The Bentley Woodlanders

All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant All That It Ever Meant is a short book, featuring a young girl who is struggling with her family on a trip through Zimbabwe after the tragic death of her mother. The book was written by Blessing Musariri, following Matiponesa on her journey with the spirit who follows her, Meticais. The book also involves Mati’s father, younger brother and older sister who accompany her on her journey through Zimbabwe. Often throughout this trip, the young girl encounters a spirit from her homeland who appears out of nowhere and urges Matiponesa to tell the stories of her past. One of the things that I like about the book is the facts about Mati that the author hides like how she died in a car crash and how her best friend – Caroline – was actually Chichi. To improve the book even further, the author could add more hidden pieces of her identity to shock the reader further.

Sienna

Little Bang
It was a really good book that showed the truth and hardships of life. It was a really down to earth book and displayed the ups and downs

Emily

Play
I really liked the book "play" and how it swichted in between characters in each chapter. I also loved how they all had different personalities and views. Mark encounters a really hard situation which could help the readers understand the reality of life, it shows that there are really fun times but also difficult and dangerous times.Overall, the book really made me interested and I would recommend it to other pupils!

Alice

All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant tells the story of Mati, a young teenager who faces deep loss when her mum dies. This loss propels Mati and her family on an unexpected journey from England to Zimbabwe—a trip that becomes more than just a change of scenery. It turns into a voyage of self-discovery, where Mati begins to reconnect with her cultural roots and her inner self. The physical journey mirrors her emotional quest to understand and cope with grief. This story is deeply personal, as it invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with loss and identity. I would recommend All That It Ever Meant to anyone who has encountered sadness or feels the need to understand their feelings on a deeper level. For those looking to find a bit of hope amidst challenging times, this book offers both comfort and insight. Overall, this book is a great read and I encourage Blessing Musariri to keep writing !

Jessica

The Final Year
The First Year is about how Nate copes with being in Year 6, the end of Primary. Nate only has one friend who has been by his side for has long as Nate can remember, PS. But as soon as he disappears from Nates world, Nate is at a loss and is trying so hard to block the emotions. Almost at the end of Year 6 he deals with something worse that could cost him his younger brother's life. Fortunately, with the power of writing, Nate can find the light again. Everything will be okay.

Pravaha

The Final Year
The Final Year is a heart-warming story on a boy called Nate and how he finds year 6 as he starts the year. This is a very good book to read as it has lots of emotion and vocabulary, one part that really surprised me was when Nate's little brother Dylan actually suffered from having waste in his heart. There are many twists in this book and different experiences. The Final Year is a unique book which I highly recommend to all ages.

Prakruthi

King of Nothing
The book, King of Nothing, is one of the best books I have ever read. This book contains different strong emotions and hardships. My favourite part of the book is when Anton tells Matthew that he is his best friend as it made a beautiful bond between the two, unique boys. On of the most emotional moments I believe from the book is when Anton's nanna passes away. This is very emotional to Anton because he had to go through a lot after. I really enjoyed reading King of Nothing.

Prakruthi