David Warner Kaboom Kid 7

Written By David Warner
David Warner has organised a test cricket match against their rivals shimmer bay and their captain Josh Jarret. They ran into some unexpected problems starting with space with some unwanted friends. 

This book is a great quick read and is really funny and sporty. I enjoyed reading it but I think it could be a bit longer. 

It was a very good in comedy and it also inspires little kids to be like David Warner. Its genre is Sport because it is about a lot of sport that is played and the author is a world class cricketer. 

The main characters are Davey warner Sunil (best friend), Mr Mudge (worst teacher) and Davey’s dog (the cheekiest one). Sunil and Davey remind me of some old friends that were obsessed with cricket. Mr Mudge reminds me of my old teacher in London. 

I really like how the author doesn’t drag parts out so he was literally saying stuff over and over. I don’t like how the book is so short. It would have been nice to read longer of the book and maybe add a few problems.

Review by Nathan

The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The tales of Beedle the bard is a series of books about wizards and magic, sort of like Harry Potter. The recent section I am reading is called, the wizard and the hopping pot. It is about a wizard called Professor Dumbledore who helps the villagers if they ever got sick or something happened to them. He uses a magical pot to make potions for the medicine. But Dumbledore dies and his son takes over from his father’s job. Although Dumbledore’s son is nothing like him. His son is rude and selfish. 

The strengths in this book are that they have different parts to it, so it’s not only one part of the book that tells different parts of the story. The weaknesses of this book are that it has the same characters in different parts of the story when they can be in the same part of one story.

My response in this book is that it is really good and anyone who likes Harry Potter will like this book.

This books genre is like a mystery because the book has a lot of it.

There is not really any action in this book because again it is a mystery.

I think that the characters are believable because the way the author (JK Rowling) describes them is very realistic.

I think the way the author writes the words is fine because it can help me understand the words better.

Some of the things in the book that made me want more were, the part when Dumbledore died and also when Dumbledore’s son betrayed everyone and especially his father.

I really like this book because it is my type and that I like mystery, fantasy and magical books.

Review by Ishani

OFF TO BE THE WIZARD

This book is a Sci-Fi, Fantasy and medieval mix with a lot of comedy, which appeals to most boys.

Martin: A male aged in his 20s who lives alone in a small apartment. He is a semi decent self-proclaimed hacker who has a fondness of looking into the coding of old websites. He works in a cubical job with a close to minimum wage job which he hates.

In this book (1 of 3) a young man named Martin,-a sophisticated hacker- finds an unusually large file in the coding of an old phone company.

This area of the book is very intriguing for me due to my fascination of computers and hacking. He is very reminiscent of me in the way he acts and anyone interested in computers will find this story fascinating and funny.

The hero of our story Martin proceeds to download this file. Upon opening the file he sees a lot of code and decides to search for his name. He is surprised when his name appears and shows a lot of info on him. Though he believes something is wrong. His height. He then changes it to what he believes is right.

 This part begins to show how one small change can mean something big.
 He decides to wrap up the computer usage for the night and goes to the bathroom noticing something weird his mirror seems a little off, a bit lower down than usual.
During this scene the readers are beginning to understand what powers that file has.

-a book review by Alex 

Divergent

By Veronica Roth 

Divergent is about a young girl who is having to make a big choice about her life. Her society is divided into factions and is having to keep a huge secret about her faction results. 

The books strengths and weaknesses are that the story-line is good but the front cover could have described the book a lot more. 

I think the book fits into the genre because it’s very futuristic and very modern. The character is very strong and independent and I like how the author described her in the book.

By Jasmyne

Insurgent

By Veronica Roth

This book is the second in the sires so before you read this please read a review or the book divergent because there WILL be spoilers. A girl called Tries she has to survive an attack on her former home, Betrayed by her faction she runs to survive. And after killing one of her best friends she still has the guilt of so many. Will she continue or give up?

This book is really good there is a lot of action and every page has a bit of action or a secret is uncovered it is a very fast paced book, It could have a little less lovey dove stuff because sometimes it’s just gross. But there is more good things then bad things like the way the book makes you think Tries is safe when she really isn’t and there are some great twists.

I love this book it is a really good book because I love quite fast paced books with action and twists. But the suspense sometimes kills me, it is just an awesome book with heaps of twists.
This book is defiantly an action book with mystery and a bit of romance❤ because it has a lot of running from danger and at every page they are running from something or escaping.

There is action around every bend but most of it for me is when they are escaping the Extrude compound but my favourite part is probably when Tries is about to get executed because it is just a really tense part that you can’t stop reading.

The characters are believable because she is struggling there is 2 sides to her like there is to everyone and sometimes she just wants to give up everyone gives up but then they try again, They are described perfectly and little secrets about them are reviled throughout the series. I don’t think I know anyone like them which is really special because it’s like no one knows them but me like they are a mythical person only I can see.

I like the way the author is not a narrator, but the book is in Tris’ eyes which makes it more personal and real then if it was a narrator telling the story.

For examples it wouldn’t have been as real when Peter a dauntless “traitor” saved her from dying, it was really moving and it was moving because the people reading only knew what Tris new. And that kind of keeps you reading the book to find out everything.

I LOVED the book it was fantastic and really had an energy when you read it, when I read it I felt like if Tris died I would start crying in fact when Beatrice’s mum died I started to cry because you really get attached to all the characters.            
      
Review by Bianca

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K Rowling. The book is about a boy who got cursed by a dark wizard at a very young age along with his parent’s dyeing. When he was 11 years of age he got accepted into Hogwarts of witch craft and wizardry. While he was there he made two friends Ron and Herminy and one enemy Draco Malfoy. 

I really liked this book because the author always were able to keep you up with the storyline. It was very descriptive with the characters physical appearance there emotional feelings and their strengths and weaknesses mentally and physically. 

In my opinion that you should get this book if like mystery and action. This book fits into a mystery and action the action is when Harry vs Voldemort and the mystery is when they find out who is trying to steal the stone. The action doesn’t happen so much at the start but towards the end when Harry and Voldemort battled. 

The book in my opinion doesn’t make you feel in the moment because it uses third person. Most of the characters are very believable except for Dumbledore because he rarely makes mistakes and because his power in magic. Everyone in the likes him as a headmaster. 

I really like the author’s writing style because it all flows. Something that had moved me is when it says how Harrys parents died and how he was left alone. I really liked the book and I suggest you should get it too.     

Review by Jet 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Novel by Ransom Riggs 

Jacob, a suburb kid, loses someone very dear to his heart. He then travels to a small island of the coast of wales. When he gets to the island he then meets a lady that changes his life, Miss Peregrines and her home for peculiar children. 

The strengths of this book are the mystery and fantasy. Some weaknesses of the book are how depressing it is. 

My personal response to this story is it is very good story FOR TEENAGERS, it is not for little kids as it can get scary. 

The book fits into the genre very well. it is very fantastical and mystical 

The action in this book is not until the 7th chapter in the pub when he finally meets miss peregrine and her home for peculiar children.

The author does an amazing job of making you feel like you are in the story by describing the book in great detail 

The main characters are so believable. The author describes them in such detail it is amazing. 

I love the way the author describes the whole book it is amazing.   

The part that made me move was when his grandfather passed away and they were describing how much he loved him as I never met my grandfather and miss him dearly. When his aunty pulled out his grandfather’s old journal and how he described how sad Jacob was. 

I loved this book so much it has so much soul to it and I have an emotional connection with this book.  

Review by Indy
 

Refugee by Alan Sunderland

This Is a good book it is about a boy called ail Ishmael how is running from the Taliban after his dad is killed by the Taliban he flees to Australia after getting caught by the Australian police he gets taken to warm.

Personally this book is the best I’ve ever read it has lots of ups and downs so that is why it is my favourite book it is also my far-out book because it is my favourite genre it is historical fiction  

Review by Cooper

Crenshaw, Katherine Applegate.

This amazing book is about a boy named Jackson who made an imaginary friend when he was seven. This friend was no ordinary imaginary companion, no, he was a cat. 

Some of the books ‘up-sides’ are that it is a lovely story line and anyone will love to read it no matter what age. 

Something bad about the book is that Katherine Applegate doesn’t want to advertise it, so not many people find out about it. 

I personally thought that it was the best book that I have ever read. 

This book fits into the fantasy. Fantasy because it is an imaginary friend who has suddenly come back to ‘haunt’ Jackson. 

The author hasn’t told the reader where they are until half way through the book, San Fran Sysco. 

By Fiona Loggie

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

Penny is a normal teenager who’s world gets turned upside down but her family save her and take her on a once in a lifetime trip to NYC who will Penny meet there?

The strengths are that this is such a good book and is very relatable to teenagers and girls like me. In my opinion I don’t think that there are any weaknesses.

I think that this book is very good and very suitable for girls in the ages between 11-17.

The book genre is like romance/teen drama.

In the first book The setting is NYC and it’s in 2014.

The author does an extremely good job at making Penny sound like a real person and not just a book character.

To me I like everything about the authors writing style.

I really enjoyed this book and I have finished the whole series.

By Claudia

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Jacob has a horrific experience. He discovers clues to a mystery that he is part of. He visits a remote island to try and uncover more clues and to solve the mystery.
The strengths that this book has is the tension and how it entrances you and makes you want to keep reading.

The weaknesses that this book has is how the beginning is a bit slow to get to the plot.
I personally enjoyed this book very much. I think that the book could be improved by getting to the point a lot quicker. I really liked how the book included pictures to support their point and to interest the reader.

This book fits into the mystery and fiction genre. There are some fictional characters in the book and the book is basically just a big mystery that is getting solved.
The action in the book takes place around the end and the middle. The author does a pretty good job of getting you involved. He describes what is happening and the creatures very well and in great detail.

The main character is Jacob and he is pretty believable as he is an average human being, apart from the fact that he is the only one that can see the monsters. He doesn’t really remind me of anyone else. The author describes him in great detail and you can see his picture clearly in your mind.

I like the way the author writes. The words he chooses fit the style/book really well.
The scene that I liked the most is when Emma shows Jacob her secret hiding spot underneath the sea. They go down there and Emma shows Jacob some old photos.  
I definitely liked reading this book. I would rate it 4/5.  
                

Book review by Amy

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K Rowling

Harry goes to Hogwarts for his 3rd year but mass murderer Sirius black has escaped Azkaban prison to kill harry. Harry, Ron and Hermione find out a shocking truth about black and Hermione reveals how she is getting to 2 classes at once.

The book is very descriptive and believable. I don’t think there are any weaknesses.
I love this book so much because it is magical, adventurous, and makes you feel like your there.
The books genre is Adventure because the characters go on different adventures each book.
The action usually takes place at the end. The author uses a lot of language features to make it feel like your there.

I think the main characters are believable. I also think that my friend Millie is a bit like Hermione as they are both really smart and worry too much about homework. 
I love the authors style. I also love the way J.K Rowling uses the words because she makes it feel magical and amazing the way she describes the books.

This quote I love because it is very moving and believing:
“the ones that we love never really leave us. You can always find them in here:“
 And also this quote: ”you should have died! Died! Rather than betray your friends!!!!”
I loved this book because it has magic and is very moving.

Review by Jessica

Geek Girl

Geek Girl by Holly Smale. 

Geek Girl is an incredible book about 15 year old geek, Harriet Manners, and how she goes from geek to something slightly different. Harriet is not like the other girls at school. She isn’t cool and trendy, doesn't like fashion and gets bullied a lot. Her best friend, Nat, loves fashion and has wanted to be a model since she was 7. Harriet but when Harriet gets offered to be a model hoe will Nat react this is her dream and her friend who is a geek just get offered it. How is that fair? Will Harriet accept this life changing offer? 

This is Holly Smales debut novel and is an incredible book and there is a total of six books in the series. I would recommend this book to teenage girls. Geek Girl has 12545 ratings and 1805 reviews. 

Harriet is the type of person you can't help but love. 
The book takes place at school and at the modelling agency. Holly Smale describes everything really well so it makes you feel like you are there in the story.

This story is defiantly relatable a teenage geek who can’t relate to that everyone knows someone or is a person just like Harriet Manners. 

The novel is partially based on Smale's own experiences as a teenage model. It won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize Teen category prize in 2014 along with the Leeds Book Award for 2014

Review by Anika 

Geek Girl

Geek girl by Holly Smale.

This is a great book about a 15-year-old geek that goes from geek to chic on her                     modelling adventure. There is 9 in the series and the one I am currently reading is picture perfect.                                          

This book is great for kids around the age from 11 – 15 years old because it talks about teens       doing modelling and following their dreams. Some people may find this book long or challenging but it is a really good book.

Young Harriet manners isn’t cool or trendy the only thing she is though is a NERD. She gets over looked and not mentioned and all because of her looks and interests. But when she finally sees modelling and fashion will she change and everyone starts liking her. The author has done a great job and illustrating and writing this book as she has made it fun interesting to read. A you are reading you start to actually imagine you are there and present to the event. The wording used is relevant and good for the book.

Not too much action happens in the book but that’s ok. The way that she describes the character completely suits the book, name and they that she is pictured or taken. This book is in the teen drama genre and definitely suits this genre. The way that they describe New York really does sound like New York and it kind of feel like you are there. I would definitely recommend this book to other and they should definitely read it. 

I would say an age range of about 11-15 year olds because it talks about following your dreams and modelling / fashion.

Review by Kaiyah

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Review by Jasper

This story is about a man named Arthur Dent who does not know that the world is going to end. His friend Ford Perfect picks him up and hitchhikes on an alien ship they escape and find themselves on the heart of gold a ship, which on board the president of the universe is, and his partner Trillian where they are trying to find out what the meaning of life is.

I think this book is amazing it is well written and it is funny and has adventure, I cannot fault it I want everyone to read it.

The genre is Sci fi because it has aliens and a lot of space.

I can relate to Arthur because he is literally a normal human but everyone else are aliens so yeah.

My favourite part of the book is when the mice capture Arthur and everyone then Arthur gives a speech about the meaning of life is yes and if Trillian is the one.

Once

Book review by Annabelle

I recently completed the book ‘Once’ by Morris Gleitzmen. 

I think it’s an easy read for frequent readers, and a great book to fill in time. I would definitely read this book again. 

This book is based on the war between the Jewish people and Adolf Hitler who orders the Nazi Soldiers to kill them. This book is about a boy who got dropped off at the orphanage to stay forever, because it was too dangerous to stay with his parents who own the local book store, but Felix (the boy in the orphanage) manages to run away and go find his parents! 

I would recommend this book to everybody who is looking for a book to read. 

Heaven is for Real

Book review by Abigail

Heaven is for Real is written by Todd Burpo. 

This book is about the story of a four year old's trip to heaven and back. 

He says to his mum, "Mummy you had a baby die in your tummy, didn't you?"

"Colton, who told you I had a baby die in my tummy?"

"She did Mummy."

This is an amazing story for anyone who doesn't believe. 

My rating: I would give it five stars for this is a truly amazing book. I wish for more people to read it and believe this amazing story. 

One Dollar Horse

Review by Courtney

I just finished the book 'One Dollar Horse' by the author Lauren St John. 

This book beautifully shows the love between a young but poor girl and a out of control horse. I personally loved this book with all of its emotion and love. The title tells the main point of the story within itself. 

The 'One Dollar Horse' is exactly what it is meant to say that the horse in the book was in fact one dollar and it all came to that when young rider Casey Blue who lives in East London's darkest block with her father Roland Blue who is a criminal. In her spare time she volunteers at the local riding school. But Casey has a dream, a passion and heart for horse riding and wants to compete in the three day event: Badminton horse trails. She finds herself on the back of a wild horse named Storm competing against mean girls and at first not achieving the best of scores but the road to Badminton is long and with distractions like boys, her father and the fear of losing the thing she loves most - her horse it takes what feels like forever. 

This book is an amazing read that will grab you and not let go.

Girl Online

Review by Claudia

Author: Zoe Sugg

Penny Porter is an average English teenager until one day her life is turned upside down. 

To escape all the drama going on in her life she joins her parents and Elliot aka Penny’s best friend on a trip to New York. They fly to New York and meet awesome people on the way and a cute guy who shares Penny’s interest. 

Will Penny end up with the guy of her dreams or will she burn and crash?

Find out in Girl Online the number one best seller by Zoe Sugg.

I give it a 10 out of 10 and is definitely a great book and is suitable for all ages.  

Black Beauty

This novel is in the collection purely because, as a horse mad kid I loved it when I was in year 7. The narrative is told from the first 'person' perspective of, a horse. Yep, and it makes sense when you start reading the novel because all of the action and events are being experienced by the horse characters so why not tell it from their perspective.

Mind you, you don't have to be a horse crazy girl to enjoy this novel. If you are interested in different perspectives on life and the elevation of the ordinary to adventure-like status. It is also an interesting story in the fact that the characters are not naturally agents of change but are instead reactionary; at the whims of chance and the humans who use the horses for work in a time before machines were popular.

It's an oldie but a good one. 3 out of 5 stars.

Little Women

Little Women, a novel written by Louisa May Alcott and set in the late 1800s that follows the lives of the March sisters and they face the trials and tribulations of life.

This is the sort novel that you just want to snuggle down into whilst sitting in your comfy clothes and sipping hot chocolate. The novel is beautifully written in a descriptive almost poetic prose that allows the reader to fully immerse him/her self into the world of these sisters where you will literally laugh and cry along with them.

This is not a high spirited adventure novel, this is a quiet and comforting narrative that introduces the reader to fully formed characters that will become like your own sisters. My only real criticism of the novel is not the antiquated dating and marriage preoccupation but instead is that each sister seems to have a particular motif or theme- kind of like the Spice Girls or One Direction (read it you'll see what I mean).

This novel is like a cosy catch up with a group of close friends, 3 out of 5 stars.

The Outsiders

Originally published in 1967 by a young woman who began writing the 'coming of age novel' at the age of 15, this novel titled 'The Outsiders' is essential reading. The narrative follows the story Ponyboy who hangs with his two brothers and a gang of teenage boys in the 1960s, the Greasers who live on the wrong side of town and live life on the edge. 

The story centres around the long running feud between two rival gangs, the Greasers and the Socs and through this mechanism S.E. Hinton shows the reader the brutal reality of social class in a capitalist society. In addition to showing us the reality of prejudice and poverty, Hinton also asks the reader to question the definition and appearance of heroism as the characters react to the world around them and make choices that are not always in their best interest. 

This novel is gritty and violent but has a sensitivity that is introduced with the rough innocence of characters such as Ponyboy and Johnny. 

I would give this novel 5 out of 5. One that will stay with you as it stayed with me after I read it in Year 8. The movie (of the same name) is also brilliant. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is an absolute must read for, well pretty much anyone. Written by Roald Dahl it explores a range of themes from honesty, entitlement, humility and social class all with the customary wit and satirical writing style Dahl uses throughout his novels. The novel has been brought to the silver screen twice with mixed results, if you're looking for the classic go for the older Gene Wilder version, what it lacks in technological advancements it gains in the portrayal of a Willy Wonka by Wilder.

The original Willy Wonka- Gene Wilder

Johnny Depp as Wonka, meh. 

Although the novel follows the story of Charlie Bucket, the use of a third person narrator means that the reader is not hamstrung by a single character perspective. Instead we as the reader feel as though we are an unseen participant in the story, undertaking this weird slightly off putting factory tour through well essentially Wonka's mind. What's always engaging in a Dahl novel is the quirkiness of the characters, no one is perfect and no one is a stereotype; they all have something slightly off kilter about them and it is through these characters that Dahl reveals the narrative. Although often dealing with serious issues, the way in which the author approaches these issues primarily through a use of humour allows the reader access the themes and issues in a non-threatening process.

Roald Dahl gets additional kudos for making the most unlikely kids the heroes of his stories which makes the narratives and the absurd adventures charmingly relatable.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Tomorrow When the War Began

Written by Australian author John Marsden, 'Tomorrow When the War Began' (also now a film) is set in a 'micro-dystopian' Australia immediately after the invasion of the country by a foreign army. All the characters of any note are kids and it is the sort of book that looks at the social dimensions found in novels like Lord of the Flies and films such as Red Dawn (1984) and (2012). It is essentially an Australian version of Red Dawn- check it out.

I found the setting of the narrative relatable given my own experience of living in a small country town during my childhood. The use of typically Australian expressions and language also helps to enhance the setting. The location is believable and at the conclusion of the novel Marsden actually provides some real Australian places that are said to have inspired those in the story.

Frustratingly I found that there was not enough detail in the narrative, a lot of telling but not enough showing. By this I mean that there are numerous occasions where exciting things happen in the novel but instead of joining other characters on the adventure we end up following the story of the protagonist and narrator, Ellie. This in turn means that although we get to hear about her exploits we only ever hear second hand recounts of what the other kids in the group have been up to. This is increasingly frustrating when important missions are at hand and we only follow a quarter of the action. The other consequence of teen first person narration is that a lot of the conversations are boring and give little chance for the reader to interpret the characters without Ellie's judgements about them.

I'm also not a big fan of the teen romance angle, it slows the action and in a short novel like this, the reader needs that time to get a greater sense of who else escaped the invasion (there is talk of people hiding out in the town) and who the invading army actually is. I understand that this is a young adult novel but some of the political context would be nice because as it reads right now it seems that the Indonesians (assumed) randomly wake up one morning and decided to invade, not  the top half of Australia, but instead the bottom half.

I'd give it 3 out of 5. Worth a read but I wouldn't cross the road for it.