Gibraltar Carnegie Scholars
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
The book has an overall good book cover with good use of colour and detail the blurb is funny and good hook for children. It only took me a few days to read the book.
The book followed Zeke, a shy school mascot, learns to be brave during some strange events at school.
The main themes were friendship and confidence.
I think this book is suitable for Middle school pupils as it’s quite funny and relatable.
I enjoyed how the characters were really well described and created. However, some parts were quite new for children that would be reading it topics such as mental health and confidence.
My favourite moment was when the main boy Zeke finds the courage to stand out.
I would rate this book a 3/10 because it was not for my age range.
I would recommend this book for younger audiences and I think it deserves a Carnegie medal.
Tanisha
Not Going To Plan
Initially, I thought the cover was asthetic, but it did not really give an idea of the events of the book. It took me around 2 weeks to read the book.
The book was about two teenagers who are very different people trying to help each other move through issues at home and in school.
The main themes are identity, womens rights, queer identities, and peer groups for teenagers.
I think this book is for ages 16+, I think the book is more targeted towards women, but I do think it would resonate well with queer individuals also, regardless of gender.
I liked that I think it was a realistic depiction of this type of event, it was not sensationalised, or over dramatic, it feels like something people would genuanly experaicne in real life.
However, I felt that the conflict between Marnie and Rakel was resolved to easily. The disagreement between them was realistic, but it seemed that Rakel changed her opinion on abortion for the sake of driving the narrative, it was not realistic for her charcter given her highly religous backround.
The most memorable moment was Zed researching various perspectives on the abortion debate in order to reach a logical perstive, and subsequently realising that this particular issue should not be considered in a logical sense, as much as an emotional one.
I would rate this book an 8/10, I would recommend it to others, and I think it deserves to win a Carnegie medal.
Erin
Popcorn
I liked the cover (I’m a sucker for texturing) and the blurb was pretty good and descriptive in my opinion. I read it over a week but maybe 4 hours in total.
The main plot of the story was that there is a boy who isn’t too well off for money - or rather his mum isn’t - , his grandmother has Alzheimer’s and it’s school photo day in the book but everything keeps going wrong. In short anxious boy in school photo day with meh life.
The main theme explored is anxiety.
I think this book is for teens, doesn’t matter what gender and teens that just want an easy read.
I liked that the book is about someone being anxious and things ACTUALLY going wrong and him not just having plot armour and it’s all happy days for him.
Ironically, i also think it was just a bit ridiculous some of the things that happened like the ketchup rocket and the science experiment gone wrong thing because there should just be a bit of time where nothing happens, not just constant things happening.
My favourite moment was when the art teacher said that he had panic attacks too (strong second is when the boss of the mums new job was really nice).
I would rate this book an 8/10. I would recommend it for other readers and I think it deserves a Carnegie award.
Oscar
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
The cover of the book was what intrigued me, seeing that the book was written from a male perspective gave it that touch of unique which gave a good first impression. It took me 2 weeks to read the book. The main plot was the lead boy experiencing anxiety leading to his first time having sex with his girlfriend.
The book has many themes some including, coming of age and maturity as well as some pressures and expectations however i think the main theme of the book was time and perspective/structure as the book has such a element of perspective of slowly figuring out about the characters and how they met from the first chapter of him panicking to 24 minutes before, all the way to 24 months when they first meet.
I think it is definitely a 13+ book as the content inside the book is quite mature, talking about sex, consent, masturbation and topics which would be more appropriate for teens.
I loved the way it was written the whole structure of the book flowed really well, as well as the development of the characters, as the beginning felt rushed but you slowly come to know everyone personalities.
Personally i thought the chapters were quite long, it made sense with the flow of the book however chapters 4 and 5 really started to bore me.
There was also some lack of storyline of the girls side, i wanted to know more about the mother an daughter relationship.
The most memorable moment was the chapter which was ‘24 months before that’ was one of most memorable moments as its when the boys grandfathers funeral was occurring and its also when the main characters meet.
As well as a part when the boy is walking with his grandma and she’s telling him the story on how the grandma and grandpa met all those years ago which was a cute, sentimental part.
I would rate the book an 8/10. I would recommend it to others and I think it deserves a Carnegie Medal.
Tanisha
Not Going To Plan
My initial thoughts about the book was on how the author was going to tell a meaning story. It took me only a few days to read the book. The main plot was 16-year-old Marnie trying to navigate her way through conflict. The main themes were sexuality, teen pregnancy and consent.
The book handled the topic of teenaged pregnancy well by emphasising the effect it had on the protagonist. We see the extent of her mental distress when she finds out she’s pregnant, and the fear of her mother finding out. I feel like this is a realistic portrayal of what a teenager would genuinely do, and how we should empathise and support pregnant teens, rather than judging them.
Another aspect of the book that is intriguing is how it’s written in verse form. The verse form makes it unique from other books, and is a great way of expressing the character’s emotions and feelings to the reader. The book would consistently switch between the characters, and would provide insight into their personalities. I felt like this was very effective in portraying the characters’ personalities, as the readers were able to see how exactly they would think.
I did not like how the dialogue at times sounds like an adult trying to write how they assume teenagers talk. It sounds juvenile and uncharacteristic of what a teenager would actually talk like.
The most memorable moment of the book was when the protagonist finally told her mother about her abortion.
The book would be suitable for ages 15+, due to its mature themes such as sexuality, teenage pregnancy and exploitation in the form of stealthing. It would be most suitable for teens, as the protagonists are teenagers themselves, and allows the reader to relate to them in some way. The book tackles serious topics, and enables teenagers to fully understand the impact of said topics.
I would rate it a 7/10. I would recommend it to others and I think it deserves a Carnegie Medal.
Gabriela
Popcorn
The blurb was captivating and initially sounded more childish than the book's content itself, the cover did not evoke anything to me; it seemed like the standard middle-grade fiction cover.
It took me 3 days to read the book. It followed a young boy as he went about his school picture day; he is a victim of mishap and worries, making his day feel to be turbulent - eventually leading to an anxiety attack where his peers and teachers help him. The main themes covered are anxiety, emotional honesty, humour, friendship and bullying.
I think this appeals to 9-12 year olds, the book is not specifically gendered which is a strength of the format. As the themes can be quite topical it may be hard for a younger audience to understand the euphemism of popcorn as anxiety however I would find that anyone over the age of 12 would find the plot itself too immature.
I liked how the boy noticed his mother's struggles as well as spoke about his grandmother’s Alzheimer's, this created a realistic lens to themes that are cmmonly ignored in children’s literature yet are things that children notice in real life. Them being written down as a part of the plot makes the book feel more insightful. The ending was comical and served as a nice moment.
I did not like the sequence of events, the book felt oversaturated with plots that became too fast-paced and played on too many stereotypes, this prevented Harrell from exploring one theme in depth and creating something meaningful from it.
I would rate this book a 7/10. I would recommend it to other readers and I think it deserves a Carnegie medal.
Faye
Birdie
The book cover was well designed, I feel like the illustration of the character correctly portrayed her attitude throughout the book.
It took me 2 weeks to read the book.
The main plot is about an orphaned girl who gets adopted by her aunt and has to move to a forign area and face unexpected racial discrimination. The main themes are racial discrimination, community, nature, and identity/belonging. I thought the most memorable moment was when aunt Mabel opens up about how she was effected by the death of her son, and apologises for the unfair way that she treated Birdie when they first met.
I found this scene memorable because it avoided the cliche of the cold and caloused great-aunt who is stuck in her ways and past the point of change. Through this moment the author acknowledges that people are always capable of apologising and changing thier behaviour.
I think that the book is suitable for both genders, but targeted towards girls. I think that the ideal reading age is between 10-14. I don't think children under this age would understand many of the deeper themes. Since the book explores ideas about racisim, it may be targeted towards people of color, but I belive that it would still be enjoyable for all children.
However, the plot of the book itself was sometimes hard to follow, and it wasn't really made clear how much time was passing between different events. The author assumes that the reader has at least a minimal understanding of historical events (such as the world wars) this may be an issue for younger readers.
I would give this book an 8/10. I would reccomend it for other readers and think it deserves a carnegie medal.
Erin
Wolf Siren
I was drawn into the book due to the blurb. The cover portrays the story effectively with another small phrase embedded into it which does also sum up the book.
It took me 12 days to read this book.
The main plot was about how Red goes against her mothers wishes and ventures into the forest, connecting with the wolves when told not to. The most memorable moment was when Grandma showed Red that the wolves are harmless.
The main themes are Feminism, supernatural elements, adventure and secrecy.
I think this book is suited to pre-teens, especially females.
I enjoyed how the book is very feminist and highlights the struggles that women face emotionally and physically (the main character constantly challenges her mother’s views and orders given to stay within her line). It teaches young girls to challenge gender stereotypes and express themselves freely.
However, it being a direct reference to the story of little red riding hood may put off some people from reading it as it could appear childish.
I would rate this book 7/10.
I would reccomend it to other readers and think it deserves a Carnegie medal.
Amanda D'cunha
Ghostlines
I originally liked the blurb because it buildup my curiosity before actually reading the book as it was mysterious. It took me 3 weeks to read the book.
Tilda explores a forbidden island with a boy to befriend him. Dangerous adventures, fear and loss but they both confront it. The story explores adventures, friendship. Dealing with change and learning to understand. The most memorable moment was when they reached the island and realize how dangerous it is instead of being an “exiting adventure".
I think the book is suited to younger kids of any gender.
I like how their characters had a strong personality and some strong flaws that some kids might feel reflected by.
As an older reader, I did not enjoy how it was written for a younger audience but this is not a flaw in the book itself.
I would rate the book a 7/10 and would reccomend it to younger readers. I think it deserves a carnegie medal.
Evan Puyol