Teenagers Book Reviews

Name: Rhiannon Cook
30 June 2021;

Genre: Myths & Legends

Simi has always lived in Lagos, a bustling city full of noise and people, so it comes as a huge shock when she is sent to stay with a Grandmother she has never met, in the remote village of Ajao, a quiet place unconnected to modern Nigeria. An air of secrecy shrouds Simi's family life and her...

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Name: Linda Brown
30 June 2021;

Genre: Fantasy

The Theft of Sunlight is a thrilling, gripping and entertaining story that was borne out of a re telling of The Goose Girl, Thorn, of which I also highly recommend. Rae lives a happy life in the village of Sheltershorn with her family and friends until a child is snatched from...

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Name: Maddie Age 14
22 June 2021;

Genre: Bullying

Paige tries to live her life under the radar; unnoticed by anyone at school, at home and at the one club she attends. Her best - and only - friend is her Alexa, and she only comes out of her shell one afternoon a week at her Aunt Polly's house. At home, Paige is shoved aside and labelled a nui...

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Name: Jane Rew
20 June 2021;

Genre: Representation & Inclusion

I like the colour scheme: shades of fluorescent orange and monotone. I like the bold design: the use of placards for headings, the inclusion of a Contents page, Introduction, Note to Reader, and concluding Thanks. I like the humour, evident in the choice of examples covered and in the illustra...

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Name: Linda Brown
10 June 2021;

Genre: Fantasy

A Gathering Midnight is the sequel to Midnight's Twins and what a great action-packed second book it is. I really could not put this down; adventure, action, myste...

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Name: Kelly Buxton
10 June 2021;

Genre: Magical Realism

Skyborn is a tumbling, twisting and turbulent adventure akin to that of Peter Bunzl's Cogheart series. Alice, who has a 'firemark' on her cheek, has turned her back on her privileged life. She is on the run from her grandfather, Lord Pattern, longing for a life of acceptance for who she is. Wh...

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Name: Louisa Farrow
08 June 2021;

Genre: Adventure

According Billy’s mum, the rules of survival matter more than anything Billy can learn in class - so he's more often then on 'adventures' with her than in school. Billy adores his mum, although she's different from everyone else's, but after she lights a fire in their living room, he is sent t...

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Name: Jennifer Caddick
07 June 2021;

Genre: Magical Realism

Young Bastjan is following in his late mother's footsteps, working in a circus troupe, under the instruction of his unpleasant, cruel stepfather and ringmaster, Cyrus Quinn. Forced to face his biggest fears to become a death defying aerialist as his mother was, Bastjan is desperate to gain acc...

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Name: Catherine Purcell
06 June 2021;

Genre: Real life

A Susin Nielsen book is a real joy. A wry smiling, head nodding, frequent chuckling, joy. And that's not an easy thing to create. Susin Nielsen, you are terrific. Radiant. Some human being! Tremendous Things begins with Wil's Defining Moment, narrated by Wil; honestly it's a beauty and...

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Name: Benhur Age 10
05 June 2021;

Genre: Mystery & Detective

I recommend The Secret Detectives to detective lovers aged 8-12 years old. It is about a girl named Isobel Petty who witnesses a horrific deed - someone being thrown off the S.S. Mariana. Isobel and her two new friends (Sam and Lettie) have a mission to find the culprit before...

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