‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ by Derek Landy

“Gordon Edgley’s sudden death came as a shock to everyone.”

This was the starting line of this in depth, fantasy/sci-fi thriller. The story is set in a suburban area, and then moved into the city and countryside during the novel. Skullduggery Pleasant is like no average human. He has no muscle or flesh; all he has is bone. Skullduggery is just a skeleton. He was defeated by evil and turned into a skeleton but he has magical powers. Will he use those powers for good?

Stephanie Edgley was a normal girl until she found out who killed her uncle and why. She decides to follow on with what her uncle did and that was follow and help Skullduggery. Will she last or will she suffer a death just like her uncle’s?

Stephanie would have never thought that the death of her Uncle Gordon Edgley would be the start of something completely amazing in her life. She met Skullduggery, and found out what her Uncle did, and ever since that moment she wanted to continue what her uncle was doing, fighting evil with magic.

I enjoyed reading this novel because it was the type of sci-fi/fantasy that I enjoyed. It also kept me on the edge of my seat. Even though the story did drag on at times, there was enough action in the novel to keep me wanting to read more. The characters in this novel were not too boring but also were not too loud and annoying. For me this was a perfect novel.

I recommend the novel Skulduggery Pleasant to mostly boys between the age of 13 and 17 that are interested in Action, Sci-fi and fantasy novels. I also recommend this novel to any reader that has an interest in magic.

Max H, Year 9.

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November 5

‘Son of the Mob’ by Gordon Korman

Vince Luca is trying to live a normal teenage life, but when his Dad’s ‘business’ gets involved in his love life and everything he tries to do, he feels he has no choice but to get involved in his dad’s ‘business’… Do you think he will?

Vince Luca is on his first date and it’s going so well, until he finds a surprise in the trunk of his car… A dead body! He then realizes that his dad’s business is going to ruin his last high school year. Vince can’t even play football, or create a website or even go on a date without his dad’s business somehow getting in the way.

Vince Luca, aged 17, is trying to finish his last year of high school without anything going bad in his life, but when your dad is a mob boss it’s very tricky.

This is a very pleasant book to read because from the first page I was engaged in it. The author has done a fantastic job at describing the characters, from their personalities to how they are thinking and feeling, which is quite effective because you can get a better understanding of what’s happening throughout the book.

The novel “Son of the mob” is an exceptional read. If you are really into books about mobs and romance at the same time you’ll fall for this one. This book is very descriptive so you can imagine what’s happening. I recommend this book to teens and young adults, around the ages of 13 to 21. This book was truly a fantastic read, and I would definitely read it again! I rate this book 3 out of 5.

Shannon F., Year 9

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Say hello to the ‘Luca family’; they’re a close but also public mobster family in the heart of their local community. The Luca family has an absent-minded control over people; their son Vince doesn’t want a part of it. He wants to be in the social and study theme instead of violence. If you are into mobsters’ unsolved crimes and discovery, then this is the book for you!

Vince wants to stay out of his father’s business but he seems to be getting caught up in a ruckus. On his first date he finds a dead body in his trunk, all the way till he gets forced off the football team because his team’s mates think they’ll get a run in with one of his uncles if they even lay a finger on him!

This book has razor fast dialogue and bullet fast pace. It’s a definite page-turner! ‘Son of the mob’ could get any teen reading because it was a thrilling read. I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Cooper, Year 9

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The book, ‘Son of The Mob’, is about a teenager named Vince. Vince was not a normal teenage boy; his dad is the boss or the head of the biggest Mafia group in New York. The other teenagers treated Vince differently. Vince has recently got a girlfriend called Kendra but then things get more complicated; Kendra is the daughter of the head of the FBI who is trying to catch Vince’s father. Vince’s best friend Alex is trying to score vicariously through him, his brother annoys him and his dad is trying to get him motivated to join the mob.

‘Son of The Mob’ is a thrilling book to read because the suspense that is between the FBI and Vince’s dad is incredible but with this book you have to be patient and keep reading because it takes a few chapters for the book to get interesting. At the start of the book it doesn’t introduce all the characters. In my opinion, I did not enjoy the book ‘Son of The Mob’. It would be better for an adult to read this book because the author has made ‘Son of The Mob’ a bit tricky to read.

Daniel, Year 9

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Son of the Mob is an action, adventure book written by Gordon Korman. The story is basically about a boy named Vince Luca. Vince’s dad runs a mob, sort of like a Mafia, but Vince wants nothing to do with it. Vince’s brother, who is older than him, joined his dad’s mob. There are a lot of other people who are in the mob and they are all coded with secret names that start with ‘Uncle’, for example Uncle Pampers and Uncle Big Nose.

Vince gets caught up in a relationship with the school news reporter Kendra Bightly. Kendra’s dad is an agent that goes by the name of Agent Biteme according to the Luca family. Agent Biteme is in charge of keeping watch on the Luca family. He has cameras set up in the Luca family home and he listens in on all their conversations.

The main characters in Son of the Mob are Vince Luca, Anthony Luca who is Vince’s dad, Kendra Bightly (Vince’s girlfriend), Alex Tarkanian (Vince’s best friend) and Jimmy Rat, who is basically a low life that owes money to the mob.

All up, I think the Son of the Mob by Gordon Korman is an exciting adventure that leaves you not wanting to put the book down. Son of the Mob has humour, action and some nail-biting scenes. Son of a Mob is a book that is for ages 13 and up. It is a great book that deserves some huge recognition. I give the book a 9 out of 10 for its humour, action and the feeling you get when you just can’t put the book down. Gordon Korman is a great author who I think gets a huge round of applause for creating such a wonderful book that is Son of a Mob.

Alby, Year 9

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June 11

‘Alex Jackson: Grommet’ by Pat Flynn

Meet Alex Jackson, a thirteen year old skateboarder who wants to ‘date’ a girl his age. But will he get what he asked for? Is there a secret hiding between them?… Does this sound like the type of book you’s like to read? If so then the book ‘Alex Jackson: GROMMET’ is for you.

Life to Alex was quite simple in St Joseph’s but now that he’s in high school he has a truckload to learn. This book takes place in Logan City. In the book the main characters are Jimmy Homan, Sarah Sceney, Billy Johnstone, Adrian Dorry, Becky Tonella and Alex Jackson himself. Throughout the first term for Year 8 Alex had to face challenges. He also had one unusual problem he thought he’d never have. The person Alex has a crush on had come between him and his skateboard.

When I read this book I was very disappointed with the structure of the book but on the other hand the storyline went well. What made the structure disappointing was that there was unnecessary information in the book and when I was near the end of the book I had realized that the unnecessary information was scattered and spread out in the book. Although the storyline would have been mysterious, they had ruined it with the information. At the ending of the book I wasn’t interested with any of the scenes.

I would recommend this book to teens from the ages 13-15 who like drama. The book wasn’t to my expectations and I was disappointed. I would rate this book 2 of 5 stars. Jay V D B, Grade 8.

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Meet Alex Jackson, a 13-year-old skateboarder. Alex can do things on his board that kids his age thought were only possible in movies, but when it comes to girls and fitting in he has taken some pretty heavy spills. If skateboarding, adventure and girls are what you’re in to, then I think “Alex Jackson: GROMMET” is for you.

Things are not the same since Alex has moved to St. Joseph’s High School. For Alex and his friends Becky, Jimmy, Zane and Sarah school is a place of bullies, mean teachers and popularity contests, but when Alex shreds the skate park no one can stop him. With the help of Becky and his friends, will Alex finally fit in and will he become better friends with Becky?

I really enjoyed this book ‘Alex Jackson: GROMMET’ because it is about a teenaged boy who is trying to fit in at school, but what people don’t know is that he is actually a very talented skateboarder. I thought this book was well structured and the story line flowed nicely. I felt that the book kept me guessing on what was going to come next. A school fight? A trip to the hospital? Or even a move that could leave Alex and his friendship with Becky hanging on the line? In the end the book was summed up extremely well and has made me want to continue to read the saga of the ‘Alex Jackson’ books.

I recommend this book to young teenagers or older children between the ages of 11 to 14 that enjoy a book with heaps of relatable moments, but also to a person who likes jam-packed action at a skate park. This book is a great read if you are looking for an easy novel for a relaxing day of reading. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, enjoy… ‘Jayden S, Year 8

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June 7

‘The Cockroach War’ by Jonathon Harlan

Jonathon Harlan’s “Cockroach War” is an enjoyable fun filled book about a 13 year old boy who, with his sister, has a plan to make his annoying, rude, selfish, unbearable, and uncivil neighbors, the Cadwalladers pay.

The Judge family is a kind, caring and ordinary family who live peacefully on Dagenham Road next to the Cadwalladers. The Judge and Cadwallader families are great friends and neighbors. They have barbeques together and do other fun activities together.

Then one day, one ordinary day, this all changed. The Cadwalladers won 40 million dollars in the “lotto of a lifetime”. The whole family, two children and a mother and father, went insane; so insane that the mother became very ill with demented and she acted like a baby without knowing, and the father,Dick, started spending straight away.

One of the first things he spent money on was building a mansion and demolishing their house. Once work had started it didn’t finish until the house was done and the Judge family didn’t like the noise at all. Toby Judge and his sister Emma thought of an ingenious plan to make the Cadwalladers move out of their monstrous building to a normal family home in a different street.

This book is written brilliantly and it is a very enjoyable book. I would recommend this book for girls and boys from about 10-14 because its humor is right for that age group. I really enjoyed this book because it was funny, very enjoyable and a fun read. I didn’t want to put it down once I had started.

Louis Year 8

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In this hilarious book, you will experience the story of Toby Judge. It is about the Judge and Cadwallader families. One morning in their nice Suburban Street something shocking happened. The Cadwalladers had won the lottery. I know what you’re thinking… well that’s not so bad, but you’re wrong. They thought the same, but when the constant construction and parties kept happening, that’s when it started to get out of hand. After a while they didn’t talk to each other or even look at each other.

This book is both a comedy and a thriller. You will never expect what is around the corner. There are so many exciting sections in the book. But the question is: will the Judges defeat the Cadwalladers in the cockroach war? Will they finally have the freedom to be normal again. This is why I recommend this book to you. If you do read this book, you will find out the exciting end to this amazing book.

By Mason, Year 8

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What if you won $40 million dollars? How do you think your neighbour’s would react? Meet the Cadwalladers, a kind loving family from hell! The poor Judge family, how would they cope with parties, helicopters and an explosion.

The story is set in a peaceful neighbourhood where neighbours would help and treat each other nicely but not for long. The lottery was where everyone would buy tickets to win big. Every family would buy to win and for one family this was their greatest day.

Not everything works out how you would expect and the families are getting along. No, this wasn’t just a change in the Cadwalladers but the Judge family too. The Judge family loved the Cadwalladers till now; now they hate them. The Judge family are made up of mum, dad, daughter and two sons. The Cadwalladers are the same as any Aussie family with Dick Cadwallader, Beverly Cadwallader and their two sons Ian and Shaun. The two families are typical working families, not better or worse then each other.

The Cadwalladers win $40 million dollars, spending their money on blowing up their house, buying a GX-26 fully automatic helicopter and installing a landing pad as well as throwing wild parties night after night. The sister sends in secret weapons to spy on the Cadwalladers to stop their mockery and to put an end to their shenanigans.

I really enjoyed this book The Cockroach War as it was an easy read. The story’s setting and finding out what happens at the end made me think of what I would do with $40 million dollars. I would recommend this book to sci fi lovers and males aged 8 to 14 who are interested in fantasy.

Angelo.L, year 8

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May 31

‘Don’t Call Me Ishmael’ by Michael Gerard Bauer

Do you like to be enticed into a novel whose story sends you into another world, imaging thoughts you never knew you could think of? Then this is a book you will absolutely love. The novel Don’t call me Ishmael is wonderful book that takes you through the world of Ishmael, where he’s hounded by a regiment of menacing bullies and quite literately struck in the face by his phobia of girls. This book is mainly about him explaining his life because he thinks he has ‘Ishmael Leseur Syndrome’.

This novel is a novel that kept me wondering and pondering all night. It kept me reading for two and half hours until I read the whole thing. For me there is no better accomplishment than finishing a book before I have finished all my cookies. This book has descriptive sentences that give you a wide range of imaginative experiences and to top it off the author includes a squirt of comedy here and there. This book is for people who like comic writing and a story they can relate to.

Lawrence, Year 8

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Do you like a laugh?

If you do,

‘Don’t Call Me Ishmael’

Is the book for you!

‘Don’t Call Me Ishmael’ is the funniest book by far of all the books I’ve read. It makes all books seem like trash.

‘Don’t Call Me Ishmael’ is an exciting and hilarious book that will take your mind through the amazing life of Ishmael. This book tells you about Ishmael’s hard going days at school, also his phobia of females. This book is mainly trying to explain his life at school because he strangely thinks he has ‘Ishmael Leseur Syndrome’.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. It keeps me wondering as I slept. It constantly made me drawl as I thought about it.Everyday I would leave a space in my day so I could just read my book, I would never put the book down unless I have finished two or more chapters. This book is the most funny and exciting book your mind will ever grasp. If you have not read this book you must go get it!

George, Year 8

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Description: Macintosh HD:Users:187036:Desktop:180px-Don't_Call_Me_Ishmael_cover.jpg Do you like stories that involve schoolyard dramas? If you do then ‘Don’t Call Me Ishmael’ by Michael Gerard Bauer is the book for you.

This book is an hilarious story with great comedy and humor that will definitely make you laugh.

Ishmael is in Grade 9 at St Daniel’s Boys College and he gets bullied by a small group of boys. Ishmael really dislikes getting bullied and he hates his name. He is always getting called names that rhyme with Ishmael Leseur.

This novel encouraged me to want to read more.

I enjoyed every second of it and read as much as I could in my spare time. It was one of the first books that actually kept me interested and helped me to enjoy reading more.

This book is a quick read and is aimed at younger teenagers.

I encourage you to read this book so you too can enjoy what I did.

Liam M, Year 8

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May 20

‘Mac Slater Cool Hunter: The Rules of Cool’ by Tristan Bancks

Do you like flying bikes, lightning farms or flying skateboards? Do you want to experience cool to a whole new level? If you do, then ‘Mac Slater Cool Hunter’ is the book for you!

This book is about Mac Slater and his best friend Paul. They love to invent different things, so when they create a flying bike and crash it in front off the entire school, a strange man comes up to Mac and said “he’s so uncool he’s, like, cool”. Mac thinks he’s crazy. How could he be cool when he lives in a rundown bus with his hippie mother. The man offers Mac a trial called “Cool Hunters” where he has to keep a video log of everything cool for a week. If he wins he will get to go to New York City.

This book was really intriguing and I couldn’t stop reading it. I would strongly recommended this book to any teenager between the ages of 12-16 who like to read adventure/creativity stories.

I would rate this book 9 out of 10 because while it was a little bit boring at the beginning, when I started to read further into the book, it became absolutely spell binding!

Kye, Year 8

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Cool or Uncool?

Geeks or Revolutionaries?

The votes are in.

At the beginning, Mac Slater was riding the bike, and I enjoyed this beginning. Mac was heading to the edge of Kings Cliff, and clutching the grips on a low-rider bike with his homemade Solar Engine.

Mac was designing the latest prototype of his flying bike. Mac thinks the cool hunters are crazy, because they think he is innovative. Tony and Speed say ‘He’s so uncool he’s, like, cool.’ Mac Slater blogs all the cool stuff coming out of Kings Bay for a day a week, and he’ll travel the world.

I would give this book, 7 out of 10, because the story was very interesting. No, I would not like the beginning to have developed differently. I would put this book into the thrill category because it was exciting when Mac used his bike to jump over the cliff. His bike’s wheel just scraped over the concrete road out of town. His head and brain were infected, ill and diseased.

I now still enjoyed the beginning of the book. I liked how Mac was riding the bike to the edge. It was exciting.

Kota, Year 8

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May 20

‘Thai-riffic!’ by Oliver Phommavanh

Meet Albert’s Family or you could call him Lengy for short from his last name. Albert (Lengy) Lengviriyakul, is fed up with being Thai. His parents own a Thai restaurant with a really cheesy name of Thai-riffic! and Lengy is sick of being his father’s curry guinea pig, longing to just eat pizza! At school he is a bit of a troublemaker, going to any lengths to hide his background. But when his best friend decides to become Thai for a day for a school project, Lengy thinks about it and comes to the realisation that there may just be some pretty cool things about his culture.

Kids from 9 to 14 of age will mostly enjoy this book. It is mainly for children because of the corny jokes the author talks about. High school is quite hard when you think about it. Lengy might be Aussie, but he definitely smells like Thai food. This book can remind people how frustrating high school is, with all the work and frustrating teachers. You can see what Lengy goes through when people are calling him ‘Bow-Thai’… and everybody thinks he comes from Planet Mars. When everybody is getting junk food and little sweets, Lengy gets stuck with his homemade rice and curry chicken. But when Lengy makes a new best friend and he has an interest in the Thai culture, Lengy starts to think about his family and see how great life is.

I personally think that people would love this book, obviously because it tells us how relationships, jokes, and many more things can reflect on people’s lives and even on your own. I would rate this book an 8/10. It might not be a 10/10 but you can have a ‘Thai-Riffic’ time reading this book. So come join in with Albert (Lengy) and have a great time with his wonderful adventure enjoying the young life of a teenager.

By Cristian, Year 8

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Do you like reading about people embarrassing themselves? Well this is the book for you. Thai-riffic is about a boy who has incredibly embarrassing parents plus one of the most annoying brothers in the world, plus he is just starting high school and is already feeling scared.

I highly recommend this book to the under 10s because the humour in this book just isn’t enough to make me laugh. I recommend this book to the more experienced novel readers.

Clay, Year 8

Category: Funny books, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | 1 Comment

November 5

‘Don’t Call me Ishmael’ by Michael Gerard Bauer

Don’t call me Ishmael! is a book written by Michael Gerard Bauer about a boy who had just moved to high school and doesn’t have any friends in his class. On the first day of high school Ishmael was picked on a boy named Barry Bagsley, the school bully for Grade 8. By the end of Grade 8 Ishmael was better known as Le Sewer. When Grade 8 finished, Ishmael was relieved to have no more school because he wouldn’t get picked on any more. The next year continues with his daily bullying and he struggles with school. The story is set in a suburban middle class area.

Ishmael hates his name. He has a mum, dad and also a 13 year old sister. Ishmael is a shy 14 year old boy. Ishmael hates his parents because they chose his name out of a book. He despises the book that his parents often talk about. The novel deals in depth with him trying to fit in with other people. This book is long and it makes you think about bullying and how it affects people. This book is suited for boys and girls because it makes them think about what they can do to other people through bullying.

By Tyler, Year 9

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Don’t call me Ishmael is a terrific book, which outlines the life of a young boy called Ishmael who gets bullied about having the name “Ishmael Leseur”. This book is funny and contains a lot of issues, which relate to teenagers. This novel takes place at a school called St. Daniels and goes through the year explaining what happens and how a boy called Barry Bagsley bullies Ishmael. This book did not interest me because it doesn’t relate to me but I would recommend this book to teenagers who are struggling in their lives now because of issues like bullying.

Lochie, year 9

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Don’t call me Ishmael! The story is about a boy named Ishmael Lesur who just recently moved to a new high school, St Daniel’s College, where he hasn’t made any friends. Ishmael Lesur is a 14 year old boy who hates his name so much he gave it a syndrome – the Ishmael Lesur Syndrome – talking about how much he hates his name that his parents gave him. Barry Bagsley is the schoolyard bully who bullies Ishmael mostly because of his name, which also makes Ishmael hate it even more. Ishmael’s mother and father Carol and Ron both like talking about their son to other people, which Ishmael also hates.

The story is about bullying and a lot of real life issues in real life situations which relate to young teenagers around the same age as Ishmael. I liked this book because it is funny and rather interesting. I would recommend this book to young teenagers who are dealing with the same issues in life as Ishmael.

Brad, Year 9

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November 2

‘Mac Slater, Cool Hunter: The Rules of Cool’ by Tristan Bancks

Have you ever thought of flying a bike? Have you ever wanted to write blogs for people? Also, if you like books that you can’t stop reading and this sounds like you then you will like this book.

Cool Hunters is a website for people to see what is up all over the world. Bloggers all over the world post blogs every day to show what is cool in their town or country. Mac Slater, a young inventor, was asked to upload blogs for this website, which involves some competition with another girl trying to do the same thing at the same time. Tension is building through the story, who will win?

I really liked this book because the competition in the book is good as well as the different types of people and different personality for each of the characters. Mac is a good main character who tries and tries until he gets it right. The suspense of if he wins or if he doesn’t every day gets better and better as the book goes on. Every day there is a new winner and a new loser.

I recommend this book to teens and young people between the ages of 12-16 because the age of the kids in the book is the same age as the people that would read this. This book is one of the best books I have ever read and I hope it would be one of yours. Lachlan, Year 9.

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I didn’t find this novel titled “Cool hunters” very entertaining. In fact it was quite an easy read and very boring. The way the story played out was extremely easy to see coming. Nothing came as a surprise. I honestly wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone.

This book is about a boy named Mac. He comes from a poor family. Also he isn’t the smartest cookie in the jar. His role in this 1^st person story is just an average loser at school. He and his friend are always trying to prove themselves to the community. This book would be a 1 star out of 5.

Thomas Year 9

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Mac Slater, Cool Hunter by Tristan Bancks is a good book about two boys and their adventures inventing cool things for the modern crowd and doing crazy stuff that’s considered cool. A lot of things go wrong with the boys and their crazy ideas. The book also deals with the themes of friendships, bullying and being cool! This book is based in Kingscliff in Kings Bay. It is a great book for teenagers, especially boys, because it is crazy and out there and they also do really cool stuff. It is worth a read and you will enjoy it. The main characters are Mac and Paul and also the evil cold-blooded worst enemy Cat Devrees who is always trying to take their spot and bring them down!

By Jacob year 9

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May 9

‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar

“He needed to save his energy for the people who counted.”

A quote from ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar.

I chose this quote because I too needed to save my energy for the books that counted and this wasn’t one of them for me.

I read a lot but I must say “Holes” by Louis Sachar isn’t the type of book I’d usually choose. Still, it was an entertaining read with characters most people can relate to.

Stanley Yelnats is sent to Green Lake detention centre for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He is subjected to all kinds of cruel and unusual treatment including having to dig holes in a barren part of the land where he and the other inmates are rewarded with days off every time they find something of interest to the warden.

While none of the boys are sure what they are looking for, they learn about themselves and each other during their time at Green Lake as the story is revealed through the many different perspectives of the culturally diverse characters.

Friendship and social justice are the main themes of the story, which asks the reader to think about what makes a true friend and how we should treat society’s young people, even those who have made mistakes.

I enjoyed the book but unfortunately I was reading the Hunger Games trilogy at the same time and it was way better.

A review by Rhys, Year 8

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The really interesting thing about the book Holes by Louis Sachar is that you get multiple stories in one book, but the main character is Stanley Yelnats. Stanley is put into a juvenile detention centre for a crime he didn’t commit. (Stealing shoes.) Stanley has been picked on at school a lot and has never been lucky. In fact, they blame it on the “family curse” that has troubled their ancestors and Stanley alike. So you can imagine how he feels when he arrives at Camp Green Lake. He meets other boys there (that are coping with it much better than he is). Their job was to dig one hole each day.

Holes is a novel that will surprise and interest you. I think this book would be suited for boys of the ages 11-13. I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Michael, Year 8

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May 9

‘Two Weeks with the Queen’ by Morris Gleitzman

I am not the type of person who reads a lot. If someone asked me to read a book, I would say no, as much as possible. I have never found a book that I really enjoyed more than Two weeks with the Queen by Morris Gleitzman.

The book is mainly about cancer, which attracts me more. My friends and I have all read this book and we all have different opinions that relate to the book. I particularly found this novel interesting because when Colin’s little brother ‘Luke’ gets cancer it seems to Colin that it is just another way of his little brother trying to get attention. But when Colin is sent to England and stays with his aunty and uncle he hatches a plan that will really make his mum and dad sit up and take notice. If he can just get to the Queen to ask if he can borrow the best doctor in the country then all will be well.

As you keep reading into this novel you will find a prefect combination of tragedy and comedy as Colin embraces an hilarious mission. I would highly rate this book an 8/10 and it would be suitable for younger readers ages 10 and up. It’s a really great book that you can’t put down. You could read it a thousand times and still be really into it.

Courtney L. Yr 8

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Morris Gleitzman’s book “Two weeks with the queen” was quite boring and lacked description. The idea of the story and the message it was trying to give to children was great but the series of dull and boring events let the whole book down. I think it might’ve suited younger kids than me as it was about teaching the reader to be empathetic and to not give up which they need to learn at a young age.

When Colin’s little brother, Luke, is diagnosed with cancer that doesn’t have a cure, Colin strives to find the best cancer researcher and doctor there is. The message for the reader is to never give up even when things are looking down. He wanted the best for his brother so he wrote a letter to the queen and went to the most famous cancer hospital in the world.Outside of the hospital he meets a very special character, Ted, who also has a loved one dying of cancer. Throughout Colin’s journey he grows up and realises that he cannot control everything that happens in his life. He learns to accept the situation as it is and be empathetic for his brother.

The story is lovely but the author failed to provide any climaxes in the story, which bored me. The problems, and consequences seemed so unreal.There were events that no one could have done and got away with. This would make children think they can get away with such rebellious acts.

I rate this book 3 stars. Zali, Year 8

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Normally when I read a book and it’s not interesting I stop reading it and move on to another book, but with this book there is just something about it that I like.

It’s interesting and I think it will get better throughout the book. This book is set in Australia in a small town. One of the main characters is Colin. Colin is a determined and quite optimistic character who is not afraid to put himself out there. This book is about a sick boy and his brother, determined to cure him so he sends a letter to the queen asking for a one of the best doctors they have. I liked this book because I think it will get better further into the book. I recommend this story to people in Year 6 and up.

Dan. Yr. 8

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May 9

‘The Cockroach War’ by Jonathan Harlen

I’m not a person who likes to read but this book, The Cockroach War, is a really great book to read. There’s some really funny characters and there’s some bad and selfish ones. When I started to read this book I thought it was going to be really boring and not enjoyable but as I read more I started to think that this book is not that bad. It is a great book to read and once you start you don’t want to stop.
This book has no pictures but while you’re reading, the pictures will appear in your mind.

There are five characters in this book: Emma, Toby, Beverly, Dick and Judge.
Emma is my favourite character because she is creative and sweet. Except for Dick, he is the worst one, after winning the lotto with his family and becoming rich he changed and became really bad. They call Dick and his family the Cadwalladers. They are the worst neighbours in the whole neighbourhood.

I would recommend this book 11 and up and give it 4 stars.

Nadia, Year 8

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The Cockroach War was written by Jonathan Harlen. The Cockroach War is one of my favourite comedy books because it is so funny. The story is set in Dagenham London, England. My favourite character is Dick Cadwallder because he is hilarious, and he always does funny things.

The story is about neighbours the Judges and the Cadwallders. They are friendly neighbours until the day the Cadwallders win the lotto, and turn into a mean family because they become rich. I liked this book so much because it is a comedy and I love comedies.

I would recommend this book to everyone over the age of twelve, because I think it would be too hard to read for kids under that age. The words would be hard for them to understand. I would rate this book an 8 out of 10.

By Stellan, Year 8

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May 8

‘Alex Jackson: GROMMET’ by Pat Flynn

Alex had the best evidence that there was a god since he had been at St Joseph’s: there is a god because he and Becky Tonella were assigned to sit next to each other. I would admit that Alex Jackson: Grommet was one of the optimal books I have ever read, and I do not particularly enjoy reading but when I started reading this book I could not stop!

The story is set between St Josephs and the Skate Bowl. The main characters are Alex, Jimmy and Becky. Billy and Jimmy are best friends and they both met in Grade 3 in Primary school. It’s about Alex, who is one of the kids at St Joseph’s and he is finding it hard to become popular. But eventually he does one of his best skateboard tricks in class for a speech and successfully pulls it off. He became more popular later when he fought one of the toughest and largest kid in the grade, Billy Johnston. He came off first, so everyone in his class was trying to be best friends with him.

I loved this book because it wasn’t just one of those books where you have to just read it for school with no choice whatsoever but because it had something to the book which made me not want to stop reading it and gave me giggle or laugh every now and then.

I highly recommend this book for people (mainly boys) between the ages of 12-15. Some boys go through the same trouble as Alex Jackson goes through.

By Reece B, year 8.

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I am not the type of person that likes to read. If someone asked me to read a book, I would try and not read it as much as possible. I had never found a book that I have enjoyed, but then I found this book with love and thrills. The book is called Alex Jackson Grommet, which is a fiction book.

I think that this book made me feel like it was a really good book and so when I read the first couple of pages I thought it was a great book and that it was an amazing book. The feelings the book made me feel was love and thrill.

The book would be for people about 12 to 18 because this book has lots of thrill and love that everyone likes and so I would recommend this book for children cause it a funny book and a really good book so that’s why you should read this book.

Tyrone, Year 8

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The book I am reviewing is Alex Jackson: Grommet, by Pat Flynn.

The book is about a boy in high school who loves to skate but has a crush on a girl at school.

My reactions to the start of the book were that it was a relaxed type of book, then once Alex started skating the tempo of the book picked right up. I thought that the start could be more like for example Alex at the skate park attempting a really hard trick on his board.

The part of the book that was key to me was when Alex and Jimmy created a fake email just so they could talk to Becky. The thing about the book I enjoyed most was the style of the book and also the characters because of the different types. I would rate the book 5 stars because you never know what’s going to happen next.

Ryan. K Year 8.

Category: Funny books, Realistic fiction, Student Reviews | 1 Comment

May 4

‘Mac Slater, Cool Hunter: The Rules of Cool’ by Tristan Bancks

Unfortunately I’ve never liked reading books. When people ask me to read, I always have a thought in my mind saying, ‘No thank you.’ But I have never read a book like Mac Slater, Cool Hunter. This novel is out of this world.

This book grabs your attention as soon as you start to read, as it’s full of excitement. The story is about two boys Mac and Paul who are best friends. They love inventing things such as a flying bike out of rubbish and other weird things.

One day they were testing one of their inventions when a man asked them to spot cool things, so he can put it on a website called ‘Cool Hunters.’ It’s a website where kids can find new, cool and interesting things. This is a great book, and I would recommend it to anyone between the ages 10 to 12.
3 out of 5 stars.

By Kobi P, Year 8

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The book Mac Slater, Cool Hunter by Tristan Bancks is a really great book that you just can’t stop reading.

This book is aimed for boys aged eleven to thirteen who are sporty and imaginative. I really like this book because the two main characters Mac and Paul want to do something completely out of the ordinary. I also enjoyed this book because you could relate to it, such as I like making things with my imagination and this book was all about getting something like a bike and making it into something ‘cool’ like a flying bike.

My favourite character in the book was Mac, who gets asked by these two ‘Cool Hunters’ to hunt ‘cool’ for the next week and upload it on the cool hunting website every night and then whoever gets the most votes out of the competitors on the videos wins for that day. Paul gets jealous of the opportunity that Mac has to go to New York but when Paul finds out that Mac’s competition is the mean girl at school, Cat, he tells Mac to go ahead with it. Mac and Paul eventually win the competition and in the end they both get to go to New York.

This is a great book that eleven to thirteen year old boys would really enjoy and it gives them lots of ideas to make inventions one day.

By Molly R, Year 8.

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May 4

‘The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites’ by Heather Brewer

I normally don’t like reading that much if the book I’m reading isn’t that good, because I can’t get stuck into it. The chronicles of Vladimir Tod is the kind of book I’m talking about. It started off being very weird and I didn’t like it, but then when I kept reading it started to grow in me. I think this book attracts readers who like unusual and gothic books. Vladimir, the male character, is a boy who has just entered high school. He is trying really hard to control the vampire within him by bringing in blood capsule sandwiches to satisfy his needs. In my opinion I liked the ending more than any other part of the book because many problems arise in Vlad’s life at home and at school. Imagine having your own teacher tempting to reveal the biggest secret of your life.

“I can’t wait to hear your oral presentation,” Mr Otis says. Mr Otis has assigned an assignment describing what a “werewolf” is but when the letters on the paper change into “vampire” a whole world of pain arises for Vlad. This is a good book and I think you should give it a try.

Sebastian, Year 8

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I hate reading. I almost never read, but fortunately I was forced to read “The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod” and surprisingly, I enjoyed it. It is a vampire story, filled with a lot of twists and turns in the story. I recommend this book to 12-15 year olds who enjoy reading fantasy books such as Christopher Paolini’s series “Eragon” or J.R.R Tolkien’s “Lord Of The Rings”

The main character Vladimir Tod is very intriguing because nothing is known about vampires. Vladimir and his best friend, Henry find themselves in the middle of a mystery when they discover Vlad’s fathers journal. The journal contains many secrets to Vladimir’s secrets and history. Unknown to Vlad, he is being hunted by another mysterious character.
By Jordan, Year 8

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I am not the type of person that likes to read. If someone ever asked me to read I book, I’d try and make excuses to get out of reading the book. But when I started reading The Chronicles Of Vladimir Tod by Heather Brewer, I enjoyed it so much that I couldn’t stop or put it down.

This book is mainly for boys and girls that are different. It’s basically about a boy named Vladimir who isn’t popular at school just because he’s different. He ignores all the bad comments that everyone has to say about him. He just lives life no matter what anyone says.

It helps all children realize that you don’t have to be perfect to live life. You can be whatever you want to be whenever you want.

I highly recommend this book to boys and girls from an age of 12-15 as when you older, people seem to believe popularity is the most important thing. This book is filled with friendship problems and school problems and helps you solve them and it often brings a smile to one’s face.

By Alana S, Year 8.

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My book Blog The chronicles of Vladimir Tod

Vampire and his Victim. Usually I don’t really like to read books because I don’t find them that interesting. At first when I was given the book The chronicles of Vladimir Tod I didn’t think that I would like it because I usually like books that are sporty ones, so when I got one about a vampire I thought it would be interesting to see what it would be like. I think that this book is probably more for boy teens because I find that the girls won’t really like what’s in there compared to the boys. None of my friends that I know have read this book so I had to start it not knowing at all what it would be like. I find that this book is a bit harder to relate to because it’s about a vampire called Vladimir Tod and I haven’t met anyone who is a vampire before. Although at first when I started reading the book I found it hard to get into, when I read on I found the book to be very interesting. I found it interesting because it is about a boy at the beginning who is a vampire and he likes a girl but can’t find the guts in him to actually talk to her. The two main characters in this this book are Vladimir and his friend Henry. Vladimir is a vampire and likes to drink glasses of blood in the morning. Henry is Vladimir’s best friend. All the girls at school have a crush on Henry. There is also Vladimir’s mum’s friend Nelly who has looked after Vladimir since his parents died three years ago. She is a fully qualified nurse and tries to sneak some blood from the hospital to take home to Vladimir so he can drink it. Vladimir and Nelly are not family but Vladimir said that he would consider her as family after all she has done for him in his life. If I had to recommend this book to any age I would say for 11-15 because it is sort of a mystery but not too serious and also has some romance in it which people of that age would be able to relate to from their life.

Taine Year 8

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May 4

‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ by Derek Landy

I am not much of a big reader myself, but after reading this book I took a bigger interest in reading. Skulduggery Pleasant is a thrilling book to read. This book takes place in Ireland near the city of Dublin. The main characters in Skulduggery Pleasant are Stephanie Edgley (Valkyrie Cain), Skulduggery Pleasant and Nefarian Serpine. Stephanie Edgley is a bored girl at the age of 16, just waiting for some excitement to come along in her life. Skulduggery Pleasant is human, until he dies a tragic death and comes back to life as something very strange. Nefarian Serpine is Skulduggery’s biggest enemy. He is evil and has no skin on one of his arms. He tortures and kills innocent people. When Stephanie’s Uncle Gordon Edgley dies, he leaves her his house and possessions. When she goes to the house a stranger asking for ‘the key’ attacks her. Whilst she is being attacked Skulduggery Pleasant saves her life in a very peculiar way. When Stephanie finds out what Skulduggery is she is very surprised and wants to join him in his work. They have to work together to stop Nefarian Serpine from getting what he wants so he doesn’t take over and gain power. I liked this story so much because you never know what’s going to happen next or who is going to do what. I also like it because it is action packed and I would recommend this book for teenagers because it is a thrilling, funny and action packed book. By Jed E, Year 8

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Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

“With his sunglasses gone there was no denying the fact that he had no face. All he had was a skull for a head.”
The story takes place at Stephanie’s uncle’s funeral when Stephanie first sees Skulduggery and he enters her life. Everything is quite straight forward; she is a single child going to her uncle’s funeral in respect. She isn’t that upset about the fact he is dead either; they weren’t really that close. Everything changes though when Skulduggery accidentally drops his disguise in front of Stephanie. Skulduggery is a very weird, funny and bold character. He is a detective trying to sort out the death of his friend. Meanwhile, he lives in this world with people who own magic and he is a skeleton.
Stephanie and Skulduggery set out to discover what really happened to Stephanie’s uncle. They already know he is murdered but who did it and why?

This book was good because it was unpredictable. Also, Skulduggery added a tinge of humour into the story. It was a better book then I thought.

I’d mostly recommend this story for 9-11 year old boys. I don’t think girls would enjoy this story because it’s about a man who is a skeleton. This type of story line would also interest boys.
Kyoko, 13.

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When I picked up ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ I started reading and I was immediately sucked into this book. It was an exciting start, with the first sentence:

‘Gordon Edgely’s sudden death came as a shock to everyone- not least himself.’

And from that sentence I was interested throughout the whole book. With twists and turns, you could never predict anything. I think this book is in the thrill and wonder category. The plot is thrilling, and interesting.

I think this book is aimed at really anyone who enjoys a good mystery book but mostly teens. Derek Landy wrote this book. If you enjoyed The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest, Haunted or other Derek Landy books you will surely enjoy this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone.
I rate this book 3 out of 5.
Georgia, Year 8

Category: Adventure stories, Crime fiction, Funny books, Mystery, Student Reviews | LEAVE A COMMENT

October 24

‘Son of the Mob’ by Gordon Korman

“Son of the Mob”, written by Gordon Korman, is an hilarious book that gets you hooked on the first page.

“ When Vince opened the trunk of the car to get the picnic blanket, he see Jimmy ‘the rat’ unconscious and wrapped up in the blanket.”

Vince Luca was born into the mob but has never taken an interest in business, but as the story goes on the business keeps on finding him and he hates it and to top it off his Dad (the Boss) is on his back pressuring Vince to join so that when Abe (Dad) is finished the business can stay in the family.

For me this is a great book that I am really enjoying that I would recommend for a 14 year old and someone that likes light comedy with a bit of action. I give this book 9/10. This is a great book that all should read.

Sam, Year 9

FBI agents may be watching the house, but Vince Luca is still just an ordinary high school boy. He and his close friend Alex are trying to score every girl they see. Vince’s brother is very annoying and his father is also very demanding at trying to get him to do things and to be motivated. There is one thing keeping him from having a normal life and this is that his father is the leader of a powerful crime organisation. Because of this Vince’s family can be very handy for particular things, like his teachers are scared to give him bad grades. Vince likes a girl but he doesn’t know how he is meant to explain to her what his father does and how their family operates. But when the moment comes and he finds a girl, he doesn’t know that his family will be the biggest problem of all because her father is the FBI agent wanting to lock his father away.

In my personal opinion I think that this book is more suited to all ages but particularly teenagers. This is because I have heard reviews and people as adults themselves have said they enjoyed it too. The book is great and has you on the edge a lot. Rachel, Year 9

Vince Luca is just regular high school boy. He has the usual problems like any other teenager, just like his best friend Alex who keeps trying to beat him in everything, and his father, who tells him he must be very serious in life. But there is only one little difference between himself and other kids; his father is the head of a huge mob organization. There are many positives to this relationship, however. For example, if Vince ever gets poor grades, his teachers will automatically change his marks, thinking that his father will kill them otherwise. But Vince is thinking about his future. How will new people he meets react to his family? Would he ever be offered a job anywhere? Would he have to carry on his father’s business after completing high school? And the biggest question of all is how will Vince explain to his girlfriend what his father does for a living?

Vince’s luck improves when he finally thinks he has found someone. But instead of his dad being the problem in their love life, the girl’s dad seems to be the problem. The difficulty is that her father is an FBI agent, who is working day and night to put Vince’s father in jail! From here, the book shows the son of the mob’s struggle in his social life, and how he tries to overcome all obstacles. The book is very good with lots of action around the corner. I recommend it to older audiences with some of the things in it like a blood soaked person in the boot of Vince’s car. About 13+ is the age I would recommend it to, but other than that it is a really good book to read. Kaide, Year 9

At a young age, Vince Deluca knew his family wasn’t normal. With regular appearances from the police in his house and his dad’s constant referral to the ‘Agents’, Vince caught on pretty fast that life wasn’t ordinary. It was the life for the son of a mob.

Now aged 17, Vince wanted to get on with his life. But with only one friend, a controlling father and his business trying to take over it, he was finding that pretty hard. Until Kendra came along. Kendra was everything Vince could have hoped for and better; beautiful, smart and actually willing to put up with him. Then he found out that Kendra’s father was an FBI agent trying to put his father in jail.

I would recommend this book for ages 13 to 16. I believe both genders will enjoy it, but preferably boys. It is a quick and easy read, that relates to their daily lives, with drama added to it. I would rate it a 7 out of 10 because it is a book you can relate to, with a great writing style, although it could do with some touch-ups.

Holly, Year 9

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the son of a criminal? Vince Luca is and he hates it! Born into the criminal side of the world, Vince just wants to live a normal love life without his dad’s business involved. But when he starts dating the daughter of an FBI agent, whose life long ambition is to have Vince’s dad behind bars; things start to speed off track.

This novel is for an adolescent age group, predominantly male, because it deals with moral decisions and problems teenagers go through in today’s society. This very entertaining and humorous novel moves along very quickly and keeps the reader guessing.

Lauren, Year 9

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October 24

‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ by Lili Wilkinson

I must admit, being a person who doesn’t read very many books and doesn’t enjoy reading, I found myself very intrigued by the book ‘A Pocketful of Eyes’, written by Lili Wilkinson. I would definitely recommend this book to teenagers who enjoy a sort of sexy but mystery read. When I began reading ‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ my first impression was that it was exciting and curious. After every chapter something new would happen and would make me want to read more. ‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ is a about a Year 12 student called ‘Bee’. Bee had volunteered to work in the Natural History Museum for a summer job. While working in the taxidermy lab Bee discovers that training as a taxidermist isn’t as normal as she thought it would be. Over the summer holidays Bee experiences mysteries like no other teenager would face, but Bee was prepared, as she had only dreamed of a moment like this to come alive from her childhood fascinations; but Bee found it difficult to concentrate, when a young attractive boy called ‘Toby’ caught her attention. Overall I found this book a wonderful read and would rate ‘A Pocketful of Eyes’ ★★★★ (four stars out of 5). Jasmin, Year 9

Category: Adventure stories, Crime fiction, Funny books, Love stories, Mystery, Student Reviews | 2 Comments

May 20

‘Too Small to Fail’ by Morris Gleitzman

‘Too small to fail’ is SO much fun! Morris Gleitzman is well known for his humour, however there’s much more at stake in this novel – millions of dollars, one seriously gorgeous dog and one (plus 15 more) camels, a young boy longing to be loved PLUS wanting parents who he respects. Is that too much to ask? Gleitzman steps away from the ‘voice’ so evident in his last few novels to create a fun yet serious story about a boy caught in the morality morass of high corporate finance. Underneath all the layers of wealth and glamour, is Oliver too small to fail in his quest, or will good triumph in the end? Join Oliver as he discovers that life, love and loyalty are more important than fame and fortune. This is a ripping yarn for middle school students. 4 1/2 stars. Mrs O.

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May 17

‘The Cockroach War’ by Jonathan Harlen

The book I have read is a wonderful book with a funny side to it. The author of this book is Jonathan Harlen. He has done a great job putting such a funny book together. This book is recommended to people who have a sense of humor or just want a laugh. “Cockroach War” is about two families who were great friends at the start until things changed. The Cadwalladers won the lotto and became very wealthy and a little stuck up. This book is mostly set around the neighbourhood of the two families. The two families are very different. Emma, Toby and their parents belong to the Judge family and Dick, Beverly and their children belong to the Cadwallader family. These two families live in a beautiful neighbourhood with a stream and a great view but then things change…..The Cadwalladers win the lotto of a lifetime. My favorite character is Emma as she is very creative and my least favourite character is Dick as once he becomes rich he doesn’t care about anyone else and is very selfish. There are no pictures in this book but that doesn’t really matter. While your reading this book the pictures automatically appear in you head. All up this book is really good. You will love it all. It is an enjoyable book where you can have a laugh all through it. This book would be rated at least 10 as it has all the good features. ‘Cockroach war’ is a wonderful book because it makes you really think. Carlie, Year 8

‘The Cockroach War’ is a comedy written by Jonathan Harlen. Unfortunately there is no illustrator but I would still like to see the picture because they would be very humorous. It is an extraordinary book and it is also very compelling. The book is set in 1995 in a lovely neighborhood called Dagenham. The setting of the book does not play a very big part. It is not very convincing. The characters seem very real but not consistent. Emma and Toby Judge, Dick and Beverly Cadwalladers are the characters that stood out over the rest. Come meet the neighbours from hell! The Cadwalladers win 40 million big ones from the lottery ticket. They become selfish, upgrading their house and buying things they don’t need. I personally like the book because it is funny and great for if you’re looking for a good laugh. The highlight of the story is when the Cadwalladers become rich and brag about it. I would recommend this book to 12 and up. I give it 4 stars. Erin, Year 8

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