Diary of a Wally Kid

The Final Year
I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. The final year follows 10 year old Nate across his final year of primary school and all the challenges he has to face. The book is set out in poetry verses which was not like anything I had ever read before. I thought this book would be very childish as it's only rated 9+ but it was really well written, emotional and sometimes tragic, the story was engaging and I just couldn't put it down. This book is definitely worth the read.

Ellen

All That It Ever Meant
This book is about mati, the protagonist, and her two siblings and father. Throughout the book they journey across Zimbabwe while the family tries to recover from their mothers death. My favorite parts of the book was the descriptions of the places they visit and the plot twist at the end. It was cleverly done and got me flipping back though the book. But the pacing of the book was too slow for me especially as it's such a short book and the protagonist wasn't my favorite of characters, I much preferred her siblings. But Over all it's a good book about a family overcoming thier greif together.

Ellen

All That It Ever Meant
'All That It Ever Meant' is a novel following the death of a family's mother. In an attempt to sew the family back up, the father 'Baba' takes them on a road trip home to Zimbabwe from England. The story is from the point of view from the middle child, Mati, but goes through all the emotions with the other children. The end made me cry! There's a heart-wrenching plot twist as well as some upsetting themes (death of loved one, abortion, death of a child etc).

Alice

Treacle Town
Treacle Town is a very raw, and dark, piece of fiction that I would recommend for 14 up-for more mature reader's as the themes (death, drugs, violence etc.) could be very upsetting. Darkness aside, Treacle Town is sweet and hopeful. Conner finds Slam Poetry in the mix of the darkness he is stuck in.

Alice

The Things We Leave Behind
This dystopian novel is a dramatic, moving story that reimagines London in the midst of a political crisis. It is an extremely gripping story that truly captures the essence of grief that envelopes the whole country during this difficult period. The author cleverly varies the plot in surprising ways throughout the book and writes in a combination of fairytales and flashbacks. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book due to its believability and the difficulty to put it down. I would highly reccommend it!

Louisa

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys is a great read that is credible and easy to believe. It explores each of the characters views and choices in a detailed way. The novel alternates between two characters whose stories, at the end, begin to intertwine with the other. You can strongly understand and emphasise with each of the characters. Glasgow Boys is an in depth, emotional and empathetic book.

Sienna

The Final Year
This is a beautiful book; written in an authentic, poetic style. It tells an emotional, meaningful and hopeful story in a unique way. This believable book follows the journey of a boy from a not so wealthy background, in his final year at primary school. This boy has a challenging yet exciting experience full of obstacles and glimpses of hope. An utterly gripping read.

Louisa

The Things We Leave Behind
'The Things We Leave Behind' is a bittersweet dystopian novel about Family, War, and friendship. It follows sixteen year old Clem as she flees her home, all she's ever known, for Scotland. Furniss has created a War-ridden London that resembles something new. It is a beautiful heart-warming (and wrenching!) novel I would suggest for older readers, as it does touch on Death, War, and some other things readers might find disturbing. FIVE STARS!

Alice

The Final Year
I recognise that this book has relevance and that there is a need for this type of book for children. It addresses issues and is set in an area facing poverty, and follows the story of a young boy who had to take on more responsibility than he should. Although, I think the book was a bit young for me, I still found it moving, and I think that it had a very important message.

Merryn

The Things We Leave Behind
I think that this book is brilliant. I really liked how the story was really interactive and I loved how it was in a different type of world, but also had reference and warning in the real world. I think that it was a really moving story and I loved how I became immersed in the fate of the characters. The only thing I didn’t really like, was the story within the story…. Overall, I loved it!

Merryn

Little Bang
The book Little Bang by Kelly McCaughrain is a well written book with a great understanding of topics and excels in the empathetic side of things. In having two different perspectives, it gave the readers a chance to see exactly how the characters responded to different scenarios and gave an inside view to their thoughts and feelings.

Alice

Play
I thoroughly enjoyed Play, I found it addictive, and disturbing both at the same time. The plot followed four friends through their time at school. The book also has an intersting structure in that, it is told from each boys perspective. But in a way that is easy to follow because it is a different font for each boy. I found myself relating to many of the character's in many ways. I found it relatable and a very true depiction of growing up and growing apart as a young person. It has earned five stars!

Alice

Play
Play is a truthful, convincing novel that follows the friendship of four boys. It has short chapters and is easy to read which keeps the reader motivated. Each boy has their own complicated story and their own hard choices to make but the reader feels like they have been on the journey with them.

Sienna

All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant is a thought-provoking read that takes you on a real and metaphorical journey. The novel explores family dynamics and friendship. When this book is read, it transports you and you can really empathise with the characters.

Sienna

Little Bang
I really enjoyed reading 'Little Bang'. Each chapter, the perspective switched between Mel and Sid (the two main characters) and this made the characters really vivid because they were vulnerable about their thoughts and feelings. I also felt that each character (not just Mel and Sid) had involvement in the story which gave the storyline more depth. Reading this book also teaches you about the effect that abortion laws have and each character in the book expresses different opinions about this topic. I enjoyed the ending because a resolution was reached and the book ended in a very optimistic tone.

Sophia

The Final Year
This book was a heart warming plot that had expressive and emotive characters. I liked the tension between the characters. However, I feel that having it in poetry made it quicker to read on the page but as a result of this some of the true meaning behind it was lost in the process. Overall, the book was good but it is not one I would go out of my way to read.

Alice

Little Bang
I really enjoyed this book. An unexpected early pregnancy on their first date, Mel and Sid have to try to work through the social and personal difficulties of pregnancy and independence in Northern Island, where abortion is illegal. The book was really good, with well written detail, pace, communication and realism. The characters seemed so real, with high emotions and thoughts. The story was very interesting and I was hooked right to the last word. It seemed very personal as it was written so well!

Lettie

Treacle Town
I thought 'Treacle Town' expressed a very important message and story of the joy and sanctuary words and poetry can provide, especially amongst struggle. The use of some scottish dialect throughout the book made the protagonist come to life as he was communicating in his own language. In the book there is some swearing, however this adds to the authenticity of the protagonist (Con) and doesn't dilute any character's emotion. I enjoyed reading the poetry, which was occasional throughout the book.

Sophia

King of Nothing
King of Nothing is an engaging and humorous but also sensitive and empathetic at the same time. When you read this book, you can understand all the characters thoughts and choices; you can see every characters different opinions and you can watch the characters grow and feel like you have been on a journey with them. Convincing, truthful and well-written, King of Nothing is a heart-warming, funny and easy to read novel that will inspire readers to make better choices.

Sienna

Play
Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. The characters story's were connected while still separate and distinct, though I did enjoy some more than others. The themes and topics in book are very important and are covered well. I did find the time jumps in the beginning quite confusing and the way the ending was written I found annoyingly vague and complicated. But it was still a great book and I can see why it was nominated.

Ellen

The Final Year
The Final Year is a poignant book that can easily be dipped in and out of. Written in verses, this novel is unique and connects you with the characters. The format of each verse is used to amplify Nate's thoughts and emphasise important moments. When you read this book, you can strongly emphasise with all the characters.

Sienna

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow boys is an interesting story told by the perspectives of both of the main characters. However, I found it a little difficult to follow. I was often unsure which character's perspective I was reading, and what was going on. I also thought that the Scottish Slang was also rather difficult to read, I understand that it was important for the story, but often found myself skipping key bits purely because I could not understand the words.

Alice

The Things We Leave Behind
Over all I really enjoyed this book. The opening was interesting and made me want to continue, the book was fast paced and events happened in quick succession. It's in a similar style to an adventure story. There were few moments that went a bit too slow and I got bored, the switching from past and present was smooth and the plot twist at the end got me flipping back though the pages. One of the negative aspects of the story was that the book didn't come with chapters which I didn't enjoy.

Ellen

All That It Ever Meant
This was a great book and I loved the plot twist you found out at the end. Could have a quicker pace but was still good. The interaction between characters was really good. However, I feel like something else should have happened as well as the deaths of them. It made the book feel a little like it is without a plot.

Alice

All That It Ever Meant
I found this book quite difficult to read at first due to its many layers of meaning and the character’s (Mati) constant recollection of the past. I found the most moving part of the book was the last few pages of the final chapter, when the car crash that caused so much hurt is described in such a dynamic and fluid way, the writer slows down time. Also, the character of Meticais adds more metaphorical meaning to the story and the relationship between Meticais is well crafted and offers a wise outlook on Mati’s grief. The middle part of the book, I found increasingly easier to understand but during the last few chapters, I found the storyline and characters more difficult and complex to understand.

Sophia

King of Nothing
The book “King of Nothing” was a heart warming novel. It followed the main character Anton as he navigates his school life with a group of so called friends. He discovers the true meaning of life and meets many new people along the way who he had never expected to become his friends. He realises that having people scared of him was not as good as having people like him. The actual story of the book was amazing. It had an original idea, was very gripping, had an excellent understanding of themes and situations, including finding your way out of the grief/anger of losing a family member. There was also a credible ending, with it matching up perfectly with the rest of the book. A criticism is the use of slang. It puts the reader perfectly in the shoes of Anton but it would be hard for the older population to understand. This is because most of the slang terms are ones used today and some older people who wished to read the book might not understand what he was trying to get across.

Alice

Play
The book “Play” by Luke Palmer is a beautiful book written in different perspectives from the point of view of four very different boys. They strike an unusual friendship and try to help each other as their school life goes on. With many twists and turns along the way, they face different challenges and struggle with who they actually are rather than what is expected of them. The use of first person in this novel really brings the characters alive and all their views and opinions are brought through clearly to the reader. This book was gripping right till the very end and had amazing characters. They were believable, full of emotion and the interactions with each other were also great. The only thing that was slightly bad about the book was the ending. Although it was a clever move to have the plot twist at the end, the bit that came after was slightly unusual and definitely not a particularly credible ending. It was a nice touch but perhaps too much for the ending of the book.

Alice

Little Bang
I really liked this book! The book starts with lots of fireworks on New years eve, 2017 with science geek Mel and hopelessly gorgeous Sid. After their first date they get a huge surprise that comes with a bang. Together the two navigate each other through impossible choices that will change them forever.

Issy

The Things We Leave Behind
The book "The things we leave behind" by Clare Furniss is a well thought through piece with a deep understanding of disasters and how people have to carry on throughout hard times even when it gets challenging. She had an original idea, and the believability and consistency of her work was great. She created an amazing atmosphere which gripped the reader until the very last page. On the other hand, at some points during the book it became hard to understand what exactly was happening, since it jumped from the main character in the future talking about her experiences to her actually living them. Since there was no discernible difference between these, it was hard to tell the difference. Also because there was no chapters there was no break in the description making it drag a little.

Alice

Treacle Town
I think that this book is very thought-provoking and emotional. It explores deep and intense themes that are not hidden, but also not overbearing. I really like how poetry and verse is included, albeit SLAM poetry, and I think it allows the reader to connect more with the plight of Con as he tries to forge a new path for himself. I like how dialect is used and not ignored; it is very reflective of what real life must be like for these people. Nothing in this book is glossed-over, making a clear impression on the reader. This is a book that is not easily forgotten, and that I think has an outstanding story, that draws you in right from the start.

Merryn

King of Nothing
I really enjoyed this book. When the coolest boy in school, Anton, gets saved by the 'geeky' kid in a camping trip he's been forced into, Anton starts to find out it's not all about being cool. The story plot was really interesting, and I loved the character development. It had scenes with quick and slow action, and having it set in Anton's perspective made it even more interesting. A mix of school life and friendship, the characters were written really well. There are some slang words I didn't fully understand, so the language could have been more inclusive, but it fits his character and makes a reasonable amount of sense, so I could follow the plot. I really enjoyed this book.

Lettie

The Final Year
The book, about a boy's last year at primary school with his brother being sent to hospital, has a mix between an original story plot and at the same time an interesting story plot. Matt Goddfellow really gripped the difficulty of the situation that he was in, with somewhat relatable characters, strong emotions and believable interactions. The book design was quite different; a mix between poetry and book seems enjoyable to read. A mix between fast-paced action and relaxing detail was pleasant, and the speech was nice. It was written in a Scottish accent, which was instantly noticeable, and though at first I found it confusing and dull, I was hooked.

Lettie

The Final Year
A heart-breaking and emotional read full of hope. It's a very needed story about sibling illness, and children in poverty. Even in the darkest parts of the book, a warm hope shines through.

Alice

Little Bang
Little Bang follows the unexpected result of two completely different teenager's first date. Mel and Sid's story's are so raw and emotional, they are very relatable characters. Besides teenage pregnancy, I saw myself in Mel and part of Sid, they are very relatable characters . The story goes through relationships and loss, with bittersweet hope intertwined into it. McCaughrain has created a much necessary world, where everyone feels seen.

Alice