Good Reads: Thomas Mills High School, Woodbridge, Suffolk
This issue’s Good Reads were chosen by young people at Thomas Mills High School, Woodbridge. Our thanks to Elizabeth Vale, Library Co-Ordinator, for her help. Elizabeth is on the Honour List for the 2024 Secondary School Librarian of the Year and has ensured the library is embedded in the school’s daily life through many popular clubs and book events.
Born to Run
Michael Morpurgo, illus Miachael Foreman, HarperCollins Children’s Books, 978-0008638597, £7.99 pbk
I like this book because it is so adventurous and suspenseful! The book consists of not one, but four, epic adventures of just one dog. This is a great read for dog lovers and those who want to read a good book. The illustrations by Michael Foreman really bring the stories to life. It is planned out neatly and each adventure has a clear start and end point. I would grab a tissue box because, even though this is a wholesome read, it is so emotional!
You feel a mixture of happiness, sadness, anger and worry which dives into you as you make your way through the book. Such a great way to spend your spare time! Highly recommend!
Reviewed by Felicity
The Immortal Games
Annaliese Avery, Scholastic, 978-0702306099, £8.99pbk
The blood moon marks the start of the games played by the gods of Olympus. The gods randomly select humans as their token to play for them based on their sign of the zodiac. When Ara gets chosen by the god of the underworld, she is not sure what to expect. It is an amazing story of first love and deception. You definitely should take it out of your school library to read!
Reviewed by Andrea
Biggles Sees It Through
Captain W.E. Johns
Whether you are a fan of World War II or adventure books Biggles Sees It Through is a great book for you to read. The Biggles series are a classic about a pilot and adventurer taking on crazy missions, with his loyal pilot friends. On 30 November 1939, The Winter War broke out between The Soviet Union and Finland. Biggles and his mates Ginger and Algy have volunteered to help flying reconnaissance missions over Russia on the lookout for Soviet forces. Whilst searching for nearby enemy, Biggles spots a black dot in the distance. Getting closer they find out it’s a lone figure at death’s door in the clear snow. They land to investigate the scene and discover the man is Petolski, a Polish scientist. He tells them his plane has crashed on the Finland-USSR border while trying to escape Occupied Poland. During the crash he was grasping seven years’ worth of precious experimental aircraft research. Protecting it from any harm, he has hidden it near the downed plane. The research is a key to the allies’ success and cannot fall in enemy hands. Biggles, Ginger and Algy with the help of Commander Raymond have the task of recovering the precious goods and returning them to good hands. Ending in an exciting climax. It is well worth reading.
Reviewed by Thomas
Dragon Mountain
Kate and Kevin Tsang, Simon and Schuster, 978-1471193071, £7.99 pbk
Dragon Mountain is a fantasy story about four mystical warrior dragons, and their heart-bonded humans, fighting the monstrous power-hungry dragon of death in the enchanting Dragon Realm.
The humans are children from four different places around the world. Billy Chan (the main character) is from California; he is an award-winning surfer in the twelve and under competitions. Billy is heart-bonded to the dazzling blue seer dragon, Spark. Charlotte Belle is from Atlanta, she won the little Mississippi of the West award. Charlotte is heart-bonded to a red warrior dragon named Tank; she is quite blunt and headstrong in the book.
Dylan O’Donnel is from Ireland. He knows many languages, which is one of the reasons he went to languages camp. Dylan is heart-bonded to Buttons (named after his love of buttons) who is a green healer dragon with short arms and a large tummy. Dylan is anxious but he will always help his friends; from helping them in the face of danger to just uplifting their spirits with his good humor.
Ling-Fei is from China and is quiet and kind. She is heart-bonded to the sarcastic and sharp-tongued xing whose name means ‘star.’
I loved the way that the book was written. It filled every sense so much that you felt as though you were actually there, riding alongside a magnificent blue dragon with an electric mane, power pulsing through your body as you fly into dangerous situations together, many which are life or death.
I didn’t like the idea of there being no images inside the book though. It could have made the writing come further to life if it had pictures of the characters’ dangerous adventures together.
Reviewed by Isabelle
