OAJW Golden Reader Club
The Final Year
i really enjoyed this book and i enjoy how that the brothers are really funny but i got upset when the youngest had to go to the hospital but i loved how the teacher was really supportive to Nate when his youngest brother Dylan was in hospital but i really enjoyed this book and would read it again
Emily
Treacle Town
Treacle Town is unlike any other book I have read. The unique writing style is captivating, passionate, and emotion driven without feeling fake or pushy. The poetry is well embedded and actually adds to the story and the moment, instead of taking it away. The internal conflict in the main character is heart-breaking but his resilience is outstanding. The repeated metaphor of the hard-to-escape, always-stuck-to-you treacle town is full of depth and I really loved exploring it. 7/10 for me :)
Connie
Little Bang
Little Bang, while framed as a fictional book, handles societal issues and conflicts so well. Whilst each character obviously has opinions on abortion overall both pro-choice and pro-life arguments are represented, making the book feel balanced and not biased to either side. The worry and grief portrayed in Mel and Sid is a very real story for many people going through the struggle especially where community pressures or laws prevent freedom of choice. But however dark the subject matter is the ending left uplifting and hopeful. 6/10
Connie
All That It Ever Meant
A great book that deals with death and grief in a very perceptive and refreshing way that makes a difficult emotion to navigate easier. The bond between the family grows stronger and progresses revealing that all it takes is the power of time to develop connection, as a reader this really helped me to understand that getting through grief is okay to be challenging. Overall, a fantastic read 4.7/5!!
Arnav (14)
The Things We Leave Behind
The start of the book is hard to grasp, I find the book hard to relate to which makes it challenging to read and paragraph layout was slightly confusing which did not make me want to continue the read. Sorry Clare.
Arnav
Glasgow Boys
8.5/10 - This book excels in conveying raw emotions from gut-wrenching trauma to ecstasy. I thoroughly love the unique way that the sentences were structured as both point of views, feeling different and like true representations of the characters thoughts. The steady build up to Finlay and Banjo's history being revealed was executed well, and was heart-breaking to read. I adored the story and progression, however, I feel it was concluded too well which slightly diminished what the characters went through although the soft finality is very cosy. I grew very attached to the main characters as they were wonderfully written and have a lot of depth that you feel relatable to them. LOVED this book.
Connie
The Final Year
9.4/10 - I love the form of poetry and the characters making their own poetry in this book, it helps me to understand the characters well in the first few pages where I cannot put the book down, I want to know what happens next. However, I did at one point want to stop reading because of the sad element of the story but then I HAD to see what happened next and it gripped me straight back into the story. The element of school, growing up, friendships are all relatable as a Year 7 :)
Lucas (13)
Play
I've always found the concept of masculinity (and gender as a whole) strange, with twisting, turning, confusing mazes that seem to be full of rules; utterly impossible to navigate. I really enjoy how this book tackles these issues, and that each character who 'plays' the game of life and has a result due to their own choices. The alternating POV's can be normally jarring to follow, but this book allowed them to flow well together and shows the thought and skill behind them being cohesive, especially in the final chapters! It clearly communicated the struggle the each boy was going through in their own way. Personally, I found the attitudes of the protagonists relatable and the transition from the lack of maturity to the facing of consequences is awe-inspiring and bitter sweet. I loved reading play! I give it 3.5 out of 5! My only critique is the dialogue does try to hard...
Connie