Good Reads: Duke Street Primary School
Chosen by Year 5 (9-10 year old) pupils from Duke Street Primary School, Chorley, Lancashire.
Thanks to Year 5 teachers Richard Roberts and Joan Quinton.
Finders Keepers
June Crebbin, Puffin, 0 14 034073 4, £3.99 pbk
This is a book of enjoyment and excitement, once you’ve read the first line you’ll want to read on. If you are a pet lover then this is the book for you. This is about a girl named Hannah who is with her dad driving home from shopping, when her dad stops looking; staring at the road. When Hannah realises what the white thing on the ground is she jumps out of the car to grab it. You can guess what it is – it’s a rabbit. Hannah finally talks Dad into letting her keep it. Hannah realises it’s not settling in and tries to find the owners, but the rabbit has gone. Will Hannah find the owners? My favourite character is Hannah because I’d love to know what it’s like to have a pet rabbit. I would advise pet lovers to get this book. I would give the book 9 out of 10 because I haven’t got a pet but I can read imaginary stories to find out what it’s like to have one found and to lose it. I also like this book because it was Hannah’s responsibility to look after the rabbit so it’s showing children what to do.
Kelly-Marie Howlett
Dinosaur Pox
Jeremy Strong, Puffin, 0 14 038979 2, £3.99 pbk
This fascinating story is about a scruffy little girl with black knotted hair and millions of tiny freckles called Jodie Bolton. Her brother, Mark, tells her that vegetables turn you into an ugly horrible dinosaur. Jodie didn’t listen and just ate her greens. But the one night she did and a man called Pinkaton Snark took her away to examine her. Mark rescues her, but where could he hide a large dinosaur in a small town? Soon the police get involved and they put Mark in a prison for a few hours and Jodie was put in a cage for show. WiII they get out and put Jodie right again?
I think this book is wonderful and it is full of imagination, and it is a pleasure to read. My favourite character is Jodie Bolton because she is always stuck in a different situation every day. That happens to me sometimes. Jeremy Strong is a brilliant author and I would give this book 8 out of 10. I think this book is for all ages because it is not horrible or scary, it’s fascinating.
Vanessa Haydock
Bad Girls
Jaqueline Wilson, Corgi Yearling, 0 440 86356 2, £4.99 pbk
Easily and certainly the best book I have read. It’s marvellous because it was so gripping. I wanted to read on and on. I could not wait to turn over the page. The main character is a girl called Mandy. I would be best friends with her any day; she is so kind and helpful. Three girls called Kim, Sarah and Melanie are picking on her at school.
One day the bullies Kim, Sarah and Melanie were waiting for Mandy at the end of the street. Mandy walks up to them. They looked as mean as ever. This book is very dramatic. Do you like drama? I do. Mandy, Kim, Sarah and Melanie start arguing. Kim, Sarah and Melanie chase Mandy onto the road where she gets knocked over by a bus, badly hurting her arm. She is off school for a few days and she meets Tanya. What trouble will they get into? Get the book to find out. Do you enjoy being bad? If so buy this book, and get some tips.
Katie Birnie
Stig of the Dump
Clive King, Puffin, 0 14 030196 8, £4.99 pbk
A book that will take you out of this world and take you into the mysterious world of prehistoric times. A book for all ages, 5 to 50 years old. About a boy, Barney who whilst staying at his grandparents in the school holidays with his sister, Lou, stumbles across a very unusual friend. This friend, however, does not live in a house; he lives in a pit. A pit full of tins, glass bottles and other sorts of rubbish.
The really gripping thing in this story was what the friend did with all of the rubbish. If he found something he used it to make all sorts of brilliant inventions, trouble was he did not have a clue what to do with these things that were not junk. For instance, cigarette lighters, if he did manage to create a flame, he would burn himself.
This is an adventure story full of excitement, fun and laughter. There are scary bits too when the village bullies, the Snargets, get in on the act. I would definitely recommend this book to family, friends and the whole world. Don’t miss it! Buy or borrow it while you can. It has recently been updated and dramatised on children’s BBC.
Christopher Roberts
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K Rowling, Bloomsbury, 0 7475 4629 0, £5.99 pbk
Harry Potter is a boy the age of thirteen who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was expecting another great year at Hogwarts and to find more magical creatures but, there is a mass murderer on the loose and the Dementors have been sent from Azkaban. These sinister looking things are the prison guards of Azkaban. Will they catch the murderer or not?
I think this book is spellbinding, just the same as the others in the series. I like this book because it’s one of those books that you can’t put down. My favourite character is Harry because he is very adventurous and he’s always willing to go the extra mile. I think J K Rowling is a fabulous author and on a scale of 1 to 10 all of her books would be on 10 because I enjoyed every one of them. I would say the book is suitable for 9s and over, because there are a lot of advanced words and there are no pictures.
Georgina Smith