Xenial Readers of Rushey Mead 2026

Wolf Siren
When I started this book, I was first expecting a slight twist to the childhood story that I grew up reading. It turns out, it was better than I had anticipated. This story is about a girl named Red and in her town, she isn't allowed to go into the forest and is forbidden, but she goes anyway. Later on, she starts to uncover the secrets why and what the mayor is telling them isn't true, and she herself finds out something that I found was very unexpected.Throughout the story, I became more attached to the book and was unable to put it down. I quite enjoyed how the author had portrayed Red as a character as she had a vision impairment and how girls are able to relate to the struggles and injustice that we face as a whole. Personally, the growth of Red as the book progressed was inspiring, she had to face lots of challenges to be able to be where she was at the end of the story, being able to embrace her true self which is why I had found the book empowering to young girls who feel like they have no power in the world and feel that their voice isn't heard. Overall, Wolf Siren is a very good book and I highly recommend it to young and teenage girls who want to read a book that they can relate to.

Mahi

Birdie
Birdie is a book set around the 1950s in Yorkshire. It follows the story of a young girl who experiences unacceptance, due to the colour of her skin after leaving a childrens home to live with her great aunt. It explores themes of racism, identity and belonging. Personally, I like this book so far because of its emotional depth and how real the story feels, making it so i can imagine clearly how people at that time, both adults and children could feel. I would recommend this book to readers older and younger than me since i feel that Birdie is a great story with no limit for ages. I think that younger readers could benefit understanding of racism and feelings of belonging from Birdie's story. So i would say my overall rating of Birdie is 7/10.

simran

Shrapnel Boys
I read Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson. It was a story about 3 boys in WW2 and they have to hide in their bunker for the blitz by the Lufftwaffe (German Air Force). The 3 boys Micky, Ronnie and Lugs meet Johnny who is secretly part of the BUF (British Union of Fascists). They have to help the police stop Johnny. They are called the Shrapnel Boys because after the bombing finishes they run out to collect the biggest and best bits of Shrapnel (bits of metal from bombs). I would recommend this to people who like history and to teenagers because there are interesting bits of history.

Het

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O' Brian, is a really good book about the popular fairytale - Little Red Riding Hood and how it was portrayed as a suspenseful story of a little girl called Red and how she tries to visit her grandmother by going through the forbidden woods of which her father was murdered by wolves which led to the mayor forbidding all men to enter the forest to prevent the worst whereas women who are thought of as lower status are expected to obey the mayor's harsh rules, but Red ignores all those warnings and goes in... The characters and settings were amazing and I really loved the forest itself and how they incorporate feminism and injustice into what seems an innocent book. Amazing book - recommend to people who like fantasy and fairy tales being retold.

sumaya

Popcorn
POP CORN by Rob Harrel is a very funny but it also has quite serious moments .It is about a boy called Andrew who has social anxiety and feels really embarrassed about his school picture.But Andrews bully Gene Phillips is a rich kid who makes Andrews kid dreadful as Andrew lives with his grandma and his mum who This book teaches you how school can be when people judge based on how you look and this is why I would recommend this book to people our age because it shows what can actually happen and that you need to treat people with empathy.

Abhinoor

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien is a gripping and imaginative novel that blends mystery and fantasy in a way that appeals to all readers. The story follows a partially sighted teenage girl who discovers a strange yet powerful connection to wolves, which draws people in, creating both excitement and tension throughout the book. Personally, one of the most effective aspects of this thrilling tale is its setting. O'Brien uses detailed descriptions of the forest's eerie atmosphere. This reflects the main character Red's scepticism as she begins to change and learn more about herself. The theme of identity is very strong, as the protagonist struggles to accept who she is. This book is highly relatable for teenagers struggling with feelings of not fitting in, which helps readers connect with the story on a deeper level and guides us through a thought provoking book, which is inevitably is all about finding your place in the world.

Neha

Popcorn
This book is about a boy named Andrew Yeager who suffers with anxiety in his everyday life. His symptoms include having panic attacks, having to tap with his fingers for a certain amount of time e.t.c. He goes to school on picture day certain everything will go well with everything organised well to make the picture perfect. However as his day goes on, his day seems to get worse adding the level onto his popcorn anxiety scale, which he uses to make sure the one thing doesn't happen in school;him having a panic attack. I think that children aged 11-14 should read this book because it may be relatable to some people who also suffer with anxiety and also this book has comedy in it to make the reader understand anxiety .

Jiya

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
At the start of the story , I was unsure about the book due to its illustration .However,after I had read the book I was amazed by how the book had presented Zeke ,Daniel and Alicia . Another reason this book was interesting because their friendship and the way they communicated with each other was similar to students in real life .In addition, the way Zeke grown throughout the story is very inspiring.At the start of the story ,Zeke thinks of himself as a "nobody" who thinks pelicans are too popular /have too much power to stand up to and thinks that he doesn't have the confidence to stop his bully Pelicarnassus from bully himself and others due to how much power Pelicarnussus's father has over the school.However at the end of the story Zeke becomes more confident in himself and understands his friends better and responsibility.This book shows that even though someone else has more power than , the victim can't run away or make excuses to stand up for themselves without treating the bully like the victim.

Presnu

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
The chronicles of a Lizard nobody is a short read fantasy story that mixes humour and deep emotions. It is written by the award winning novelist Patrick Ness who also wrote ' A Monster Calls ' . The illustrations are enhanced by Tim Miller and is aimed at 9-13 year olds but can easily appeal to older audiences . This story centres around Zeke and his lizard friends , Alicia and Daniel , who have joined a new school through the 'blending program'.Principal wombat , who has an armoured bum, appoints the 3 as hall monitors but this job flips their lives upside down as they begin to clash with a villainous pompous pelican , who is the son of an international supervillain. Zeke is forced to juggle his duties and home life , which includes a bizzare family curse ;France on his knee! I really enjoyed this story because Ness uses humour to address serious school topics like depression,bullying,neglect,poverty and mental health in a relatable way. I would recommend this book to fans of a Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Bolds Overall , i would consider this a must buy for its absurd humour on every page , deep empathy and inclusivity.

Luckson

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I really enjoyed this book as it was quite a fun read,it had many jokes and hilarious moments. It also talked about mature themes in the book like mental health,fitting in and bullying making it easy for kids to learn in a friendly way. Also the pictures among the pages were really fun to see and helped you visualise. However I feel like this book is aimed at young kids but can still be enjoyable for people older than the 7-9 age range. Also the part where France appears on his knee does not really make sense and I would really enjoy it if he went into more depth about how France gets on Zeke's knee. But overall the story for me is engaging and personally kept me hooked with the story. Rating 9/10

Haroon

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness is a funny, strange and surprisingly thoughtful book that stands out for how it feels to be a teenager. The story is based around Zeke, who is quite literally a 'lizard nobody' at school. He gets ignored, overlooked and he feels as if he doesn't matter. But when weird things starts happening, Zeke gets pulled into an adventure that is both crazy, but meaningful. I liked this book because for me, I thought that it was engaging by mixing with doodles, lists and chaotic thoughts which makes you feel like you can see what goes on in Zeke's head. I think this book was a great read, that was a mix of humour weirdness and something I can relate to. It was an easy and entertaining read, but it stuck with me because of how the main characters feels.

Serena

Popcorn
"Popcorn" by Rob Harrell is a heartwarming and humorous graphic novel that centers on the life of Ethan, a shy and artistic middle schooler who is terrified of public speaking; The story beautifully captures the anxieties and triumphs of adolescence as Ethan and his friends embark his fear and step out of his comfort zone. The narrative is filled with vulnerable characters, laugh-out-loud-moments, and touching scenes that highlights the power of friendship and self-discovery. Harrell`s vibrant illustration perfectly complement the engaging story, making "Popcorn" a delightful read for anyone who has ever felt the pressure of putting themselves out there

Ayush

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Chronicles of a lizard nobody is a fun read that has more depth than you might expect. It mixes humour with a few thoughtful moments that are easy to get into. Patrick Ness did a great job taking what sounds like a strange idea-" A lizard nobody."- and using it to talk about how you see your own worth. Even though the setup is odd, the main character's experience feels very human.The author's writing is very quick, funny and full of character, so it moves along easily. But there is also an emotional layer which makes it entertaining and a little touching at the same time. The book is creative without drowning you in details so it keeps the pace moving. The author doesn't make it more complicated than it needs to be. In the end, the book is about learning to see your own value. After I finished reading the book, it stayed in my mind for a while which says a lot about how Patrick Ness tells a story

Ravi

Wolf Siren
I reccomend the book Wolf siren because I feel like its a quite interesting book for children or any aged people who enjoy mystery and a kind of book with meaning. The book is about Little Red Riding Hood (Red) who is blind and lives with her mother after her father went missing in the forest. Her mother forbade her from ever entering the forest but she was actually familiar with the forest and the trees guided her showing trust and the kindness the girl has given to them for a forest that allegedly makes men disappear or killed. It is a fantasy book and is a darker version of little red riding hood and backstories of each character. Overall, it is an amazing book for children who enjoy a fantasy fairy tail of dark versions of its original story

Jessica

Wolf Siren
The book Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien is similar to the little red ridding hood but with a twist. The main character of this book is Red who is forbidden from going in the woods but she is a bit of a rebel. Her mother tells her the woods are dangerous as the villagers say there are known to be magical wolfs there. So far I have really enjoyed this book as the language is challenging but also simple which I think is really good for young readers like me. Additionally, there are a lot of strong themes such as belonging and learning to trust others which can be really relatable to readers. I also found this book quick paced and has many unexpected plot twists which I found helped me engage with the book. I would strongly suggest this book to people who like fantasy or fairy tales but also people who like books with a lot of plot twists.

Diya

Popcorn
The book Popcorn follows the story of a boy named Andrew,who struggles anxiety in school. the book is set on a chaotic school picture day . Andrew has to face a series of tense events such as facing a school bully , a science experiment gone wrong and news of his grandma being lost . the book tackles themes of OCD and anxiety management and accepting advice and support from others . I personally thought this book was not too bad but i would recommend this to someone who needs help with anxiety in a fun way

Praneel

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brian is an interesting and gripping book that is very appealing to teenagers because of its great use of language that explains the story very well. It's very similar to the story of little red riding hood but it's a darker and more in depth version of it. This book is about a girl named red who feels like an outsider or more like disconnected to the people around her. she feels a deep kind of connection to the wolves in the forest. Red has a disability, she is partially sighted but thought the book was seen as a positive because she is seen as a more powerful and strong willed character. The setting in this book is tense in some parts and its also very mysterious. I really liked this book because of the details and the hook it has on the reader but some parts of the booking like the few final chapters feel rushed and not in depth but overall i would recommend this book to other people and i would also read it again.

krishna

Ghostlines 
I actually really liked Ghostlines because it felt different from most books i have read. It`s not super fast or full of action,but island setting is so vivid that it traps u making u flick through the pages not wanting to put it down. Tilda feels like my friend she is brave however she is also stubborn and hurt so, you can tell she misses her brother even when she tries her best to hide it. Albie annoyed me at first, but then i started understanding him and why he acts the way he does. However the whole thing has this ominous creepy vibe to it because of the forbidden island,But in my opinion it is more emotional than scary. If you like stories that feel real and a bit wild, it is definetly worth reading.

Himani

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
The name of this book is called " Chronicles of a lizard nobody " and I personally really enjoyed reading it . It is very easy to read and extremely funny additionally , it uses easy vocabulary so people of all ages can read and enjoy ! One of my favourite parts of the book is that there is a small and cute illustration every now and again which makes reading the book more enjoyable. It also uses funny jokes about their species for example , how they are made hall monitors because they are monitor lizards.

Tamilnila

Wolf Siren
I think Wolf siren was a very good book in terms of plot as the mysteriousness of the forest always made me turn the page and I believe the book clearly shows how Red matures throughout while also learning about the woods and her past.The ending was good but also quite unexpected to me but I still felt satisfied as I read the last page.red being visually impaired makes the descriptive language very varied but I wish they expanded more on it.But other than that it is a very good book.

Shiv