HAEC Books and Biscuits Carnegie Shadowers
All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant by Blessing Musariri is a deep and emotional story that shows how people deal with grief, memories, and finding their place in the world. The book follows Mati and her siblings as they travel through Zimbabwe, trying to understand their past and their family. I liked how the author used magical and dreamlike parts to show how confusing and hard it can be to deal with loss. The characters felt real and the writing made me feel like I was right there with them. It’s a sad but beautiful book that makes you think about love, family, and growing up.
Kassidee
The Things We Leave Behind
(Contains spoilers). I like how the main characters were refugees and had to split up after their father died. They faced many challenges and hoped to find each other, finding new things and had a new life, but this makes them miss each other more and more.
It is a good book and I quite liked it, and the content was very full, but the cover was not very appealing in my opinion and did not make me want to read it.
Ian
The Final Year
I liked the storyline and the content of the book but I would not want to read many verses especially every new paragraph there is a heading making it not my style. That said, the content of the book is good and I quite like it.
The book cover also looks really cool making it attractive to read.
Ian
King of Nothing
(Contains spoilers) I like the part where Anton realises who was the true friend and changes his ways of doing things and becomes friends with a 'loser' in class.
It was also a very good part because he sacrificed his friendship with Matthew to save him from being bullied and in the end there was a happy ending.
This was a good book and I quite like this style of book, but at the start I was quite confused with what was happening because of all the slang.
Ian
All That It Ever Meant
I didn't expect to like this book. It started off slow and boring, but then got better as the story continued and the less confusing it became. I found the plot twist interesting but not the most well executed as it left me very confused after I finished reading the epilogue. However I found the characters well written and I quite liked Metacais during the story. I will give this book a 3/5.
Bella
King of Nothing
The King of Nothing is a thought-provoking novel that focuses on identity, power, and what it means to have influence, or to have none at all. The story follows a main character who appears important on the outside, but actually has very little real control or respect. He's seen as a "king," but only in title. As the plot develops, we start to see how the people around Anton act fake or selfish, and how the Anton begins to question everything about his role and the people in his life. He wants to be respected and to matter, but he’s trapped in a system that’s full of lies and empty promises. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy realistic stories with serious themes. It’s not a fast-paced action story, but it makes you think, and the ending stays with you. I personally enjoyed it a lot because it was relatable.
Mansuni
The Final Year
The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow is a powerful and moving verse novel that follows Nate, a Year 6 student juggling school pressures, shifting friendships, and heavy responsibilities at home. Through simple but heartfelt poems, the story explores themes of poverty, young carers, emotional resilience, and the quiet strength of creative expression. Nate’s journey is both heartbreaking and hopeful, made even more touching by the support of a caring teacher who helps him find his voice through poetry. This is an honest, beautifully written book that gives a voice to children often overlooked, and reminds us how words and kindness can truly make a difference. It is the perfect length and super engaging. And even though it explores a lot of melancholy themes I find that it's still filled with joy and wonder. It was one of my overall favourites out of this years Carnegie Shadowing list and I definitely recommend giving it a read!
Mansuni
King of Nothing
(Contains spoilers!)
I found King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore great. It is about a boy called Anton who rules the school with his friends, but when he has to join the happy campers he realises that friends and reputation is not the most important thing. Then he starts helping out at St Luke's a church that is being renovated into a shelter for women, but it gets destroyed close to the opening. This is an amazing book I would strongly recommend it.
Imogen
King of Nothing
King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore is an exciting and gripping story about a young boy trying to build a name for himself and earn respect. The character feels very real, and even when he makes poor decisions, you can understand what leads him there. That’s what makes the book so engaging. Nathanael Lessore’s writing is smooth and full of personality. The story is easy to follow, but it still gives you a lot to think about, especially when it comes to popularity, pressure, and figuring out who you are. I would recommend it to anyone who likes realistic stories that are meaningful but not too heavy.
Giselle
All That It Ever Meant
All That It Ever Meant is a moving and thoughtful story about Mati, a 14-year-old girl dealing with the sudden loss of her mother. Her father takes her and her siblings from their home in London to Zimbabwe, hoping the trip will help them heal. As they reconnect with their family and culture, Mati begins to make sense of her emotions—with the help of a mysterious spirit guide named Meticais, who only Mati can see. The book deals with grief, family, and identity in a clear and honest way. It shows how difficult it can be to lose someone and how facing the past can help us move forward. With a unique mix of real-life struggles and a touch of the supernatural, the story builds to a surprising ending that makes you see everything differently. It's an emotional and engaging story that I definitely recommend reading.
Mansuni
All That It Ever Meant
All That it Ever Meant by Blessing Musariri, is an excellent book about Mati and her family going to Zimbabwe for her mother's funeral. This book talks a lot about grief and how people go through it. Also through the book Mati meets Meticais. I loved this book and I would recommend it.
Imogen
The Final Year
The Final Year is a powerful story about challenges, friendship and growing up. The story follows Nate as he deals with his final year at primary school, facing challenges with his home-life, tests, and his friend PJ.
Nate finds comfort in reading. I thought it was a really good story that I would recommend to Year 6/7.
Emily
King of Nothing
King of Nothing is a light-hearted book that tackles serious modern-day issues in a clear way. The book goes through all the emotions: laughter, sadness and concern for Anton's story. This is a clear indication of how well the book was written with the characters being incredibly believable and the story gripping. I would recommend it to all early secondary schoolers.
Emily
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss is an amazing book about the main character, Clem who has to leave her home with her half sister Billie on a dangerous journey to Scotland. This book also has stories written by Clem. The book also mixes flashbacks and her present life. I would recommend this.
Imogen
The Things We Leave Behind
"The Things We Leave Behind" by Clare Furniss is a powerful young adult novel that really stuck with me. Set in a near-future London facing the challenges of authoritarian rule and anti-immigrant sentiment, the story follows sixteen-year-old Clem and her younger half-sister Billie as they escape to Scotland after their stepmother is arrested and their father is taken by the regime. Clare Furniss creates a believable world where the struggles of the characters reflect real societal issues, but the heart of the story lies in the sisters' relationship, strengthened by a notebook filled with their stories and memories.
Clem is a compelling protagonist—she's flawed and grappling with her mother's death, but her fierce love for Billie drives her forward. The writing is poetic yet easy to read, mixing deep emotions with moments of hope that stay with you long after you finish the book. While the pacing can slow down at times to focus on character development, this enhances the overall impact of the story. It's a must-read that combines thrilling adventure with a touching exploration of resilience, family, and the things we hold onto in the face of loss. I loved this. 10/10
Zoe
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss is a powerful and emotional story about two sisters, Clem and Billie, who have to escape their home because their country is falling apart. The book shows how hard it is to be brave when everything around you is scary and uncertain. Clem’s feelings and struggles are described in a way that feels very real, and the relationship between the sisters is very touching. The story makes you think about important issues like family, safety, and standing up against unfairness. Although some parts are slow, the book is meaningful and easy to connect with. I would recommend it to anyone who likes stories about courage and hope.
Kassidee
Play
Play was an OK book. It revolves around 4 boys as they go through secondary school. The book tackled important issues like toxic masculinity, drug dealing and homophobia but was very bleak and is definitely for older readers. The chapters were written from different perspectives and really aided the good character development. The book had brilliant symbolism throughout it, with the idea that the boys are always playing some sort of "games." Time moved too quickly throughout the book and the ending was fairly disappointing. Overall, the book itself was good but due to my personal tastes and opinions, I didn't like it.
Emily
The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind is a brilliant dystopian book that is set in a modern-day England, ruled by an authoritarian government. The book has a gradual build up, so it's easy to understand the setting. The book is written in a unique way with changes between the life of Clem now, flashbacks to the past and an accompanying fairy-tale. This can be occasionally hard to distinguish between, but really aids the story. The chapters are quite long, but all begin with definitions that add perspective and make you think. The characters are well-rounded with amazing development and an accurate description of dementia. The ending was done brilliantly and better than similar books I have read. I definitely recommend this book!
Emily