Lost in Pages

Glasgow Boys
This book was so emotionally moving. I liked how it was from the perspective of the 2 boys Banjo and Finlay and that they finally meet at the end. What both characters go through is life changing, traumatic and terrifying, this book went very deep into those experiences and whilst it was so upsetting to read, it was good to learn about. On the whole I really enjoyed this book!

Amelia

All That It Ever Meant
I really loved this book! I loved the fact the main character had an imaginary friend because it was so nice to see her express herself through that character. The whole journey to Zimbabwe was really interesting, exciting and it was hard to put this book down! My favourite character was definitely Chici, she was sassy, bold and a great feminist! On a whole I really enjoyed this book, it was smart and funny!

Amelia

The Final Year
I really enjoyed this book! The sketches in this book were my favourite, they were all so detailed and amazing! The author described Nate as a nice person, who cares about his family and it was so nice. The book on a whole was really enjoyable and the poem layout was cool too! All the things they go through at school, sats preparation, falling out with friends, making new friends was like what I went through in primary school and it was so nice to see that reflected in a book! On a whole I would 100% recommend this book!

Amelia

King of Nothing
King of Nothing is a unique book about a boy called Anton finding out what true friendship is like. I love this book and how unique it is. It's one my favorite books of all time!

Layla

The Final Year
I think ‘The Final Year’ by Matt Godfellow is a very good, fast pace read and it’s very good for a beginner read. The storyline is very heartfelt and it’s all about the life of the main character Nate; he loves poetry and the whole book is written in verses just like a poem. This book is very fun to read and easy to get through. The only negative is that sometimes it gets a bit confusing with all the different people and poems. For example, when PS became friends with Turner it got a bit confusing on how they suddenly got so close. But other than that this is definitely worth reading.

Evie

King of Nothing
I think ‘King of Nothing’ is a very good book, it has a lot of plot twists which I enjoy reading . Anton's life is a rollercoaster of experiences and fights with friends or just random people. This book is very exciting because of the unexpected bond between Anton and Matthew, Matthew is a pretty nerdy character who’s obsessed with anime and ru Paul’s drag race. I like that he’s the complete opposite of Anton but they get along so well. King of Nothing is an amazing read and I’d definitely recommend it. The only negative I have to say is that it’s a very slow read and it can be a bit boring at times, but other than that it’s such an amazing book.

Evie

King of Nothing
I loved this book! Everything about it was appealing to me, I really enjoyed reading this! The journey that Anton goes through, with his friendships, his family, his school life, is all so funny, relatable and made me smile. I love the characters in this book like Matthew, who is so nice as a person! This book is so good as it shows that you should do what you want, not follow the crowd and be friends with who you want to be, popular or not and sometimes, maybe listen to your mom, because going to a club that seems boring to start off with, could actually change your life for the better! On the whole, I would definitely recommend this book!

Amelia

The Things We Leave Behind
I really enjoyed this book! I’m not sure what it was but there was something so unique about this book, every page was a cliff hanger, making me want to read on. I felt in myself what the characters were going through, it was so well described I felt I was there in the moment, watching it happen. The main character, Clem, had my full sympathy, she shows some great qualities like persevering in tough situations, love and care for her sister and is such an amazing person which was key to making me love this book even more. All the characters were well described and you could tell a lot of effort has gone into this book and it payed off majorly. Another thing I love about this book is how it spreads awareness of what some people like immigrants (the example in the book) and others have to go through, the constant run when all they want to do is be free, it shocked me that this is a life someone people go through and made me feel lucky to have my life. On the whole, I really loved this book. I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for a book like this!

Amelia

Glasgow Boys
Wow! What a rollercoaster of a read! I loved this. The two protagonists are so different yet both so alone and isolated in the world. The true tragedy of their worlds is revealed through the emotional rollercoaster of their stories. I really loved Banjo; his story of settling in to a new family, new school was funny and heart breaking at the same time. Due to his past his struggles to control his emotions and the writer deliberately gives us little snippets of the past until we have pieced the jigsaw together. One can only imagine what life was like for him and the writer does this exceptionally well. I just wanted to give Banjo a hug. I totally recommend this novel for anyone who is interested in relationships, love, school life and the raw emotions that accompanies abuse and trauma. A fantastic debut; I'm on the look out for this writer's next book.

Deb

The Final Year
A beautiful tale of braving the final year of primary school. The characters air on reality and made me reflect on my final year, especially the residential. The friendship issues that Nate has to deal with resonates well- we have all been in this situation. The fact that this was written in verse does not put a reader off ; I found it helped the flow of the story. I particularly like the detail of the walk to school which prompted me to write my own poem. His relationship with Mr. Joshua was just wonderful to see. I would strongly recommend this book for a year 6/ 7 reader as it encompasses the trials and tribulations during this stressful and enjoyable year.

Deb