The Fitzharrys Shadows

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