Ermysted’s

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

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