Good Reads: Trafalgar Junior School

Chosen by Year 5 (9/10 year-old) members of the Readers and Writers Club, Trafalgar Junior School, Twickenham, Middlesex.

Thanks to Richard Smith, Deputy Head Teacher

The Name of This Book Is Secret

Pseudonymous Bosch, Usborne, 978 0 7460 9092 3, £5.99 pbk

This is a great book for independent readers. If you like books that are funny and adventurous, then this is the book for you. It is about two friends who are always trying to save everybody. There is a magician who dies and Max-Ernest and Cass are suspicious and set out to find out what really happened… If you want to know what adventures they have, READ THE BOOK! I like this book because it is full of surprising and unexpected events. It made me laugh a lot and I always wanted to read on to see what was going to happen next.

Katya von Behr

Alone on a Wide Wide Sea

Michael Morpurgo, HarperCollins, 978 0 00 723058 7, £5.99 pbk

Arthur is an orphan and he is sent out to Australia on a ship with only the memory of his sister Kitty. He soon makes friends with Marty when they meet on the deck of the ship. They go on many adventures together, including meeting the miraculous Aunty Meg and her animals.

Sixty years later Arthur’s daughter Allie sets out to find long lost Kitty. The only clue she has to her whereabouts is that she has a key around her neck. This is one of my favourite books because I like the way one chapter leads into another and I was intrigued how it would all come together in the end. Although it’s long, it’s really gripping and you just have to read on. It’s a very good book, and I highly recommend it for children aged nine and over.

Martha Davies

Dancing Shoes

Noel Streatfeild, Hodder, 978 0 340 62663 4, £5.99 pbk

Dancing Shoes is about Rachel and Hilary who live together happily. But when Rachel’s mum dies, Rachel and Hilary are sent to stay with Rachel’s Aunt Cora who runs a dancing company called ‘Mrs Wintle’s Little Wonders’. Hilary finds it fun to learn dancing and loves all styles – except ballet. Dulcie is Mrs Wintle’s daughter and a very good dancer who shows off all the time. People call her ‘Dulcie Pulcie’ and ‘Mrs Wintle’s Little Horror’. Rachel finds it more difficult to fit in and she has something else on her mind. Her mother wants Hilary to go to the Royal Ballet School. But Hilary has other ideas…

I loved this book because, although it’s about ballet, you don’t have to be a ballet fan to like it. I liked reading about the dancing competitions and thought it was funny when Hilary did a dance about Dulcie and Mrs Wintle didn’t know!

Freya Britnell

Candyfloss

Jacqueline Wilson, Corgi Children’s, 978 0 440 86645 9, £5.99 pbk

Candyfloss is about a mum and dad who split up. The mum moves to Australia and Candy has to live with her dad who owns a chippy. I liked the book because I can’t imagine my mum moving to Australia. I would be so sad.

Candy is best friends with Rhiannon but when a new girl called Susan moves into the school, Candy makes friends with her. Candy has a lot of terrible life-changing things. It’s nice how Candy loves her dad so much. They go to the fair and Candy loves candyfloss – which is how the book gets its name. Although this book is sad in parts, and some terrible things happen, you always want to read on. I think for years to come people of any age will read and enjoy this.

Tania Curtis

Lionboy

Zizou Corder, Puffin, 978 0 14 131726 7, £6.99 pbk

This book is about a little boy called Charlie Ashanti who can speak ‘cat’ – and when he finds that his mum and dad are missing has to trust cats to help him find his parents. He stows away on a circus ship and he meets six beautiful homesick lions who need his help to get them to Africa from under Maccomo (the lion-trainer’s) nose. Will he help the lions or will he not? Find out by reading it! I enjoyed this book – it is an exciting story and it is very well-written. I liked the way Charlie keeps going and never gives up, even though it’s hard for him and he’s feeling homesick. Can he save his parents in time? Or will he fail? I think this book is for all ages, but readers under seven would like it to be read to them. I give this book a big ‘Paws Up!’

Nadja Zaremba-Byrne