Bookwizards

The Things We Leave Behind
All the Things We Leave Behind was a powerful story that showed what it is like to be forced to leave home and loved ones. It teaches the importance of your home, your family and how life can be unfair sometimes. I will give this book 7/10.

Artem

King of Nothing
King of Nothing Nathanael Lessore King of Nothing includes references to crime, arson, vandalism, death, gang violence, and domestic violence. King of Nothing is a story following a boy called Anton, who "rules the school" alongside his friends Caleb, Marcus and Kehinde, with his reputation built on his father's crimes and imprisonment. After getting into trouble for misbehaving at school, he is forced to volunteer at a group named The Happy Campers, where a quirky boy from his class, Mathew, saves his life. This causes Anton to rethink his academic and personal life, leading up to a heated final confrontation with his previous friends. The book delves into subjects like finding your identity and how toxic masculinity narrows our perspective on things and people. As the story progresses, Anton learns that real, healthy friendships and good grades are more important than his reputation. Mathew gives us comic relief and as almost an example of what Anton will, in a sense, become. Someone who isn't concerned with their reputation. He respects Antons wishes to keep their friendship secret, as Anton fears it could damage his reputation, but when Mathew needs Antons help saving the Woman's Shelter mural, Anton helps him and stands up to Kehinde, turning away from the violent path his father and Kehinde have taken. Anton is a relatable character, as he struggles to find his identity, struggles to balance out reputation with friendships, experiences loss and despite multiple bad influences, ultimately does the right thing. The differences between the characters make a tone for an good story and interesting character dynamics, Anton originally being portrayed as cool, strong, violent and not very intelligent, Mathew is portrayed as the opposite, uncool, weak, feeble and intelligent, which are both classic stereotypes. Anton, however, breaks away from this and becomes a better version of himself, following the death of his Gran, who was a big part of his life. Altogether, I think this book is very good for teaching about life problems, bit also a numerous and largely entertaining read, which I would recommend to a friend

Albie

Play
Play is a story that follows 4 teenagers living like any other teenager group until one of them interacts with his brother's friend who shows him something new that changes their lives forever. Play is the best book i have read so far because it gives us perspective from each of the characters and shows consequences of doing drugs.

Artem

All That It Ever Meant
A haunting story of a 14 year old girl losing her mum, having a sister who has a really bad relationship with her father and going to Zimbabwe. Shows what it is like to lose your parent and be part of 2 cultures. The entire book was a bit boring however the ending was pretty good. Overall I give it a 4/10.

Artem

Little Bang
Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain is a novel set in Northern Ireland, where there have been many controversies as to the legal status of abortion. We are introduced to Mel, a caricatural studious girl, and Sid, perhaps seen as the exact opposite – failing to find his way in terms of academic success. Their troubles are put aside on New Year’s Eve 2017, where complications arise shortly after.... The book focuses on the disagreements and possible conflict that can arise within families when the matter of abortion is brought up and its legality. The focus also creates the moral message on how it should not separate or damage relationships between people in society and that it is ultimately the decision of the ones who may have to experience unwanted things and what to do about them. It also hints of how there is more of a need for unity in a world that is still very divided, both economically and politically. The story helps us to comprehend the experiences of the two sides in an unwanted pregnancy, and their own unique struggles. Additionally, this helps us to know new details about both characters in focus. Overall, I would recommend this book to young people to learn about the different things that can happen to anyone and what is the best thing to do when your opinions are met with opposition at any point in your life.

Alex

Little Bang
I actually enjoyed this book about abortion in Ireland when it was illegal. This book was gripping but what made it better than other books was the fact it was from both perspectives.

Ned

The Final Year
I really enjoyed this book about moving to secondary school because we have experienced it as well. It also had a happy ending which lifted the mood. This book was very emotive which made us feel Sorry for the protagonist.

Ned

The Things We Leave Behind
I really this book about a girl that had to leave her home. I was gripped from the moment I picked it up because it was emotive and had a big plot twist at the end.

Ned

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald follows the intertwined lives of two young men called Finlay and Banjo both who have been abandoned at some point and have both been in Foster care . Finlay who is now studying Nursing at Glasgow University has aged out of foster care and is now living on his own but he struggles with the lack of support he would get from a family. Banjo is still in High school and is having a hard time with his new foster parents. They end up finding each other and both of them helping the other sort their lives out, mostly for them both having a friend in the hard times. In my opinion the Author makes a great connection between the boys in the book and the reader which is great. However, the books amazing realism and the connection between the reader and Finlay and Banjo really makes you feel what they think and feel and all their hardships that they deal with keeps you turning the page even if you don't necessarily want to find out what happened you keep on reading. Overall, very good book :)

Hugo

Glasgow Boys
I loved reading Glasgow Boys. The book is very relatable for lots of different audiences and it feels as if you are one of the characters. The two different stories that come together in the end is a really interesting idea because it means that the story doesn't get boring because you switch between the two characters instead of focussing on one person. Glasgow Boys had a very happy ending which is really nice because in a lot of books I've read recently there is a cliff-hanger or a sad ending but in this there is not. It was the first Carnegie book that I read and it was an amazing start and is probably my favourite one I've read so far.

William

Treacle Town
Treacle Town is about 18-year-old Con O’Neill, who lives in a tough Scottish town with lots of gang fights and few opportunities. After his best friend, Biscuit, is killed by a rival gang, Con feels trapped in a cycle of violence and sadness. He wants a better life but doesn't know how to find it. One day, Con discovers slam poetry, where people perform their own poems. He realizes he has a talent for expressing his feelings through words. This new passion gives him hope that he might escape his difficult life. However, leaving the gang lifestyle isn't easy, and Con faces many challenges as he tries to change his future. The story shows the struggles of growing up in a place with limited chances and how finding something you love can offer a way out.

Kian

All That It Ever Meant
This book is about a girl named Mati who is 14 years old. Her mum has just died, and her dad takes her, her big sister Chichi, and her little brother Tana on a trip to Zimbabwe, where he is from. He hopes the trip will help them feel better and bring the family closer. While they are in Zimbabwe, Mati meets a strange spirit called Meticais. No one else can see Meticais. The spirit helps Mati understand her feelings and deal with her sadness. Each person in the family feels different about their mum’s death. Chichi gets angry and acts out. Tana just wants everything to feel normal again. Mati feels lost and unsure of who she is. The story talks about family, feelings, and what it’s like to live between two cultures. It’s a sad but hopeful story, and it has a little bit of magic which I got quite confused with.

Kian

Little Bang
Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain is a powerful and emotional story about two teenagers, Mel and Sid, who face a life-changing event. After their first date, Mel finds out she’s pregnant. Both are shocked and unsure what to do, especially because they live in Northern Ireland in 2018, where abortion was still against the law. Mel is a science-loving, quiet girl a stereotypical nerd and Sid is a fun boy who loves music. They come from very different families where Mel’s parents are strict and religious, whereas Sid’s mum is loud and opinionated. Each side tries to push their own ideas, leaving Mel and Sid feeling confused and trapped. The story is told from both of their points of view, which helps us understand how each of them feels and thinks. Kelly does a great job of showing the pressure teenagers can feel from adults, society, and even from each other when facing difficult choices. What makes this book special is how real the characters feel. Mel and Sid aren’t perfect, so they make mistakes, argue and struggle to understand themselves and each other but that’s what makes their story so accurate to real life and it doesn’t feel like it’s made up but more like its written about a real-life couple.

Oscar

Play
Luke Palmer’s “Play” is a well written and powerful book that helps readers understand how difficult life can be for people from different backgrounds and social situations. Even though the story deals with some serious issues, it stays enjoyable and doesn’t focus too heavily on the negatives. The book follows four very different boys as they go through school and become close friends. To keep themselves entertained and escape their everyday lives, they create games to “play” during school and on their holidays. At first, these games are fun and innocent, giving them something to look forward to. But as the boys grow older, their games become more daring and a little riskier. One of the boys, Matt, starts off as a kind and innocent character. Over time, though, he begins to make poor choices. He falls in with the wrong crowd and starts running drugs, thinking it’s just a bit of fun and adventure. Eventually, things take a dark turn when he is kidnapped by men involved in the drug world. They warn him that one more mistake could cost him everything. This moment is a huge contrast to the friendly way the man who first brought him into the business treated him, showing how dangerous and fake that kindness really was.

Oscar

King of Nothing
This book is a very good read. It is a humorous yet realistically serious and sad book. It explores the theme of toxic teenagers and the thought of being the ''coolest'' in the school is only by being mean. The book proves this wrong and changes the life of Matthew after. It inspires teenagers not to get into trouble because it doesn't really look good on you if you're mean.

Aarnav

Treacle Town
This amazing book on the journey of Con O'neill is a great insight to the awful time some teenagers are experiencing. It talks about how he experienced a time of gang violence. Then he gives an anecdote to his personal tragedy. This book has the main idea of the struggle to get out of a criminal and gang life once the terrible mistake of joining it occurs. It warns new generations in a way. Although the book does have a lot of unnecessary swearing involved in it, I'd rate it a 3.5 star book out of 5.

Aarnav

All That It Ever Meant
In All That It Ever Meant, we learn that Mati’s mother has died leaving a tear through the family. The family(Chichi, Tana, Baba and Mati), go on a long trip to Zimbabwe, on the way they are encountered by many problems but also lots of enjoyment, during the journey Mati meets Meticas a spirt who has decided to help Mati, this is then used to create a feeling of friends as well as a felling that your not alone ever. At the end of the book the family arrive at Baba’s home village in Zimbabwe to find out that Mati has died along the way.

Conrad

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald is an emotional novel about two teenage boys growing up in Glasgow while dealing with their own struggles and pasts. The main characters, Finlay and Banjo, come from difficult backgrounds and Finlay becomes a nursing student who when he was little grew up in care, and Banjo is a young teen trying to settle into a new foster home. Their lives slowly become connected throughout the book, and it explores how their friendship helps them both. What makes this book stand out is how real and honest it feels. The story doesn’t sugar-coat anything, and it looks closely at things like mental health, trust, grief, and how young men deal with emotions in a world that often tells them to hide how they feel. The writing is clear and emotional, and the characters are easy to feel for and relate to in some aways. Even though the story deals with some heavy topics, it’s also full of hope. Margret McDonald does a great job showing what it’s like to grow up feeling like an outsider in such a buys town such as Glasgow where they don’t know their way around or who to talk to really.

Oscar

King of Nothing
King of Nothing is an alright book in my opinion. The start of the book is really good - there's suspense and emotional challenges HOWEVER (the caps are key to this so please don't remove them ) the rest of the book is a bit of a drag the things I was looking forward to (his close death) was under whelming the only good thing about this section is that I felt emotion when Nana died but after her death it felt spread out and stretched to make up for the start's shortness. Also his Dad, possibly the third most important characters (after Anton and Mathew of course) was barely mentioned his meeting with Anton and things around it deserves at least a whole chapter instead just a page. In conclusion I believe King of Nothing is a good idea however needs more work to it.

hugo lan

All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant , is a not so thrilling story. It doesn't keep you hooked in from the start but the last few pages are actually really good. It started very slow and it was hard to understand bits of but once you get into it you start to understand. I found it really hard to understand the characters feelings. But I do think that the fact it is in first person is great as you can really understand what they are doing and what they mean.

Harry p

Play
play is a thrilling collection of several people all intertwined in one epic tale. It is also a cautionary book which shows the consequences of alcohol and drugs as it it shows what they could have done with their lives when Johnny dies. I feel it is a near perfect book (the start being a bit slow ). It is a fun way to get the consequences of drugs and alcohol across to the reader whist still being a page turner and in my opinion the best book I have read so far.

hugo lan

The Final Year
The Final Year: This intriguing Book is on the challenges of Year 6. In Nate's school, the forms switch up every year- He gets separated from his best mate and he gets very annoyed at first but after he realises that his best mate has betrayed him he becomes more coped with the separation of his friend. Then he talks about a beast that rises inside him and how he could cope up with the beast. This is a fantastic book, that helps you get through any difficult times.

Aarnav

The Final Year
I Personally loved The Final Year because it told me how much teachers are not only vital in school but can also help with personal life such as coping with a death of a loved one. Even though Nate's youngest brother did not die, it also showed that through an unfortunate event benefits can still appear like how Nate regained his friend when the friend comforted Nate through ( the thought ) death of Nate's younger brother. As a person who loves Bob Marley's encouraging songs, Nate's teacher appealed to my emotions with his positive phrase " Every little thing is gonna be alright " being used throughout the book. Nate's teacher also said that, even said at the last few paragraphs told Nate that he is free to talk to him even if he is in secondary school which ambushed my heart with joy seeing how kind he is to Nate, arguably being the most important person for Nate to cope not only with Nate's school life. However, what angered me was the that ( even though Dylan promised Nate that they will continue to be friends in year 6) the school bully gradually started to lure Dylan away from Nate and Dylan even joined him to bully him. It impressed me that Nate still tamed the beast in his heart to not attack the bully , but I feel that a person with such a harsh lifestyle in his family would feel even more sadness with the isolation with his friend ( who was also the only person who get him a present on his birthday) by a bully. However, I loved that Nate persevered and found a new friend ( Caleb) and even gained a new one. Even though Nate had traces of anger issues, Nate was considered as a role model at home with how much responsibility he had due to his mother's addiction. It was outstanding that he did not complain once about the hard conditions he was in, but continued everyday with caring for his little brothers. To conclude, I loved The Final Year because of the perseverance Nate had with his responsibilities, taming his beast and having friendships. This had also given me inspiration to deal with tough situations and to know that there is always a person who can help you through them.

Harvey

Play
This book review is about Play by Luke Palmer. Multi layered and gripping. The book follows four boys friendships we see their lives play out right in front of our eyes. From building dens in woods in their youth to navigating tough challenges in later life trying to find themselves and trying to do what's right but sometimes making mistakes. There are strong themes of boyhood, male friendship and modern day masculinity. The author shows you how each of them deal with any pressure they face and coping with what's happening around them. The author goes into detail of the real meaning of friendships. For me personally I could not put down this book and out of all the Carnegie books 2025 I think this is the most addictive, compelling and best book.

Hugo

The Things We Leave Behind
This Book review is about The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss. This book follows two girls Clem and Billie fleeing an almost dystopian London because of political shift of a totalitarian regime creating an unsafe environment for Clem and her sister. This book goes into large detail about the hardships of being a refugee and encourages empathy towards them as to help readers understand how dangerous an authoritarian regime could be. You can almost relate at times but horrors you read about are horribly plausible and could actually happen. This horror and tension keeps you reading and guessing till the very end. Overall I think it was a great read .

Hugo

Little Bang
This book review is about Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain it is set in Northern Ireland where abortion is illegal. Throughout the book you develop a deep emotional connection with Sid and Mel. The Author emphasises about the hardships of teenage pregnancy and how hard the law about how abortions are illegal in Northern Ireland is on young women who get pregnant but want to go to college have a career and do what they love before settling down if that's what they want to end up doing. The Author also trying to say that making that choice does not make you a bad person. The language techniques used such as emotive language creates an almost physical atmosphere as if your right next to them and feeling their feelings. Overalll I think the author has done an amazing job.

Hugo

Glasgow Boys
The Glasgow boys was truly outstanding for me to read it was one of the best feelings and felt like I was there with them when they suffered mental health and the hardships they had to go through. One of the best things was their reunion as they finally meet which was kind of my best part to read.

Manasva

King of Nothing
I loved "King of Nothing" because it tells a story as if a teenager was writing it. He uses the word "mandem" and "moist" to describe his friends and moist to describe someone is " not tough". This makes me , the reader, feel that he is talking to me personally with his own words as a British teenager. I also adored the ironic plot of him being " the toughest person in the class" to him being best friends with supposedly the class nerd. This plot made me realise what peer-pressure could do to a person with Kehinde, Marcus and Caleb forced Anton to be his friend otherwise Mathew would get hurt in the last few chapters. However, I did not like that Kehinde thought that he was the best with woman due to the podcasts he watched about them. He took it so far that he refereed to woman as females, making woman feel as if they were only objects also making me feel creeped out of Kehinde as he bullied a girl when she did not like Kehinde. I also loved the support Antony's Mum gave who was the person who started this friendship along by sending Antony away to the Happy Campers and find Mathew there. His mum also protected Antony from Kehinde many times. It seemed to me that the Mum already knew what was going to happen with her being so reliable. In conclusion, the book was very thrilling but also unpredictable when Antony started to be friends with Matthew, this made Antony gain more friends like Roshelle. I would definitely want more of these types of books making me feel I am involved in the book .

Harvey

The Final Year
A really interesting book with a lot of funny, relatable moments. It was quick to read and is probably top 5 best books I have ever read. Overall I rate it a 10/10!

Artem

The Final Year
The Final Year, by Matt Goodfellow, is a verse novel picturing the life of a young boy named Nate, who is undergoing the struggles of the last year of primary school and family life. At first, we meet him and his friend, Parker Smith, often referred to as PS, and at the last day of year five, they are separated into different classes, causing their gradual loss of close friendship. The book is set in verse form, with poems utilized throughout the book as part of the way that Nate can express himself with the tough events he faces. Words are often arranged in a certain way to represent the tension or Nate’s reactions to events. For example, words may be spaced out horizontally or vertically with large gaps in between them if some troubling news has been told to him. Furthermore, the illustrations by Joe Todd-Stanton are very thoughtful in portraying the events of the story, as well as blending them with Nate’s mental state, shown when he is experiencing his anger issues, personified as The Beast. Overall, this book has a very gripping storyline due to the multiple events in quick succession, but also due the simple engaging plot. It was also nice and short but detailed enough to get the morals through to the readers and help them empathise with many primary school children who may be facing issues with friendship and the stresses of exams.

Alex

Treacle Town
Treacle town written by Brian Conaghan is about an 18 year old named Con O'Neill who is trapped a town full of violence and danger. All he wants is to escape this life and experience happiness and satisfaction. As a reader you are taken through the life of Con in his point of view which is one thing I think is great about the book. The novel being written in first person allowed me to really understand Con's emotions and how every experience affected him. Moreover, I found myself engaging with the book a lot more because of this choice by Brian and as a result the story felt more relatable and easy-to-read. One slight negative I have about the novel is that I found the Scottish slang used a bit confusing at times. However i understand that the people spoke like that so that the book was realistic. Overall I found Treacle town very enjoyable and would definitely recommend to other teenagers. 4 stars

Tom

Glasgow Boys
Starting off, the book starts with a brief introduction of Banjo; A short tempered, short, ginger 17 year old boy. As you turn to the next chapter, they introduce Finlay: Quite the opposite of Banjo; quiet, shy and studying for his nursing degree at the university of glasgow. The author touches on the early life of the boys on the end of each chapter, talking about their years together in foster care and their dependent relationship with one and other like pieces in a puzzle. She talks about their tense separation and how each boy went their own way and cut contact off completely with one-and-other and finally nearing the end how they came together. dropped their past behind them and let it all go for just a hug, reconciling.

Kian

Play
I didn't really enjoy this book as it wasn't very emotive and didn't have a particularly interesting storyline. The best part about it was it was educating us about the dangers of drugs in modern day society.

Ned

Glasgow Boys
I really enjoyed this book on two boys who were adopted. This book shows how the reunited after many years. I was hooked because the author expressed their emotion using pathos to make us feel sorry for the characters. It also had a gripping storyline and showed us what it was like to be adopted.

Ned

Treacle Town
Treacle town is a well written novel that is based in Scotland. It was about a boy trying to stop fighting between two gangs. Although two people died, it was a peaceful ending about a boy pursuing his dream to become a poet. This book gave me pleasure to read because it described Scotland so it seemed like I was there.

Ned

King of Nothing
I think that King Of Nothing is a well written novel had I was hooked from the moment I picked it up. This was because the characters were funny and the author expressed their emotions through effective words.

Ned

The Things We Leave Behind
The things we leave behind documents the tale of two sisters who suffer greatly from civil unrest in England. The story is relived by Clem to a counsellor named Polly. The story is occasionally broken by exchanges between Clem and Polly. Clem's journey takes her and her half-sister Billie to Scotland and their Grandfather to marches in London. I liked this book as it portrays a realistic theme that can be related to.

Liam

The Final Year
I found the final year to be a brilliant book that reflects the truth of 12 year olds lives. Nate is a brother to two and has a single mum and lives in a small cramped house where he sleeps on the sofa. To make matters worse, he is split up with his best friend for the final year of primary school. The story follows the disastrous events of his brother's illness that he nearly dies from. I like the fact that the book is written in verse as it adds meaning to the fact that Nate is talented at English. This makes the book more authentic as it is not only his story but written in the style of the character. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

Liam

All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant is a tale of grief, love and grief management. For example, the family move to Zimbabwe (their home country) to get over the death of their mother and sister. Personally I found this book hard to follow as it was written by the dead sister but you only found that out at the end giving the book a whole new meaning. This is confusing as it makes the book seem factually incorrect. I also didn't love the plot but it was written very well.

Liam

Little Bang
Little bang follows the tale of two year 11s at the same school. On their first 'date' (a new year's eve party), Sid and Mel make a decision that could write their lives for them. Abortions are illegal in Ireland so they feel they have to keep the baby. This changes Sid's look on life as he changes from high school dropout to a responsible worker. Sid had to do multiple jobs to raise money to look after their baby. Mel starts off by agreeing to keep the baby but then discovers that it is totally legal for her to travel to England to get an abortion. Mel decided to take the offer given making everyone else angry with her. To start with Sid is angry too but then realises that it was ultimately her choice to keep or lose the baby. This book shows that an event or circumstance could cause one person to flourish but it could crush another.

Liam

King of Nothing
King of Nothing is a great book that follows the story of Anton the 'King of the School' who moves away from his violent friends/gang and his ex-convict of a dad. The book details the hardships Anton has to suffer from something as silly as losing his wifi to his nan dying. I like this book so much as it shows that you have control over all your choices even when it seems like you don't and that you should choose the choices best for you not the choice best for your reputation. The book also has a theme of giving help - when Anton and Matthew help decorate a community area. Anton realises just in time that he does care about his grades and starts to enjoy school (choosing Art as a GCSE).

Liam

King of Nothing
Nathanael Lessore’s King of Nothing is an extremely well written and eye opening book that captures the teenage experience with honesty, humour, and emotion. The story revolves around Anton, a cocky year 9 student who believes he’s the most popular kid in the school until he’s forced to join a youth group called the Happy Campers, where he starts to realise that there’s more to life than being “cool.” What makes this book so powerful is how it tackles serious topics like toxic masculinity, bullying, and identity without ever feeling like a lesson. Instead, Nathaniel uses clever dialogue, relatable characters, and just the right amount of humour to show how complicated growing up really is. Anton isn't perfect which makes him even more relatable to the reader. Lessore’s writing style is modern and engaging, with a strong voice that makes it feel like Anton is speaking directly to you. I especially appreciated how it showed that real strength comes from kindness and being yourself instead of putting others down. Overall, I think that the King of Nothing is both entertaining and meaningful. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a fun yet challenging and informing book to read.

Oscar

Treacle Town
Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan is a novel set in the deprived town of Coatbridge, Glasgow, Scotland. We are introduced to the protagonist Connor O’Neil, who has been struggling with the loss of his mother and his dearest friend Mark, ‘Biscuit’, McVitie. He is also feeling the urge to escape this rabbit-hole of a town, where he is affected by the poverty and uncertainty of lacking a job. His town of Coatbridge is almost a close twin to Maycomb in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, where a day in the town is depicted as being ‘twenty-four hours long but seemed longer’. This portrays the idea that both characters are searching for change to their local towns and shows how they feel uncomfortable in the presence of things that wreck their communities, in this case, racial prejudice and violence. Overall, this book deserved its reputation as a truly interesting story, largely because of how the developed use of inner monologue which shows us what Conor is thinking and further creates queries about the decisions he might make, like his decision to join the poetry group or not. The frequent and, some might say, over-the-top use of foul language conveys how the characters feel about their living conditions and the failures of the council or government. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the lives of people from less fortunate areas of the country. However, the bad language may not be liked by some readers.

Alex

Glasgow Boys
I really enjoyed this book as it makes you feel. I say this as you feel as if you are the character and the events are happening to you. I really liked that the book shifts between characters as you can see that they kind of mirror each other. For example, when Banjo and Alena got together, the next chapter Finlay and Akash did likewise. I also really enjoyed the sense of time travelling when it went back 3 years to give the reader more information. It is hard to describe in words how good this book was and how much you could relate to someone totally different to yourself. The only thing I didn't like was the cover as I don't think that it portrays the book as well as it could have.

Liam

Play
Personally, I believe that this book tells the truth about how easy it is to take things to far and to ruin your lives. The book follows four boys who are starting year nine at school and are constantly in search of a new 'game'. When Mark gets involved with his brothers shady friend, he thinks that he's found the best game of all. As Mark grows apart from the others, he starts spending his money from selling drugs to everyone. As everyone starts taking more and more drugs from Mark, it all goes wrong for the foursome at a house party when Johnny dies. I think that the cover of the book fits the story as it shows a scene from the book that could be interpreted as Johnny's suicide or as them at the river.

Liam

Play
PLAY: This intriguing book is about the negatives of drugs on people. The book switches perspectives from 4 different friends: -Luc- who we see as a sporty sixth former pushing his body to the limit -Mark- a person who got himself tangled in the drug business -Matthew- a person who got himself addicted to drugs -Johnny- a helpful and vengeful friend who was heading for disaster. These boys had their lives spoiled by drugs and Johnny even died after consuming too much...

Aarnav

King of Nothing
The king of nothing: This intriguing book on the mindset of teenagers nowadays is quite a page turner. This book is based on a character called Anton and he is a well respected figure due to his imprisoned father and his own violence amongst his peers. This leads to him also getting quite a few detentions meaning that he gets his wifi unfortunately blocked by his mum. To regain it he must help out his mum with her job at little campers... He meets a shy person who goes to the same school and these meetings were his hamartia.

Aarnav

The Final Year
I've read this book and It's an amazing book Based upon a boy leaving primary school And moving to his secondary school He has two brothers and a mother, he is called nate and in this book it tells how he moves on to his secondary school

Manasva

The Final Year
The Final Year This story takes place in the North of England during Nate's (the story's main protagonist) second-to-final year of primary school. One of the main themes in this book is resilience because it shows how Nate perceives through his struggles. This book also teaches children, or even adults, about managing friendships and family. This story is told in first person from Nate's point of view and my favourite style of the book was how the author had made anger seem like a monster and how he made emotions feel real. This book is a mix of action and drama. I think I relate to Caleb because he seems like a calm and gentle friend who is kind and caring, and he seems like the best character in the story. The main suspense (I hope this is not a spoiler) is Dylan (Nate's 4-year-old brother) being sent to the hospital because there is something wrong with his heart. But Mr Joshua helped Nate the most. I would recommend this book to a friend because I think this book is a real treasure to have. After all, it teaches many life lessons and it does make you reflect on your actions.

Rithvik

Treacle Town
I thought that Treacle Town was a great book to start the Carnegie journey. Firstly, I loved the cover as I felt that it conveyed the book perfectly in an easy to understand way. The book follows an evocative path of devastating lows and hopeful highs. Personally, I really enjoyed the slam poems as I felt that they reflect society in some ways. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the Irish slang as some of it was hard to make sense of. Overall, I really enjoyed Treacle Town as it was cleverly written and extremely realistic.

Liam