Norwich School Carnegie Shadowers

King of Nothing
Personally, I thought king of nothing was a really good book because it shows just how important it is for people like Anton to look out for not only his friends but the good people in life like Mathew, and how Mathew saved Anton's life by using his EpiPen. It also shows that once Anton started to stay away from his old friends he was in a lot less trouble as I think Anton would make the wrong decisions before parting with his friends and making new ones. Some of the language that Anton used wasn't the best either he used diction such as "innit" and "mandem" which I think he did to look cool in front of his friends. Overall this book was great and I would rate it a 10/10 it is a great book and a must read.

jack

Play
Honestly? I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so real and deep that I could understand and easily empathize with them. In fact, they were portrayed as so real that I could easily imagine myself meeting them on a random street and I would know exactly what they would say. I will admit that I am not a particularly sentimental person. Stories don't make me cry, yet during this story there was many a time when my throat would get caught due to the beautifully potent emotion running through the pages. Thank you for writing and giving me such an excellent book.

Rowan

All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant (blessing Musariri) was a compelling bittersweet book battling with the concepts of loss and sadness. However, I was not particularly captivated by the book itself. The ideas in the book themselves were interesting on their own but sometimes gave it a feeling of organised chaos at points. It was very sad at times and a lot of the time it was a difficult read for many reasons. One of which being the writing itself. I found the writing to be flowery and difficult to interpret at point making it less enjoyable than other books that I have read in the past. I also felt as if I didn’t really connect with the characters in the way that I usually would do in any other book. The book, however, does touch on some heavier concepts but sometimes it felt a bit forced. Overall, the book was not my favourite read even though I did like it at points.

lucy

Play
Luke palmer writes in a smooth way that’s easy to get into. It was really gripping, was really enjoyable and I would definitely recommend this book. It’s about 4 boys that have a silly and loving friendship. It was a rollercoaster of emotions really. There were some bits that bored me a bit but it soon picked up again. It was a fast paced book with the short chapters and simple language. I wouldn’t really recommend this to readers who like short reads as this is quite a long book. This storyline of this book is very believable and it feels real. The book shows how things can change a lot in life and what the consequences of your bad choices are. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and it is exactly the type I would want to read. However the beginning did bore me a bit.

Eden

Play
This book affected me in a way that no other book i have read ever has. it had a dark, brooding undertone to it ; it made me feel uncomfortable and vulnerable as it proposed the issue of county lines. The book was almost as if the whole world had been excluded suddenly from these boys lives. Seeing through the eyes of the boys brought me very much into a new frame of mind. A sense of the vulnerability and vanity of being a teenager. And into the thoughts that not one person can affect everything but can however change what seems to them to be their whole world. This book has really opened my eyes to the true colours of the world: a hue of despair and a rainbow of anxiety. But there was also a sort of invigoration that was radiated by reading this book. There was an urge to read on, a strange kind of gravity compelling me to turn the page; the way that I felt reading this book was that of none other I felt so close to the story to the point where I was almost so close that I could touch and feel the words. It left me with this burning sensation in my chest. I was almost standing in the life of a different person.

lucy

King of Nothing
I really enjoyed reading King of Nothing, it is a great book about a boy called Anton, who has the struggles of his dad being in prison, and living with his Mother and Grandma. Anton believes he is the "King" of the playground, and that he and his friends are the coolest. However, they are actually not very nice, and this leads to the kids staying clear of them. But one day, a lot changes, Anton goes on a camping trip with what he thinks as the "nerdy" type of people. But one day, one of the "losers", saves his life. This changes Anton's view on them, and he finds himself questioning what he thinks is really important in his life, comparing it to what actually is.

Alex

Play
Luke Palmer’s book, play, is written with the most utter precision and care. The structure of the book was thought through thoroughly : it used different fonts for each of the four boys, to help us realise when it moves onto one of the other characters during the book. I personally thought this was a unique aspect of the book as I have never seen anything like it. Overall, it teaches us a moral, that every little action that we take, counts in our lives, and can make impacts on bigger things, through friendship and decisions. My favourite aspect of the book was how it displayed each character, and how each of them evolved throughout the book. It did take a bit of time to really get hang of the storyline and sense of the book, but in the end, the book left me astonished. Play is an easy book to understand and it opened my mind and made me think about how I could make connections to reality, it really does broaden your thoughts. Throughout the whole book, Play displays numerous emotions from hope to despair, from pressure to freedom. During the whole book, it shows how important it is to take account of your struggles into the brave world. On the whole, despite the book being lengthy, it is an astonishing read for anyone who is committed to reading every single word on each page.

Poppy

King of Nothing
I really enjoyed King of Nothing, it is a book about a boy, who struggles with his dad being in prison, and living with his mother and grandma. It kept me engaged with all the funny moments, and the language which the author has done very well to make it very similar to how kids talk nowadays, I really like anton, and his character development throughout the book, and I think overall it is a great, somewhat inspiring, story.

Alex

Play
I really enjoyed reading this and found it became hard to put down! I thought it was reasonably fast paced and that you had to be careful to make sure you knew how old they were etc. in the beginning. I thought the 4 main characters were realistic and relatable in their own ways. I liked the plot of it and found it quite eye opening although it would have been nice to maybe have had titles stating what year they were in at the start of chapters as I found it hard to pick up how old they were at times. The ending completely took me off guard and hit me much harder than expected. I thought it was a huge plot twist, but I loved when Jonny had his own long chapter at the end explaining everything through his eyes! It was a very well put together book.

eva

The Things We Leave Behind
‘The Things We Leave Behind’ is a thought-provoking, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful tale of a country turning on itself and a young girl’s attempt to survive and find safety. It’s a dystopian tale where a populist government takes power then does its best to ensure it cannot be overthrown, turning on “outsiders”. It is chillingly possible, drawing on recent political events to create a world that feels like only a few bad electoral votes away from reality. It makes for unsettling reading at times as you see things happen that are far too believable – some of which is already happening. It challenges you to think about what can be done to stop this – and how and why it feels so possible. This book is slow and steady, but the big twist ending is heartbreaking. It’s so sad. However, there is hope at the end, a light at the end of the tunnel. I found this book a masterpiece of a wide range of emotions including sadness and despair, but with a glimmer of light and hope lurking somewhere in the corner. In all, it’s a brilliant tale that stays with you for a while after finishing the last page.

Kaavya

King of Nothing
King of Nothing is about Anton, a Year 9 school boy who thinks he's the king of his school, but deep down, he's dealing with a lot — like his dad being released from prison and his toxic friendships. The book talks about serious stuff like grief, toxic masculinity, friendship, and weather being mean actually makes you strong, but it's also funny and easy to read. The book was very slow paced, but in a descriptive way, which lets us understand Anton, and his point of view, especially after he does pretty questionable actions. Anton and his friends feel like real people, and the way they talk is super believable and it’s what I would expect to hear currently. I like Anton, his family, Matthew, but I dislike Anton’s “Friends” and Rochelle and Grace in the bus scene, as they were so quick to judge. Overall, the book was also very funny, and the humour felt real, not forced.

Siya

The Things We Leave Behind
I thought this book was interesting, but I didn't really understand the plot. I was very confused with the timelines as the story went into the past and then back to the present and I found it hard to connect with the characters and their story when the actual storyline was quite confusing to me. Nevertheless, this book had a lot of potential, I just personally didn't love it. Although I did feel for Clem and her sister Billie, I would say I expected the plot twist when I was around 60% way through the book as I could just sense things were going to get worse, but I was still sad! Overall the book was good, it just was not for me.

Abi

King of Nothing
KING OF NOTHING, I liked the plot because it got into the main story quite quickly and there were many exciting developments in the book. I also liked the fight at the end between Kehinde and Anton. I liked the number of characters although I did get confused between Caleb and Marcus sometimes, but I did like the relationship between Mathew and Anton especially the way Anton started off not liking Mathew but over time becoming more and more friendly. This really added character growth within the story for both Anton and Mathew. The was sort of teen romance as well as friendship. The style was nice, there was a good mixture of short and long sentences and just the right amount of dialogue. I particularly like the way the messages are relayed between Kehinde and Anton and between Anton and Anton's mum. Overall I think a lot of young people can relate to this book because of the way the story is portrayed and the plot. I would definitely recommend this book.

Jonty

All That It Ever Meant
This book tells of a tragic accident, it has a slow start due to complicated words and names but it all ties up nicely at the end of the book with a moving speech. It is written from the storytellers point of view she talks about her life and her parents and siblings lives. She talks of the struggle of moving to a new country and fitting in with society, she talks about the fact that her Mama asked her to stop calling her that and change it to the English version, also to stop speaking the native language of Zimbabwe at home. This shows her slow disconnection from home. Overall the book shows the struggles and challenges of her life and her family`s life. I would recommend this to someone looking for a challenging read.

Atti

King of Nothing
I liked this book as it was a very quick paced book. I also liked it as the words it uses are funny and it shows you that you can change. I definitely recommend this book .

Harry

All That It Ever Meant
I think that the book was good but I didn’t fully understand who was narrating the book but after a few chapters I figured out it was Mati, the main character, and I liked the way that the author hid that Mati was dead until the end of the book which was a very big plot twist. I found it sad when their Mum died in the beginning of the book and how hard it was for their Dad but overall I enjoyed the book.

Bella

King of Nothing
"King of Nothing" by Nathanael Lessore is an amazing book! I really like the plot and storyline. It teaches you to see the positive side of everything and make the right decision. The characters in this book are all introduced and described very well, especially the main character. Overall, "King of Nothing" by Nathanael Lessore is a really well written book with interesting plot and amazing storyline, I really enjoyed reading it.

Bayden

Play
Play, by Luke Palmer, is a gripping book written beautifully through the eyes of four different boys playing games as they grow up, from making dens in the woods, all the way to navigating challenges in the outside world. While the book deals with more adult and difficult themes, it ultimately delivers a powerful message about friendship, choice, and the consequences of our actions. The characters were my favourite part of the story, as Luke Palmer goes into depth about their lives, how their minds work and their relationships with the other characters. The characters developed very well, and it was good to see each of their different personalities get stronger as the story goes on. Play is written from different perspectives for each boy, and whilst in other books this could be confusing, it is easy to understand in Play because Luke Palmer uses a different font for each. The end of play is beautifully written and heart-breaking. As Johnny falls, he remembers what happened to each of the boys, and it’s written in such a vivid way that it sticks with you. The whole scene makes you pause and think, even after you’ve finished. Overall, Play is a book that sticks with you, even after you have finished it, and it is definitely worth reading if you are ready for more difficult themes.

Martha

Play
In my opinion Play was quite a good book that covered a lot of sensitive topics very well. It was interesting reading about the group of friends growing up, sometimes together, sometimes apart from each other and seeing how they handled certain scenarios may that be in a good way or bad. It was well written and I found that the way that all the chapters started getting shorter up to the chapter at the end when Johnny is falling, showed a very good build up to the final chapter. Overall, I would say that Play was a well written novel that although was not the genre that I usually read I enjoyed reading it.

Edward

All That It Ever Meant
I did not like this book very much. I found it to be a slow read and quite sad. It is about a family whose mum dies and they are all very angry and sad. I found it very confusing to read as there were so many characters. They kept repeating things we had already read in the book which I found uninteresting because I wanted there to be slightly more topics to explore.

Lucy

King of Nothing
I really liked this book and especially how slowly they became friends I think it made it realistic. The only thing I found a bit unrealistic was the name 'happy campers' and the 'hoot-toot' thing as i think in real life it would be more unlikely for that to happen but overall I really liked this book and I never got bored reading it. I would definitely recommend it to other people!

Issi

King of Nothing
I thought this book was really funny! I loved all the characters but especially Anton as I thought his story was very real and his situation and the book was super funny but also kind of emotionally attaching. Matthew also annoyed me at first but I ended up really liking him just like Anton did. I think the plot was amazing and I never got bored of reading as there was always something interesting whether it was Anton being stuck at kiddy camp with Matthew, or him having to take his nan to the hospital, I was very upset when she died as she was such an icon! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would be happy to read more like it!!

abi

Play
The book was very fast paced but the plot was sometimes difficult to interpret, and I struggled to understand where the book was heading, I enjoyed how the book was laid out with first person views from everyone in the main friendship group. I think that the book is definitely a good educator and definitely a good way to show people the very bad sides of County Lines and drug trafficking I think it first comes across as a good idea because Mark says he is untouchable but by the end you can clearly see that this is a very bad idea and negative aspects of County Lines are very significant. A book I much enjoyed and a very fast paced book which I couldn't put down after I started it.

Harry

Play
I liked bits of play but it was a bit graphic for my liking. I found that I only liked one of the characters (Luc) because he was easy to empathise with as you could see that his dad puts a lot of pressure on him. It made me feel really bad for him and I felt that I wanted to help his character. I did not particularly like the theme of drugs but I still think it is a topic we need to learn more about as teenagers. I did not like it when Johnny died because he was so young and grew up too fast. Overall, I liked the book but would not particularly want to reread it as it wasn’t very gripping.

Lucy

King of Nothing
I truly enjoyed this book I thought it was a very good book for showing people that people can change and it helped me develop a bit more empathy and showed me some struggles people involved with “road men” can face in trying to get out of a bad situation. The book was fast paced and interesting although it occasionally repeated itself but it was a real page turner and was very interesting 🤨

Arthur

King of Nothing
I really liked this book and it was annoying when the grandma died at the end but it made the book more exciting and I liked the end of it where things kind of escalated. The only thing that I liked less was the name ‘happy campers’ and the ‘hoot hoot’ thing I thought it made it a bit unrealistic but I liked how slow they became friends-it made it more realistic. Overall it was a really good book!

Issi

Play
The plot was fast and but easy to keep up with. This is not a topic I usually read about but well written. The characters were all very different and make lots of different decisions, I liked this. It was sometimes confusing. The ending was very abrupt and sad but I think it was a good message and part of the story line.

Isla

The Things We Leave Behind
I found the plot to be fast at times in the book especially when they are in the train station or tube and that have to start running and Clem falls over and loses Billie I found parts like that in the book to be very fast pace and I also found the plot to be a little confusing because I couldn’t tell if she was telling it as a story to other people or not. I liked the main characters because I found Clem to be very caring and nice and Billie being funny and lively. Some of the sentences are long but some sentences are short like when Claudia got taken away and clem is very sad and confused about what happened I also found the ending very sad when billies in the coma and clem still tries to take care of her and how the paper cranes still connect them overall I found this book very enjoyable to read

Bella

The Things We Leave Behind
At the start of the book I found it quite confusing as it changes between present and past. I liked the relationship between Clem and Billie, she acted loving and a second mum towards her. I liked the adventure when they left there home and clem was looking for her mum. There where lots of characters which got a bit confusing.

Ruby

King of Nothing
I think this book is a great book for people in high school because it really shows what having a reputation means. Anton starts of not caring at all about his education and only about his friends and school appearance. But I really like how his mindset changes, especially when he realises that Matthew really isn’t that bad, especially as he saved his life! So overall I think this book really showed what popularity can be like.

Sophia

The Things We Leave Behind
I really like the book but I found the start was a bit confusing as it kept switching between times and people. It took me a bit of time to understand it but when I got into it I really enjoyed it. I like the relationship between clem and billie and I liked the second mother role she played with billie. I liked billie's mum and thought she was a clever character throughout. There was lots of dialogue but I liked that and thought it added to the story. I quite like war stories and it wasn’t too much war but had a factor of war to it. Billie dying was definitely a sad part near the end of the book but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Alexa

King of Nothing
Surprisingly, I (age 12) have enjoyed this book, despite it being very unlike the books that I often read. The book starts slow and uninteresting, but as it progresses, it becomes more entertaining. Although other people that I have asked have said otherwise, I found this book composed and without a rushed ending. The main theme of the story is the changes of friendships and identity, where Anton, the protagonist, comes to question himself about what he had previously thought was important. The telling of the book is from his view. In the beginning of the book, I disliked the main character, Anton, but came to like him more as he met and interacted with new characters. Usually, I would find myself disliking the type of humour in books that this one was filled with -and it still certainly isn’t for some- but at multiple times I found myself laughing. There is a fair amount of dialogue used to show both the relationships between the characters, and their personalities. If you are interested in trying a new type of book, or would like an adolescent to engage with reading more, I would definitely recommend.

Sam

The Things We Leave Behind
This book was honestly at the start a bit slow which led me to be a bit confused but as I read on I realised it was in three parts. As I read on I grew to see the sisterly bond between billie and clem especially when Claudia gets taken billie clings on to clem which clem seems to think it’s annoying but I think it’s sweet. One of my thoughts throughout the book was that clem’s stories and writing is really poetic and beautiful and it really eases and soothes with the process overall this was a good book that I enjoyed reading

Lucy

King of Nothing
I enjoyed the words that they used. I liked the storyline and the troubles that Anton has. Overall very good book

Maxie

King of Nothing
I did not have a very high expectations for this book purely because I usually pick a book I want to read from my bookshelf at home , which is a bit stupid i know but it's true . However my experience was completely different to my expectation of this book. I usually struggle to follow with all the characters but for this book I found it really easy. It was always clear who was speaking and how they were feeling . By the time I got to the end I was thinking to myself that it was all over and it was a happy ending, but all I have to say is WOW WHAT AN ENDING it took me by surprise completely. At one point I even wanted to speak out loud and tell Anton that he was making the wrong choice . In conclusion I really loved this book and recommend end it to any one else who is looking for a book to read .

NOLA

King of Nothing
When I started reading King of nothing I knew that it was not my type of book. For, example I prefer books with a futuristic twist to them and characters who have a lot of free will and slightly confusing backgrounds. However, in king of nothing the theme was teenage experiences and feelings towards others. The book is centred around a teenage boy named Anton who is forced to join a club called the ‘happy campers’ after getting in trouble in school. The ‘happy campers’ however include an annoying character called Matthew who unexpectedly saves Anton’s life and from then on is helped by Anton to find him a girlfriend. My least favourite bit of the book was when Kehinde (One of Anton’s friends from his group) gets angry at Anton for not answering his calls and then Anton not telling him why. Although I did not like this book I still think that it was sometimes funny and interesting. I would give it a 4 out of 10.

Finn

The Things We Leave Behind
"The Things We Leave Behind" by Clare Furniss is such an amazing book! I really liked the plot as I found it very interesting with different intriguing twists. I also really liked the characters, especially the main character as I love how she is ready for adventures yet has a sense of danger around her. The theme of the book is migration and politics, which is happening a lot around the world, so it basically reflects what's going on in the real world. The style was fantastic! Long, detailed sentences that also include a sense of humour! Overall, I think "The Things We Leave Behind" is a fantastic book, really well written with an exciting plot and awesome characters!

Bayden

The Things We Leave Behind
I really like this book and the way it was structured. I like how it switches between the girl, her sister and the witch and how Clem’s telling the story. I liked all the characters and especially Billie. The thing that made this different from other stories is how it has a happy ending, but we lose a character. It made me think about the book more.

Issi

King of Nothing
I found this book very funny and the language that the main character Anton used fit his character very well, I also thought that the book was very well structured with great punctuation and interesting language. I thought that the plot was very good even though it is not my style of book.

Monty

Play
The book was very interesting and thought provoking but the ending did not make sense.

James

King of Nothing
I really enjoyed reading The King of Nothing. I love how the book expresses things like Sexism that is not right and how strong Anton feels about that. Whilst also having some humour in the book. I would have liked to read a bit more character description, but apart from that I love the whole story of Anton and Matthew. Overall this is a great book.

Amelia

The Things We Leave Behind
The things we leave behind is an amazing book and it is the most emotional book I have ever read. I loved reading about all the different ways that Clem traveled to try get somewhere safe. One of my favourite parts of the book is when Clem is living in the woods by her grandpa’s village, because I could imagine I was there. The twist at the end caused me to cry as I read it because I felt like I was Clem and it all felt so real. After I finished the book I found I was missing some of the characters from the book it had even begun to feel like Billie was my own little sister. I would definitely read this book again.

Clara

The Things We Leave Behind
I found this book very sad and heartfelt. The ending was both happy and sad, however I didn’t like the first twist. Overall I quite liked this book and thought it was clever how Clem is in present day telling her story from before. I enjoyed reading it.

Amelia