Walkden Readers 26

Traumaland
This book is one which contains dark themes however I really enjoyed how the writer portrayed the characters. I felt as though it showed a real insight into mental health and how in which memory loss can affect a character. To add to this the moral dilemmas and unusual ethics were very interesting as they and you wondering what is truly right. I also found that I was able to connect to the story even from chapter 1 which I tend to find hard in a book and as it progressed it got even better. In addition I liked the characters obsession with wanting to feel something because it shows the depths of the human mind and the lengths they will go to to achieve what they want. Eli slowly begins to realise that all is not as he seems when he goes to traumaland in a desperate attempt to feel which I though was a clever concept. This is due to the fact it allowed for future events to be foreshadowed and again keep the reader engaged and questioning. Therefore this allowed me to be emotionally connected and even be reacting with each new chapter. Even when I reached the end I was still affected and wished there would be another book because the ending was open and Eli had made an inevitable mistake.

Jess

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
It is a good book which contains good understandable text to follow along. I feel this book clearly highlights bullying and it was great to see the lizard standing up to the pelican.

Ethan

Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan is brilliant! Being the first verse novel I have ever read, I found it a little difficult to read at first, however it got much easier as I got deeper into the book. The main character is a very relatable, determined and bold person who struggles to make the right decision for herself after getting pregnant. I love that although her friends have different opinions about what she should do and what is right and wrong, they all come together and support her with her decision. The book is very cleverly written, with words that form images and I also liked the different pictures for each chapter number.

Lyla