Girls in Tears by Jacqueline Wilson

This book is about the three girls who are going though a rough time while they are teenagers. They are Ellie, Magda and Nadine .Ellie has a boyfriend Russell who is older than her and that has been a problem because their relationship is falling apart. While this is happing with Ellie, Magda has just lost her beloved pet while the others did not know she even had one. On the other hand Nadine is too busy looking for love on the internet and is getting fed up with her mates because they keep warning her about the dangers on online dating -  despite these she still does it. Slowly their friendship is falling apart but are they going to be friends at the end?

Sara, Year 8

Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is about a 14-year-old African boy called Alem. His father is Ethiopian and his mother’s Eritrean. There was a war going against these two nations so they had to decide which side they are on. They refused to leave and they his father got beaten up. He and his mother were crying in the corner.

His father takes him on holiday to England to do some sightseeing. However the next morning he finds out that his father has left him a note. It was saying things like I have left you here and I have gone back to Africa to see your mother without you because it is not safe for you. The refugee council would look after him while he was gone. Two ladies come to help him.  He is placed somewhere where boys live but he was very unhappy because he was bullied. He tries to run away but that doesn’t help. The Fitzgeralds foster Alem and there is a stroppy 17 year old girl there called Ruth. He wants to start school. All the teachers like him. He is introduced to an Indie band whose black leader is a militant believer in freedom for all.

All of this is not good news. Finally, he hears from his father...

by Saffron Whatley, Year 8

Gypsy Bride by Sam Skye Lee

This book is  non-fiction. It is based on a documentary on BBC4. However in the book it explain what happens to the bride before she got married. It is a tragic story at the start as she gets attacked and tries to kill herself. However throughout the course of the book it becomes happier as she gets married and reunites with one of her closest friends. She has bad behaviour at school and gets expelled. She goes to a special school here all children with bad behaviour go. Slowly she turns her life around. This book is very inspirational and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of 10.

Amina Jouhoune, Year 8

The telly is watching you by Nicholas Fink

There were two best friends  whose names were Ben and a girl, Shani. Ben put a programme on the television that Shani didn’t like so they had a argument about it. The screen went dimmer and dimmer, then they found out they were inside the telly. The telly kept changing  and changing programs: later on they found themselves in a boxing competition. They were scared they would lose; they were about to lose but happily they didn’t -  they won and they had to stand in front of everyone and people cheered for them. Ben and Shani  enjoyed watching telly together but their telly is a specially clever one. They watch it: it watches them.

Feryal Ward,Year 8

The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh

This book is a horror and adventure story. It is about a boy called Will, an orphanage boy taken in by monks and he is haunted by his past but has a gift of ‘sight’. He is about to discover there have been secrets kept there. But one day he goes in to the wood and helps a goblin and asks him to go back with him so he can get help from one of the monks.Then he gets trapped. He starts to hear voices and gets really freaked out.

Diellza Osmani, Year 8

Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

Running Wild is about a boy that goes on holiday with his mother to Indonesia in 2004 to try and forget about his father's death in Iraq. On the beach he and his mother are on  a Tsunami comes and destroys the beach. The only reason the boy is not dead is because he was riding an elephant that sensed the Tsunami coming. Off into the deep jungle now all he has is the trees and an elephant that won't stop running....
Will he survive this strange new world he has found?  Discover this story about life, death and friendship between a boy and an elephant.

Molly Roach, Year 8

Emerald Star by Jacqueline Wilson

Emerald Star by Jacqueline Wilson is an adventure novel about a Foundling Girl who has set a goal to find her real father ever since her mother died. This story is set in London and the main character is Hetty, who sometimes goes by the name Emerald Star. She is a feisty redhead who likes to go on many different adventures. I like this book because there are lots of different people she meets along the way, such as new people and some old people from her past...

By Tylah Fournillier, 7D

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is the story of an Indian zookeeper's son, who survived a shipwreck.Pi grows up in India with his brother, Ravi, his mom, and his dad, who runs a zoo. As a boy, Pi struggles with the identity issues connected with his name and with his personal belief system. He visits leaders of three different religions, and joins the Catholic, Hindu, and Muslim faiths. When Pi's parents decide to move their family to Canada, the Patels board a Japanese cargo ship that will take them and some of the zoo animals to North America. However, disaster strikes the ship and Pi must battle for survival. Pi spends a total of 227 days floating in the Pacific Ocean, with a hyena, zebra, orangutan, and a Bengal tiger for company. The first three animals die one by one, but the tiger and Pi survive until they float and reach the Mexican shores.Pi narrates his story of his ordeal at sea with the animals. However, the Japanese officials find his story incredulous and unbelievable, so Pi provides another story, without the animals. The Japanese officials find parallels between the two stories, and later on, Pi asks the officials which story they prefer, to which they respond that they prefer the animal story. This story is one of my favourite because you need to carefully read the story and analyse it from different views to figure out what is happening. I would definitely recommend this book because it really makes your mind work and it gives a number of morals throughout the book.

Zosia Wielogorska, 8D

Shift by Em Bailey

Shift is about a girl called Olive who used to be the ‘school queen-bee’, but that was before her breakdown. Now she is the class ‘loner’. Olive has a imaginary friend called Amy who she spends most her time with. Both watch as the new girl Miranda latches her ex-best friend Katie. Olive starts to do some research about Miranda’s cracky skin ,about the rumour that she killed her parents, the way that she talks like Katie, dresses like Katie and even going out with Katie’s boyfriend! The research proved that Miranda is a shape-shifter. Olive didn't believe it. Soon enough Katie dies. Everyone seems to believe that it was a tragic accident, but Olive isn't so sure, what if the rumours were true what if she was a killer or...a shape-shifter?

Mayia Radwan, 7B

All the Wrong Questions, Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)

'Who Could That Be at This Hour?' by Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler) is a mystery story, set in Stanin'd By The Sea, a made-up place which was by the sea but is not any more. It does not say when it's set but from the descriptions it sounds around 1880s to 1950s. It is about 13-year-old Lemony Snicket who is told to get to go to the bathroom in a cafe and climb through the window. He does, and changes his whole life! The main character are young Lemony Snicket and S. Theadora Markson. Lemony is about to go on a train to boarding school but then its given a note by a stranger, S Theadora Markson. He meets her outside the window in the toilet, and then she runs off with him. S Theadora is Lemony Snicket's chaperone and he is her apprentice. He has been asked to do an investigation to find out who stole an item. On his journey though, he meets a few other people who help find the answer. I like this book because it is so thrilling, the way that at the end of every chapter something completely unexpected happens, making you want to read the next chapter instantly, no matter what the time is or how long you have been reading for. Another reason for liking this book is for its use of new and inspirational words.

Daisy Fry, 7B

Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo

This is a mystery and adventure book.It is about a boy called Michael who got stranded on a desert island with no food and no water and no company -  or has he? Michael has a trip of his lifetime.I like this book because you really get stuck in to it and you don't know what's coming next I also like it because it is a mysterious and adventurou and it makes you feel you're in the book. Michael doesn't know what's next - do you? The cliff-hanger awaits you...

Lauren Smith Hall, 7N

The Hunger Games Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games Two is an amazing book: it's really interesting and I couldn't put the book down. It has lots of new characters and its very surprising. It's about how Peeta and Katniss are still alive after the first book, where they won the hunger games but now there are rumours about rebellion against the Capitol, which Katniss and Peeta have helped create. Every end of a chapter is a cliffhanger. Katniss and Peeta have won but now the Capitol want revenge... 

Isabel Aguilar, 8H

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer Fantasy, Romance

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer is a fantasy and romance novel set in Forks, America. It is about a girl called Bella who falls in love with a vampire (Edward) but she also falls in love with a werewolf (Jacob) and because she is human they have to protect her. The main characters are Edward, Bella and Jacob. I like this book because you never know what is going to happen next and the events that happen in the book are unpredictable.

Morgan Costello, 7B

Alice Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

This book is a adventure book about a girl who follows a rabbit and she falls down a deep hole and she ends up in a fantasy world with strange creatures. The main character is Alice she is a fair-sized girl with long curly blonde hair. I like this because the unexpected happens as the impossible becomes ... possible like when Alice fell down the rabbit hole and she was jumping to conclusions to what was going to happen. And it's really exciting when things happen without the characters knowing which creates suspense in my opinion.


Sonata Ibrahim, 7W

                             

I Funny by James Patterson

Jamie doesn't fit in. Just because he is in a wheelchair it means people treat him differently and he doesn't like that. But Jamie is seriously funny and everyone tells him that, including his friends, teachers and his Uncle Frankie. But can he really enter the planet's funniest kid comic competition and win? Join Jamie Grimm on his journey to prove himself and to also make his new adoptive family the 'Smileys' smile on the way!

Emily Lamont, 7W

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This book is a fantasy and quest novel, it is set in a made-up world with goblins and stone giants in a rural place with forests and enchanted meadows and lakes. The main character is a little creature called the Hobbit. It is about how he goes off on a grave adventure with 12 dwarves and a wizard called Gandalf to find their stolen treasure, but the treasure is guarded by a fierce dragon. At the beginning of the story Bilbo is very reluctant to go on the adventure with the wizard and the dwarves, but they manage to persuade him to come. As the story goes on he gets braver and braver as he experiences all the different adventures thrown at him, such as escaping from a slimy creature called Gollum trying to eat him, and running through pitch-black tunnels with goblins on his trail, but I cannot tell you about the biggest adventure of all for it would give away the whole entire book. The author made me feel sorry for the Hobbit, because he makes the little Hobbit sound so sad when they completely run out of food. Also Bilbo feels so scared they might not come back alive. To find out if they do you will have to read the book yourself!

by Jessie Wilkinson, 7B

Demon Thief by Darren Shan

Demon Thief by Darren Shan can be seen as a speculative fiction, a fantasy and a horror. It is about a young boy called Kernel Fleck. Everyone thinks he is weird, because he sees lights. In fact, they even called him a freak! Fleck also believes he is insane, for example:

People think I’m crazy because I see lights. I’ve seen them all my life. Strange, multicoloured patches of light swirling through the air. The patches are different sizes, some are small as a coin, others as big as octagons, triangles, decagons. Some have thirty or forty sides. I don’t know the name for a forty side shape. Quadradecagon? No circles. All of the patches have at least two straight edges. There are a few with curves or semi-circular bulges but not many.

Kernel’s has a brother called Art who gets kidnapped by an evil demon called Cadaver but Cadaver leaves the window open. The window leads to the home of... the Demonata. Now, while Kernel is down there, he meets some friends who have similar powers and who offer to help him: they believe that Art is completely a gonna and was eaten long ago, but Kernel refuses to give up. Kernel is the main character, and is also referenced as Cornelius. He is a bald little boy, who people not only think is crazy but also freaky. He tries to fit in but no one will allow him near them. He explains his experience of being rejected:

I try getting to know people, but the harder I try, the more they avoid me. I sometimes hover at the edge of a group, ignored, and pretend I’m part of it. But if I speak, it backfires. They glare at me suspiciously, move away or tell me to get lost. “Go watch some lights, freak!" 

In conclusion, I like this book because it gives an intriguing description of every character, so I can actually imagine what they look like.


Shemoriah Bennett, 7D

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is a realistic novel set in Victorian England. It is about a boy who has many adventures in his life. The main characters are Philip Pirrip (who calls himself Pip) who lives with his older sister, Mrs.Joe, and her husband, Joe the blacksmith. Pip and Joe have a very close and friendly relationship, and go on many fun adventures together. I like this book because it has very fun and some daring adventures in it. It also has very good language use and some interesting relationships throughout the book.

Barbora Burke, 7N

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoners Dilemma is the third and last in a series by Trenton Lee Stewart. This book is an action genre as it is filled with escapes and rescues for survival. It is about trying to solve and ruin Mr Curtain’s devious plan before it is to late and they will lose their memories by the whisper a contraction made by Mr Benedict.  There are 4 main characters in it, 4 children all with super smart brains who formed the mysterious Benedict society. The main one is Reynie Muldoon. He thinks between the lines so is exceptionally good at riddles and he observes and questions many things. Then you have Sticky Washington whose real name is George. Anything he sees or hears sticks in his mind so he remembers many things making him smart. Then there is Kate Wetherall who is brave and strong. She carries around a bucket with contains everything you need to escape. She is good at coming up with good ideas to escape and her famous on is climbing up air vents! The last is Constance Contraire. She is only four so is always tired and never looks ready for anything. However, what she can do is read the future and recognizes patterns. I love the book because there is always a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter, for example: ‘Together they counted to three, took a deep breath, and ran into the gloom after Kate.’  This leaves you wondering what will happen next - the suspense is to much so you turn the page… I love the action as the author uses loads of adjectives to describe what is happening in each bit as though you are there. The book is never obvious what will happen next and the author in one bit said. ‘They wouldn’t have gone if they knew what would happen next…’ I would give the book 10/10!

Bryony Jones, 7H

Saphire Battersea by Jacqueline Wilson

Over the past few days I have been reading the touching bestseller by Jacqueline Wilson - Sapphire Battersea. Here are my opinions and thoughts on this novel.

Firstly, the plot of any book is what usually determines if it is good or not, in this case Jacqueline has got it 'bang on' (so to speak). This is the second book in the Hetty Feather trilogy so it already has some guidelines, but in my opinion this one captures real emotions better than the first. At some stages, I even found myself in tears because you really get close to little Hetty that you don't want anything to happen to her. She sort of becomes your little sister.

On the other hand, I have detected the same problem with all the other Jacqueline Wilson novels I've read, the endings can be a bit abrupt. In this case, it was lead off in a way however, in my opinion, the book could have ended at least a page earlier.

Overall, it is an amazing story and one which I would recommend to anyone!

Maia Soares Louro, 7B

Scat by Carl Hiaasen

Scat by Carl Hiaasen is an adventure/mystery story, set in Florida. It is about the fiercest teacher in the school, Mrs Starch, who goes missing on a field trip to a swamp.  Over the next few days Mrs Starch still does not arrive at work and the police investigate and interview her biology class.  Then some strange things start to happen.

The main characters are Nick and Marta who are students in Mrs. Starch’s biology class and like every other student at Truman High School, they are terrified of her. Except for one boy named Duane, otherwise known as Smoke as he has a history of burning down buildings!  In the beginning of the book, he threatens her and then suspiciously disappears. Nick already has to deal with the dramatic return of his father from Iraq and Marta is determined to find out what is happening to people who have disappeared.  Together they try to solve the mystery.

I am enjoying this book because I am intrigued to find out if Mrs. Starch will ever be seen again, will Duane be found and the mystery of the fire at the swamp be solved? Even more puzzlingly, a panther has appeared and will become a focus in the story.


Alice Shea, 7D

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Meet Arthur Dent, Earthling and future Hitchhiker. Meet Ford Prefect Betelgeuse, Alien and owner of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. One Thursday lunchtime Earth is unexpectedly destroyed to make space for a new hyperspace bypass. Strangely, two so-called humans survive, their names Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect.Get ready to go on a journey into outer space and beyond! On this adventure you will encounter many creatures including President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox. Follow them in their adventure through time and space. Discover who really created the world. Finally understand our philosophy.This is a very comical story incorporating science into the book. Douglas Adams is an amazing writer. This book is a great take on the Universe from what we know to what we do not know about. I would highly recommend this book and I am really looking forward to reading the next three.

Sophie, Year 7

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

When I first saw this book I was sceptical because I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. I don't like scary horror books but my friends said it wasn't scary but I wasn't so sure. But as I started to read it I began to like it more and more as the story went on. It's about a teenage girl called Bella who moves to the northwest Washington state, a small town named Forks to live with her dad. At her new school she finds herself falling in love with a vampire but she didn't know. As theier relationship grew she soon found out what he and his family truly were! But as she begins to hang out with his family threats of other vampires put her in danger! What are they going to do...I guess you will have to read the book!

Jasmine Angel Murphy, 7H