Adele Broadbent's Blog, page 243

Gabriel’s Clock

ER – PAS

Author – Hilton Pashley

Age – 10+

Jonathon has no idea he is the only half demon – half angel child in the world. When strange men wearing pin stripe suits, bowler hats and no faces appear at their house, his parents grab him and try to flee.

He wakes in a strange bed, in a town he’s never heard of. And what he’s about to learn is something out of strange fiction.

He misses his parents terribly, not knowing what happened to them; but with the help of new friends he’s met at the village, he has to face those faceless men again, and something even worse.

He has become part of an age-old struggle between Heaven and Hell, and he is the only one who can stop it.

I enjoyed this story, and it’s magical and evil characters. When I was trying to pin it down to an age group I swung between 8-12’s and 10+.

It is quite violent/gory in some places, but in others it’s perfect for junior readers.

Knitbone Pepper-Ghost Dog (1)

ER – BAR

Author – Claire Barker

Illustrator – Ross Collins

Age – 7+

Knitbone Pepper is a very old dog. The story begins as his family (The Peppers) are saying goodbye, and then he falls asleep. He doesn’t see the Pearly Gates as expected, so that means – He’s a ghost!

Feeling like a young pup again is fantastic but being a ghost isn’t much fun at first. His best friend Winnie is very sad and upset without him, and nothing he does can make her know he is right next to her, watching her cry. Knitbone soon becomes as sad as Winnie – until a note slides under the wardrobe door where he sleeps….

The ‘Beloveds’ are a group of ghost pets that have belonged to the Pepper family throughout the many years they have lived at Starcross Hall, and they want to help him learn how to deal with being a ghost.

But when the Peppers are suddenly under threat of losing their family home, and Winnie will have to move away, the pets are determined to save them – especially Knitbone Pepper.

This is a fun read, full of fantastic illustrations by Ross Collins. With funny characters, and packed with humorous similie, this would be a great read-a-loud to classes aged 8+ learning to write their own stories. This is the 1st in a new series.

(Humour, Ghost, Dog, Friendship, Mystery, Series)

Ghost Mine

ER – BLA

Author – M G Harris

Age – 9+

Yet to Review

The 2nd book in the Gemini Force Series

From the creator of the cult classics, Thunderbirds and Space 1999.

Dark Warning

TEEN FIT

Author – Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

Age – 12+

Taney was about 4 when she 1st experienced 2nd sight. She didn’t know what is was, just that a boy was going to be bitten by a dog. When she tells her father (Da), he doesn’t say much at first. When it happens again she can see he’s not happy and he tells her not to tell a soul. When she learns from her neighbours that her mother had 2nd sight Taney finally has a name for it.

But the local children do find out and begin to call her a witch. One day as she is being taunted, an unlikely rescuer comes to her aid. Billy the Bowl is 17 and was born without legs and gets around in a wine barrel made into a wheeled cart. They become good friends as he tells her to celebrate her differences.

But something awful is happening in their city. Someone is strangling girls and robbing them – and Taney can ‘see’ them do it. How can she stop them, and who is the strangler?

A great story set in Georgian Dublin. I loved the language and voice of Taney.

(1st person, Georgian Dublin, Historical, Murder, Psychic, Friendship)

Survivor

TEEN

Author – Tom Hoyle

Age – 14+

This story is written as a transcript from George Fleet’s cell after an experience he will never forget. Interspersed through his transcript are police statements/phone call transcripts by witnesses or those who knew George. Another important part of the story are chapters by the killer – seeing how he ticks.

When George sees a house on fire from his seat on the bus, he leaps off and helps save a woman and her baby. He receives a visit by his MP, his photo in the papers and kudos at his school. But the thing that changes everything is when he receives a National Badge of Courage and a free trip of a lifetime to Australia to experience an Ultimate Bushcraft adventure.

He’s excited but a little nervous, but soon meets up with a group of other guys his age going on the same flight and adventure.

He doesn’t realise at the time, but when one of the boys (called Matt) has a severe reaction to something he eats on the plane, it is only the beginning of their nightmare…

A thriller read – great for guys. Who is the murderer amongst them?

(Crime, Thriller, Action, Betrayal, Bullying, Peer Pressure, Courage, Adventure, Australia)

Now

TEEN

Author – Morris Gleitzman

Age 9+

(Does have some harrowing scenes after a bushfire)

This is a wonderful chapter in this popular series Once / Then / Now / After / Soon – all written so readers can start with any of the books to learn about Felix and his experiences through the holocaust and then how it affects his life afterwards. Perfect for age 9+ to learn about this important part of history from 1st person point of views.

(Bush Fire, Guilt, Family, Bullying, Courage, Holocaust)

The Cat at the Wall

TEEN – ELL

Author – Deborah Ellis

Age – 9+

A stray black cat slinks through the night on the edge of the town of Bethlehem. She’s hungry and she doesn’t like being a cat at all. She used to be a 13 year old girl called Clare living in another town called Bethlehem far away.

When Clare is chased through the night by a territorial tomcat, she escapes inside a house as two Israeli soldiers force their way in. They plan to use the house as a vantage point to watch the neighbourhood for any enemy movement.

Clare doesn’t care what they are there for, as long as they feed her. She is wily, sneaky and clever, just like she was when she was a girl. As she watches what goes on around her, including discovering a small boy hiding in the little house, she relives what she was like as a girl – in particular her year with her English Literature and History teacher, Ms Sealand. Or Ms Zero as she liked to call her.

But her conflict throughout the year with Ms Sealand helps her in the conflict she now faces with the soldiers. Can she change her ways?

This book includes a Q & A section with the author at the back of the book about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. It was an easy but thought provoking read, learning about Clare in two lives.

(Growing up, Life after Death, Animals, Cat, Israel’s West Bank, Conflict, Desiderata poem)

Another Day

TEEN – LEV

Author – David Levithan

Age – 16+

Another Day is in the viewpoint/voice of Rhiannon – the girl ‘A’ falls in love with in the New York best-seller Every Day.

I could say Another Day follows Every Day – but that would only be because it was published second. The amazing thing is that you can read either of these books first and the 2nd would follow beautifully.

Rhiannon is in complete bliss when she has a wonderful, romantic day at the beach with her boyfriend Justin. He’s not in one of his moods, seems carefree, loving and relaxed and how Rhiannon has always wanted him to be.

But when he doesn’t remember any details of it over the next few days, she wonders why.

Justin is a selfish guy, negative about most things and bored with everything. Rhiannon tip-toes around his moods, almost worshiping the ground he walks on, and not saying or doing anything that might upset him.

Rhiannon is needy and constantly making excuses to her friends about him, but also to herself. She loves him and he doesn’t hit her or abuse her – so that’s good right?

When Justin gets drunk at a party they go to (he told her that’s the only reason he was going), Rhiannon dances with a guy called Nathan. He tells her he’s her friend Steve’s cousin and gay, so there’s no problem dancing together. They get on really well and swap email addresses.

When she learns Nathan lied about being related to Steve, she wants to know why? They meet and Rhiannon’s life changes forever.

Another Day is a story about love. Not just boy/girl love but boy/boy, boy/girl, girl/girl, love. It’s a story about preconceptions we have of people and judgement of the outside before knowing what’s on the inside – and even when we DO know what’s on the inside.

(Love, Friendship, Sequel, Growing up, Secret)

The Rest of Us Just Live Here

TEEN – NES

Author – Patrick Ness

Age – 12+

Have you ever wondered what happens to all the other kids and people in novels like Twilight that aren’t main characters? They must see all the strange things going on in their town right?

That’s what ‘The Rest of Us Just Live Here’ was like for me at first. Like looking in on the lives of the people on the fringe of all these strange goings on.

Mike, his sister Mel, and his friends Jared and Henna have all seen the weird things happen in their town over the years. Vampires, soul eaters. That sort of crazy stuff. Now they are hoping whatever strange thing has hit their town this time, it won’t blow up their school before graduation. It’s only weeks away and they are all excited but nervous at new lives at College – away from home and everything that they know.

But it does mean that Mel and Mike can get away from their political aspirations of their mother and the sad state of their drunken father. But they do worry about leaving their young sister Meredith behind in such an environment.

But what are the strange blue lights they keep seeing – first as bolts of light and then from strange policeman in the middle of the night? And why do kids start to die when a new guy (Nathan) starts at their school? Isn’t that weird? Starting a new school right before graduation?

Each chapter of this book begin with a part of a fantasy type story which seems to have nothing to do with the chapter that follows. But the more you read, the more it links in and you begin to understand a ‘behind the scenes’ scenario that is alongside the main story.

Sound like a fantasy novel? It sort of is and sort of isn’t – it’s just a bunch of friends making the most of their last few weeks together before they leave for different lives.

(Inner conflict, OCD, Family, Growing up, Friendship, Trust, 1st person narrator)

The Bad Guys

ER – BLA

Author – Aaron Blabey

Age – 6+

Mr Wolf is tired of having a bad reputation, and he’s determined to prove that he and his pals, Mr Snake, Mr Piranha and Mr Shark are the Good Guys!

But as he is trying to convince us he is also trying to convince his friends who have travelled from around the world. But on their first mission to be the Good Guys, Mr Piranha isn’t happy at being called a Sardine, Mr Shark has to dress up and Mr Snake is called a worm. How dare they?

This first book in this new series by the incredibly talented Aaron Blabey of Picture Book fame, is packed full of illustration and laughs. Looking forward to the next episode!

(Humour, Friendship, Cartoon)