Folkestone Academy Readers

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Popcorn
What a lovely book. It explains anxiety in a way that is understandable even to those who do not suffer from it. I was moved by the depth of this book and I had a few laughs along the way. All in all, most enjoyable.

Popcorn
I really enjoyed this book because when I started reading I really didn’t want to put it down. It is about a boy (Andrew) who is just trying to get a good school photo for his mum who is starting at a new job. They live with their grandma who suffers from Alzheimer’s while Andrew suffers from anxiety. But his picture day turns out to be really quite the day . . .

Wolf Siren
An enthusiastic and empowering book for women - a read about sexism as well as gender roles. I believe that it is an excellent fairytale format for people to read and to understand as it allows people to change even in the circumstances of a book that is fiction. The length of the book and size of the text means that its a shorter read to avid/quick readers however to most it's an excellent length to read over the course of a few sessions. For anyone who is interested in fairytales who want to see a major point discussed, this is a perfect book for you.

The Boy I Love
A highly engaging but tragic read focused on the war. I feel that the glimpse of the relationship was vital at showing the reality of war and how people relied on each other when others would not help. The book encapsulates these emotions and realities strongly, especially in a period of time where LGBTQ ideas were seen as less valued or were undermined. Ultimately, the LGBTQ inclusion was realistic and more subtle than alternative titles, which allows more immersion into the text's purpose rather than a specific idea alongside it. Otherwise, its a successful book that I would love to see built on.

Popcorn
An amazing piece of writing considering the metaphorical idea of popcorn to the harsh reality faced by many due to anxiety - causing more struggles in their personal lives. By writing this exemplary book alongside the use of imagery, it encapsulates the core purpose of accepting anxiety and working around it to make your life better. However I feel like the book could have been longer to explore a more expanded idea - where it would develop into a future rather than a short glimpse of time.

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
First of all, it's a really nice book and I liked the whole back storyline thing. I liked how it focused on the love bit , which is quite different to other books where usually in this type of storyline, it is always about a teenage pregnancy. It was a nice read. I strongly recommend it 👌

Popcorn
An enticing book about anxiety and the stresses faced by school and personal environments. With the incredible metaphor of popcorn, the book acts as a reminder of individuals who struggle with anxiety. As a shorter book, it allows younger readers to understand themselves, as well as understand the experiences for others who struggled. Otherwise, it's been a highly successful book as far.

Not Going To Plan
An amazing and different book in comparison to the other 7 texts. By being in a verse-novel form, it acts as a shorter read for all people to understand about pregnancy and the consequences in a school environment. Although the language becomes stronger as the text goes on, it works in order to show the divide between the victim and the classmates. It is a shorter book as a result, so it can become a quick read if you are a fast reader. I've personally found it quite boring for the first half as it is not very paced, but the pace quickly increases at the text continues.

Birdie
An incredible read about identity and history in the north. With exceptional meaning and depth, it is a book for anyone to read about history - however it considers the ideas of severe racism in the 1950s as war ends. This book, although touching upon harsher themes in society, acts as an important book for people to read and consider how to treat others well.

Not Going To Plan
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It started off like a slow moving steam train but developed into a bullet train half way through. I think it would be easy for teenagers to relate to the emotions and indecision that permeates every chapter. I would definitely encourage our upper year students to read the book. The end left me feeling oddly emotional. A really good read.

The Boy I Love
This book is beautifully written. It does not shy away from the realities of war nor from the punishments dealt to those who did not conform to societies expectations in those days. The themes of camaraderie amidst conflict, and enduring hope had me feeling uplifted.