The Fitzharrys Shadows

Wolf Siren
Wolf siren is a book that talks about sexism and has a interesting storyline. I feel like this book is a bit overrated though because loads of people were saying how good it is but I just kind of found it boring. I think most people will like this book but I just don't feel like its for me. overall rating 4/10

Mason

Popcorn
Popcorn is a book about a kid called Andrew, who has anxiety (which I can relate to) and his Grandma has Alzheimer's. It is picture day and Andrew is trying to get a perfect picture but everything ever possible goes wrong. I enjoyed this book because I can relate to the anxiety and bullying, and I enjoyed the plot apart from the end it is SO anti-climatic because everything is going so badly and Andrew's Grandma has gone missing but then out of nowhere she's found, I just think it ended too quickly. But other than that I enjoyed this book. Overall rating 8/10

Mason

Popcorn
Popcorn is about a boy in seventh grade with anxiety and a grandma with Alzheimer's. I liked how the anxiety was shown because it was very effective. I also think that the plot with Andrew's grandma was very engaging, sad and provided lots of tension to the story. The ending was heartwarming but it felt like everything got resolved really quickly and it wasn't very realistic. I didn't really connect with Andrew because I can't relate to many of his problems. I also think that the book was aimed at a younger audience. Lots of the time I felt bored reading it. Overall I think it was a good book but just not for me and I would recommend it to younger children.

Sophie

Wolf Siren
Wolf siren is a feminist retelling of little red riding hood. I liked how it adapted the story of little red riding hood while still making a unique story. I liked how the book was fantasy because it is my favorite genre. This book had really interesting worldbuilding and the main character, Red, is visually impaired and I think the author did an amazing job of capturing how she experiences the world.I also liked how it has red getting her period as periods aren't normally shown in fantasy books. I think the mystery in the book was gripping and had a satisfying end. The death of adena was sad,meaningful and provided a bittersweet ending. Overall this has been my favorite carnegie book and i would recommend it to people who like fantasy.

Sophie

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a beautiful book about adapting to change and letting people adapt in their own time. I enjoyed this book, all through ,and would definitely read again.

Pola

Wolf Siren
This book is about a brave fourteen-year-old girl named Red whose strict village bans anyone from entering the nearby enchanted woods. The rules are meant to protect everyone from the wild wolves, but Red is secretly drawn to the trees and can even summon the wolves to her when she is alone. When a village worker disappears, fear takes over the community, and Red has to risk exposing a massive family secret to save what she loves. I really enjoyed this book because it turns a classic fairy tale completely on its head, creating a cool and mysterious story that is great for readers my age.

Lucas

Ghostlines 
This book is about a girl named Tilda who lives on a tiny island where everyone knows everyone and nothing ever changes. She is dealing with the sadness of her brother leaving, so she tries to befriend Albie, a lonely new boy who hates the island. To change his mind, she takes him on a risky, forbidden kayak trip to a nearby island rumoured to be haunted. The dangerous journey across the sea completely changes how they both see home. I enjoyed this book a little because it has very descriptive descriptions of nature.

Lucas

The Boy I Love
This book is about a nineteen-year-old soldier named Stephen who returns to the front line in World War I after having his ear blown off by a grenade. He is quite shell-shocked by the horror of war until he meets Danny, a young new recruit. They quickly form a secret, forbidden bond that goes against all the rules of the army. Stephen does everything he can to keep Danny safe as an enormous battle gets closer and closer. I found the war aspect of this book quite interesting, so I didn't not like it, but I didn't like it.

Lucas

Not Going To Plan
This book is about a rebellious girl named Marnie who gets expelled from her private school and has to move to a normal one. She has to sit next to Zed, a maths nerd who hates being touched, and they reluctantly agree to tutor each other. They become unlikely friends, but everything goes wrong when Marnie is tricked at a party and gets pregnant, which is VERY stressful. I rather enjoyed this book because it handles real teenage struggles that makes it good for older readers.

Lucas

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
This book is about a couple's first time having sex and it is told in a very interesting way. It starts in the present and goes backwards in time, which hooked me in quite well. What I really liked was how the book is about something happening in 24 seconds, then says what happened 24 minutes before that, then 24 hours, then 24 days, then 24 weeks, and then 24 months. I didn't really like how it was about sex, but I'm not really that much of a romance person.

Lucas

Popcorn
This book is about a boy with rather severe anxiety on school photo day who wants to get a photo his mum will like but everything possible goes wrong. A science experiment goes wrong, basketball in P.E. goes wrong, there's a bully, and news about his grandmother. He is trying to get through the day without having a panic attack and it's getting harder and harder. I really enjoyed this book because it seems like it could be for someone younger than me but also for someone my age or older than me.

Lucas

Birdie
This book is about a black orphan girl who grew up in a mixed race children's home in Leeds and is and sent to live with her great-aunt in 1950's Yorkshire. Birdie is bullied and it gets extreme to the point where she needs to hide in a nearby coal mine, and is surprisingly rescued by a pit pony who she called Mr Duke. Over the next few weeks, Birdie makes an unusual bond with the pony. I rather enjoyed this book but it wasn't one of my favourites.

Lucas

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book is about 2 monitor lizards, Daniel and Zeke, who have just been made hall monitors by Principle Wombat. Their friend, Alicia, who is the only other monitor lizard in the school, is also a hall monitor. These 3 hall monitors try to enforce needing a hall pass to be in the halls onto animals far larger and stronger than themselves, which is a difficult task in itself. And making it a lot harder is Pelicarnassus, a large pelican who is also the son of an international supervillain. He hates the hall monitors for seemingly no reason, and is making their job increasingly more difficult. I quite enjoyed this book but it felt a little childish for me.

Lucas

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a story about Stephen and Danny, two soldiers during the First World War who fall in love but have to survive against both the Kaiser (German Emperor)'s army and the condemnation of homosexuality by their own side. It was my favourite Carnegies story, one of the books that I absolutely can't put down. The Boy I Love was the best book I've read all year and I would definitely recommend it. Furthermore, I really liked the level of historical detail – I learned so much about WW1 throughout this tale and it made me shocked how horrific the public views were on homosexuality in that period. Overall, it was brilliantly written, with amazing description – I felt like I was really there. 10/10!

Louis

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I really enjoyed Twenty-four seconds from now and I would recommend it. The story is about a boy called Neon and the build up to him and his girlfriend, Aria's first time having sex. I liked the going backwards through time – not being in usual chronological order is quite interesting but I think I prefer regular chronological order. In addition, the characters were very relatable but I didn’t understand some of the slang used. However, I found some parts quite funny and overall I found it a great read.

Louis

Popcorn
I didn’t really enjoy popcorn because I found it a bit repetitive. His shirt gets ruined three times. I think the theme of the book is nice because it shows people with anxiety that they’re not alone. The illustrations are well done and I like the kernel scale. Overall, I think this book deserves a six out of ten.

Henry

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a novel about two men falling in love in world war one. I liked the LGBTQ+ representation and the way the author described the war. The romantic scenes were good. The writing style was very nice and kept me hooked throughout the book. I found the start of the book a bit hard to get into but once I got a few chapters in I got invested in the story so much that I couldn't put it down. I like how the book contrasted the romantic scenes and the war. The way that war was depicted in the war was realistic and I think it portrays the more gruesome aspects of the war. Overall I loved this book and would recommend it to people who are interested in war or like romance.

Sophie

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This is a book which I really like about a character whose life has gone south. I really like the end.

Arthur

The Boy I Love
In 1914 world war one started and lieutenant Stephen Wraxall goes back to the front after his company is killed when a German patrol ambushes them. Stephen is the only survivor after playing dead he shoots a young boy just after he tells the lieutenant one word kamerad when he returns, he learns that his close friend Michael has died. On his journey he meets a soldier called Danny. Stephen wants to try and save him from the war so he chooses him as his soldier servant and as things develop he finds himself attracted to Danny, but he has to hide it so he isn’t court marshalled and killed.

owen

Birdie
Birdie is an exciting and at times emotional story about a girl who moves from a children’s home to live with her aunt in the town of Barrington Dale. Confusingly to her, Birdie is treated differently because of the colour of her skin. While running from some bullies, she finds herself in a coal mine and befriends a horse which works carrying coal. I found quite shocking to learn about the discrimination going on in the mid 20th century, particularly given that it wasn’t set that long ago. I also enjoyed finding out about the important roles of pit ponies, which I wasn’t formerly aware of.

Louis

Popcorn
Popcorn is book about a boy struggling with anxiety who is having a bad day in school. His biggest fear is having a panic attack in school, which he edges closer to as the day goes on. It's good book and I particularly liked the popcorn analogy for anxiety; it reflected the main character's feelings very well. I believe it may be helpful to people with anxiety because it could be comforting to read about someone going through a similar experience to their own.

Louis

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Neon is scared about how things are going to go with Aria and reflects on what happens twenty-four seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and thinking about his time with Aria and what they both like and what happens moving forward as well as conversations about his life.

owen

Birdie
Post World War Two Birdie Bagshaw’s life changes after being adopted by her aunt Wintertooth when she moves to the village in the Yorkshire Dales but suddenly people start treating her different and she doesn’t know why until her aunt explains that they had never seen a girl with black skin. But suddenly she stumbles in a mine and meets her soon to be friend Mr Duke the pit pony as she realises he’s going to be killed she takes action and runs away with Mr Duke only to then return after two men get trapped down the mine and they have to rescue them despite what they said to her.

owen

Popcorn
Popcorn is an amazing book by Rob Harrell that shows how life is like with OCD and anxiety. As Andrew goes through his day in school he experiences a panic attack in school. I think this book is great in how you get to see how it is with anxiety , and helped my understanding on it . The book isn't what I would normally read, however i still enjoyed it .

Pola

Wolf Siren
A amazing book about a girl who is a bit different from the rest of her village who just wants to find her place. I would recommend for girls from ten too fourteen.

Bruno

Not Going To Plan
A book about consent and the struggles of female figures when dealing with abortion and having friends you can trust.

Bruno

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Twenty Four seconds From Now is a good read, however it didn't "pull me in" and it was quite had to get into at first. I felt like the book was aimed at older teenagers, since the themes were really mature and probably what teens have to go through at a point in their life. For me, it was also difficult to relate to the characters, but maybe that's because it wasn't aimed at my age .

Pola

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren is an extraordinary and addicting story, a book that held on to me from page one and didn't let go until the very last word. Beth O'Brien created her characters in such a way, that made it effortless to connect with their emotions-all throughout the book- whatever the emotions were. This book if perfect for you if you like fairytale twists and turns, and weaved into this, a few problems that our community faces today. Truly a magnificent story, a ten out of ten .

Pola

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
A book showing the feelings of a boy through a relationship which shatters the stereotype of men having no feelings and not being aloud to feel them. It's a gripping story about how a boy met and fell in love with the girl of his dreams. I would recommend it to people around sixteen as it shows important stuff about sex such as: consent, not rushing it, having a deep connection before.

Bruno

Ghostlines 
This book is about a girl that lives on the island of Ayrie and shows a boy all the wonders of it such as: the fairy pools, the dens they build all across the islands and the puffin nests. But when all fails she shows him the cursed island where a boy supposedly died. I like this book because it showed how some people can be non-excepting at first but most people will eventually stuff for what it is. I would recommend this book to any age-group as it fits well in every age.

Bruno

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
A funny laugh out loud book that faces some hard problems in a well mannered way. Beautifully written charming book about a lizard who saves the world. Perfect for young readers or people that are just looking for a laugh.

Bruno

Popcorn
This book is a well written book spread across one day were everything seems to go wrong it certainly put's my days into perspective. Overall a brilliant book with funny jokes but a deep meaning. I recommend for anyone that likes funny stories that you'll be reading at the dinner table

Bruno

Birdie
This book was really interesting at the beginning, i couldnt put the book down! Unfortunately, I began to dislike it more near the middle , finding the storyline random and weird. I wont read again, and haven't found anyone to recommended it.

Pola

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a really amazing historical fiction - so if you like the genre then you should definitely read !! I could truly teleport myself to the brutality of WW1. The characters are beautifully written, and really expressed the difficulties of being gay in WW1. I cannot express how much i love this book, and will definitely read again !!! I recommend this to YOU !

Pola

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a hilarious children's book about a monitor lizard named Zeke, who, in a random way has France on his knee?? Personally, I found this a bit weird and hard to understand about Zeke. Patrick Ness has a talent to express problems in a metaphorical and child friendly way, like the black dog that follows Zeke's mum. I found this book quite "messy" and quite hard to connect to the main three characters. However I have recommended it to my aunt who works with children.

Pola

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a fun read. Although the book was slightly young for me, I still enjoyed it throughout. There was only one part that I didn’t really like, which was France being on Zeke's knee. I didn’t think it added to the story, and I thought it was a bit random. However, I enjoyed how Ness subverted the usual 'main character wants to be a hero' trope and makes Zeke just want to be ordinary. Overall, I enjoyed Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody and I would recommend it particularly to younger readers in the 8-12 age bracket.

Louis

Birdie
Birdie is a book about a little girl called Birdie who lives in a care home until her aunt adopts her. Birdie is treated differently but she doesn't know why. I think that this book was ok but I found it hard to get into reading it and it was kind of boring in some places. I also didn't really like or have sympathy for the characters but the rest of the book was generally ok. I feel like there's not much to say about this book because there's nothing super good or super bad, so I would rate this book 6/10 because it was just kind of meh.

Mason

Ghostlines 
This book is amazing about a puffin island, a secret island and a boy who just wants to go home. If you’re into adventure books with a bit of action then you will love this book.

Arthur

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Twenty - Four Seconds From Now by Jayson Reynolds follows Neon and Aria, deciding when to progress to the 'next level' of their relationship. It had a very engaging and interesting structure, going back through time by increments of 24, adding layers and depth to the story. The author achieved the perfect balance between 'funny' and 'serious', further adding depth and making it immersive, almost like real life. Personally, I was not very comfortable with the topic, but the book still achieved my standard of 'good book'. It was quite an easy read, but I think there were too many characters to keep track of, which made it a bit confusing at some stages. I think this was an entertaining book, despite the topic, and would rate it a 5/10 for future readers.

Oliver F

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love by William Hussey is an empathetic book focusing on two soldiers in WW1, Danny and Stephen, fighting to keep each other safe. It follows them from their homes in England to the front line and then, into the disastrous Battle of the Somme. The way this book was presented and the descriptions inside it immersed me and made me realise how the horrifying battles of WW1 must have felt to the soldiers. I really enjoyed how Danny and Stephen's relationship developed from just greetings on a train to loving each other completely. However, one small detail that caught my eye was the presentation of the front cover. Based on the descriptions, the person on the right of the cover is Stephen, who is described as missing his left ear, an important detail that shapes who he is over the course of the book and is missing on the cover. Overall, this is an amazing book that I will almost surely be voting for and I would give it an 8/10 for future readers.

Oliver

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness focuses on a monitor lizard, Zeke, and his problems and life. I really enjoyed all the different characters, and how different animals do different things, such as how birds always wear hats, or how hawks can only talk by shouting. These different creative ideas made the book much more entertaining for me, and made me laugh a lot. On the other hand, I felt that there was not enough structure or logic to the book, with too many seemingly random events happening in rapid succession, making it hard to get into the book and fully enjoy it. I think it also explores depression in a simpler, more child friendly way, by using a big black dog to embody the negative emotions. It is a book written for younger readers, so also was a very easy read but evidently was not as enjoyable as it could have been. Overall this book is quite funny, although lacked structure and had a random and jumbled plot, and I would rate this a 3/10.

Oliver

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brian is an immersive twist on the classic story, 'Little Red Riding Hood'. It follows red, a girl taught to hate the woods and all it's 'dangerous' magic. The book explores different gender roles and injustice, through how only women can enter the woods, as men are often attacked by wolves. It shows that not all things are evil, despite how they seem, like the wolves, shown to be monsters and a danger, when the real dangers are found inside the village itself. I enjoyed this book overall, and do not have any criticisms; it was an amazing and immersive read and I would rate it a 7/10 for future readers.

Oliver

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles Of A Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a book about friendship, bravery and responsibility. The story follows Zeke, a monitor lizard as he gets into a fight and loses his hall monitor duties. Through the story Zeke and his friends Daniel and Alicia face a wannabe supervillain, make a new friend and protect France. I recommend this book for readers 6+ as a funny and adventurous story that all kids and adults will love to read at any time.

Annabelle

Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan by Tia Fisher is a mature book written in verses rather than paragraphs. At first I was put off by verse writing but the story itself is exciting and engaging although occasionally hard to follow. Not Going To Plan follows Marnie and Zed, as Marnie finds she is pregnant and knows she would rather go to art college rather than have a baby. I would recommend this book to 13+ as it is an emotional book full of teenage struggles including parties, GCSEs and hard decisions.

Annabelle

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love by William Hussey is a brilliantly written book that includes so much detail you feel like you are either listening to the story from Danny and Stephen or were there at the battle. The story follows Stephen and Danny's relationship as they realise that the way they feel towards each other is unthinkable for the time. Readers follow their story through allies and enemies, friends who do not understand them and fellow officers who understand the hardships they are having to face. I would recommend this book to readers 12+ as a thrilling and engaging story where happy endings are more of a dream.

Annabelle

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I am not a big fan of this book because I think it is written in a style for younger people but with themes for older kids. I don’t think this book really fits into any specific categories. I don’t really see any real goals or main adventures in this book, no places that the book is going to. Those were the things I think make a book and this didn’t have any of them.

Henry

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a story set during the Battle of the Somme and is about love, bereavement and war. It is told from the point of view of 2nd lieutenant Wraxall and his soldier servant, Private McCormick. They are sent on a dangerous mission to observe German trenches to try and end the war. They narrowly escape with their lives and report back to their captain. It made me feel sad and I thought about how terrible life was in the trenches. Some of the language used in the book is not appropriate in today’s world but was common at the time. There are very descriptive parts about warfare and injuries, so is not suitable for younger children. This isn’t the sort of book I would normally read, and I didn’t enjoy it as much.

Oliver

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a thrilling adventure that had me on the edge of my seat while I was reading it. It’s set in the small community on the island of Ayrie. Tilda shows a new arrival, Albie, around the island. She’s in a race against time to convince him to stay, before he tries to return to the mainland. The story includes, haunted islands, puffins, seals and ghosts. I thought this book was very good and I enjoyed it once I got into the plot as I found it a bit slow to begin with. I would recommend this book to year 4 upwards.

Oliver

Popcorn
Popcorn is a story about anxiety, worry and panic attacks. It is similar to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody as it takes you through a regular school day. The only difference is that it is only one day and not a week or month or year. The main character’s grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease and cannot remember things periodically. I found this book rather interesting and made me feel sad and want to donate to charities for Alzheimer’s disease it also made me feel that even nerds can stand up to bullies. I would recommend this book to primary school children.

Oliver

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Lizard Nobody is a book about a lizard called Zeke who goes to a school with animals. I wasn't really expecting to like this book because it is aimed at younger children but I actually liked it. The book had lots of different themes and was very funny while also focusing on bigger themes and explaining them in child friendly words. I liked the illustrations because they were funny. I also liked Meil. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending felt rushed and weird. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it younger children or people who want a funny story.

Sophie

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines by Katya Balen is an exciting book about a girl called Tilda who has been told to show the new boy called Albie around Ayrie, his new island home. Ghostlines keeps you wanting to find out what will happen next and if everyone will find the place where they feel like they belong. This book shows true passion for friendship and a sense of what is right. I would recommend this book to readers aged 7+ as a kind, adventure book.

Annabelle

Birdie
Birdie by J.P Rose is a heartwarming book about the bond between Birdie and Mr Duke, the town’s last pit pony. I really enjoyed the book and its message about fitting in with an unwelcoming society. It is a story about acceptance and one that challenged racism and discrimination, and its message is one that society needs. I really liked the character of the pony; Mr Duke, although the word ‘thou’ seemed to be overused. Overall, this book was a relaxing read, with an interesting storyline. For future readers, I would rate this book a 7/10.

Oliver (F)

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a story about belonging, family and identity. It's an adventurous book, and I really liked it. The main characters, Tilda and Albie, didn't get along well at the start, but they became friends by the end. The island of Ayrie seemed really magical. I really enjoyed this book and I will give it a 5/5.

Adidev

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is an adventure story in which the main character, Tilda, tries to convince Albie (the new boy) to like Ayrie Island, where she lives. Her quest leads her to the forbidden island, which they name Alda Isle. It was a gripping read, and I enjoyed the suspenseful, terrifying atmosphere on the 'haunted' island. I liked the author's descriptions of the scenery, and I felt as if I was really there. The book has an important message – make sure to be empathetic and try to accept other people's decisions, which is displayed brilliantly in the heart-warming ending. Overall, of the books I've read so far for the Carnegies, Ghostlines is one of my favourites and I really enjoyed it.

Louis

Popcorn
Popcorn is a book about a child with anxiety and trying to stay spotless for a school photo. It also follows his worries for his grandma who has Alzheimer’s and when she disappears. When a bully ruins his collar he finds an unusual friend in the school nurse who helps him.

owen

Not Going To Plan
After getting expelled, Marnie meets Zed who is completely different from her. They end up being friends after Marnie makes a mistake and gets pregnant. She has to break taboos. I think that this book is interesting and that people don’t have to be ashamed and that you should break taboos. I think that the book is good and aimed at young adults and adults.

Owen

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a book about a boy called Albie who has recently moved to the island of Ayrie (a magical island) and Tilda has to try get him to stay, but he seems to hate everything but a secret island that nobody is allowed on. I enjoyed this book because it was engaging and I wanted to read on, the book was also written well. The only thing bad about this book was that I didn't like the ending but other than that it was a really good book. Overall I would give it a 8.5/10.

Mason

Not Going To Plan
What if you were starting a new school where you know no one but slowly make friends however your actions prove a problem driving a wedge between you and your friends. This book is interesting from two different perspectives. If you like romantic teen books where things go wrong then this book is for you.

Arthur

Ghostlines 
The island of Ayrie sounds like a lovely place but Albie, the new boy, comes from the mainland and hates it there. Tilda takes it upon herself to convince him to stay and shares all the island’s secrets... and horror stories. I enjoyed Ghostlines because of the constant adventures and many details in this book. However, I am unsure of the title as the “ghostlines” are only mentioned twice in the book and I don’t think they hold much significance. A solid 9/10.

Henry

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren is an adaptation of the character Little Red Riding Hood. It’s full of adventure, magic and history, taking place a long time ago. When wolf attacks start to increase in the woods next to her village, Red bravely goes to investigate to find out what’s going on before it’s too late. With her power to command wolves she discovers something special about herself. I found this story to be quite exciting, but similar to other books I have read in the past. It made me think about the hunting and killing of wolves around the world. I would say this is an adventurous book for 9-10 year olds.

Oliver

Popcorn
Popcorn by Rob Harrell follows Andrew, who needs to make it through school picture day whilst suffering from anxiety. I really enjoyed his character, who displays the troubles of problems like anxiety, but also how to overcome them. This book describes anxiety like a popcorn kernel, where multiple events at school and at home cause it to pop: " A rogue ketchup rocket, a bully and a building sense of impending doom." Overall this was quite a simple read; it was not too hard to follow, although I felt it was not serious enough at some points when displaying problems such as anxiety and Alzheimer's. I would recommend this to an overall younger audience, especially those facing challenges such as anxiety. I would rate this book a 4/10 for future readers.

Oliver

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
This book is about the relationship between Neon and Aria. I found it a bit confusing how the book kept going backwards in time to tell the story, although I did like this. I didn’t like that this book is leading up to Neon and Aria having sex. I couldn’t relate to this book because I am too young for it. I think this book is aimed more at older teenagers.

Adidev

Ghostlines 
Imagine an island with only 51 people living normally on it and imagine knowing what everyone does every day. Then suddenly a new boy appears think of how exhilarating it would be. This is exactly what happens in Ghostlines. I think the book was exciting and really showed that life on a small island can be very difficult if you have moved from the mainland. And that sometimes you may not be happy with choices your parents make but if you give it a chance it might just be amazing. Do you like tales about leaning a new way of life? Then you really should read this book.

Owen

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a comical book similar style to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, taking you through a week in the life of a monitor lizard who has to stand up to bullies at school. The main character Zeke -a peach throated monitor -must learn to stand up to Pelicarnassus -the school-bully- and his lackeys Norman and Norman. He makes friends with a blind red-tailed hawk and ultimately goes up against Pelicarnassus in an epic battle at the end. This made me feel happy as it shows that even the smallest of things can fend for themselves.

Oliver

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien is a fairytale-like story about a girl called Red and how she finds out about her family’s ancestral powers. Wolf Siren shows how even people who are different can still fit in as an essential part of the community. I would recommend Wolf Siren to readers aged 9-15 as an adventure book full of growing up and some very new experiences.

Annabelle

Not Going To Plan
Not Going to Plan is a moving and enjoyable read, addressing topics like teenage pregnancy, stealthing and abortion. I found the layout of the book interesting, it is more like a script than a book. Marnie is expelled from her school and heading to a new one just before her GCSEs. She struggles with mathematics and physics and needs some help to pass. Zed is excellent at maths and physics, but not languages. Revision sessions turn into a fragile friendship between the two. When Marnie gets pregnant by another boy, her friends are there to support her. Not Going to Plan made me feel angry at how easily something like this can happen. It made me think about consent and trust in relationships. I would recommend this book to 15-16 year olds.

Oliver

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Twenty-four Seconds From Now is a book about love and sex. It has a lovely note from the author and I quote “black boys deserve a love story too”. The author deals with the subject in a sensitive and compassionate way. The story centres around Neon and Aria and their love. The writing style is unique. It begins with them getting ready to ‘take the next step’ in their relationship, then cleverly jumps back in time to provide the reader with context. The story is told from Neon’s perspective and records his journey with Aria from when they met to the present. It tackles the tricky conversation around this subject in a sensitive manner. Twenty-four Seconds From Now is a satisfying read, a little outside my usual style, but I would recommend this to a slightly older audience. Twenty-four seconds from now is a satisfying read, a little outside my usual style, but I would recommend this to a slightly older audience.

Oliver

Birdie
Birdie is a wholesome story full of danger and adventure. This is one of my most satisfying reads of all the books I’ve read. Set just after World War 2, Birdie is an orphan girl sent to live with her Aunt in a mining village. The story revolves around her life when she first moves here. She is discriminated against by many of the villagers, her only friends being her Uncle, the local Vicar and a pit-pony. This is a story about a young girl bringing joy back to a post-war village after a period of mourning. She reminds the villagers of pre-war times and helps them to recover. This book makes me feel depressed and angry at the unfairness of post war Britain. However towards the end I felt more joyous as Birdie helps them recover.

Oliver

Birdie
Birdie by J. P. Rose is an exciting book about a young girl called Birdie, based in the 1950s, who moves out of her orphanage hoping to belong and be loved, only to find that no one knew or wanted to know who she really was. Birdie is a brave and strong character and I would recommend this book to all readers, even those who don’t usually read these types of books. Overall it is an interesting topic and will keep you wanting to find out if Barrington Dale will ever accept Birdie for her identity.

Annabelle

Birdie
This book is really good at showing how people make wrong assumptions. As well as the fact anyone can be a hero even if they don't do what they are told or fit the normal for the area.

Arthur

Birdie
I was not a fan of this book because I felt that it was lacking any drama or interesting characters. However, I liked the connection between Birdie and Mr. Duke, the last pit pony in the abandoned mine. Overall, I think this book needs more danger and exciting cliff hangers. 6/10

Henry

Not Going To Plan
Not Going to Plan is a book about teenage pregnancy and is told in verse. I liked how it has lots of themes which kept the story interesting. I enjoyed that the story was written in verse as that made it interesting. I also liked reading about Marnies' emotions. The only thing I didn't like was that the ending felt a bit incomplete and I would have liked to see a longer ending. Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to young adult readers.

Sophie

Wolf Siren
I really enjoyed this book. I could relate to this book because I love animals and wish I could have wolves following me around like they do Red. Red faced many challenges, like having people say she couldn’t do something because she is a girl, she is partially blind, and she has to deal with becoming a wolf sometimes. This book shows how women can protect others, and how you can grow to be in charge of your own life.

Adidev

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
This book is actually not bad when it gets into telling us about Neon’s life with his girlfriend. This is a good book about how everyone can be who they want.

Arthur

Wolf Siren
This is a great book about how people who are different in a society can be punished in a world were one man controls the village. The mayor controls who goes in and who goes out and if you go against him you will be punished. I really like it because it reminds people not to be ignorant and believe everything you hear as it may lead to your life not feeling right.

Arthur

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines by Katya Balen is an enthralling book about Tilda, a girl from a small island with a quiet backstory, and Albie, a boy from the city, who would travel anywhere but Ayrie. I really enjoyed this book and the perspective of Tilda, as she is part of the tight island community and her relationship with Albie, who despite this felt a little too stereotypical for me. This book is overall a very interesting read, and it was easy to follow the plot. It displays the troubles of moving to a new place in a captivating manner, and I would rate it a 7/10.

Oliver

Wolf Siren
This book is about a girl who lives in a secluded village in a forest with wolves. It reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood because the girl goes into the woods even when she is not supposed to. I thought the book was good because it taught about how when people don’t understand something in life they go to great lengths to call it evil. I think the book is called Wolf Siren because the village has bells and alarms to protect themselves from the wolves but also because the sirens in Greek myths try and lure people in. The girls’ mother tries to stop her from entering the forest because of the magic because the villagers don’t understand the magic in the forest.

Owen

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I enjoyed the book because it was funny and surreal. Especially that the main character Zeke has the actual country France on his knee and planes shrink down to fly into France. The story was weird and was about lots of little plots not one main storyline which was OK. My favourite character was Daniel who is a clouded monitor lizard and is best friends with the main character. I liked that Daniel was fun and silly. I liked when Principal Wombat saved Zeke and Pelicarnassus by using the bone on her posterior to block the piece of metal that was going to fall on them. One of the themes of the book is friendship because together Zeke and his friends help save the school. Another theme is animals letting the author do things like having a playground on the roof for birds because the playground wouldn’t make sense with real people.

Owen

Wolf Siren
I would give Wolf Siren a 4 out of 5 because it is well written, but I don't feel that there is any main goal or reason for what is happening. I enjoy the mystery intertwined within the novel, who did this, why did that happen? I really like Aerona’s personality as a bright minded character always looking for adventure and to have fun. I think this book would be good for supernatural adventure readers aged 9-12.

Henry

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody is a book about a young lizard in a school and a pelican trying to take over the school. I feel like this book is for younger readers maybe 7-10 years but I still enjoyed it. I quite liked the comic style and it was funny at some points. But I was really confused at the start because the lizard had the country of France on his knee, but eventually it explained why there was an entire country on his knee. Overall I liked the book but again I think if you’re 7-10 this will be a really good book for you.

Mason

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I really liked this because this story is about Zeke and his lizard friends monitoring the hallway at their school. The book talks about their friendships and their new friend the hawk. Zeke faced challenges like being bullied by the school bully and helping his mum with her mental health. By the end of the book, Zeke found a way to become comfortable with himself and find his identity. This book was different because all the characters were animals, and I really liked that.

Adidev

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 Seconds From Now by Jason Reynolds is a book about a 17 year old boy called Neon. The book covers his 2 year relationship with his girlfriend Aria and his worries. I didn’t particularly like this book because it had content that I couldn’t relate to. I would recommend this book to 17+ as a good book to read.

Annabelle

Birdie
Birdie is a book about a girl who lived in an orphanage after being sent to live in the countryside and finds a pit pony. The book focuses on the racism shown at the time the book is set. I liked how real the characters' emotions felt. I also liked how the book has a mix of action, emotional and happy scenes. The book focused on lots of different plot points which kept the story interesting. The only thing I didn’t like was the start of the book as it felt slow and a bit boring. Overall I really enjoyed this book because it is exciting and interesting.

Sophie

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a book about two children exploring a secret island. I liked the writing style and how immersive the island of Argie felt. The book was exciting and filled with suspense which made it hard to put down. Another thing I liked was how I felt connected to the main character. The ending of the book felt a bit unrealistic as everything got resolved very quickly. Overall I think it's a really good book which I enjoyed a lot and would recommend it to most people.

Sophie

The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a book about a gay relationship in WW1. Because being gay wasn't socially acceptable back then Danny and Stephan (The two main characters) have to keep their relationship a secret. I liked this book because it’s a book about two lovers but there is more to it than two people loving each other because they are fighting in WW1 and need to survive out in the trenches. This book also just kept me entertained and made me read on. There isn't much that I dislike about the book. I think I would rate it 9/10.

Mason

Popcorn
Popcorn is a great book for explaining anxiety and I especially love how it shows and lets the reader keep track of the characters anxiety levels during the book. I also like how it mentions that you can supress anxiety and the fact it mentions that bullying leads to anxiety.

Arthur

Not Going To Plan
I was looking forward to reading Not Going to Plan and was not let down – the book is written in verse brilliantly and I enjoyed it from cover to cover. The story is about the serious and often distressing topic of teenage pregnancy, but is entwined with other topics such as feminism, LGBTQ+ rights and many more. It was a very enjoyable read, and Tia Fisher has created a fantastic book where you feel as if you are in the characters' shoes. I believe that this book could also be very helpful to people struggling with similar situations. Overall, Not Going to Plan was an amazing read and I would definitely recommend it.

Louis

Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan by Tia Fisher is a book written about teenage pregnancy and the controversy surrounding it. It describes important issues with society and is written in verse, making it an even more entertaining read. I really enjoyed it although the topic felt somewhat inappropriate for younger readers, however extremely relevant for older teenagers and young adults, who may be going through similar problems in the country. The book provides information and many opinions in the subject and is overall an enjoyable read. I would rate it for future readers a 6/10.

Oliver

The Boy I Love
This 5-star book is written beautifully. I particularly enjoy the wit of the 18 year old Danny McCormick who seems unable to hold his tongue, even when in the presence of Captain Beddowes, a nasty piece of work who seems to have it in for 2nd Lieutenant Stephen Wraxall ever since the day he stepped on to the foreign fields of France. Stephen’s new unit is headed for the Battle of the Somme in the 1st World War. Whilst travelling through France, Stephen falls in love with Private Danny McCormick and Danny returns the feelings. They hide their love from higher command who can court martial them for how they feel. It shows the startling changes in the way we see people and who or how they love others since 1916. This book shows the harsh reality of war, without diving too far into the graphic detail of the wounds and injuries of the soldiers. This is a brilliant read, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Henry

Not Going To Plan
This book was not a good book for me because it had a lot of rude and swear words in it. What I liked about this book is that if one person was good in a subject the other one isn't so they helped each other. I liked how they worked together. This actually went pretty well when I read it and I really enjoyed these parts.

Adidev

Popcorn
I loved this book, it gave a lot of laughter also this book included some of the real difficulties like anxiety and OCD. What I liked most was that it was middle - school themed.

Adidev

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 seconds from now is a book about the build up towards two teenagers having sex. The story is told in reverse which was interesting but also confusing. I liked the writing style and how the funny scenes were written. But I found it hard to engage with the book because it was told in reverse and it was about a topic I don't have much interest in because I'm 12 and that's too young to have sex. The ending of the book felt incomplete and slightly underwhelming and I think the book was a bit one dimensional because it only focused on two people and their one goal. I also found some parts of the book repetitive. Overall I think the book is well written and I enjoyed reading it but I personally didn't connect to it. I would recommend it to secondary school children but not younger children because the main theme of the book is sexual intimacy.

Sophie

Wolf Siren
Overall, Wolf Siren is a fantastic book, which has both heartbreaking and heartwarming moments throughout. Red lives in a village which shunned the wolves and the forest many years ago, but Red loves spending time in the forest with her wolves. It is a well written book, and I was always left wanting to read the next page; no parts of it ever bored me or made me lose interest. Wolf Siren has memorable characters, exciting magic and a fantastic message of how we should embrace nature and not let fear rule over us. In conclusion, I really enjoyed Wolf Siren and would recommend it and definitely reread it sometime.

Louis

Not Going To Plan
Honestly speaking, “Not Going to Plan” is an amazingly written book and (though the pictures were a bit awkward in school) I have had a great time reading it. I love the book’s layout and how both characters are dealing with their own problems, particularly Zed with “labelling” himself. I also like how, though a side character, Naomi has such a strong personality and supports Marnie with her personal ideas. I strongly recommend, and already begged my friends to read it! P.S. They said maybe after Carnegie!!

Pola

Popcorn
Popcorn by Rob Harrell is a really interesting book that talks about anxiety and how to overcome it. As Andrew goes through his day, readers watch him move up the popping scale (getting more anxious) until he’s about to burst. Popcorn helps the reader understand what it is like to have anxiety and how friends can always make you feel better. If you like books with funny and real elements this is the perfect book to read. I really enjoyed this book because of the catastrophes and humour.

Annabelle

Birdie
I really enjoyed reading this book, it had many sad bits and amazing bits. Also I am a person that enjoys adventure books so this turned out to be an amazing book for me.

Adidev