Good Reads: Orchard County Junior School

Chosen by Year 6 (10/11 year old) pupils of Orchard County Junior School, Dibden Purlieu, Southampton.

Thanks to Mrs M McCusker, class teacher.

A Pack of Lies

Geraldine McCaughrean, Oxford, 0 19 275016 X, £3.99 pbk

This astounding novel is a story written to suit many tastes. Each chapter is a different genre, mystery tragedy, romance, horror, adventure. Ailsa meets MCC Berkshire doing work experience in the local library next door to where her mother owns an antique shop. Without thinking she offers Mr Berkshire a job in Povey’s Antiquary and Mr Berkshire accepts it and in return keeps customers enticed with his spellbinding stories, each one unique, told especially for the buyer, persuading them to buy one of the many items for sale in the antiquary. Each story is made to suit the customer, for example, MCC tells a murder mystery to a police officer, but Ailsa and her mother are worried. Mr Berkshire is just telling the customers a pack of lies…

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read. I think it will suit anyone’s reading taste from horror to romance. Although the story can be hard going at times it is a very worthwhile read. It has a very complex structure when lots of little stories interwoven into the main story line, enticing the reader with some of its loathsome characters while amusing the reader with its witty snippets of humour. I enjoyed this book and it is very gripping. My favourite character is MCC Berkshire because I think he is funny and while he saves the Poveys from many close scraps such as having the telephone line cut off, he causes them to fall into more tricky situations. I give this book a star rating of 10/10.

Charlotte Bates

Mister Spaceman

Lesley Howarth, Walker, 0 7445 7282 7, £3.99 pbk

This book is a gripping tale about a boy called Thomas Moon. He wants to be a spaceman, and will go to great lengths to do it. His bedroom is painted to look like MIR space station. When suspended from school along with Barry, Neil, Tedious (Philip Tettios) and Mint (Nicholas Mint), he makes friends with the boy down the road, Adey. Since Mint (his best friend) moved away, Thomas Moon has gone crazy about space.

I enjoyed this book because I know how Thomas Moon feels; I know what it’s like to dream. It took me a while to get into the book, but after that I was part of the story; I was Thomas Moon. My favourite part is the end, but you’ll have to read it to find out what happens. An individual style with mixed feelings. An interesting and extraordinary read by this award-winning author. This powerful and moving story is one of the best books I have ever read. It has weird, humorous and offbeat vocabulary and a showing side of the author’s touch. Recommended to everyone.

Joanna Macleod

White Wolf

Henrietta Branford, Walker, 0 7445 6395 X, £3.99 pbk

The synopsis of this book is, it’s set in a forest near a mountain with a little village near by and it was set in the time when the white men fought the Red Indians. The situation is when the Indians start to invade, and Jesse and his dad leave the village and Snowy, a white wolf, acts as their safe guard because to the Indian the white wolf is a sign of great power and magic. In the complication they get captured and Jesse’s dad gets killed, Jesse and Snowy break free but Jesse is caught and Snowy is left to fend for his self in the wild. Will Snowy rescue Jesse or will he be killed or what? And will Snowy be able to run with the pack like in his dreams?

I really liked this story, this story is so real about what happened in that time. The story tells you about the cruelty that happened but it makes up for that sadness by a superb ending. I really like the bit at the beginning when he is a cub and Jesse’s friend lets him use their mother wolf who has two cubs to come and get Snowy to feed, then at night Snowy and Sleakstar (one of the cubs) go hunting around the room and it’s really cute and funny, but my favourite bit is when Snowy and Not-much have a litter of cubs and they are crawling all over him and it’s really funny.

This book is entirely enjoyable and that’s proven by all the awards it’s won and it’s been written by an author of great talent. A powerful and moving story that’s unputdownable and unforgettable. l2+

Marcus Cooper

Kit’s Wilderness

David Almond, Hodder ‘Signature’, 0 340 72716 0, £4.99 pbk

Kit’s Wilderness is set in a village called Stoneygate. Kit (the main character) has just moved back to Stoneygate for his grandma has died. Kit meets John Askew (other main character). They play a game called Death in Askew’s den with others. All of the others pretend to die but Kit doesn’t pretend. When Kit comes out of it he sees skinny miner children. The next time Kit dies the teacher (Burning Bush) finds out and Askew gets expelled. Kit finds another friend called Allie. Askew goes missing and no-one can find him, most people think he is dead. Is Askew alive? You will have to read the book to find out.

This is a very moving book and isn’t one to miss. I think everyone should read this emotionally tense book about Kit and Askew. This book is regarded by me as the best book I have ever read. Everyone should read this book; even adults would enjoy this eye-gripping mind blowing book. I would recommend this book for ages 10 to adult.

Tim Payne