Schools & Libraries Book Reviews

Name: Jacqueline Harris
24 July 2023;

Genre: Historical Fiction

Otto, Ilse and Karl live in the ruins of 1948 Berlin. The city is broken by the bombing at the end of the war and is now cut off from the West by the Russians. American and British planes have to fly food and supplies into the city to keep it going. The Americans throw sweets tied to little pa...

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Name: Nathan Cox
24 July 2023;

Genre: Adventure

The Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki-Wegner is a brilliant fantasy adventure story, perfect for upper primary aged readers and, of course, dinosaur lovers. The story is packed full of adventure, action, drama and survival that will hook its audience in seconds! The first one in...

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Name: Lauren Maidman
20 July 2023;

Genre: Fantasy

Dragon Storm, Skye and Soulsinger is the eighth book in the Dragon Storm series. This story follows Princess Skye and her journey back to Draconis to see her brother and father, only when she arrives all is not as it seems. A dragon rebellion has begun and a w...

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Name: Julie Broadbent
19 July 2023;

Genre: Personal Growth

We are introduced to our protagonist Amelia Bright - a smart, competitive, cello-playing student, who just wants to fit in. Amelia has been relentlessly bullied throughout the first two years of her secondary school life. The name calling began in Year 7, her peers refer to her as 'maggot', a...

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Name: Jane Rew
18 July 2023;

Genre: Non Fiction

A glow-in-the-dark cover. Now that's appealing for a start (although this book is eye-catching even in daylight). Open it up and you immediately get a sense that, while it belongs in 'non-fiction', it doesn't take its subject entirely seriously. After all, who's heard of seagulls in sunglasses...

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Name: Ashley Clayton
18 July 2023;

Genre: Mental Health & Wellbeing

Rhinos Don't Cry is a lovely picture book which I read to my reception class. It is a story that will help children to talk about their feelings, and to acknowledge that it is OK to cry. It has lovely colourful illustrations and a simple rhyming text, and I always love a story...

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Name: Linda Brown
17 July 2023;

Genre: Fantasy

If you love fairytales with a twist, then this dark, enchanting fantasy debut novel is just for you. The author has melded some of our childhood fairytale stereotypes into her plot, so you get a glimpse of Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, a wicked witch and a handsome prince, a love/hate rela...

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Name: Emma Nelson
17 July 2023;

Genre: Myths & Legends

Yomi and the Fury of Ninki Nanka opens with Yumi and her brother Kayode preparing to go to bed. Outside a furious storm rages in the sky, just as their uncle appears in the room to read them a bedtime story. The two main characters are visiting The Gambia and they are fascinat...

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Name: Jessica Bunney
17 July 2023;

Genre: Baby & Toddler Books

Bizzy Bear: Nursery Time certainly is a busy book! My one-year-old and I are still discovering more and more stories to tell within the illustrations as we embark on our 5th read! This book fits perfectly to the well-known tune of 'Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around…'. With '...

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Name: Amanda Shipton
15 July 2023;

Genre: Environment

I Heard a Bird is the 4th book in Rob Ramsden's award-winning In The Garden series. It is a wonderful story about a little girl who notices that the bird she was listening to is frightened away by two cats fighting. As she searches for her bird, she encounters...

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