CSGS Page Turners 26
The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love by William Hussey is a book in which Stephen and Danny discover the harsh truth of war and the struggles of hiding a forbidden relationship. It covers themes such as WWI, LGBTQ+ and Discrimination. It is set in the trenches of France and the front lines. I like the historical accuracy used and the mention of a soldier who the story was based on as it made it feel more possible and realistic. However, the story felt a bit slow and some events were very sudden without any explanation. Overall, it was an okay read, and I would give it a 3/5. I would recommend this book to ages 14+ as it contains more mature content.
Sofia
Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan by Tia Fisher is a book about a student called Marnie who discovers the truth of consent and teenage pregnancy the hard way and about a student called Zed who helps her through her struggles. The main themes are consent, friendship and Identity. I enjoyed the style of writing in verse as it isn’t a very common way of writing YA fiction, and it is interesting seeing the different thoughts and opinions of the characters at the same time. In my opinion, there could have been an epilogue or extended ending for this book as the ending was quite abrupt. Overall, I loved reading this book and would rate it 5/5. I would recommend this for 13/14+ readers as there is mature content.
Sofia
Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien is an emotional story about a visually impaired girl, called Red, who lives in a small village and begins to discover secrets of the world around her. The main themes of this book are family, patriarchy, nature and magic. I liked the plot of the story more as I read to through the book as I think there were many cleverly placed plot twists and emotional scenes which made me want to read on and find out what happens next. The beginning of this book was quite slow, with ambiguity of where the plot was headed, however it then quickly picked up action as I read on. This book was an interesting read that I wouldn’t have picked up myself, but I would highly recommend reading. I would recommend this for ages 10 and above and would give it a 5/5.
Sofia
Ghostlines
Ghostlines by Katya Balen is a book about the struggles of starting anew and living life on a remote island. It covers many themes such as friendship, identity and family and it follows the characters Tilda and Albie through their adventures together. I liked the style of writing as I felt a connection with the characters, and it made me feel as if I was there. I also enjoyed the uncommon setting of a small island where the atmosphere of the book becomes more intimate and peaceful. I would recommend this book to a Y5-Y6 as I felt there could have been a more dramatic climax to this story. Overall, I enjoyed the characterisation and atmosphere of the book. I would give this book a 4/5 rating.
Sofia
Not Going To Plan
I found this book extremely powerful and beautifully written. I loved how it did not try to hide the fact that an abortion is painful. I loved the simplicity of the writing and how easy it was to understand the storyline. I would 100% recommend this book to a friend and rate it a 5/5!
Olivia
Birdie
One of the most empowering books I have read about racism, feminism and animal rights. It follows Birdie’s journey through her ups and downs of moving to the countryside to live with her great-aunt and uncle and her resilience to fight for her beliefs and to stand up for what is right. An easy read that I would recommend for Years 5 and over! Overall I would give it a 4.5/5!
Sofia
Ghostlines
I really enjoyed reading this book! I found the amount of descriptive language very interesting, and it allowed me to picture the setting really well. I also found the fact that throughout the whole book, we find out more and more about Rowan. The only thing that I didn't enjoy about the book is that the events were stretched out over a large number of chapters, but other than that I really enjoyed Ghostlines!
Anna
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book that should be considered to be looked at a younger audience. I enjoyed some of the funnier parts, like when we are told that hawks can only yell. I did enjoy it, I found that it was a interesting book and rather funny at places. I liked this book, but it wasn't my favourite. 3/5
Andrea
The Boy I Love
I really loved this book, firstly, because it was set in ww1 and I find books set in periods like this one. I also like the theme of forbidden love and think it a super engaging idea. The description of the trenches and the camps really puts you in the shoes of a young soldier and helps you relate to their situation based on a feeling where you have felt alone yourself.
Martha
Ghostlines
I really liked reading this book and the setting for it was very engaging. I liked the way that Katya Ballen used the isolation as a good thing for some people but as a bad thing and a danger for others. I thought the use of themes of friendship was very effective and the whole book had a warm feel. The vivid description was really good for helping me imagine the setting and I could basically picture the whole of Ayrie, and thought it had a beautiful statement.
Martha
Popcorn
I thought this book was quite a light read because it was most likely intended for younger readers, although it would suit many people's interests. I enjoyed how the book explored every day life in a humorous way and didn't end up with a perfect ending like other books. I also liked how there were simple illustrations in the book, to help give a more visual description to it.
Clara
Not Going To Plan
'Not going to plan' by Tia Fisher is a great book that I enjoyed to read and became completely engulfed in the book by the first chapter, it follows Marnie and Zed through a series of challenges. As the book goes on, their bond of friendship becomes bigger and by the end you would barely be able to part them.
Delilah
Ghostlines
Personally, I loved the choice of words in this book. all the metaphors and similes were really beautiful. However, the characterization could have been more original, and the plot could've had a better climax. Overall I loved the writing but the plot could've been better.
Tesla
Birdie
I really enjoyed this book because it was so touching and it covers topics that not many people really write about. The way the book explained about racism and animal love at the same time made me love it. It was very emotional at points and was just a brilliant book overall!
Chloe
The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love by William Hussey is a book about two military officers who are in the sane sector and find out that they love each other. I found this book really hard to start as there wasn't much happening. I think that only near the end did things start to really improve. I think I nearly stopped reading the book in the middle because I found it very boring. I wouldn't normally chose a book of this genre but I would recommend this book to people who enjoy books about WW1 and romance. Overall I would rate this book a 2/5.
Lukshmi
Wolf Siren
I loved Wolf Siren. The style of writing with the unusual main character is amazing and very unique which I love. I have always loved the original tellings of fairytales, and this version was exactly what I loved of the original and more. Personally, the twist at the end really surprised me and I found it made the whole book more invigorating.
Tesla
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I enjoyed this book and was definitely a form of escapism with it being set in a secondary school like mine but with wacky super-evil-super-villain's kids walking around. I thought that the topics it covered were very good and should be in more books. I did find some of the wackyness overwhelming so if you read this book I would recommend taking it slowly. Would recommend.
Betty
Ghostlines
I rather enjoyed this book , it wasn't my favourite of the Carnegies but I found it a good read. Because the main character was a bit younger than me I couldn't get with the story at points, as well as the fact that I have no older siblings. But I really enjoyed the fantasy, the escapism from the internet and phones in this book and the storyline of her brother and him leaving. I feel like I wanted more with the ghost island as it felt a little underwhelming to me.
But I would definately recommend this book.
Betty
Wolf Siren
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved it magical elements, I really liked how this book included a disability that is hardly ever represented in books. The writer is such an amazing author, she wrote this book so well that I felt I was Red and experiencing the challenges she faces a girl coming of age. My favourite character would probably be Red as she is similar age to me and I have a sister as well. My only critique is that it may be not the most thrilling book for boys or people who don't understand the sexism girls face / faced .Other than this I would totally recommend this book to all keen readers.
Betty
The Boy I Love
I think it’s a cute story for young adult readers. It’s not the most sophisticated war book, and there are plenty of other great LGBTQ+ books set during this time. The writing is lovely, and the characters are interesting. You don’t really get to know them that well because there’s a lack of character development. Still, it’s fine. It’s a YA book, and it feels very simplistic. I understand that it didn’t want to go into too much detail, but I think it could have been stronger. It’s not going to be something I go back to, but I don’t regret reading it.
Andrea
Ghostlines
Ghostlines is an amazing novel that's both captivating and heartfelt! It tells the adventurous story of Tilda and Albie, exploring themes of friendship, family, and the bond we have with nature. I think it would really resonate with young readers who enjoy deep emotional stories. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone aged 9 and up
Andrea
Ghostlines
Quite fun with a definite sense of thrill. Wonderful adventure away from the real world. Fantastic book that holds truth about friendship and kindness and love.
Aylin
Wolf Siren
Very engaging and fun to read. Interesting and cool to see how it linked to a fairytale and the magic of it.
Aylin
Birdie
I thought that 'Birdie' was a good book, because it had a great plot and it was followed through nicely. On the other hand, the climax of the story was postponed until the end, making the first part a little dull. I also think J.P. Rose could have built the story up to the point where Birdie and Mr Duke ran away, to make people want to keep on reading until the end. Overall, I would read this book again, but would recommend for younger children around Y5-6 because it was quite and easy read for me.
Clara
Birdie
This was by far my favourite Carnegie book because it gave an insight into the life of someone who is visually impaired, rather than the majority of books, which are targeted for children and adults who have no experience of disability. This book also has a main theme of feminism, weaving a well-known fairy tale and an ordinary young woman's life together. I rather like this because it contrasts to many books where everyone is perfect and the plots are quite dull and repetitive. In addition, the book 'Wolf Siren' included multiple genres inside of one book, such as fantasy, adventure and death. I am a fan of murder mysteries, so this encouraged me to choose this book for the Shadower's Choice Award, along with everything else!
Clara
Birdie
'Birdie' by J. P. Rose is a heart-warming book about a black girl who starts living with her great-aunt and uncle in the countryside. This book is about how she proves herself worthy and doesn't let harmful racist comments get to her. I loved the way Birdie had the courage to go down to the mine to feed Mr Duke even after Mr Walter (her great-uncle) warned her of the risks. I enjoyed this book and I would definitely read it again! I would recommend this book to people who are Year 5+ because it was an easy read and wasn't any hard elements to the plot. Overall I would rate this book a 4/5!
Lukshmi
Ghostlines
'Ghostlines' by Katya Balen was a book about a girl who lives on a remote island and likes exploring the nature surrounding it. I found this book very hard to get into and for me it was a very slow start. But after halfway through the book picked up and it became a lot more interesting. I would recommend this book to people who like the genre adventure. I personally didn't enjoy the book so overall, I would rate this book a 2.5/5.
Lukshmi
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
'Twenty-Four Seconds From Now' by Jason Reynolds is a story about teenage romance. The book is mainly about Neon and his girlfriend Aria, going from now, to 24 minutes earlier, 24 hours earlier...etc. I found it confusing jumping between different time zones but I liked how they first met. The story had a good plot but it wasn't my favourite Carnegie book. I would recommend this book to people over the age of 11-12 who like books which feature romance. This (personally) was not my type of book but I enjoyed it all the same. Overall I would give this book a 3/5!
Lukshmi
Popcorn
This book follows Andrew through his school picture day where he deals with bullies, spilt juice and a basketball. Despite his struggles, Andrew still tries to look perfect for his mother! This book was not my favourite out of all the Carnegie books but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to children in year 4+.
Lukshmi
Not Going To Plan
At first, I didn't enjoy the style that the book was written it but it grew on me as I liked the way that it showed two different perspectives. This book is not one that I would normally read but I still found this book empowering and well written. The characters were all well thought out and the plot had a very good shape. I liked the way Zed, Lukka and Rakel supported Marnie throughout her struggles with her pregnancy. I think the way that Tia Fisher thought out the ending with the art project was very creative and how at the end even though Jessica was mean to Marnie they got along at the end. Overall I would give this book a 4/5.
Lukshmi
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This is not a book I would normally read but I enjoyed it! It was a bit confusing in some parts of the book when the 'France on his knee' was mentioned and the 'black dog'. It had a good plot and lots of good characters. My favourite was Zeke or Miel. Zeke because he never gave up and Miel because he never stopped trying even with his disability. I would recommend this book to 7-10 year olds. I thought it was a bit basic for older than years 6 but probably too advanced for younger than year 3 or 4. Overall, I would give this book a 3/5.
Lukshmi
Not Going To Plan
I really enjoyed reading Not Going To Plan and think Tia Fisher is an amazing author. I especially liked the format in which it was written as well as the fact that it was a reasonably fast read. Before each page turn I was dying to know what happened next, and I thought the plot was amazingly gripping. This book is a 10 out of 10 from me and I highly recommend it.
Martha
Popcorn
I really enjoyed reading this book! I found it really interesting how clearly the book explains what anxiety is like because it may be difficult for people without it to understand what challenges there are to overcome. I loved how alongside this important theme, there was still plenty of humour involved! So far, this book is definitely one of my favourites!
Anna
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I found this book so interesting as it delved into all of the history in a couple's relationship, and parents support in life. I loved it so much but I thought the ending could have had more detail as it ended quite abruptly with not much explanation. I couldn't put it down!
Chloe
Wolf Siren
I loved reading this book so much!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes books that involve girls trying to find where their belong.
This book was SO touching, powerful and gripping. It had such a great ending. I have loved every plot twist in the book especially the ones towards the end!
Lukshmi
Wolf Siren
I loved this book so much! I would recommend it to anybody who likes books about fighting to belong. I found the ending really powerful and touching and I appreciated how the book involved the main character's other senses as well as her sight. I was gripped from the first chapter!
Chloe
Not Going To Plan
I really enjoyed this book, as it is written in verse, the message was really powerful. It touched on really mature topics and was extremely enlightening. I couldn't put it down, and once I finished it, I read it all again!
Chloe