured from start to finish. I loved the plot and the way all the characters had different writing styles. An intruiging read for anyone over 12 as younger children may not understand the plot to its full extent. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys real life stories with a hint of detective streaking through.
KEEP READING!! 
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Bartimaeus and the Ring of Solomon | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11
This book is about a djinni, which is the largest class of spirit. Bartimaeus of Uruk is two thousand years old.
Bartimaeus is stuck on earth in Jerusalem which at this time is being ruled by King Solomon. The ring
of Solomon is almost the same as Aladdin’s lamp but to get the spirit of the ring to come you have to turn the ring, not rub it.
When Asmira, a girl who is a hereditary guard to Queen Balkis of Sheba, comes to Jerusalem to try to speak to Solomon, Bartimaeus is under the control of Khaba, who is one of Solomon’s seventeen magicians. Khaba imprisons Bartimaeus in a small bottle. Asmira breaks the bottle, then summons Bartimaeus for herself.
The plot of this story is for Asmira and Bartimaeus to kill Solomon and steal the ring. In order to do this Bartimaeus and Asmira overcome many dangers. Bartimaeus is put to the test on getting past many Marids and Afrits which are the most powerful and dangerous spirits. Asmira attempts this on Queen Balkis’s order because although Solomon does not realise (because of all the strain of looking after the ring) but his magicians threaten other kingdoms under Solomon’s name.
I enjoyed this book because it was magical as well as amusing. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read. Also do not let the size of the book put you off!!!
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The Siege of Macindaw | John Flanagan
Reviewed by Finn Sharp, age 10
“The Siege of Macindaw is book 6 in the exciting Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan. The story is so much more than strategizing and fierce battles. Flanagan adds strong friendships, a small love story and most importantly modern humour. You’ll laugh at the witty banter between Will and Horace. And best of all, the book leaves you satisfied, yet craving the next instalment.“
This is a quote I got from a website and I personally do not agree with the last line. Almost all over the internet and on the blurb it states that the Siege of Macindaw is a fantastic book. I found the book to be quite slow to develop at most parts, and the story wasn’t that gripping as it had made out to be.
Though saying all this, I talked to one of my closest friends who read the book, who said completely the opposite to what I just said.
So in conclusion if you like a story with medieval action plot and some good characters then this is the book for you, but for me it just didn’t cut it.
4/10
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Elsewhere | Gabrielle Zevin
Reviewed by Lauren Townsend, age 15
“Sorry, but nothing of much importance ever happened to me…I’m just a girl who forgot to look both ways before she crossed the street”.
Elsewhere. A place not quite like any other; it is a place for those who have passed on from Earth, to begin a journey backwards towards rebirth in a new life. It is a heaven – an island where life’s only purpose is to grow younger and be whoever you want to be.
‘Elsewhere’ is the story of Liz Hall, a seemingly normal fifteen year old who wakes one morning to find herself on a boat, heading towards only one destination; with a one-way ticket. Bewildered, Liz is greeted by her long-dead grandmother when her boat arrives, and it takes her some time to realise that she had been killed in a sudden hit-and-run accident only a few days before.
‘Elsewhere’ follows Liz, in her tragic tale of growing up, love, loss and coping without everything she’s used to taking for granted.
A must-read for anyone over the age of twelve, ‘Elsewhere’ is heartbreakingly beautiful with its intricate twists, built around the most moving and inspirational characters and is guaranteed to bring a tear to the reader’s eye.
Elsewhere is a novel of sadness, happiness, love and redemption and will undoubtedly leave you with crossed fingers; wishing that Zevin’s ideas about the afterlife are truly a reality.
One of the most brilliant books written for teenagers, Elsewhere is sure to stamp it’s mark on your life and undeniably tug at your heartstrings – there simply aren’t enough words to praise this novel with justice.
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I Shall Wear Midnight | Terry Pratchett
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 11
Tiffany Aching is a willing carer for old ladies. The problem is she is also a witch! Tiffany gets really bored as her job doesn’t involve any magic and her friends tease her about it. Until one day one of the ladies starts warning her about an evil spirit which could potentially put her life in danger and will start her first adventure.
I Shall Wear Midnight is another example of witches, wizards and warlocks. It’s a teenager’s book but adults will enjoy it too as they will struggle to put it down.
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Out of the Woods | Lyn Gardener
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 11
From the first page you can tell this book is going to be something special. It starts off telling you about the characters, the Eden sisters, Storm, Aurora and Any, which are easy to relate to, and you can easily find things in common with.
The first chapter moved me deeply, as it describes Storm’s sadness after the death of her mother.
However, the story quickly speeds up when the children go to a fun fair and have the fright of their life. Soon, they are running for their lives from evil witch, Belladonna, who is determined to get her hands on Aurora’s heart, and Storm’s magical pipe. Friends become enemies, loved ones are lost, and an unexpected death causes another problem.
This story is a enjoyable fantasy, but with a touch of gritty reality to create a interesting blend. This book will make you want to laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. I recommend it to anyone who loves a chill, a thrill and a simply amazing read.
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To Kill A Mockingbird | Harper Lee
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11
This book is set in the deep south in a town called Maycomb in the 1930′s. The main characters are Scout and Jem Finch and their father Atticus Finch. Also in their household is Calpurnia (sometimes known as Cal) the cook. Scout is telling the story of how Jem badly broke his left arm at the elbow and how, now, his left arm is a lot shorter than his right.
I loved this book because it’s humourous, also I think it is a very well-written book. I got into it quickly and felt that I was in the book watching everything happen.
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Inkheart | Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 12
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is my all-time favourite book. It begins with a mysterious visitor in Meggie’s back garden, who seems to know Mo, Meggie’s father, well, although Meggie has never seen him herself. He takes them on a wild search for a book that holds the key to Meggie’s life, even though she’s never heard of it. If you read this book then get set for mystery, fantasy, adventure and a perfect storyline, all set in the fabulous setting of Inkheart! I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a good book.
Happy reading!
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The Amulet of Samarkand | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 12
This thriller of a book transports the reader to modern day London, with a difference – England is controlled by magicians.
Jonathan Stroud does not lose time at the start to introduce one of the main characters – Bartimaeus, a bad-tempered 5000 year old djinni (a magical spirit). Throughout the book, small sketches of his adventurous past are exposed, showing his eccentric personality (hateful, yet loyal, vivacious, yet tedious).
Nathaniel, a 12 year old apprentice magician, summons Bartimaeus. He was requested to steal the Amulet of Samarkand (a boring bit of jewellery? Bartimaeus thought!) from Simon Lovelace, a master magician. Bartimaeus wants to find out more about the amulet and suspicious Lovelace. Whilst doing so, he uncovers rebellion, murders and conspiracy.
This book is one of the best I have read because it is very descriptive, each chapter is entirely different to the previous – some are hilarious, some are defiant, adventurous, and exhilarating! Each time I read the book I am flung into the mysterious world.
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The Last Summer of the Death Warriors | Francisco X. Stork
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane
Francisco Stork’s ‘The Last Summer of the Death Warriors’ begins with a boy named Pancho arriving at St. Anthony’s home. Pancho hopes his stay will be short-lived as he is determined on gaining revenge for his sister’s death. His plans are shattered when he is assigned to help DQ cope with his brain cancer.
DQ has incredibly high spirits for a teenager with cancer and Pancho
had never heard anybody speak so much before he began his stay at St.
Anthony’s. DQ has an aim in life which keeps him optimistic: the “the death warriors manifesto”. Pancho is told how the manifesto is DQ’s key to living his last days fully and ideally with the one he loves – Marisol.
As Pancho tries to track down his sister’s murderer, he is sidetracked too
many times by both DQ and Marisol. Marisol was everything DQ described her to be like, and more. As he becomes closer to Marisol and her love, he is inevitably drawn to a decision: to avenge his sister’s death or to embrace the way of the death warrior as DQ had planned all along.
‘The Last Summer of the Death Warriors’ is a book about friendship, revenge, life and death. As the plot unravels, the reader is introduced to many different characters with many different personalities.
A great book of 2010.
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The Summer That Changed Everything | Ann Brashares
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, aged 13
This book is just pure good reading!!! Once I got into it (which didn’t take long) it really drew me in. It is about 3 girls – Ama, Polly and Jo. They met in third grade when their parents didn’t pick them up from school. They snuck out and made their own way home. That little incident at home time made a huge difference to their childhood – they became the best of friends. For some reason their friendship faded but then they realised that each other were all they needed to have a happy life. But then summer came and they suddenly faced a long summer without each other. This particular holiday is packed full of drama, romance and adventure. It is full of unexpected things, while the girls learn a lot about their friendship. This book was so good I even read 3 of Ann Brashares other books – The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood and Girls in Pants. I really enjoyed all four of these books because they are well written, exciting and dramatic. I would give The Summer That Changed Everything a 5/5. I recommend it to girls aged 12 – 14.
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Jordan Stryker: Bionic Agent | Malcolm Rose
Reviewed by Toby Mason, aged 12
Absolute genius! This book deserves its own genre, a mix between fact and fiction, emotion and plenty of action. A masterpiece by Malcolm Rose, even better than Kiss of Death. A tale of a boy’s unparalleled determination to live but firmly based on what could be a real life story with a very real potential disaster. Based around the actual boat “SS Richard Montgomery” which is a wrecked boat on the bottom of the River Thames carrying 1400 tonnes of explosives, this book carries a terrifying amount of truth to it, but this is what makes it such brilliant book to read. Another scary fact is that you won’t want to put it down as you will definitely read it over and over again until the pages are worn to nothing!
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Tracks of the Tiger | Bear Grylls
Reviewed by Finn Sharp
‘Tracks of the Tiger’ by Bear Grylls is a tense and a particularly interesting read; including a deep plot, and strangely enough some facts on surviving in the wild.
I’ll start off with what I said about the interesting survival tips. It’s this, which I think is what engrossed me most with the book. You would expect this from a book written by Bear Grylls but it has also somehow managed to get a deep interesting plot of a great novel as well as the interesting facts about the jungle which you’d expect of a survival book.
The plot consists of adventure mad 12 year old Beck Granger. Instead of being adventurous, he goes for a chilled out holiday with his best friend, but it seems that Beck cannot help himself from getting into danger even in an orangutan sanctuary!
Overall the book is quite a good read. The only let down is that to get though this book quickly (and happily) you have to have a very particular taste for adventure survival books. For all of these reasons I’m going to give this book a 6/10.
Thank you for reading my review!
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Fever Crumb | Philip Reeve
Reviewed by Jowan Mead, aged 12
I don’t really enjoy the Mortal Engines series that much, as it leaves several aspects unexplained and can be confusing. However, I feel that this book reveals and goes into further detail on quite a few of these aspects. The book has quite an exciting storyline, keeping the reader on edge throughout. The characters are well thought out as well. The style of writing from previous books has been improved. On the storyline itself, it is quite interesting: it follows the adventures of an orphan girl who becomes caught up in an enemy onslaught towards London. Along the way, secrets are discovered about her origins and it is revealed just how important she is.
Overall, Fever Crumb is a very good book. One of the few things the author could have done is build upon the world itself some more. In total, I would give it 8/10.
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Sebastian Darke, Prince of Explorers | Philip Caveney
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, aged 11
This book is about a young elf warrior called Sebastian who has been hired to find a mythical lost city in the jungle of Mendip, which is a future version of Earth. Sebastian, and his friends Max the Buffalope and Cornelius the Golmiran warrior, are attacked on the way by brutal savages called the Gograth but are rescued by a friendly tribe called the Jilith. One of the Jilith knows the way to the lost city and will tell Sebastian and his friends, provided they help the Jilith defeat the Gograth. But once they defeat the Gograth and find the city they are in greater peril than ever before, as the ruins are inhabited by evil undead creatures called the Night Runners………
I did not find this book an amazing read, as some of the events and characters would appeal more to a younger audience. I also didn’t like the front cover much. However, the Night Runners are an excellent creation, that even I was scared of! The battle with the Gograth was also exciting, though not as good as the final battle with the Night Runners. The story has several links to previous adventures, as this is book three in a series. I would recommend this book to readers aged 9+. Overall: If I were you, I would think about buying this, but don’t put at the top of your wish list.
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Alien Storm | A.G. Taylor
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11
Alien Storm is the sequel to A.G Taylor’s first book, Meteorite strike. The plot is very simple and easy to understand. In the previous book, a meteorite filled with an alien virus landed in the Australian outback. All adults who were affected by the virus were sent into comas. However, children were given extreme powers. The affected children were then captured by a mysterious organization called HIDRA, which wanted to use the children’s powers for their own gains. However, the children defeated HIDRA at the end of book one and have been hiding from Major Bright, the only member of HIDRA who escaped. In Alien Storm, the affected children led by Sarah Williams and her brother Robert are desperate to leave Australia and escape Major Bright, who has made a serum from the children’s blood that gives him their powers. However, the Major has run out of serum, and attacks the children and tries to recapture them. However the children are saved by Alex, a boy who has the power to make himself invisible, who is working for a mysterious Russian billionaire called Nikolai Makarov. Makarov uses his automated plane to take the children to his home in Russia: a massive tower called the spire. The children are thrilled with the spire and Makarov’s hospitality. But Sarah is suspicious. And as Makarov’s true plan comes to light, the children must stop him before another meteorite storm destroys all life on Earth.
I found this book slightly below average. There is little character development, and some characters are little more than cardboard cut outs. Perhaps I am being harsh as this is a sequel, but I have read many sequels that keep up good standards when it comes to the characters. I also found that the plot was not original, but just a jumble of elements from other stories (children with super powers, an rich enigmatic villain, robotic killers) However, the book isn’t terrible, and there are some exciting and interesting moments in the book, but when it comes to the crunch, this just a mediocre, stereotypical book. I advise that you leave this and buy better examples of this genre, like the Gone series, the Mortal Engines quartet and the Power of Five series.
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The Other Countess | Eve Edwards
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, aged 13
Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime is left penniless with a father on a mad quest for gold when her mother dies. But Eleanor is not like other girls of her class. Known to her friends as Ellie, she has a carefree nature and a spirit that cannot be broken. When her father merits a job at Queen Elizabeth’s court, many new interesting experiences will take place!
The new Earl of Dorset, William Lacey, knows he must rebuild the estate and wealth his father squandered. The only option he faces is to go to court and find a wealthy woman willing to marry him. He arrives at court with only his mission in mind. That is until he meets Ellie. Caught up in her beauty and witty sense of humour, Will now faces the problem that Ellie is not the wealthy young lady his family had expected him to marry. Can they overcome the many forces fighting against them?
This charming novel will have you hanging on to the last word. You will be caught up in Will and Ellie’s struggle for love and will be kept on your toes by all the twists and turns of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any teenage girl looking for an immensely good read!
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Leaving Poppy | Kate Cann
Reviewed by Jesamin, aged 13
Amber can’t escape from her deranged evil sister Poppy. She is everywhere. So, with the help of an old spinster with a mysterious past, can she get rid of Poppy and that ‘bad feeling’ that won’t go away?
To escape her sister, Amber moves into her new house (including a lot of weird and wonderful flatmates), so why can’t she get rid of that strange desolate feeling?
Help is at hand from a mysterious old spinster, but what connection does she have to the old house? And, who is Ivy Slade?
This was a great read. It really deals with some sensitive issues and I loved the super-natural aspect of the book too, which gave me quite a few nightmares!
A definite 10 / 10
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What I Saw and How I Lied | Judy Blundell
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, aged 14
‘What I Saw and How I Lied’ is set in post war America in 1947. The main character is a fifteen year old girl called Evie. After her stepfather Joe returns from the war, he decides the family need a holiday. Joe, Evie and Bev (Evie’s mother) travel to Florida for a relaxing break.
However, things in Florida are different to what Evie had expected. When she meets the man of her dreams, Peter Coleridge, her whole world changes. She is thrown into what she has never experienced before – love. Lies and secrets are thrown in all directions, and Evie later discovers something discreet has been going on.
After hurricane Armageddon hits, Evie is left all alone not knowing what has become of her parents or of Peter. Fights, relationships, deals and secrets, Evie has been through them all in this holiday from hell.
This book is heartfelt and dramatic. Judy Blundell has a talent for letting you get to know the characters and how they are feeling. The book is gripping and stimulating for the reader. It is moving and shocking. Once you’ve started reading, you will not want to stop.
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Once | Morris Gleitzman
Reviewed by Bella Lawler, aged 12
Once, I read a book called Once.
Once, I really enjoyed it.
Once, I wrote a book review, telling you all about it.
Once, by Morris Gleitzman, is the thrilling tale of a Jewish boy named Felix living in war-torn Poland. With the Nazis scattered everywhere, behind every corner, Poland is no longer safe. After a sequence of shocking encounters leading up to a mysterious chain of events, Felix is forced to flee from his Catholic orphanage in which he is hiding. Desperate to find his parants, he searches helplessly and along the way befriends a girl named Zelda. Both in the same situation, they encounter some near-death experiences and soon find themselves in hiding and in fear for their lives. But time is ticking and as Hitler’s growth in power increases, it might already be too late to turn back…
The story ‘Once’ is a very powerful story for young readers and I would happily recommend this to anyone. As this novel is based on a true story, it helps you to empathise with the incredible hardships inflicted on the Jews.
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Where I Belong | Gillian Cross
Reviewed by Kinneret Livne, Aged 14
Where I Belong is about three teenagers who see the same events through different eyes, and alternate to give their version of events. Khadija has been sent to England to earn some money for her family in Somalia. She gets a job in a local shop earning very low wages, but soon gets an offer she’s not sure she can refuse…
Abdi is Khadija’s adopted brother, as his originally Somalian family are looking after her. He helps her with keeping her secret, and can’t wait to go to Somalia, where he apparently belongs…
Freya is the daughter of huge designer, Sandy Dexter. When her mum picks a Somali girl off the street and asks her to be a model for her new range, Freya doesn’t know what to think. However, when her mum decides to do the show in Somalia, despite all the bombings there, Freya is horrified. She’s possibly more angry, though, when she learns that her parents aren’t planning to take her!
Gillian Cross is trying to highlight the stark difference between the cosmopolitan lifestyles of rich Londoners and the poor people in the war-ridden country Somalia. She also highlights the huge wrongdoings of the fashion industry, and how they will stop at nothing in order to get a good show. With a lengthy 300 pages, I expected this book to be action-packed and full of twists and turns, but unfortunately it moved along quite slowly and for the length of the book not a lot happened. Despite this, the book had a good message and was an interesting read.
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Pretty Bad Things | C. J. Skuse
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, Aged 13
“Tell Buddy we love him!” – what do these words mean to you? All over Las Vegas sweet shop owners are baffled when they are robbed and are left with only these words. Who are the mysterious “Wonder Twins” that are stealing everybody’s sweets and all American teenage hearts?
On the run from their gold digging grandmother, former American sweethearts, Beau and Paisley, run away in a mad search for their long lost father. After disappearing as children Beau and Paisley are quite used to being in the headlines and receiving numerous fans and fan sites. Now that they’ve grown and most people have forgotten them, they receive no help in reaching the reunion with their father that they have been searching for.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any teenager, both boys and girls. Paisley and Beau are loveable, unforgettable characters, and “Pretty Bad Things” is full of jaw-dropping twists, that will leave you gasping for breath and wishing for more!
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Rowan the Strange | Julie Hearn
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, Aged 11
When I picked up this book, I thought I was going to get a good read. I didn’t, what I got was an exceptional one!
Set in WW2, a 13 year old boy named Rowan has a mental illness and is taken away to a mental hospital. There he is given the latest treatment, an electrical shock to the brain. He stops having attacks, but he believes that he has super human power! He makes friends with another of the patients called Dorothea, who believes she can talk to angels, and also a man called John, who feels guilty over shooting defenceless Germans on Christmas day, in the trenches. But what really makes the story shine is the German doctor Von Metzer. Although he is horrified at Hitler’s treatment of the mentally ill, he is feared and hated by the rest of the community. Both he and Rowan are furious when the cruel remarks of a nurse cause Dorothea to commit suicide. When Von Metzer tells the nurse what he thinks of her, she rouses the village to attack him! It is up to Rowan to use his intelligence to save Von Metzer, and above all prove he is well enough to go back to his family…
This book is wonderful, and is sure to sell well, because the author can bring characters’ feelings to life superbly, and also shows us that we often judge people because of their nationality and condition, without actually learning about them as people. I would recommend this book to teenagers of both sexes. This book is brilliant, so make sure it is on your bookshelf as soon as possible!
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Shiver | Maggie Stiefvater
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, Aged 13
This is a gripping and enjoyable read which tells the story of Grace and her strange fascination with the wolves that attacked her as a child.
Her particular interest is with a mysterious yellow eyed wolf and when a strange boy named Sam who also has yellow eyes arrives in town, Grace begins to wonder if maybe there is more to these wolves than meets the eye. When a boy from Grace’s school is found savagely mauled to death and the wolves are blamed the local men decide that it is time for them to either leave or suffer the consequences.
Meanwhile Grace learns the truth about her wolves and the murder and is bent on doing everything she can to protect them before it is too late…
Overall this book will really entrance its readers whether they are boys or girls. It is full of twists and turns and will have you spellbound. I couldn’t put it down and think it would appeal in particular to to young teens.
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Quicksilver | Sam Osman
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, Aged 11
Good Points: This book had a good plot, and considering that the book was fantasy, the writer put a good ‘real life’ effect into it, just enough so it was still believable, but exciting all the time. I liked how you got to know each of the character’s personalities very well, almost like you were their best friend. The three main characters – and the ones you get to know the best – are Wolfie, Tala, and Zi’ib. Each of these characters has their own part in the story, and this shares the main character role, so you don’t just get the image of one main definite main character.
These children also all share some characteristics – they all have a parent (or two) missing, they all have green eyes and they all possess extraordinary dowsing abilities etc.
Bad points: It took me a long time to get into this book, as some details are quite confusing, and I was a bit mixed up on all of the difficult names and places. I did notice on the back cover on the book ‘for ages 9 – 12’. I am 11, and I struggled with some parts of the book, so I’m not sure how a 9 year old would cope with some of the difficult language and content (I even had to ask my parents what some of it meant). That is why I would recommend it to older children.
I also got a bit confused with the storyline at times – I couldn’t keep track of the characters and this resulted in me not understanding bits of the story. At the end though, the story did all piece together and I understood it.
Overall: Overall I would recommend this to older children purely because of the difficult language and content. Also, the book is quite thick, so I also wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who likes a quick read. It took me a long time to finish it, partly because I didn’t really understand the middle and so I wasn’t keen on reading it. However, I did like the beginning and the end, and you get a few surprises with people being not who they seem…………
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Secrets of Hightower | M G Naylor
Reviewed by Eve Foster, Aged 14
Secrets of Hightower is a story unlike books I have read before, despite what you may first think. When I first received Secrets of Hightower I wasn’t looking forward to reading the book. I found the cover, picturing a dull, bleak house through a cracked lens, off putting and the blurb didn’t draw me in. The first few chapters seemed to take forever to get through. Then, however, the Elverys were introduced. The Elverys stopped this book feeling like a book I’d read before. Nick, the main character, moves to Hightower just to help the Elverys, but he doesn’t know that. All he knows is that his dad died and left the place to him. When he finds Elvery, he is told about the ‘Engine Hearts’ which power the city, and how if several Engine Hearts are placed together, they have the power to turn others evil. The story is full of twists and turns, and you are never sure who has turned evil; first it seems like one, then another, and then someone you would never have expected. I love the world of Elvery, and their transport, and it was something I didn’t expect. Overall, Secrets of Hightower surprised me, as I never thought I would like it, but it did take too long to start. The Elverys should have been involved from almost the beginning!
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Necropolis | Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, Aged 11
Necropolis is the fourth, and possibly best, of Anthony Horowitz’s gruesome supernatural series, the Power of Five.
In this book, a teenage girl named Scarlett Adams walks through a door in a London church and she is whisked into a nightmare world of monsters and their evil human allies. She learns that she is one of five Gatekeepers: children with superhuman powers, who were born to defeat the murderous Old Ones, creatures of ancient evil. When the other four Gatekeepers try to rescue her, she is taken to Hong Kong, which the Old Ones now control. As the population is wiped out, Scarlett must escape, or face torture worse than death.
I really like this book because it is action packed and exciting, and uses some wonderful description and character development .Another strong point is that it tells you the story so far in a diary kept by one the gatekeepers so it is not important to have read the other three books. I simply could not put this gripping book down. It is possibly my favourite book ever, and shows how good a writer Horowitz is. I cannot wait for when his finale will be released. If you are a Horowitz fan, BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!
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The Ducking Stool | Gloria Morgan
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, Aged 13
I really enjoyed the book The Ducking Stool. It was really interesting!
The book was told in the role of the main character Megan who is 10 years old. Megan has a brother called John who is 14 years old. John is really into his schoolwork but because he had reached a certain age he had to do work on a farm. The book is set in 1944 and Megan and John have been evacuated to a village called Bartlemere. This is because in London, there are lots of bombs being dropped all over the city. There are lots of murders in the village of Bartlemere and Megan and John think it is their responsibility to find out who did it.
The thing that I most liked was the theme and that it always kept me guessing and wanting to read on and find out the end result.
What I disliked about this book was that in the first few chapters it made me a bit confused, but as I read on it all became clear.
Can you guess who it was? Who do you think the murders were all aimed at? Can you uncover the mystery before Megan and John? Do you want to find out? Then just read the book. You will love it. I would give this book 5 out of 5. It was just so interesting. I would recommend it both boys and girls ages 11-13.
This book is a classic who-dun-it!
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By Royal Command | Charlie Higson
Reviewed by Toby Mason, Aged 12
By Royal Command is a nerve-wracking and exciting book written by Charlie Higson. It is his fifth novel in this series and is as ingenious as all the other books.
This time the main character (young) James Bond befriends the two communist criminals Dandy O’Keeffe and Roan Power, who are trying to blow up the king. Twists and turns put James and friends in constant danger.
Charlie Higson is a great writer expressing James’ feelings of love of danger and boredom at school. He writes to perfection as you can almost feel the bruises James receives.
Start this book after a big meal as you won’t put it down for tea!
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Airman | Eoin Colfer
Reviewed by Jowan Mead, Aged 12
The book starts with a well-structured prologue, introducing several main characters and describing them adequately enough for the reader to get an idea of their personality. The prologue soon comes into an exciting point and has very good description and imagery.
The book has an action-packed storyline, with subtle humour placed cleverly. It gives the reader a very good image in their head of what is going on, and also lists the location and time of each chapter at the start. Though the book is thick, with 424 pages, it is very fast paced and flows between the chapters smoothly. The book’s storyline is nothing short of epic, and I cannot think of anything to fault it, apart from the fact that it can be complex at times and could be difficult for some to understand. I would give this book a 9 out of ten, the one point off because of the reason I have just stated. Overall an excellent book and guaranteed to keep a reader interested at all times.
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Strange Angels | Lili St. Crow
Reviewed by Hazel Beddows, Aged 13
Sixteen-year-old Drew Anderson knows all too well what a brutal and terrifiying place the real world can be – growing up she has always helped her father hunt out things that go bump in the night – but when he comes home from a mission as a zombie, Drew is forced to make her own way in the world and, with the help of the weird goth kid called Graves and an owl with the spirit of her dead grandma, she is determined to track down the bad guy who turned her father into one of the ‘re-animated’ .
Though I feel this book will strongly appeal to fans of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga, it is most definitely NOT a romance; this book is sheer page-turning terror sure to make you keep coming back for more. I fully enjoyed this book and I strongly recommend it to all teenage readers, both boys and girls.
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Inkheart | Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Anna Maher
I found Inkheart very interesting in places and sometimes I found it very hard to put the book down. At the beginning the characters seemed to be regular people and their lives no different from ours, but you later find that some of their lives have been as adventurous and dangerous as in a book.
I thought the characters were very understandable and my favourite is Resa because she seems friendly but she knows more than we do and she can’t speak.
When a scarred man appears on the doorstep of Meggie and her Father (Mo)’s house, Mo is forced to reveal a secret that caused the disappearance of Meggie’s mother (Teresa).
When Mo reads aloud mysterious things happen and creatures of every type leave the book in Mo’s hands and appear in our world very confused, but sometimes when this happens things (usually people) from our side of the world go deep into the pages of the book.
Inkheart is a very adventurous and exciting tale of two separate worlds and different people trying to get into each. A brilliant idea and plot from Cornelia Funke.
Sequels to INKHEART:
Inkspell
Inkdeath
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Blood Hunters | Steve Voake
Reviewed by Sean Sharp, Aged 13
Blood Hunters is an exciting a nerve-tensing read. If you cannot get into this book then you aren’t made for reading.
The story revolves around two boys who become friends and just when things are looking good, life takes a turn for the worst. Deadly, dangerous and bent on killing humans, these creature are not to be messed with. The boys become involved in the conspiracy to find out how it happened. After one good thing happens, catastrophic is one word to describe what happens next.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone from 11 years old to 16 years old. It’s a great read for all with an exciting and tense climax.
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Airhead | Meg Cabot
Reviewed by Eve Foster, Aged 14
Airhead is the first in Meg Cabot’s brilliant new trilogy about a ‘geeky’ teenage girl who manages to get inside the body of a world-famous model.
When I first saw this book, I was under the impression that Em would switch bodies in some magical event. That, however, was not the case as I realised once inside. On the first page you meet Em Watts, the unpopular and unfashionable protagonist, and Whitney Robertson, the popular, tall, blonde girl who Em strongly dislikes. However, even though the characters feel like repeats at first, they pull through when the story gets going and Meg Cabot’s style of writing sinks in.
The idea, though some might say ‘unrealistic’, to me seemed clever, funny and made me wonder what it would really be like to be in that situation. It’s full of twists and turns, keeping you reading even if it feels like an age before Em realises what has happened to her.
My only criticism would be that when the book ends, you’re just ready for more and if you live in England and got the first book when it came out, I’m sorry to say it’s a long wait for the second one. Airhead isn’t forgettable – after you’ve finished, it sits in the back of your mind, and you soon find yourself flicking through its pages once more.
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The Black Book of Secrets | F.E. Higgins
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, Aged 11
This book is one of the best reads I have had. It’s amazing! Of course, it does have it’s downsides, but for now, I’ll talk about the good bits. The book is about Ludlow Fitch, who escapes from the city to start a new life away from his wretched parents. He finds himself in a distant village named Pagus Parvus – I know, quite a mouthful! – and meets a strange man called Joe Zabbidou, a pawnbroker who purchases secrets. Joe is searching for an assitant – someone who is trustworthy and loyal, someone who will not betray even the deepest and darkest of secrets. To him, Ludlow seems perfect! And so, Ludlow’s job as a pawnbroker’s assistant begins, and he encounters many ups and downs which puzzle him. But somehow, together, Joe and Ludlow conquer the town’s most feared enemy…….
Good Points
The book’s mystery and feel of anticipation was what mainly urged me to read more. The author had a good knack of knowing when to stop a chapter, therefore adding even more effect to it. Also, even when you thought you knew the characters, they always seemed to put a twist in their personalities, so you didn’t know quite what to expect…
Bad Points
The story had a few bad points, but not many. I thought that sometimes the book seemed to ‘hang around’ in a few parts – it seemed to be just doing the same normal routine a bit too much – but this happened rarely. The first bit of the story’s plot is a bit tricky to understand, but once I got into it I started to make sense of it.
Overall
Overall, I thought this was a great book, and it hooked me from the start. I especially liked the ‘secrets’ people had – they were always very interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who really likes mystery/secret stories.
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Ways To Live Forever | Sally Nicholls
Reviewed by Hazel Beddows, Aged 13
“ My name is Sam , I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts . By the time you read this I will probably be dead .”
Sam loves facts he wants to know about UFOs , horror movies , airships and how it feels to kiss a girl, he also wants to know the facts about dying.
Sam has leukaemia and needs answers to the questions no-one will answer. For the last 3 months of his life Sam keeps a diary in which he confindes secrets and ambitions , but when Dr. Bill comes to visit after one of Sam’s bad spells Sam has to make the vital decision on whether to drop his medication or not.
This book left me feeling tearful but inspired, I couldn’t put it down and it has become one of the books I will happily lend ( but not give ) to my friends.
Runner up of the Manchester book awards, it is nothing short of totally brilliant. A fantastic debut for this new, young author.
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Noughts and Crosses | Malorie Blackman
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, Aged 14
Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses is an absorbing and heartfelt book set in a different community where black and white are right and wrong. The reader gets to know the main characters (Callum and Sephy) quickly and effortlessly. Persephone Hadley is a cross; she has a high status and is supposedly closer to God. Her unusual friendship with Callum (who is a nought) is pulled further and further apart as they grow up in a community that doesn’t recognise friendship between noughts and crosses.
The government have given in, and decided to allow noughts to enter cross schools throughout the country. The few that have passed the entrance exams have ‘dropped like flies’ and when Callum’s Dad is arrested, he is asked to leave his education.
When Sephy decides she needs to get out of this opinionated world, she is heartbroken when Callum does not come with her. As Sephy goes to a top school, she learns more about equality and how to solve her problems without violence. Meanwhile Callum joins a terrorist group (Liberation Militia) and also tries to help make noughts and crosses equal.
When Callum is given a mission that could destroy both him and Sephy, he has to make an important decision to do what is easy and what is right.
Noughts and Crosses is gripping and stimulating for the reader. It is dramatic, moving and shocking. You will not want to put it down.
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Double Cross | Malorie Blackman
Reviewed by Sean Sharp, Aged 13
Malorie Blackman has made a brilliant series of books (Noughts and Crosses) and I thought that they couldn’t get any better – that was until I read Double Cross and it took reading her books to the next level…
The plot is based around 2 people, a teenage boy and a teenage girl who are growing up in poverty in a world where black people (crosses) are superior to white people (noughts). In this book you are never short of romance, excitement, thrills and explosions. Where crime is high and you always have to watch your back nowhere is safe and both of the main characters know this…
Our first main character is a white boy named Tobey. He lives with his mum and sister. He faces many problems, such as money and this tearing feeling in him for Callie. There is also the small problem of gangsters which he has got himself caught up in.
The other main character in the spectacular book is a “tanned” girl named Callie Rose. Her mother is a black woman, the daughter of the prime minister and her father is a white terrorist who was hung before she was born. She faces many problems such as her uncle is a terrorist who she is madly scared of. She’s best friends with Tobey who she is in love with but can’t get the guts to tell him about her feelings.
All in all this book is an explosive thriller which anyone who is at a mature age can really enjoy, with an explosive ending that you can’t wait to find out about.
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The Doomspell | Cliff McNish
Reviewed by Nel Bailey, Aged 12
As soon as you open The Doomspell you are immediately wrapped into a fantasy world of magic and witches, where everything is frozen and filled with wonder. It is a book where every page has a new secret, waiting to be uncovered.
Cliff McNish doesn’t waste any time in introducing our main characters and quickly enough you are falling with them into the new and dangerous world of Ithrea. Soon after you meet the villain of this story, the Witch Dragwena; her plots of dark magic spill out onto the page.
Throughout the story you discover many spells and lies, which the Witch has struggled to contain, whilst Rachel (a young girl dragged here from earth with her brother) tries to overcome them. You never know who to trust and the mystery just keeps unraveling. Once again, Cliff McNish has kept us turning pages with his intriguing writing style and excellent plot.
A really great book and an fantastic read. I would give it 9/10 most definitely.
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Red Sky in the Morning | Elizabeth Laird
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, Aged 13
It is a very moving book. This story is told by the main character called Anna. It starts when her life is turned upside down when her little brother Ben is born. Her little brother is disabled and is told that he will never live a normal life. Anna adores him with all her heart but she just hasn’t got the courage to come clean and tell her friends that he is disabled.
Something very sad happens but it gets a little bit better at the end when she makes a very special little friend. I recommend this book for 12 to 14 year olds.
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