Ermysted’s
King of Nothing
I really enjoyed this book because it was filled with jokes and funny references. It shows Anton, who was known for how his dad was sent to prison. This gave him a reputation which protected him. But when his life is unexpectedly saved by Mathew, he starts to realise that he can make his own reputation but he has to keep it from his friends. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.
Alfie S
The Things We Leave Behind
The plot twist at the end of this book was totally unexpected, and I never even thought about the possibility the Billie didn’t actually come with Clem. The story was written very well, but it was sometimes hard to tell whether a scene was a flashback or in the present – especially since the story started with a flashback. The idea wasn’t the most original, but the way it was presented most definitely was. The fact that it was set in Britain, instead of a fictional place (e.g. the Hunger Games), made the dystopia feel closer to home, and therefore more real. The book is one of my favourites, and I would rate it 9/10.
Aashaz Z.
Glasgow Boys
I loved reading Glasgow Boys because it told a powerful story that was extremely inspiring and emotional. I really liked how the book included many important issues, especially things linked to mental health, while staying quite realistic. I think the only issue I have with this book is that in some parts the characters' thoughts, especially Finlay’s, are described too much. Overall I would rate the book 4.5/, one of my favourites so far.
Henry W-R
The Final Year
I really liked this book as it was very interesting and emotional in parts. Despite this I don’t think the book should have been written in poem form but apart from that The Final Year kept me wanting to read more. I would rate it 4/5
Henry W-R
The Things We Leave Behind
I really enjoyed reading The Things We Leave Behind. I liked the plot throughout, despite finding it a little bit slow in parts. The ending was extremely powerful and took me completely by surprise. Overall I would rate the book 3.5/5
Henry W-R
The Final Year
The Final Year was a touching book about a Year 6 boy who goes through hardships (some greater than others) e.g: his brother is rushed into hospital with a heart problem. And though a touching book a slightly annoying one as well. Mainly because of how the author made main character speak in a way that not a 10 year old would speak. I believe that making a book in poems and rhymes has become a bit cliché after this format was used in a Carnegie book last year (The Boy Lost in The Maze). Overall I didn't really enjoy this book as much as I thought I would've. 5/10.
Sebastian H
Glasgow Boys
This is my favourite book so far, and I enjoyed reading it. The storyline was intriguing and I found it quite original. The book is touching, and it taught me about the care system, which I knew very little about, and how hard it may be to leave it. As the book progressed, I learnt more and more about Finlay & Banjo’s past through the flashbacks – you can only understand the whole story after you learn about their past. The two perspectives work well together, showing both viewpoints to the reader, and explaining the reasons behind each of their actions – if only one viewpoint was used, it would be much harder to understand the whole story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would rate it 9/10.
Aashaz Z.
Little Bang
This book explored a slightly uncomfortable topic, but it was not that inappropriate – even less than some other books. The book was well written, showing the perspectives of Meg and Sid, and it clearly expressed their characters and viewpoints on the topic of abortion. I felt that the debate club could have had a greater say in Mel’s choice – she would be unsure and make a decision after the final vote in the debate club. I also found the passages about time from Mel’s perspective a bit confusing. The book was a good one, but I felt it lacked a “wow” factor, so I would rate it 7.5/10.
Aashaz Z.
King of Nothing
King of nothing is an emotional book. Anton who is year nine has a dad who is in prison, which makes him feel like he needs to act tough around people. When Matthew and Anton get closer, Anton begins to loosen up showing his true emotions. I think that ages 11-13 would be best for this book.
Jack
All That It Ever Meant
I think it was a good book and i think the author captured the emotion and the surroundings of the characters really well
Nate E
King of Nothing
King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore is probably one of my favourite books this year. As it has beautifully built characters as well as a unique and intricate story . It almost feels like the characters are weaved into the story perfectly.
The whole story also shows what peer pressure is and how you can make ‘friends’ but those so called friends are just holding you back from your true potential.
It also shows you should always be yourself and if they don’t like your true self then they are not real friends.
In conclusion it’s a beautifully made story that I highly recommend to everyone.
William s
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant by Blessing Musariri was personally for me a slow book and the story didn’t make a lot of sense to me . I think other people would enjoy the book but I personally couldn’t connect with the story and wouldn’t read it again .
William s
Little Bang
Little Bang is a book that expresses political issues about if abortion should be legal or not in Northern Ireland. It tells a story with two views of a boy and a girl who have the unexpected outcome of a baby on their first date. I personally think that the book was good at telling people true stories about what women face and it also teaches people a life lesson. I think it could have been improved by adding another situation instead of it all being on abortion. I would rate this book a 7.5/10 and recommend it to people ages 14-19 as there is also language in this book.
Hisham N
The Final Year
The Final Year is a book written in verses about a boy who experiences troubles within his family and his friendships throughout his time in Year 6.
The format of this book was sometimes confusing. Overall I feel that the way the book is written means that it skips over different topics and doesn’t fully explain them or their outcomes.
I give this book a 3/5.
Felix C
King of Nothing
I enjoyed this book lots, and liked how it was written. I think I enjoyed it because it seemed like a real situation someone could find themself in, but it also seemed unrealistic that it would get resolved so fast. It also grabbed me into the story, and I was wanting to find out what his dad had done. I also found it strange that Matthew fainted when he saw a tiny bit of blood, and that he thought his grandad dying was related to depth perception of a frisbee. I liked that the plot was fairly complex, but not so complex that it was impossible to understand. Overall I give this book an 8/10.
Edward M
The Things We Leave Behind
This is my favourite carnegie. It had a great story line and it was really enjoyable to read. In my opinion it was a amazing. I loved it.
rafferty
King of Nothing
I really enjoyed this book. It shows what other people are going through and you don't know about it. It was a really nice read and I thought it was great.
rafferty
The Final Year
I thought that this book was very realistic and funny at times. Him going through the hardships in Year 6 with his families' surgeries interlaced with his Sats made this book very nice in description and writing. I would give this book a solid 7/10 as it reflected my time in primary school and everything that I had endured.
An
Play
This is a compelling and often gripping read. It’s probably the most ‘mature’ of the Carnegie books this year, in terms of subject matter and themes. And the plot deals with some pretty intense, sometimes quite dark topics, like sexuality, drugs, difficult family relationships, sexual violence. The four friends who tell their stories (each chapter is from a different character’s perspective) are in their late teenage years, so the issues they are dealing with are those of a transition to adulthood.
The writer, Luke Webster, paints a really convincing picture of male friendship, and an understanding and affection built from years of shared experiences. The four boys are all different though, and as they move towards the end of their teenage years they’re trying to work out their own identities. I think that the book’s title, ‘Play’ represents that sense of pleasure and freedom that characterises the experimentation of late adolescence: soon, they’ll be adults (most of them...) and the time for Play will be over. Now it’s time to explore, to succeed, to discover.
Matt, Mark, Luc and Johnny have grown up together and feel like they know each other inside out. Matt is sensitive, artistic, one of the lads but slightly on the outside looking in. He knows he’s gay and is nervous about what his coming out will mean for his relationships.
Luc: rugby player, in his own eyes an alpha male and God’s gift to women. His values and behaviour have been shaped by his father’s encouragement and example, but he’s starting to realise that just because his dad (who owns and runs a successful scaffolding business) cares about Luc successfully living up to a rugged male stereotype, it doesn’t mean that his dad really cares about him. He’s not allowed to feel fragile or admit to weakness, even when he’s been seriously hurt at training by a much bigger, older, player, or pushed his body past its limit on a long holiday cycle ride.
Johnny: loveable, unpredictable, often unhinged, almost a mascot for the group.
Mark: not as academic as Matt, and not a swaggering tough like Luc, struggling to work out what/who he wants to be. Mark starts running secretive errands for a friend of his older brother, errands which take him down a glamorous, but dangerous road. Mark’s story becomes the most gripping one, and the most scary one, even more so because for the most part the drug traffickers who are directing his movements stay menacingly in the shadows. His story is dramatic and potentially explosive; it seems inevitable that it will be central to the novel’s conclusion, which takes place at a drug-fuelled house party with all four friends in attendance. Mark’s story is significant to the ending, but in a shocking and unexpected way that means the book ends on a rather sad, and very moving note. No more ‘play’, the ‘game’ is over.
Parents of young readers might be alarmed by the casual way that all of the young characters take recreational drugs in this book. They are a feature of their lives just like their energy drink, ‘Comeup’ (the name itself borrowing from the language of drug-taking). In fact, Webster is drawing a clever link between the ‘addiction’ to the buzz of those socially authorised drinks and the later use of illegal substances. Their complacency leads to recklessness and ultimately the devastating conclusion to events. A great book, only four stars because I think that it’s a bit too mature for younger readers.
****
Mr Hodgson
All That It Ever Meant
i very much enjoyed this book and it was very meaningful with a great twist at the end
alfiec
All That It Ever Meant
This Carnegie book was very bold, interpretive and down right confusing. I found it harder than most books to read due to the fact that Mati kept changing where the story was set and many characters had different names. I sort of interpreted the still unprecedented ending because there wasn’t really any interaction or dialect between Mati and the characters while in Zimbabwe. I still found multiple bits enjoyable and still believe it is truly a worthy book. I would rate it a solid 7/10. I would recommend it to children 10+ as it has some complicated and possibly disturbing content. Overall it was a great book.
Matthew B
Little Bang
This was a pretty interesting book about the challenges of two young teenagers, Mel and Sid. Mel gets pregnant and they have to face the challenge together. The book covers a sensitive topic, abortion, and shows the mental strain that pregnancy and the thought of abortion can put you through
Jakub B
King of Nothing
King of nothing is a book that is about the most well-known kid in a school who seems to not care about education, realising who he truly is through a long path of confusion, mystery, loss and redemption. Anton is forced to join a "dead" club called the happy campers, but when the biggest "loser" in the school saves Anton, he makes an unexpected friendship. I will give this book a 10/10 and it is my favourite book so far. I would recommend this book to ages 11 - 16.
Hisham N
All That It Ever Meant
Quite a sad story, but I liked how the spirits came into the story. Their outfits and how they are described were the bits that i liked best.
seth
King of Nothing
I love the characters' personalities, they are hilarious. The book itself is very funny. The best best thing i liked about it was its humour and how the main character changed.
Seth
The Final Year
The final year is a quick-reading, page-turning, poetic and emotional book that describes the "final year" of Nate's life. The "final year" is not just about his last year of primary school, but it also could have been the final year of his friends and family. This book tells us what Nate is experiencing, including a controllable rage inside him. I enjoyed this book as it was quick and exciting to read. I would give it a rating of 7.5/10 and I would recommend it to ages 11 - 16.
Hisham N
Little Bang
Little bang was a very interesting book with one little mistake costing everything showing how a young man can change from a not-society-liked group to a working-almost-father and Mel having to hold the weight of being pregnant.
Jack a
The Things We Leave Behind
I liked this book quite a bit as it expressed the real world problems that could happen in the future.
hasan i
The Final Year
This book is difficult to explain, it's kind of a sad book. The main character Nate lives with only his mother and his two brothers. He is in his final year of primary school and his best friend moves to a different class and makes friends with Nate's enemy. His mother drinks alcohol and goes out a lot. Nate struggles with his emotions and calls it 'the beast' and when he was younger he got very angry. It was a sad read due to the neglect and difficult situations such as Nate's brother going to the hospital. I like how it is written - like poetry is written - but without the rhymes. I didn't really like the book very much but it brings up strong feelings in the reader. It talks about important issues that some readers will be able to relate to and feel less alone.
Matheo V
Little Bang
I thought that this book showed really good hope about anything going downhill, even if it meant a teenage pregnancy and a lot of suffering. However, I thought that this book was amazing describing the pain, the continuation of people staring down at us and finally the hope. I would rate this book a 9/10 because of its description and its detail and i hope there is a sequel to this book.
An
All That It Ever Meant
This book was overall enjoyable. Although I didn't like the first section as I had no idea whatsoever about what was even happening. However, I thought the funeral at the end where we found out the main character was actually dead the entire time. Great book!
Ben P
The Things We Leave Behind
I thought this book was incredible! The start was probably the only thing that let it down for me because I didn't understand it as it threw you head in to the story. The rest of it ,however, was an absolute masterpiece especially the twist with Billie,
Ben P
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind was a bittersweet story that tackled many threats that face the entire world today - xenophobia and political hardship. This book being set in a dystopian world not too different to our own helped make the story feel grounded in reality while also highlighting the importance of these issues. Overall, this book was amazing - amazingly sad, amazingly overwhelming and amazingly depressing - a must-read that will have a lasting impact on everyone.
benjaminr
King of Nothing
King of Nothing was a book I thought I wouldn't like from the offset - it seemed too slow-paced and the setting and characters seemed quite 2D. However, the further through the book the better and more developed everything became. The characters felt real, the setting an actual town, everything was as real as it could be. The ending was conclusive but not final - it still left room for people's imagination to think of what comes next. Overall, an enjoyable read that left a meaningful impact on me.
benjaminr
The Final Year
the final year is a sad and funny book about nates final year at primary school i really liked the poetry style and would read it again
Theo
Treacle Town
I found this book a bit heavy on the language. Often books contain the odd spot of language but this was very intense, it is a shame that the younger ones cant read it. It also represents the younger generation being full of energy trying to become agangsters.
Ming
All That It Ever Meant
I've never read a story like this one, there were such good characters that had high emotions. I could imagine everywhere they were travelling. It had such a sad ending contrasting with other books. However it was confusing at times.
Ming
The Final Year
I feel like the character information was compelling and very imaginative. I really enjoyed reading this book and I read it really quickly because of how captivating it is. I really recommend reading this book despite liking action books.
Ming
The Final Year
At first I found The Final Year to be quite slow in pacing and quite similar in structure to many previous Carnegie titles. However, as the story progresses and the variety of structure and illustration began to widen I found myself enjoying the book more and more. The characters are very well developed and by the end I found this to be one of my favourite books from this year's Carnegie. Overall, it's a great book if you are willing to persevere through the start.
benjaminr
King of Nothing
This is a very nice book to read with a good storyline. it gets better as it goes on the characters are good and it has a good message
Henry s
The Things We Leave Behind
This book was probably a 7/10 because the start was slow but then it got a lot more exciting towards the end. I liked this book because I love london and like scotland.
Cody w
Little Bang
Little Bang is full of emotion. It's a rollercoaster of emotions and conflict. It's powerful and moving while being grounded in reality. This is perhaps one of the best Carnegie books this year due to the way it blends the plot and characters together in a way that feels completely natural. This is a must read for all teenagers across the world.
benjaminr
King of Nothing
Nathanael Lessore’s ‘Steady for This’ was my pick to win the Carnegie Prize last year, and I’m happy to say that ‘King of Nothing’, Lessore’s nominated title this year, is even better. I loved it, and hope that it wins this time. It’s about lots of things, but overall it’s about the power of friendship, and what true friendship really means. The story builds to a tremendously heart-warming conclusion, and I’ll admit I was a little emotionally choked up at the end!
As far as Anton is concerned, he’s found his role in life. He knows how he wants to behave, how he wants to interact with people and most importantly, how he wants to be seen by others. This means hanging out with his mandem: Marcus, Caleb and their self-styled leader Kehinde, entertaining themselves in class by making their teachers’ lives difficult, picking on classmates who appear weaker, and generally living up to a dominant, alpha-male ideal that Kehinde has learnt from the podcasts he listens to. Anton thinks he and his mates are respected by others. In fact, as he eventually begins to work out, they’re not ‘respected’ at all, they are just feared and/or avoided.
After Anton takes his misbehaviour too far in a science lesson, his mum (a real hero of this book), applies the most devastating of punishments: no Wi-Fi. Anton is left with an almost redundant phone and cut adrift from his online fam. He’s also forced to attend meetings of the Happy Campers, an evening club where young people meet and get involved in social activities, but with a social and environmental conscience. I think it’s based on the real-life Woodcraft Folk movement, which is a bit like Scouts. At his first meeting, he finds himself with Matthew, a kid from his class, but definitely not part of his fam. Kehinde calls Matthew a loser, so for Anton to make friends with him would feel like social suicide.
The character of Matthew is a bit like Growls, the narrator of ‘Steady for This’ i.e. completely charming and hilarious. He’ll wear his little sister’s flowery socks just because he thinks they look good with his outfit; on their camping trip, he blows his whistle at high volume to warn Anton of a patch of nettles several metres away; when Anton tries to insult him by calling him ‘moist’, Matthew takes it as a compliment: “Some of my favourite things are moist. Lemon drizzle, the nose of a puppy, the condensation on a fresh carton of chilled Ribena.” Matthew is also unfailingly kind and, most significantly, completely unselfconscious – in contrast to Anton, who is mainly concerned with how he’s viewed by others. It’s an ‘odd couple’ comedy, and as the two spend more time together, Anton decides to try to teach Matthew how to be ‘cool’. But it’s an impossible task, and in fact, through spending time with Matthew, listening to him and seeing how he behaves, Anton is the one who learns, who changes, and, ironically, becomes strong enough to reject the lifestyle he’s been obsessed with living.
‘King of Nothing’ has a lot of important lessons that are powerfully delivered; it’s also thoroughly entertaining. Surely Nathanael Lessore is going to take home the Carnegie Prize this year...?
*****
Mr Hodgson
King of Nothing
this book was very good. I felt it shows how people can follow their own path and not follow in somebody else's footsteps. It was really enjoyable and I liked it a lot.
Rafferty
King of Nothing
I enjoyed the book and felt like I could have been there. it wasn't like most books in a far fetched world but one we can all relate to and feel for the characters. My favourite part is the realisation after Matthew saved Anton that kindness is free.
Henry
The Things We Leave Behind
Great book loved reading it, it kept me entertained in the journey that Clem and Billie take in a world that could be around the corner for us. I started to cry on many an occasion and I will never forget this book.
Henry
Play
I liked this book but I found it quite confusing at the end and I didn't like some of the characters.
hasan i
The Final Year
I thought this book was pretty good. I liked the way in which it was written. It did take a while for the plot to fully start but since it was a quick book to read it did not bother me much. It had a nice and happy ending to a quite sad book to start with.
Yusuf K
Glasgow Boys
I did not really enjoy this book to much. I am not a big fan of books that primarily focus on romance.
Yusuf K
Little Bang
i did not really enjoy this book as i find it not interesting.
hasan i
All That It Ever Meant
This book is about a family traveling to Zimbabwe after their mothers death. A character called meticais appears from time to time. The mati tells the stories of her family to them. This book is really intriguing.
Pranav
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant is a book of Matiponesa’s journey with her family through Zimbabwe, the country of her father and late mother. They experience the wilderness on a safari and visit Victoria Falls.
This book was confusing at times and took me around 50 pages to get into the swing of it. This is partly because of the characters not being fully introduced and also that ‘Meticais’, Mati’s imaginary friend kept appearing out of nowhere and the storyline jumped back to the events before the story. Overall I rate this book 3.5/5.
Felix C
Play
I found the book 'Play' to be one of my favourite books. It had some unexpected twists, which made the book even more fun to read. When Johnny died, it was so unexpected. For example, in Treacle Town, I kind of expected Trig to die, but not Johnny. The author described the characters really well and I found the book to be very enjoyable. 9.5/10
William B
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant was the most disappointing story in the challenge so far, I don't like the fact that it is realistic but there are several things that are not realistic.
In the end I didn't understand who died in the car crash, I also think it was quite predictable. I did like the characters though, i thought they were developed beautifully.
2/5 stars
Billy Collins
Little Bang
This book really represents the characters emotions really well. It also talks about a concept that not many people talk about.It displays the difficulties and challenges along the way and overall is a good book
Pranav Rajan
Play
I thought this book was really good, it has been the first Carnegie book I have read this year with a consistent, engaging story. 5/5
Lucian
All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant is an interesting book as it covers interesting topics that are interesting to read. The story is about a young girl called Mati. Mati and her family are travelling across Zimbabwe after her mother’s recent passing. Her family are very interesting and throughout the book we learn more and more about them.
Overall, I liked the idea of the book, but thought it was a bit too slow for my liking, and the ending really confused me. I rate this a 5/10.
Estlin
King of Nothing
King of Nothing follows a boy called Anton and the calamities him and his friends cause at school, before his Mum catches on. Anton is forced to go to a camp which he hates. But when his life is saved, what will he do?
Estlin
Play
Play is a book that follows the lives of 4 young boys through parts of secondary school and lots of things happen. These include romances, ruined friendships and lots of sadness.
The plot twist at the end was very strange, and very sad.
Overall, I would give this book a 9/10.
Estlin
The Final Year
The Final Year follows the story of a boy just entering year 6 and things falling apart for him.
His best friend stops talking to him, and later, disaster strikes when his youngest brother is ill and might not survive.
Can Nate survive the pressures of The Final Year?
Overall, I give this book a 7/10.
Estlin
The Things We Leave Behind
At first, it was hard to get used to switching between the past and the present, once you got used to it you really got to know the characters and always felt it was building up to something which made the twist at the end very good. Overall I liked the book.
Robin
All That It Ever Meant
Super Story!
I loved how the book was set out as someone telling the story.
I also liked the setting description and how it gave you flashbacks about why certain stuff happened.
I also thought the United Kingdom should be more accepting and welcoming of peoples backgrounds and how hard is for people to get as far as they are in life. It made me think that we don't know what's happened in other peoples lives so we all should never judge anyone.
I thought it must have been so hard for the father losing his wife and daughter, and for the siblings losing their mother and sister without any warning. I felt really bad for them, and imagined it must have been so carrying on with life. I can't imagine the pain of losing a parent and a sibling.
I loved the twist at the end but it was sad to know.
I would give this book a nine out of ten.
Edmund W
Little Bang
Little Bang was a very eye-opening book as it enlightened me on the topic of illegal abortions and the struggles you must face when you get an unwanted pregnancy. It is one of the best Carnegies so far. My favourite part of the book was the way the characters contrasted each other at the start and then changed their behaviour in opposite ways after learning about the pregnancy: Sid became more mature, and Mel began to take up bad habits like smoking and drinking. This just made the story much more interesting to read. I thought that one of the main messages being conveyed was about making decisions for yourself and not always going along with other people’s ideas just because that’s what they want even when you are not confident. The challenges Mel and Sid faced provided a gripping plot which was well backed up by the side story of Sid’s music career.
Overall, it was an enlightening and gripping read with good characters and a solid plot.
Score:
Plot:7/10
Characters:9/10
Setting:6/10
Originality:8/10
Total:30/40
Sevan
Play
Play was a very hard hitting and compelling read, evoking many emotions throughout the story. It is not my favourite but was still a great book. There were a few stand out parts of Play that really carried it; my favourite being the switching of character for each new chapter. This helped me to connect with each of the boys and provided a variety of viewpoints instead of just one which made the book all the more interesting. The other good part was just the characters in general because I found they were solid and contradicted each other well to create a smoother flowing story. I felt that the main message behind this book about the dangers of drug dealing was very sharply conveyed in a very direct manner. The downside was the plot being slightly dragged out as I thought it took a little too long to get to the very shocking end which I was not at all expecting. I liked the ending because it was dramatic and was left open only describing a little of what happened to the remaining boys afterwards which left it mostly open to interpretation.
Overall, it was a very direct and powerful book with great characters and a clear message as well as a climatic ending.
Score:
Plot:6/10
Characters:10/10
Setting:5/10
Originality:5/10
Total:26/40
Sevan
The Things We Leave Behind
I found this book really intriguing and I found it comparable to real life situations. The book presents a dystopian version of England, which I found comparable to Nazi Germany. In the book, foreigners were persecuted, and in Nazi Germany, many groups were persecuted. Although, Nazi Germany was a lot more extreme. 9/10
William B
Glasgow Boys
I only enjoyed the chapters with banjo especially with his character development but the book would have been better without finlay
mahad.k
The Final Year
this is a meaningful book about a boy whose best friend made friends with the school bully which is well put together and a good read
alfie c
King of Nothing
this book follows Anton as he makes new friends and leaves old ones behind. he learns about the term toxic masculinity and what it means to be a man. the book has a good moral which is to respect women. would recommend. good book
Pranav Rajan
All That It Ever Meant
This book is quite slow to start and hard to get into. It has a nice idea but the names can be quite confusing. Overall it has good potential but definitely could have been written better.
Henry S
All That It Ever Meant
I didnt really like this book because I couldnt tell who the narrarator was until later on in the book. However later on in the book it was better because I realised that the narrarator was Mati. The author did a good job of hiding that mati was dead until the end of the book. This was not my favourite book.
James W-B
Treacle Town
I found the book to be a really eye-opening read, which expressed an important message. It shows the reality of real-life towns in the UK, showing how difficult it really is to get out of 'lower class' life. It also presents the struggles of grief and peer pressure. The Scottish dialect and the swears really enhanced the book made the book feel more 'real' and made it come to life. Overall, I would rate it a 7.5/10.
William B
Play
This book is about a group of friends travelling through life until mark starts doing a job for his older brother’s friend. In the end of this Johnny dies. Good book. Would recommend to older people
Pranav rajan
All That It Ever Meant
It was kind of boring just pure waffle. Kept bringing up random unnecessary stories and took too long to get back to the Big Fight and the stories that actually mattered
Dawud Arshid
The Things We Leave Behind
I loved it! I think he issues it highlights, of xenophobia and corrupt leaders are so important, and especially now, with America going the direction it is, and the portrayal of this was amazingly done, and it really shows what a horrible thing for leaders to do. Making it a dystopia was very interesting, and allows it to be applied to many places, not just one. The characters were great, and I really felt a connection with them: they each had very distinct personalities and felt very alive. The twist at the end, about Billie, I feel has been done a few times before, but I liked the foreshadowing, where she reads her thoughts at one point, like when she imagines Mischa. Although the separate fantasy story that ran through it was very well written and enjoyable to read, I don't think it had very much to do with the story. However, it gave a good theme/ feel for the book. I also liked the connection to The Little Match Girl. Overall, I really enjoyed it!
Edward L
Play
I didn't find this book interesting.
hasan i
The Final Year
I love the book being written in poems can't wait to read the sequel 9/10
Connor R
Little Bang
A book I probably wouldn't read normally, though I could say the same for all Carnegies. I expected a book about contraception, abortion and teenage pregnancy to be a bit...icky. But McCaughrain handles a tricky book rather well. The way Mel's panic was expressed and Sid's anger was portrayed was incredibly sophisticated. The way their lives were thrown up in the air, just left there bobbing, forever changed, was tied together expertly. A hard plot told by a good author, in my opinion. And a book that addresses some of the important stereotypes of today and of yesterday too.
Hanzalah
All That It Ever Meant
Beside its faults, it's a good book. Good characters, situated in just the right position - after a death. The yawning void between them is described really well, portrayed really thoughtfully, with a more universal meaning exploring into death and what it leaves behind. But the story, the plot, is so scatter-brained. It's in three places at the same time, before death and after death and way after death, and if I had to be incredibly critical, I'd say that's the book's downfall, that's what makes it a digest. It's what makes the book stale and slow, that feel of moving gradually forward only to be flung backward again. I understand the need for flashbacks, but the story is built around them too much, so much that by the time the big plot twist was revealed, it didn't matter.
Hanzalah
Play
I thought that that this book was really interesting and nostalgic. It reminds me of my old primary school where i thought I knew my friends really well but it turns out that I didn't. This book had many ups and downs which i enjoyed, especially when we could see them change personally, but some parts were boring and needed improving. I would give it an 8/10 as I enjoyed the plot and overall gist.
An
Treacle Town
This book starts off at a funeral of a teen gang member who has been murdered by a rival mob and follows the main character con through a world of poverty and gang violence.
Pranav
King of Nothing
This was a very good book, it teaches you that you don't have to be naughty or misbehave to be respected. It also teaches you that you should consider who you choose to be friends with. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books that could be true stories and that teach you important life lessons.
Adaml
Treacle Town
Mum is dead.
Biscuit is dead.
Trig is dead.
I need to get away from here.
That is what con is thinking. His mum has committed suicide, Biscuit has been murdered. Trig is gone. Everything he has ever known is gone. His dad is a workaholic, Wee zs' hand is severed and all he has left is Nails. nails is the one person who has been there for him. Ups and Downs. Never leaving his side. Even when he leaves the gang and pursues a career in Slam Poetry. The one poem is dedicated to him. The one and only 'Biscuit'. 'Treacle Town, we love you'.l
sam w
All That It Ever Meant
All That it Ever Meant was a very interesting book - especially towards the end. When their mum died it was quite confusing as it only vaguely touched on the details of the 'big fight'. However, the more I read the more I got attached to the story and the more interesting it got. I liked how Meticais only appeared at key events in the book and how he was a mysterious and unavailable character for most of the book. Overall I enjoyed this book, but not as much as the other Carnegies I have read. 7/10.
Sebastian H
Glasgow Boys
Glasgow boys is one of the best books I have read in my time at Ermysteds. It shows the difficulties of being gay and how it can come across to others. Banjo is a great example of this as when he finds out that Finlay is gay and has been hiding it from him. He is very angry at how who he thought was a friend, had betrayed him and hid secrets from him.
sam w
Treacle Town
When I started reading Treacle Town, it felt a bit slow - nothing of much significance occurred for the first few chapters. However, this did mean that the novel built the setting and characters very strongly, and it led to an understanding of the background to the story. The book itself is a very good one. It opened my eyes to the fact that there are still places like Treacle Town in the UK, and that they are hard to escape. I found the use of swearing and offensive language excessive, but since it is how people actually speak, I think it made the book more realistic. I like how Con has to struggle to escape Coatbridge; just like in real life, you sometimes need to struggle to get something you want or need. The book was interesting, and overall, I would rate it 7/10
Aashaz Z.
Play
This was a very adventurous book, exploring the do's and don'ts of childhood. Going from making friends and building dens, to selling drugs and meeting shady people
jack
Little Bang
This book is quite a nice read as it clearly introduces who the characters are and it tells you about them. One thing that I don't like is that at one point it just feels like not much happens. Even though, I still enjoyed this book.
Alfie S
All That It Ever Meant
I did not enjoy this book. Not a lot happened for most of the book and the dialogue was not to my liking. I also did not like the way that it was written either. The plot twist was too little too late and did not make any more interested. However I did enjoy the setting in which it was told in.
Yusuf K
The Final Year
I quite liked this book but i do not know how to describe it.
hasan i
The Things We Leave Behind
the things we leave behind is one of the most heart wrenching book i have read so far.
Theob
The Things We Leave Behind
this is by far the best book i have read in a long time i love how well planned out it is.
alfiec
Glasgow Boys
This book was one of the more interesting books I've read. The book showed two different perspectives but didn't make it too complex. The two characters were very different but also had one thing in common- they both didn't have parents.-
Mujtaba
The Final Year
#yearsixproblemz
Another Carnegie-nominated book constructed from poems. It makes it a quicker read, but does it add anything? In this case, I would say no, which is a bit disappointing considering that ex-primary school teacher Matt Goodfellow’s other job is as a poet. Must try harder.
Nate is about to start his ‘Final Year’ at Poppy Field Primary. On top of the usual September challenges, Year 6 will bring the extra pressure of SATs, on top of the continuing responsibility of looking after his two younger brothers, Jax and little Dyl, because their lackadaisical, alcoholic single mum, loving though she is, isn’t up to the job, and all three of the boys’ dads have never been on the scene. It’s understandable that Nate is sometimes overcome by what he calls ‘The Beast’, a cloud of anxiety, frustration and rage that removes him, emotionally, from any situation he’s in, and causes his teachers to physically remove him from the classroom. In the past, he’s been able to rely on the friendship and support of his best friend, PS, but this year, PS has been allocated to the other Year 6 class, and worse, seems to be gravitating towards the orbit of Turner, the notorious school bully. So, desperation upon misery upon trauma. Too much, I think, and few readers will be able to relate to them all. It’s also difficult for me to feel sympathetic because the short poem-format means that there’s not enough space for the meaningful, realistic characterisation of anyone apart from Nate. To me, they are like cartoon characters.
Anyway, the stage is set for Nate to find his creative-writing talent under the guidance of his relaxed, inspiring new teacher Mr Joshua, together with the example of Caleb, his quiet, shy but equally-creative new friend.
Just as important is Nate’s discovery of the books of David Almond. Indeed ‘The Final Year’ becomes kind of a love letter to David Almond’s lyrical, magical writing, particularly his (Carnegie-winning) novel ‘Skellig’, which allows Nate to deal with the traumatic events that occur with his beloved little brother, the ‘Spideyman’-obsessed Dylan.
Showing the healing power of creativity and imagination through linking to David Almond’s work is the strongest aspect of this book, especially considering that Almond himself was similarly inspired by the poetry of the nineteenth century writer William Blake. For me, it’s not enough to make it a must-read though, especially considering that the very last line of the book is completely unnecessary and ridiculous.
**
Mr Hodgson
Little Bang
Life choices
This is an important book about important topics, teenage pregnancy and abortion, that must be relevant to so many people but aren’t covered enough, perhaps at all, by Young Adult fiction. Perhaps it’s because the subjects are intensely private, personal and connected with guilt, shame and potentially grief. At the same time, they are political and divisive, arousing passion and anger on all sides. Kelly McCaughrain deserves great praise, firstly for tackling the issues, and also for writing such a cleverly-plotted, moving and thought-provoking novel.
Physics boffin and all-round hard-worker Mel, dreaming of the Big Bang, the wonders of the universe and Cambridge University, falls for Sid: a fellow GCSE student, but with no academic ambitions and veering towards failure, while dreaming of becoming a singer-songwriter. At their first date, a New Year’s Eve fireworks-watching hilltop bonfire party, their connection ends up going a bit further than either of them planned. The result? A ‘Little Bang’, their name for the spark of new life that has begun inside Mel.
What to do? This wasn’t part of Mel’s plan, and does she even get to make her own decisions, or are they made for her by her parents and their committed Christian faith? For Sid, this could be a sudden, life-consuming responsibility when ‘responsibility’ has been an unknown word in his life so far. He might become a dad, but he’s never really known his own father, having been raised on his own by his free-spirited but worldly-wise single mother, Lucille.
The teenagers have been idly cruising through their childhoods so far, but now they have to grow up at warp speed, reframing their relationships with their parents. Every decision has become more serious. Even more serious because, in Northern Ireland in 2018, abortion is a criminal offence. Depending on what she decides, Mel might be facing a prison sentence.
Her moral dilemma is intensified by the fact that her sister Leah has been trying, and failing, to get pregnant for three years with her husband, the patronising, holier-than-thou Nigel, who is the closest you get to a villain in this book, i.e. not very close. In fact, all of the characters may be flawed, but they’re still likeable. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there’s a lot of humour here. The relay-narration style, with alternating chapters from Mel’s and Sid’s perspectives, gives us their authentic teenage voices, and gets us deeply invested in their journeys.
So the tension towards the end of the book, as Mel necessarily becomes more isolated, couldn’t be more tense: whose life, or lives, will be chosen?
In the abortion debate, the sympathies of the author, Kelly McCaughrain, clearly lie with the ‘pro-choice’ side, but this isn’t a biased book. We are helped to understand the complexities of the different moral and practical arguments, even though, ultimately, only one choice can be made.
I didn’t have high hopes before starting ‘Little Bang’, but I’m happy to admit that I hugely underestimated it. Best of all, the unexpected hero of the book is…Scrabble!
*****
Mr Hodgson
Glasgow Boys
Finding a family
Being a teenager is difficult. Managing your studies, your part-time job, your friends, your enemies, trying to fit in, trying to mark yourself out…
You could add dealing with your family to that list, but the truth is, a lot of us are lucky to have the love, support and security of our parents and siblings as we battle through all of the other stuff. The Glasgow Boys - Finlay and Banjo - haven’t. Finlay didn’t know his father, and his mother went back to Poland when he was eleven, leaving him to be brought up in a series of foster placements and children’s homes with their brief, tenuous connections, instability and uncertainty. That was Banjo’s fate too, having been born to drug and alcohol-addicted parents: a violent Mum and an even-more-violent Dad.
Their stories are told in alternating chapters. Finlay is living on his own for the first time, struggling with the first year of his Nursing degree, but struggling even more with any social contact. The consequence of a childhood of neglect and insecurity is a young adulthood paralysed by feelings of anxiety and worthlessness. He’s unable to summon up the courage even to meet up for a second time for coffee with two girls from his course, let alone drop his guard enough to surrender to a relationship with Akash, an impossibly handsome medical student who is clearly equally-attracted to him.
Finlay shrinks away from human contact, but Banjo’s route to self-destruction is by seeking out the only physical contact he feels comfortable with: fist-fights he knows he’ll lose - acting out the role he’s been cast in by his upbringing, by everyone else in his life, and by himself. If it happens again he’ll be permanently excluded from school - again. Starting a part-time job in a sandwich bar, he meets Alena, whose positive, open, trusting, non-judgmental nature gradually weakens Banjo’s bulletproof armour. It’s spending time with Alena’s loving family though, that really allows him to let his emotional guard down.
Finlay’s route to self-confidence is similar: first through witnessing Akash’s own confidence and pride in his gay identity, then by allowing himself to get close to Akash, and as a result, Akash’s family.
So, Glasgow Boys is about the devastating emotional costs of growing up without the support of a family and also about the healing power of family. The two stories are parallel and separate, but through a series of flashbacks, it becomes clear that three years before, Banjo and Finlay had connected briefly, but deeply, as roommates at St Andrew’s children’s home. The novel builds up to their inevitable reunion as we understand the emotional power of that earlier meeting and the following trauma of their dramatic parting.
Margaret McDonald wants us to understand the psychological and emotional experiences of her two protagonists, and it’s this that can sometimes make the book, for me, a bit tiresome. For sure there’s drama here, especially for Banjo, but for Finlay it’s mainly internal drama, and there’s only so much microscopic description of a character’s emotional reactions I can take! Perhaps that just makes me more insensitive than other readers, who may have more sympathy, perhaps empathy, with Finlay and/or Banjo. I suppose reading Glasgow Boys is like reading two love stories. Will they? Won’t they? The twist is that, as the song goes, they are learning to love themselves.
***
Mr Hodgson
Little Bang
I got really bored because i dont really like books involving romance or tragedies.
mahad.k
Play
Unnecessarily long and too much filler.
mahad.k
Treacle Town
Ok, it wasn’t a bad book. I understood the plot, I understood the message, and I understood the way Conaghan put his point across. It starts with a death, and it ends with a death - that sense of futility and a repeating cycle of depressive events deliberately gives the book a nihilistic feel to it, like Con is fighting something he can’t beat - except he does. And that’s great. Through a heavy exterior, hard hitting language and plots, this book hides nothing. It’s straight up, it’s blunt, and while that’s good in some places, it could be argued too that that is the book’s downfall. All in all, Conaghan isn’t a bad writer. This just isn't his best book.
Hanzalah
All That It Ever Meant
I like this book because the story is very emotional and quite sad but many good things happen which is really heart warming. The character has a really bad backstory for example her mother died which we all know that this would definitely not be a very easy difficulty to just not think about or worry about which then makes this book even more sad but it shows that in life there are ups and downs.
Zakariya
The Final Year
I found the Final Year a nice, heartwarming book. The book was written in Free Verse, which can sometimes be a bit frustrating to read. The book tells a story of change, and resilience through change. Nate perseveres, and in the end it turns out alright. I liked the way Nate's emotions are described throughout the book, especially when he found out that Dylan was in hospital, but it felt exaggerated in a few places. The idea of an angry part of him called "the Beast" was a nice addition as it helped the reader understand Nate's emotions and empathize with him. I think it was a poignant, touching book and would rate it 7/10.
Aashaz Z.
King of Nothing
King of nothing by Nathanael Lessore can be summed up in three words. Brilliant, logical and true. I enjoyed how it put the book in the perspective of a bully because most books I’ve read are usually from the perspective of a victim. I also liked how some facts that you may have overlooked had some relevance later on in the story such as how Anton’s mum was a project manager and that’s how the whole St Luke’s project started. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I recommend it to people who are 11+. I loved the characters and the descriptions of Matthew made me laugh. I think it was also very clever to add gender equality into it because that way many more people will be able to learn about it. I think it was a great book and would give it a solid 9/10.
Matthew B
Glasgow Boys
I read the book called Glasgow boys written by Margaret McDonald. It is a book set in the modern day which battles modern day issues in Glasgow. It is written in two separate 3rd person narratives, Finlay and Banjo.
The main plot of the book is as follows: two boys are trying to make a name for themselves in the big wide world. Against all odds, Finlay begins a nursing job at an elderly person care home, through university and Banjo has found himself a job at a food establishment. Both boys have spent a large amount of their life in childcare homes so especially Banjo has a very large and fiery temper which gets him in trouble at school and is close to being expelled.
My favourite part of the book is when Finlay and Banjo see each other again in the hospital.
Zack WF
King of Nothing
King Of Nothing shows that if you do something you don’t want to do it can have a positive effect on you because you can make new friends and you sometimes enjoy it (the St Luke's project). At the start of the trip Anton did not like Mathew but he grew to enjoy his company
Cody W
Glasgow Boys
I liked this book a lot because I like how it switches from the characters perspectives. It was about two young men who grew up together and how they became friends again. I liked this a lot.
James W-B
King of Nothing
I liked the setting of the book (in London, where I lived until I was 10 years old). The book had slang and a lot of dialogue which makes you feel like you are involved in the story. The book explores how the friends that you have influence you. The main character, Anton, was respected as a 'bad kid' in the school but he started to change when he became friends with Matthew (who saved his life when Anton got stung by a bee). The book shows that even if you aren't doing your best, you can always turn around.
Matheo V
Play
‘Play’ is an excellent representation of teenage life, especially how easily young people can be pulled into risky behaviours like drug use and alcohol. I was shocked by how quickly characters like Mark were pulled into dangerous situations—something that feels all too real in today’s world. Luke Palmer’s wordplay stood out from the first page; his writing is emotional, and immersive. This book made me think about how “peer pressure” shapes who you are as a person. I’d highly recommend it to other readers looking for something raw and powerful. 9/10.
Sebastian
King of Nothing
King of Nothing was a really enjoyable read. It explores a teenager’s struggle to fit in and his fear of being seen as ‘different’. At first, Anton wants nothing to do with Matthew, someone who stands out. But after they’re paired for his mum’s community project, their friendship slowly sparks. I really liked how the story showed people can change. Anton makes mistakes—like when he lashes out at Matthew because of pressure from his old friends. When Matthew later saves Anton’s life from a bee sting, their bond deepens even more. He eventually chooses kindness over popularity, not wanting to turn out like his father. This story made me think how hard it is to stand up for what’s right, but also how rewarding it can be. 9/10.
Sebastian
King of Nothing
Better version of steady for this 7/10
Connor R
Treacle Town
Treacle Town was a hard-hitting, quite emotional read which took me through the twists and turns of Con's troubled and unpredictably devastating life. Everything in this novel is well-crafted from the character's names and nicknames that represent their characters to the intertwining and clashing of their motives in this rough dangerous town. This sense of hopelessness continued until the end of the novel which left me slightly hopeful yet mostly saddened at the fate and future of these characters.
benjaminr
Glasgow Boys
This book is about two different boys who knew each other long ago. since then they have gone their separate ways.one boy called Banjo had a very hard childhood. this has made him believe he needs to be hit as punishment so he gets into many fights. but now he has a girl he loves and is doing good. The other boy Finlay has a very hard time during school. trying to balance work and school. He meets up with a friend from primary called Akash. In the end Banjo and Finlay meet up and apologise. I would definitely recommend. I can relate to one of the characters. Tt's like if a path splits into 2 but has the same destination. Great book
Pranav Rajan
The Final Year
This book is about a boy called Nate. We experience his final year of school. He goes through many hardships. He loses his best friend to a boy called Turner and nearly loses his younger brother twice to heart problems. He feels he needs to release the anger which he calls the beast, but in the end he overcomes all the problems he faces and re unites with his best friend and brother. He also may have met his dad. Good book.
Pranav Rajan
The Things We Leave Behind
This book is the best book I've read in a long time, its about clems journey from London to Glasgow. In the story you follow her and her sister, but then you figure out that Billie was her imagination and that she died a lot earlier in the story.
The last 30 pages made me cry, and i would defiantly recommend it.
Billy C
Play
This is my favourite book so far. I really liked it because it switched round who was narrating the book. I would recommend this book to my siblings and friends if they asked for a good book. I liked how at the end of most chapters there was cliff-hangers, which made you want to keep reading to continue from their position.
James W-B
The Final Year
A fabulous story about the life some people have in the city centre.
I loved the style of the writing, it's a book written in verse. I loved how each page was an individual poem, it made me able to see inside the main character's head more easily and made me more emotionally attached to the main character Nate, and his siblings Dylan and Jax. I also really cared about his Mum and his Aunty San, I understood them more as the book went on and felt really sad about what they were going through. The book showed how hard it can be for some kids and how they have to care for their younger siblings because their parents can't.
It showed how hard some friendships can be, I know how that feels.
Whilst going through an important stage in life, moving to secondary school, catastrophe strikes and Nate's younger brother Dylan gets a heart disease, it showed me it must have been really hard doing your SATS but knowing your brother is in hospital. I think the connections between the siblings are extraordinary.
I thought Mr Joshua was a great teacher, he helped Nate in the vital stages of year 6 and understood his circumstances and Nate's personanilty, he really believed in Nate - like any good teacher should.
I liked how the book links with Skellig - I enjoyed it so much I read Skellig afterwards. This really is a great book, I highly recommend it. I would rate this book a 10 out of 10. I love this book so much I have read it three times now. It's good out loud too.
Edmund W
Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys tackles heavy themes like trauma, but I found it hard to follow at times. The pacing was slow, and I struggled to connect with the characters. The setting was well done, but overall, it wasn't my type of book. 4/10
Baasit
All That It Ever Meant
The book was quite confusing and weird at times, especially with its fragmented storytelling and pacing. While the themes of grief and family were impactful, the twists and abstract narrative made it hard to follow. It’s a thought-provoking read but not for everyone, and I found myself feeling a bit lost at parts. 6/10.
Baasit
The Things We Leave Behind
The book had an interesting premise and emotional moments, but the pacing was slow at times. Pretty good book considering it's not my type. The ending was impactful, but overall, it didn’t fully hold my attention.
Baasit
Little Bang
I didn’t really enjoy Little Bang that much. The story was interesting, and it dealt with important topics, but I found it a bit slow and not very engaging. Some parts were emotional, but overall, it wasn’t a book that stuck with me.
Baasit
The Final Year
This book was incredible. I loved the characters so much as they actually are quite realistic and I can relate to some of their characteristics. The storyline was really emotional. It had many ups and downs but they came out on top.
Jeevan
The Things We Leave Behind
At the start of the book, it was a bit confusing because the timeline kept on jumping to different time. As the book progressed, the story became more understandable as it was much less jumpy. I really liked the character development and I liked the side story as it had some connection to the main story line. All round, it was a very good book
Jeevan
Hanzalah
Hanzalah
Hanzalah
Hanzalah
Hanzalah
Hanzalah
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things we leave behind shows that you never know when things will make a change for the worst and that there will be terrible times ahead but there will also be good times in the future too. I felt at one with the author and I think I shared her thoughts as I turned the pages of this wonderful story. I would have liked to see more information about if her Dad had survived or not. I also would like to see how much everything had an impact on the rest of the world. I personally loved the book and it rose to meet my expectations.
Matthew B
Glasgow Boys
The book is a story that paints the problems that is plaguing society like suicide, anxiety attacks and others. It showed how the two characters, Finlay and Banjo, were feeling throughout the book.
Ming
Play
Play is a book about 4 different boys. The book shows how the pure and playful child is quickly changed to care about social status and wealth. while getting dragged into a hell consisting of drug dealing.
Ming
Little Bang
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would when I looked at the cover. I like dual narratives in books however sometimes it may be a bit confusing when you pick it up tomorrow and forget who's perspective it is. It helps people to understand what young women have to go through.
Ming
Treacle Town
Biscuit is in a box. The box is a coffin. The coffin is in the living room of Biscuit's house. His friend, Con, looks at him and thinks about the life that led him there: unemployment, drugs, an empty future, gang violence and social media-driven petty vengeances.
Con's mate Trig isn't going to stand for the video that their rival gang, the Winhill Fleeto, have posted online, celebrating Biscuit's murder: he wants revenge.
Con just wants out. Out of the cycle of tit-for-tat violence. Away from people like Trig. Away from his intense father - a bouncer using an intense bodybuilding regime to shield himself from his grief at his wife's suicide. Con's Mum’s suicide. Away from a town that seems to drag him back as he tries to get out, a town that sticks to him even when he thinks he's pulled himself clear. A ‘treacle town’, as his great friend Biscuit used to call it.
Down a YouTube rabbit-hole one night, Con chances on a clip of a performer on a stage in Glasgow. Slam poetry: young people skilfully putting into words the things Con's been desperate to say. He sees a chance of escape. But can he overcome all of his fears? Of the mockery and scorn of his Dad and his friends? Of the very idea of standing up and exposing his thoughts and feelings in front of an audience? Of taking a risk on a new, exciting life away from his ‘treacle town’?
I loved this book. Con’s world is not one I’m familiar with, but Brian Conaghan really seems to capture Con’s voice as narrator and the voices of the young people in it. That means there’s A LOT of swearing. In fact there’s so much swearing that I didn’t really notice it after the first few pages, it’s just one of the authentic features of the intense, dangerous setting of the novel. I really rooted for Con and understood why living in his world was so difficult and escaping even harder. Even though Trig’s an idiot and Con’s Dad’s lifestyle makes for an oppressive, claustrophobic home environment, I felt sorry for each of them, too.
There’s tragedy in ‘Treacle Town’ and hope too. Highly recommended.
*****
Mr Hodgson
King of Nothing
So far this is my favourite Carnegie book as it has a realistic problem that some people may experience.
hasan i
Little Bang
I was a little skeptical about how much I would like this book, but it turned out to be a really eye-opening read about children from different backgrounds and the struggles of teen pregnancy. Although, I felt quite infuriated that Mel got an abortion without properly consulting Sid and her family, then she expected everyone to support her. 8.5/10
William B
The Final Year
it was a very good book loved the language it used and the twist it had with his brother having a heart attack but it being all okay.
ethan v
King of Nothing
It was a fabulous book which shows how he changed into a better person and found his best friend and to just be yourself.
ethan v
All That It Ever Meant
I liked it, but it was quite confusing. The story and characters are very nice, and have proper personalities, and it i really enjoyable to see them bond across the journey! However, it would have been good to have some visual indicator when there is a flashback, like a chapter title or different font. Meticais was confusing, and never really got a proper explanation, and the final twist was a bit hard to follow. There also could have been more to the plot in the way of conflict. Despite this, I did enjoy the book, and it had some really nice culture in it!
Edward L
The Things We Leave Behind
Great life lesson, but slow to read.
I struggled with the narrative of this book, I thought all the jumping between past and present was confusing, and when Clem missed things out and added things in, I didn't know what was real or not. This may have been intentional, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I would with a different format.
I also thought the book had a very important life lesson, like how we don't think sometimes how hard it is for people to live, and how traumatic and devastating changes can be for some people, and how we should speak out if we know something's not right . It is very important it is to treat everyone with respect.
Edmund W
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind was a great read. Although confusing at first, after a few chapters I was hooked. A key factor of this was the plot, which stayed solid throughout the whole book and never wavered. This was then backed up by some solid characters and a fairy tale that was nicely woven between the pages which simplified the whole plot down although it had a different setting. My favourite character was surprisingly Clem as I found she had a very fitting personality and backstory. Probably the best part about this book however was the setting - London in the modern day with a dictator in power. The reason I liked this so much was because of the stark reality of how close it is to some situations in the world right now. There are very few things to discredit this book on but one of them would have to be the time jumps at the start of the book as they made it very confusing to figure out where you actually are: London or Scotland as the start of each chapter does not contain a phrase that tells you this information. However, the heartbreaking plot twist at the end definitely makes up for it. Personally, I really enjoyed the repetition of the scene of the protest using the same words for the first few paragraphs as it made me think back and reflect on the previous events of the book.
Overall it was an amazing book with a good plot, characters and a scarily similar scenario to the modern day.
Score:
Plot:8/10
Characters:8/10
Setting:10/10
Originality:7/10
Total:33/40
Sevan
The Final Year
I liked this book, as it was quite nice and easy to read due to how it was written like poetry. I also like how it shows how people express themselves in different ways because it lets people see that if maybe they're not so good at drawing then there are other ways to express yourself. One other thing that I enjoyed was how it showed the difference from Nate being at home to at school with him not having the best space at home where his mum struggles and drinks a lot of cider, but at school, Mr Joshua and other teachers are always looking out for him and showing how to express himself.
Robin
The Final Year
This book is about a boy gets through a chaotic time at primary school-transitioning from y5 to y6. The Final Year is easy to read as it is set out in the style of a poem. I always wanted to turn the page because it was a real cliff-hanger. Nate (the main character) goes through a tough time with his best friend just leaving him and his brother nearly dying. This really inspires me to keep going no matter how hard life gets.
Overall rating:7.5/10
Conor D
King of Nothing
This book was really heart-warming. It follows the main character Anton navigate his way through his school life with his so called friends. After his mum forced him to go to her St Lukes project he finds the true meaning of life and makes friends with many new people who he had never dreamed of even being associated with. Anton realizes it is better having people like you than scared of you. Near the end I was confused when he started hanging around with Kehinde again but was so pleased when he beat up Kehinde to become friends with Mathew and save his mums project.
Overall it was a gripping story and my rating would be 9/10
Conor D
King of Nothing
The book was an emotional ride that really made me feel as though I really was there. from the start I could tell that the book was going to be a great read. At the start Anton was punished for getting into a fight at his school, his consequence was that he had to go on a camping trip called the Happy Campers. later on he finds out that his 'nerdy' best friend is in grave danger, can he get there in time before his friend could get in even more dangerous circumstances.......
Joshua R
The Final Year
Its a good book but it is over too quickly the word are structured in a poem and because of that i think its too short to get most of the point through
Patrick H
King of Nothing
Anton is the king of the playground. He has respect and honour so life is good for him. His friends are Kehinde, Marcos and Caleb. His Mum keeps on telling him to get good friends and to get out of this gang but this is his people. He then has a big impact upon him when his Mum takes his internet away which means he can't play/watch the things he want. He then has to join these Happy Campers because his Mum made him join which is super annoying. All the Happy Campers are super strange and one of them is from his school Mathew. He goes with Mathew and the Happy Campers on a trip which changes how he thinks about these people but when he gets home from the trip he starts to wonder about the person who gave him respect and honour at this school his Father...
Zakariya
All That It Ever Meant
I didn't particularly like this one because I couldn't really tell where the story was going so if they produce a book in the future I hope they change this. Unfortunately, I don't recommend this book.
Eli S
Treacle Town
I did not enjoy this book. Whether it was the constant swearing or the Scottish dialect with no glossary, I found this book to be extremely slow-moving and boring. It seemed to wait until the end for anything to happen. The only thing I really enjoyed was the change in Con's character as he gets more into slam poetry as it was interesting to see him pull away from his life and move on to another path. Overall I would not recommend this book to other people my age.
Lucian
The Things We Leave Behind
This book was very good but very depressing. It had compelling characters, and made me want to keep on reading. I loved the twist at the end (which I won't say because of spoilers) but it was confusing at the start. Very good book. 8/10
Elliott.H
Treacle Town
Treacle Town shows a viewpoint not really shown before, showing gang violence in Glasgow. I really liked the inclusivity in the book: Nails being lesbian and the different backgrounds, like Wee-Z. The message is put across vey powerfully, and Biscuit's funeral is vey poignant. I like how it shows that there is always a way out, but doesn't belittle the issues like some books, starkly showing the consequences of continued violence through Mark's death.
Edward L
All That It Ever Meant
This was a thrilling, interesting and heart-wrenching book all at once, the ending is extremely sad, and their trip is a rolller-coaster of events. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes books that are like an emotional journey.
Adaml
The Final Year
I really liked the Final Year as it showed a lovely way of writing about year 6, with illustrations. Like many of the shortlist last year, it was written in poetry but it didn't necessarily have to be poems. It was nice to read about something different because nearly all Carnegie books are about Secondary school, so this made a nice change. Mr Joshua was a great character and seemed realistic while also being an amazing teacher. I will probably read the sequel when it comes out.
Aidan
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant is a very interesting and intriguing book. It manages to help the reader piece together the past events while exploring different characters relationships in a simple yet descriptive and informative way. However, the story sometimes feeling quite stagnant with some passages of story being explained to you. This book also takes some time to "warm up" with the starting few chapters feeling quite monotonous. Overall, this book is well written for the most part but definitely has it's flaws.
benjaminr
The Final Year
this book really brought me on a rollercoaster of emotions as Nates younger brother Dylan has a heart infection and his best mate PS has abandoned him for some one else. Nate has to try his hardest to keep the Beast inside from all of his swirling emotions. But can he keep it all in.........
Joshua R
King of Nothing
Okay, hands up, I hated the book, first couple of dozen pages in. Anton seemed shallow, I guy I really couldn't get on board with, and it seemed like it was really going to be an effort pushing myself through page after page. But Anton matured, and as the character softened, so did my opinion toward him. His views grew more flexible, on the people around him and on the future. The book softens too - the way the book's tone makes it appear like it's a direct passage to Anton's thoughts makes his growth all the more clear, showing almost nothing is beyond redemption. (Still not so hopeful about Treacle Town, though. Hoping it proves me wrong.)
Hanzalah
The Final Year
In a Carnegie filled with prisons, gang violence, drugs and suicide, sometimes it's nice to have a book that sweats the small stuff. The book depicts Nate's rocky transition from a boy to a young man, and Goodfellow does it pretty well too. The poetical structure means the story hits hard enough to leave a mark, and while the language is undoubtedly low-level, in a way that helps to get a bit closer to Nate and his struggles. As Nate's friends, school, family, and his relationship with the Beast change - some for the better, some for the worse - he pours his feelings and his experiences into the book, so we may better understand his final year.
Hanzalah
King of Nothing
King of Nothing is an amazing book which I found really realistic. Last year, I gave Steady for this (also by Nathanael Lessore) a good review but I think that King of Nothing is better. The characters were all very good and p was the story line. My favourite bit was how Anton narrates with some funny analogies. A good ending. One of the best books I've ever read!
Aidan
Play
Nice book. I liked the way the four main characters developed through the book. Some of it had quite a lot of things happening at once. The changing of perspective through the book was interesting because it was like four different stories connecting in one book. It also shows the pollution of the landscape and the effect of dealing drugs on someone's life. The ending was interesting and complex, and I enjoyed it. I would recommend this book to others.
Jakub B
Treacle Town
I think this book does a mediocre job at conveying the message of people living in environments such as the one Treacle Town is set in. Firstly, in efforts to convey the style in which the characters' personalities represent, Conaghan uses an unnecessary amount of foul language, which could have worked in the right contexts, but throughout the book these words are littered in places that didn't require the excess emotion. Although understandable that the author tried to show how a group of 18 year olds would talk, it feels forced and not at all natural.
The story of the book itself is very grim, and I could not get myself to enjoy the first 2/3s of it. It tackle the very important theme in gang life of action and reaction; in other words: revenge. The book follows an 18 year old unemployed man living in his dad's house, and follows his thought process through his realisation of a better life.
The theme of revenge ripples through the whole book, and is due to a conflict between two Scottish gangs. The main character finds his way out of this never-ending cycle, at the expense of some of his friends. He learns that violence is not the only way out of a fight. Forgiveness is.
Overall, I have mixed feelings for the book. Its story is good on the whole, once it picks up, but the writing style is very off-putting if you're not ready for it. Good book.
Muadh
The Final Year
This was a very enjoyable read, it was an interesting style of writing but it represented the chaos of year6 very well. It was very well-written and i would recommend it to everyone ages 9-13
Adaml
Glasgow Boys
I enjoyed this book. I liked how the book showed Finlay and Banjo from two different perspectives. I think it was certainly an original idea. Also, I think Banjo's accent really made it seem more realistic, but it seemed like he threw the f word left, right and centre. You couldn't go a page without having Banjo screaming atrocities. 7/10
William B
Play
The thing that made this book exciting was that every chapter or every few chapters there would be a change in pov
Connor R
Little Bang
Everything in this book was unexpected but sometimes predictable but that is what made this book exciting
Connor R
Treacle Town
This book is a perfect representation of kids trying to be wannabe gangsters in current times
Connor R
Play
Play was a very interesting book. I felt the constant switching between different characters could often be confusing and remembering all the different side characters and their relationships was very difficult. However, the story was quite compelling and ,after I had gotten used to the structure, the book became a very enjoyable read. The characters seemed immensely convincing and had very complex motives that were conveyed by the writer very well. The ending of the book was.... unusual. It ended in a way that was unexpected yet helped tie up most of the plots as well as leaving the story "unfinished". Overall, an interesting read that was more complex in story and pacing than other Carnegie books.
benjaminr
Little Bang
I thought this book was okay, I thought the story was quite condensed and messy at some points, but long and spread out at others which disrupted the flow of the book. I thought that the story told from the two viewpoints would be a cliché as many of the Carnegie books over the last few years have done this and it has lost its effect, but it still worked for this book. Overall, I thought the message of the story was good but I would not choose to recommend it to others younger than me as it seemed a bit mature.
Lucian
The Final Year
The final year is a beautiful story riddled with references,twists and shows the rough reality that some people have to face .10/10 i highly recommend this book.
William s
Little Bang
I really liked this book for many reasons. First I feel that the characters developed well through the book, and we learn more about who they really are and why they are like that. I also like that it brings up real life issues and the struggles that come with young pregnancies. On the other hand, I think that the book could've gone into more detail about the pros and cons of abortion. Overall I really liked this book and would recommend it for people our age.
Jairaj Jhaj
King of Nothing
I loved it! The jokes are really funny, and combines with the writing style to make it really enjoyable to read! all the characters are really well done, and feel like real people. The way he develops over the course of the story is very well done, so it doesn't feel forced, and it is inspiring to see how he develops into a better person. I think the message it puts across, to treat women equally, is very important, and displayed powerfully. This probably one of my favourites so far!
Edward L
The Final Year
This book was, first of all, my favourite so far, Even though it was my first book the first time I've done the Carnegie, it was a beautiful way of telling a story. At first I found it hard to get used to the "ya" 's but it shows that it's the way different people write. I thought at first it was a poem book but the it was written made me think otherwise. It really makes sure you paid attention at the end, as it tells us something that only people who read it would know, "a man who looked like Jesus" tells us that it was his dad as the mum stated that Nate's dad looked like Jesus. I also felt it really show that "Every little thing is gonna be alright" even when we are at our lowest. I would absolutely 100% read this magnificent book again.
Owen Roberts
Treacle Town
I Found this book to be very powerful It has a lot of tough emotions and is very tragic even in the first chapter. I liked the poetry used in the book and connor's journey into the world of slam poetry. However i found some of the language used a bit hard to read and it took a while for the plot to move along. Overall it was a good book with lots of raw emotions.
Yusuf K
The Final Year
I really enjoyed it! At first, the poetry/slang combination is a bit hard to understand, but I got used to it pretty fast, and it made the book nice to read. The dynamic between the brothers is really nice, and the main character's story is very engaging! If I had one criticism it would be that the issues aren't as present as other books, and the outburst towards the end could have had more build-up, but this didn't make the book any less enjoyable. I liked seeing his poems develop over time, and it would be nice to see more of them (perhaps in the next book). I really like the imagery, with the wings and the Beast, and the illustrations are beautiful! Overall I really enjoyed reading it!
Edward L
All That It Ever Meant
I liked this book as it was quite interesting but confusing.
hasan i
The Final Year
I loved this book as it showed great perspective on moving up the years in primary school. My favourite part was the description of when nates brother had his emergency because the repetition was immensely powerful and descriptive. I really liked this book and would rate it a 10/10.
Cody W
Play
A good book! I found it to be sometimes quite hard to read, as some of the events in the book were quite disturbing, but they were handled in a good way. I think the characters were interesting and had distinct personalities, making the writing from their respective viewpoints very interesting! The ending was amazing, ending on a more positive note yet still really getting the point across! Overall, I think Play was a powerful and well written book!
Edward L
The Final Year
This was an intriguing book that I enjoyed very much. I think I will read it again, but I would like to read 'Skellig' first, as it is referred to quite a lot. The formatting was quite strange and felt to be sometimes poetic but sometimes in the format of a poem but not poetic. This was quite an easy read and I would give it a rating of 7.5/10.
Edward M
All That It Ever Meant
it is quite interesting for a life story but I did not like the chapters about the flashbacks with Mama
mahad.k
All That It Ever Meant
I really didn't like the book because I found it very confusing and quite boring. I did however like how the author has shown the different ways people deal with the loss of a loved one. I think there could have been a bit more description in parts of the book, especially the start, to prevent it from becoming confusing. I would rate it a 6.5/10.
Henry
King of Nothing
I read the book called King of Nothing, written by Nathaneal Lessore. It is a novel about a boy called Anton’s journey from “the king of the school” to a nice friendly boy, who has found his passion in art.
Anton is in secondary school, acting cool and succeeding in intimidating the younger students who perhaps he might deem as “nerdy”. He is a popular boy with many friends. These include Caleb, Kehinde and Marcus. After he keeps getting in trouble at school and his grades keep dropping, his mum took away his Wi-Fi. Not only that but she sends him on a summer camping trip with her friends from this project from the community and his nightmare: a boy called Mathew. Somehow, they make friends, and Anton decides to help with the project. Eventually, his friends find out and attack Mathew, Anton defends him and they, stay best friends forever.
zack wf
The Final Year
The book 'The Final Year' was a decent book, in my opinion. The storyline was relatively basic and unoriginal. It is the kind of book that I wouldn't even consider picking up at a bookstore but I did find it quite interesting and relatable in some ways. Although, the use of the word 'ya' was extremely excessive! 5/10
William B
All That It Ever Meant
At the beginning of the book I didn't really understand the story as it was a very slow starting book. One of the things I loved about the book was the prologue as the 1 line sentence was very powerful and important. I didn't know to begin with what the word 'BABA' meant as I have never heard it used before. When I read more I got to know that it meant dad. My favorite part was when all the characters were in the car and the author was describing the long bumpy road as it reminded me of the small roads in Scotland. I would recommend this book to 12 -13 year old's.
Cody W
King of Nothing
Having not read Steady For this last year and only going off others opinions, I expected King of Nothing to be a boring read that I wanted to get out of the way. This however was not the case. This book is full of laughs while showing the importance of friendship over physical strength and that people will always have different opinions of you depending on how they know you.
The only thing that was bad about King of Nothing is the over exaggerated slang in Anton’s thought, especially the word ‘fam’ in every other sentence. I rate this book 4.5 out of 5.
Felix C
Glasgow Boys
At first, Glasgow boys seemed very unusually structured - frequent flashbacks and changes in character perspectives. However, I found that as I got more used to the structure I began to appreciate the intricate writing and story that made this book a memorable read. What I enjoyed most about this book is that how throughout there is the constant feeling of - this situation could improve - a sense of optimism that leads perfectly into the book's end. Overall, a memorable but gritty read.
benjaminr
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind is a story about lies. Clem tells us how she fled the London she once loved and the iron rule of an authoritarian, but not all of it is the truth. The book explores how just hanging on can be so hard when everything else is stacked up against you, juxtaposing fantasy to reality - potentially showing how Clem is dealing with the situation. It hits pretty close to home, with a dystopian setting not too unlike our own. And it explores lies, the ones we are told by Clem and the ones Clem has been telling herself, because sometimes the truth can be too harsh and too ugly. I admit the book saddened me, seeming more and more hopeless, until the end. It's realistic, telling you things don't always turn out okay, but they can be a hell of a lot better than they could have been.
Hanzalah
Glasgow Boys
It was a book that perfectly explains some of the problems that kids and teenagers go through.9/10
Connor R
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant was a good book but I found it quite slow to read despite being less than 200 pages long. It was surprisingly similar to The things we leave behind but it also contained the contrast of England and Zimbabwe. The end was interesting and I am looking forward to hearing different interpretations of it. The character Meticais confused me a bit but I think that is the whole point. I don't know if I enjoyed it but I'm glad I read it.
Aidan
King of Nothing
Many people want to be the most popular in their class, by trying to get laughs out of their friends, but this book shows that being the most popular isn't always as great as it seems. Sometimes it's better to have friends who you can rely on and trust rather than "friends" who you have a laugh with and get into trouble with. Anton realises this, and he finds who his true friends are, and aren't, after his Nanna dies, and when the school finds out how he has been hanging out with Matthew, a geeky boy, and his "mandem" leave him. I like this book as it shows how people can change to become better and the dangers of peer pressure. It also demonstrates how you only know your true friends when you face hurdles in life and they stand by you, and being the "King of the School" isn't always the best thing to be. The book also teaches how perseverance is very important - Anton faces many hurdles - like Nanna dying and his mum's project being trashed and burnt - but he keeps going. I would rate it 8.5/10.
Aashaz Z.
Treacle Town
I thought that the beginning of treacle town was very slow, and it took a while to get better, but when it got better it was good. I think that the moral of the story was that no matter how deep you are into gang life, you can get out, and that gang life is dangerous. I think this because both biscuit and trig die, which shows it is dangerous, and he gets a job which shows there is a way out.
James W-B
The Final Year
I would recommend that a student would read it at the start of year 7 or end of year 6 so they can reflect on their time in primary and see if their school year was similar to Nate's. Overall I though it was a very good book, and I like the style it was written in. I think that if it wasn't written in this style that the book would not be as good.
James W-B
Little Bang
I think this was a good book. I liked it because it jumped between the two main characters perspectives. However it started off slowly at the start but got better quite quickly. It shows how quickly your life can change as Mel was planning on going to university but then couldn't. I think that it was a good book when it sped up. It was a style of book I would normally not pick up, however I might after reading this book.
James W-B
The Final Year
Nate is going to start year 6. Unfortunately, his best friend is in the over class with the school bully. Nates teacher is very nice and is called mister Joshua. He tells everyone that year 6 is nothing to worry about. When Nate gets home he always meets his two little brothers (Jax and Dylan). One day he sees his best friend with the school bully and then they both laugh at him. Nate is extremely angry about this but he then makes another new friend Caleb. Caleb likes to draw and Nate loves to write. But when things seem good his brother Dylan has an emergency.
Zakariya
Treacle Town
Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan is a powerful and emotional book. It is based in a small but threatening village where Con and his friends have a very important decision for their future: stay or go. After losing important people in his life, Con can't bare it any longer and has made up his mind, but it won't be easy.
I particularly liked how the book was slow and going one step at a time, forcing the story to build up as you read. This made me want to read along more quickly to find out what happens next. My favourite part was near the end when the book rounded up all his life and turned him into a different person as compared to from the start.
The thing I disliked was the wording of the book and how the author used language that 18 year old Con and his friends use to try and fit the theme. The language was good comparing it to how the characters would speak but, overall, it made it harder to read.
Overall, I think this is a good book for people aged Con's age our experiencing the same type of things. I would recommend this for readers ages 14 - 19 and I would give it 7.5 / 10.
Hisham N
King of Nothing
I thought that this book was alright as I liked the ways that it showed deep messages while keeping it light hearted. I didn't really find it very funny a lot of the time but I did like the ways you got to know the characters better. Another thing that I liked is that even when I thought the book wasn't really moving on, it still made me want to read more
Robin
The Final Year
it was an excellent book that captured personality and emotion amazingly
Nate E
All That It Ever Meant
Quite boring all the way through but an interesting plot twist at the end
Leo A
King of Nothing
First when I was reading it, i thought i wouldn't like it, because I didn't like his last book, steady for this. However, this book was very enjoyable. My only issue is how the main character talks. NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT!!! Other than that, it was very good. 8/10
Elliott.H
All That It Ever Meant
I found it very slow to start and I didn't think it was a very good book in general as all it talked about was them going and holiday to Zimbabwe but didn't really explain much.
Alfie f
The Final Year
A very good book that was interesting and a bit emotional, the poetry was the good as well being a quick read
Leo A
All That It Ever Meant
I found the book, All that it ever meant, to be quite a confusing yet pleasant read. I have to admit, it took me quite a while to understand everything, especially the Meticais. But after a while, the story kind of makes sense of itself. The more you read, the more sense it makes. Although, the book has definitely made me want to travel to Zimbabwe! The characters in the story established themselves really well, even people who don't even speak are described amazingly! My favourite character was certainly Tana. His antics never failed to make me chuckle! 6/10
William B
King of Nothing
I’d rate King of Nothing a 9/10. It was a very good read—funny and entertaining throughout. I also read the first book last year, and this one lived up to it, keeping the same great humor and engaging story. The characters were enjoyable, and the writing style made it easy to get into. Overall, a great book that I’d definitely recommend!
Bassit
The Things We Leave Behind
it was a very interesting but good book was very confusing at the start but all got together in the end but had a very sad and also happy ending and had a nice point of view so you can see every thing she is feeling all together it is a very good read 5 stars definitely recommend this book also would read again.
ethan
The Final Year
i found it a bit meh. majority of the book was filled with poetry that did not interest me
mahad.k
Glasgow Boys
On one side, you have Finlay. Shy and introvertive. On the other side, Banjo, violent and impulsive. Both have demons and shadows they need to fight with.
Look past the language barrier, the strong words and heavy Scots, and you have a warm story that is pretty well written and not too hard on the mind. The emotional rollercoaster as the Glasgow Boys bond, then break, then bond to break again, then finally bond ever stronger than before. The story expresses a soft and hearty message behind a gruff facade - not too unlike Banjo - that friendships can be not unlike family, transcending distance, difference and destruction. Probably gonna have my vote.
Plus, the Scots dictionary had me splitting my side.
Hanzalah
The Things We Leave Behind
A very moving and adventurous book, their journey is thrilling and the ending is extremely sad. Clem's emotional journey is like a rollercoaster and this is a book i would reccomend to anyone and everyone.
Adaml
The Final Year
The Final Year was breathtaking in every way. It shows how the transition from primary school to high school can have a massive impact on millions of people with differing backgrounds and personalities, all over the world. My heart stopped when Dylan fell unconscious from his heart disease. Those two pages were probably some of the tensest pages I’ve ever read in my life. Overall, I am glad it was a happy ending and Nate managed to make another friend in the end.
Matthew B
King of Nothing
In my opinion, this book will be hard to top. Anton, Nanna and Matthew never failed to make me laugh! It really defined the characters of everyone in the book. It also taught a valuable lesson because it talks about the effects of peer pressure and bad influences. The author made me feel for characters like Anton and Matthew, and it made me despise for Kehinde, Caleb and Marcus. 9.5/10
William B
The Final Year
I feel this book is written in an interesting way. It uses rhyming and slang language a lot. It shows how children can suffer from bullying and how friendships matter in life.
raffertyt
Treacle Town
it was a good book and it got a lot better at the end.
hasan i
All That It Ever Meant
It was a great book it reminded me of the song walker from last year
Connor.R
Play
I’d rate Play by Luke Palmer an 8/10. The plot was good and kept me interested, but the ending was a bit weird. One of the things I really liked was how the book switched between different characters' points of view—it made the story more dynamic and gave a deeper understanding of what was happening. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, even if the ending wasn’t what I expected.
Bassit
All That It Ever Meant
I really enjoyed this book, as it was nice how it showed the different ways people dealt with the loss of a loved one. I also liked how it constantly felt like it was building up to something at the end but you couldn't really decide what. Another thing that I thought was good was the contrast between Mati and Metacais and how every conversation showed something in the past that revealed things but also kept suspense for the ending.
Robin
All That It Ever Meant
Although I didn't like this book it was it was a really well written book about belonging . I loved Mati's story-telling and strong personality ( probably what I enjoyed the most).Others thought that Metacais was a gentle character but I really did not understand her role in the book.This book gives an insight into fashion and culture in Zimbabwe.I did believe the ending would be along the lines of what it was but it only added to the story a bit.
Rating 6/10 (the ending pushed it up a lot )
Conor D
The Final Year
Incredible, this is one of those books where it makes you feel really connected with the characters because once you are in the middle of the book you get to know what they are like and feel like they are one of your best friends. I recommend this to anyone.
Eli S
The Final Year
The final year is a very moving and emotional book. It is easily my favourite book that I have ever read. The poetry it contains is very creative and fun. It is my favourite carnegie so far.
sethm
The Final Year
Good book about a schoolboy experiencing troubles like his best friend playing with someone he doesn't like and his brother getting heart infection, this book shows us that everything will be alright.
Muyang
All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant is a book that I found quite confusing to read. It reminded me of Song walker from last years' Carnegie. You never really found out what was happening. Their Mum had died back in England and tensions sparked a surprise road trip though the beating heart of Zimbabwe. From Victoria falls to Harare and the imaginary Meticais. All the flashback to back in England, made me contemplate about where and who we were talking about. Tana, Meticais, Mati, Mama, Baba, Chichi. Past, present or future. I never really understood it .
sam w
The Final Year
It was a very good book. I enjoyed the story telling through poems and i thought the pictures suited the style of story very well. i found it to be a very enjoyable read, although it was sad at times, the ending was very good. The only thing i didnt like was how he talked. Overall, 8/10
Elliott.H
Play
The actions of four boys spin a complex and chaotic web of consequence and effect. As Johnny calls them in his high final moments, this web opens the possibility of many 'rooms', many possible futures that are made by these crucial decisions in the teenage years of Mark, Matt, and Luc - yet Johnny severs any parts of the web leading to his 'rooms' with a drug-clouded decision of his own. While it may seem at the start like too much is going on, all these strands come together in the end for a big finish nobody expected less than me. Busy? Yes. Messy? Most likely. But in the end, it is a story about four boys growing up the hard way, pressured by the world and the decisions that they made, and the way their futures will be affected - a story indeed written messily, but still written very well.
Hanzalah A
King of Nothing
I thought this book ( similar to "steady for this" last year ) was a bit annoying with its use of slang but I think it did gradually get better after around chapter 4. I also thought that the author did a great job in displaying the emotions when the Grandma died. I would give it a 4.5/5!
Ben P
All That It Ever Meant
I think this is a very interesting book. It explores the feelings of characters and teaches you about the life of African families and how they live.
Raffertyt
The Final Year
An emotional roller-coaster with beautiful literature that i would recommend to anyone. My only criticism is that it takes a while to get into the good bit and the language takes a while to get use to.
Henry D
King of Nothing
this is a brilliant book which shows shows good morals and how people develop whilst also being a funny read 10/10 I loved it.
alfie c
The Things We Leave Behind
For most of this book, I was gripped however it took me until around page 30 to fully understand what was going on. The lack of chapters was slightly annoying as I could never find a stopping point and it kept jumping back and forth between Clem’s story and the things going on in the present with Polly and the italics story with the blood-red flower, which was also slightly confused.
Upon finishing the book, I was left puzzled as to why Billie was with Clem the whole time, yet had died from a coma whilst still in London. Overall I give this book a 2.5/5.
Felix C
The Final Year
Overall I think it is a well written book and I like the rhyming style.
The variation of characters is nice. The writer has tried to cram a lot of material into the book and this leads to it being a bit rushed .
It also does not feel complete and could have used another chapter. Overall the storyline is engaging with a feel good ending.
Henry S
King of Nothing
Terrific Tale
In my opinion this was a great story and a important life lesson,
which was you shouldn't be defined by other people (peer pressure), and instead make your own choices define yourself.
This book was an absolute page turner which made me want to read more. The author made me feel for Anton who was defined by what his dad did. I'd recommend it for secondary school kids because it teaches how you should be yourself and not be a follower.
Edmund W
Glasgow Boys
I quite liked this book as it depicted real problems. Very good book but a bit depressing.
hasan i
Glasgow Boys
I quite liked this book as its not unrealistic and features real problems. Very good book but it was a bit depressing.
hasan i
The Things We Leave Behind
I really liked The Things We Leave Behind as it seemed very relevant and realistic to today's society. Unfortunately, Toby Knight reminded me of someone currently in power, which I think just added to the relevance of the book.
At first, I found this book confusing as it jumped from the past to the present to a fairy-tale-like story but as it went on I began to understand why they had layered so many scenes on top of each-other. Despite being a sad story, I liked the ending as it created hope without it being too unrealistic.
Aidan
Treacle Town
I’d rate Treacle Town a 7/10. The story was quite enjoyable, with interesting characters and a good plot that kept me engaged. However, I found the language a bit difficult to understand at times, which made it harder to fully get into the book. While I liked the overall story, the writing style wasn’t my favorite. Still, it was a decent read, and I’d recommend it to someone who doesn’t mind more challenging language.
Bassit
The Final Year
I’d probably rate The Final Year a 4/10. While it touches on important themes like family and friendship, I found the story slow and not very engaging. The free verse style didn’t really work for me, and I didn’t connect with Nate as a character. There wasn’t enough action or excitement to keep me interested, so overall, it just wasn’t my kind of book.
Bassit
The Final Year
This book is about a boy who doesn't want to go into year 6. After he figures out his best friend is in the other year 6 class he feels useless.
He feels even worse when one morning he finds his friend walking to school with the school bully.
After being given a note book by his teacher he finds his passion for poetry. he finds he can show his emotion through poems.
He feels in a good position until his Brother drops dead. But that's what he thinks. He is actually alive and has a really big heart condition. He is really sad until he starts to get better. Over this period his friend notices how mean he has been and they are now friends again.
At the end of the book his brother is well and he has his best friend back.
Billy C
Hanzalah
Hanzalah