November 13

‘When Dogs Cry’ by Markus Zusak

When dogs cry“You’re quite of a lonely bastard aren’t you Cameron,” Rube said.

The name of this book is ‘When Dogs Cry’ and it is written by Markus Zusak.

Are you tired of people not acknowledging you? If you are, then you should read ‘When Dogs Cry’. It is about how a boy, Cameron Wolfe, doesn’t get noticed by anyone and his older brother Rube Wolfe gets all the girls but he doesn’t treat them with the respect that they should have. But then Cameron meets a girl named Octavia. His brother Rube goes out with her, but of course he discards her like the rest of his girlfriends. When Cameron finds out that Octavia likes him, he doesn’t believe it. He couldn’t put the pieces together why Octavia would like him.

This book isn’t like every love story. It has a twist in it, which is that the girl falls for the boy not the boy falls for the girl. I would recommend this novel for people who like a romantic read.

Kamii.M., Year 9

November 12

‘Megan’ by Mary Hooper

Megan-by-Mary-Hooper“Without thinking, my hand moved onto my stomach. It didn’t feel any different.

But was that because I did want it to? Was it just a bit bigger? Rounder?”

Megan is such a captivating fictional novel from start to end. It is a relevant story to teenager’s life. It is a heart-wrenching story, which all starts with Megan a 15 year old who makes a dramatic discovery whilst in development class at school. She and her best friend, Claire had been passing notes and talking about boys. The class was talking about pregnancy, the pill and how it all works. The teacher had said something which made Megan pay attention. She was having all the signs of being pregnant. Megan’s head started spinning. No it couldn’t be, she thought. She’d broken up with Luke months ago. It couldn’t be true, could it?  She sat in despair, she was regretting the thought that if she was pregnant she would be 5 MONTHS. How was she going to tell Luke? What about her mum?  What is everyone going to think of Megan? Will she keep the baby? What about her holiday with Claire which they’d been planning ever since the start of this year?

The main characters in the book are Claire, Megan’s mum, Ellie, Susie and Aunty Lorna. This dilemma for the 15 year old teenager resulted in many difficulties between Megan, her best friend and especially her mum. Megan eventually was strong and brave enough to tell her ex boyfriend who was shocked but supportive with money and time. Megan however rejected Luke’s offer.

I really enjoyed this book because it was a touching, enjoyable story. Mary Hooper is an excellent author whose stories are easy to understand.  Her writing is very descriptive. You can understand and feel the emotion of the main character. One thing I especially liked about this story was that it didn’t end with a ‘happy ever after’ ending. It was different from every other book that I have read.  I would recommend this book to 13 – 16 year olds who like a fictional drama that involves confronting real life situations and consequences. I would rate this enjoyable novel a 4 out of 5.

Mariah, Year 9

…..

“Of course, it is possible to be pregnant and still have periods.”

Who knew that this sentence would change Megan’s life forever?

Megan was a normal 15-year old girl, preparing for her GCSE when one day, in her personal development class, her teacher’s passing comment made her worst nightmare apparent.  Megan had missed a few periods but had thought nothing of it until then. Megan finds out that she is five months pregnant. Important questions must be faced and decisions made. What will she do? Will she keep the baby? How will her ex-boyfriend react?  But more immediately, how will her strict mum react to this life changing accident?

The main characters of this book consist of Megan’s so-called best friend Claire, her ex-boyfriend Luke, her over-protective mother, her ‘perfect’ little sister Ellie, her Aunty Lorna and her social worker Susie. Megan’s mother’s reaction is scandalous because you would expect a mother to be more supportive; instead her reaction is what you least expect and, unlike some of the other characters, this attitude doesn’t change as Megan goes through this difficult time.

Megan is a heart-wrenching novel that is about a 15 year old girl that is pregnant. This story is about the decisions she makes on this life-changing journey. I would recommend this book to female readers from the age of 12 to 16 as this book discusses teen pregnancy in an informative way, revealing possible outcomes that come from unsafe decisions and it discusses real, common issues. I rate this book a four out of five stars as it was realistic and I was gripped by Megan’s difficult predicament.

Bethany, Year 9

November 11

‘No Safe Place’ by Deborah Ellis

No safe placeThe novel “No safe place” is about a group of young teenagers escaping war and poverty and trying to get to a better place. Both of 15-year-old Abdul’s parents were killed in the war at his home in Iraq, so Abdul travels halfway across the world to try and find a safer place to live. He meets many friends and enemies and acquires many new life skills along the way as he tries to get to England.

This story shows real life events and stories from real life asylum seekers as it is based on a true story. It is relevant to teenagers because it has bravery and leadership, which are great skills to learn at young ages. As this book progresses you can see the problems that occur and how the characters can solve them.

I would recommend this book to older teenagers as it is based around their ages and it would be much harder to understand by younger children. This book is a good read and I would rate it a 4/5. If you enjoyed this book then you would like other books by Deborah Ellis such as “Diego Run” or “Children of war”.

Cameron, Year 9

November 11

‘Son of the Mob’ by Gordon Korman

Son of the mobVince Luca lives the life of an average teenage boy: school, sport and work; but he is being held back by what you would think would be the most influential people in your life, his family. Does this book have the right theme for you? Then Son of the Mob is definitely for you.

The author, Gordon Korman, has written Son of Mob as a great thrill story. With the turn of every page, a surprise arises and it always keeps you intrigued and wanting to read more. The story is set in the city of New York, where the love lost Vince Luca is struggling to keep his girlfriend, Kendra Brightly, from finding out about his family business (crime). It doesn’t help that Kendra’s father is a FBI agent. Vince’s infamous family business is holding him back from doing the things he wants and he finds himself juggling his secret life from reality, and this turns out to be very difficult for Vince.

The story line creates a great atmosphere whilst reading this book and I enjoyed this book due to its creative and intriguing storyline. It is constantly changing and this is why Gordon Korman has made such a successful book. I would recommend this book to 14 to 15 year old males, as it is suited more to a male’s taste in reading. As it is also about a teenage male, this allows 14 to 15 year old boys to relate to this book more than what females could. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars as it kept you very inclined to reading it, but in some cases I think a little bit more action could be put into the story, therefore making an even better book to read.

Overall, Gordon Korman has created a fascinating book that is always changing and every turn of page keeps you inclined to read more and more, therefore making this book a good read. Daniel, Year 9.

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Imagine your family are mobsters and you found the girl you love but you can’t let her find out about your family’s life because her dad is the FBI agent trying to take down your father! Pretty hard to imagine ,right? Well for Vince Luca this is a reality. He wants nothing to do with the family business but it somehow always manages to screw things up for him. Author Gordon Korman has created a book that is intriguing to say the least! Once you start reading you just can’t stop because it takes you on an adventure through Vince Luca’s fascinating life.

Vince, was struggling with his secret life before he met Kendra. Now he has to juggle keeping himself away from his family’s business and dating the daughter of the man who has bugged his house and his phone listening to every conversation he has. He has been mildly successful in distancing himself from the family business but little was he to know that one delivery of money to his father could turn his life upside down. It gets too much for Vince, Kendra finds out about his true identity and dumps him, then he finds out a secret that has baffled his father for years and Vince finds himself at the end of a barrel of a gun.  Could it be the end of Vince or will he get himself out of it? All will be revealed in Son of the Mob!

The novel Son of the Mob was remarkable to read. If you like books that are thrillers, adventurous and leaving you intrigued to read the next page then Son of the Mob is the book for you. This story leaves no stone unturned so you’re never confused. I would recommend this book to teenagers of the ages 14 to 17 years old. This book definitely is a page-turner I would read again. I would rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars because it did get a bit boring in the middle of the book.   Mitchell, Year 9

November 10

‘BEFORE I DIE’ by Jenny Downham

Before_I_dieWhat would it be like to be sixteen and living with cancer?

Tessa Scott knows as she has been living with cancer for four years, going through chemotherapy and fighting back against hospital visits but she has now decided to stop the chemo and the doctors don’t give her long to live. Tessa and her best friend Zoe come up with a list of things Tessa wants to do before she dies. Some are very risky and some are ‘have to do’ things but Tessa will go through anything to get this list done. On the list there are the things that most teenagers are curious about doing. Zoe, Tessa’s best friend, is alongside her, doing the list with her. Number one is sex.

Tessa’s relationship with her father, brother, mother, her best friend and new boyfriend are all becoming precious as the weeks start closing in on her as time slowly runs out.

As always there will be struggles, meltdowns, tantrums and of course love is going find its way. I really enjoyed reading this book although it was a bit slow in some parts of the book because it kept you wanting to read more. I would recommend this story for (13-17) year old girls.

Aimee, Year 9

November 10

‘DIEGO, RUN!’ by Deborah Ellis

diego run‘Madre de Dio,’ she prayed, ‘how will we survive?’

Meet twelve year old, Diego, a hardworking Bolivian boy doomed to live in the cold cells of a Bolivian Women’s prison.  Placed there for a crime they didn’t commit, the members of Diego’s family were wrenched away from each other, his father destined to live out the rest of his days in a men’s prison, whilst his little sister doesn’t even know what home looks like. Diego works now as a human taxi running errands and selling things, but when his little sister wanders off on his watch, his mother is set to receive a hefty fine. Diego is offered a job he can’t afford to miss.  Leaving his family behind, Diego leaves with his trusted friend Mando to face an unknown path that could lead to either complete fortune or death. What will he choose?

Diego is an adventurous character who enjoys discovering new information and new strategies to aid both himself and what’s left of his family. For his young age, Diego is quite clever when it comes to accomplishing goals, collecting new information in his photographic mind to change new tactics of getting through the daily struggles and to him, every piece of information counts. His mother tries to cope with the days, always worried that one night they will end up sleeping on the dirty, cold floor. Diego’s sister, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. Crawling around and creating mischief is her key goal according to Diego. But as for his father, living in the men’s prison with Diego’s best friend Mando, all he would love to do is be with his family once again.

I think this book is for individuals from the age twelve to eighteen. It has real, worldwide problems in its pages and wouldn’t be understood or even appropriate for anyone under the age of twelve. But to compete with this, this book is also extremely easy to read and so may not exactly appeal to adults due to its limited vocabulary.

I loved this book. It’s been written exceedingly well and really gets you addicted to the story line, especially when it reveals its plot twist. The characters and culture are unique and the situation is realistic and can even appear to be educational. This novel really makes you appreciate what a lovely and lucky country we live in.

Reviewed by Scarlett, Year 9

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“The first breath made his lungs and throat burn, and he wanted to punch the men who had given him this horrible thing.”

Working as a young child, taking multiple drugs so you don’t fall asleep on the job that depends whether you’re going to live your life outside or inside the jail walls…

Inside a jail in Cochabamba, Bolivia, lives Diego, his mother and sister Corina. When Diego went out to work as a taxi one day, he didn’t realise that day was going to change his life. Mando, his best friend who lives outside the jail, asked him if he wanted to work in the jungle under the control of many men. Given very brief information he chose to go the next morning with just a satchel and a water bottle and take the chance of making loads of money or never coming back home to his family.

This novel was great and I was intrigued because it is an actual problem in Bolivia that people have to do as a job. It was tremendous to read, as it was easy to visualise, giving that it had immense detail about the feelings of Diego and how he was being treated with disgust from the men. This would be a great book for kids above the age of 12 as they would really understand the problem in detail and be more aware of drugs and what happens throughout the book. They would also take it more seriously.

Nicole C., Year 9

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How would you feel if your parents were just taken away from you? Your life suddenly changes, and what you know of life doesn’t exist for you. Diego is a child that has been brought up in a third world country. His parents have been put into a prison in Cochabamba, Bolivia. With his family being ripped away from society, only the children can leave through the gates.

To be able to have a living within the prison, Diego’s mother knits and Diego sells the goods and does taxi jobs for people. When life can’t seem to get any worse for Diego a dreadful event occurs. A hefty cost comes out from it and Diego is forced to pay it back. He feels great shame for what he has done and it doesn’t help the fact that his mother is now ignoring him.

Diego’s friend Mando pressures him to come on a job that will have a reward of lots of money. It is Deigo’s choice to come or not, to come on an adventure, to save his family, have great fortune or will it just be a great failure? He only has a few days to decide. Does he pick the right choice? Will his brilliant mind of judgment and knowledge help him? Will his family ever be together and happy again?

Diego Run is a well-written novel reaching out to younger teens around the age of 12 – 14. The author’s use of language is suited for around people around this age. Having easier use of language also makes the novel appealing to readers who aren’t very strong in this area allowing them to have an easy read. Misfortune is greatly showed in the novel with the poverty in third world countries. What makes the novel a great read is the mix between real world issues, adventure and uncalled events that you would have never expected to happen to always keep you on your edge.

Jeremy, Year 9

November 10

‘Six impossible things’ by Fiona Wood

Six impossible things“’Guys, please, one life-changing shock at a time,’ I felt like saying.”

Six Impossible Things is about a fourteen year old dorky boy, Dan Cereill. With his parents recently divorced, his mother’s failing cake business, his school of torture and dealing with his dad coming out of the closet, Dan is not handling things so well. But what’s driving him mad is the gorgeous girl next door, Estelle, with whom Dan has absolutely no chance. Estelle is a popular girl who is always surrounded by friends. Dan, on the other hand, is the ‘new want-to-be-cool-kid’ who doesn’t know anyone. Dan and Estelle come to know each other but when Estelle has to rely on Dan in a challenging situation can he make the right decisions?

This story has situations that are somewhat realistic but how things turn out is not always how things happen in real life. I did like how the characters overcame obstacles but the ending of this story was predictable.

I would recommend this novel to both genders between the ages of 11-14 within the genre preferences of self-help and romance fiction.  The author hasn’t directed this book at a specific gender because the main characters are a boy and girl, therefore both genders can equally enjoy it. The vocabulary difficulty is suited for readers aged 11-14. 11-14 year olds would enjoy this book for that reason.

Reviewed by Jade, Year 9

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 Meet Dan Cerill, a young fourteen-year-old nerd boy who is the main character of the novel, ‘Six Impossible Things’. Dan lives a tough life, with his parents being recently divorced, his dad being gay and his mum running a wedding cake business that is quickly falling apart. But on top of all this, Dan just recently moved houses and schools. In his new school, Dan gets bullied by the “cool” group but the only way he gets through it is by seeing the girl of his dreams, the girl next door, Estelle. She’s a popular girl, completely opposite to Dan. He thinks he has no chance at even talking to her, but when he does, he does it right and when Estelle trusts him, can he make the right decisions then? Can he be trusted? Can he get the girl of his dreams and fit into a new school? Well pick up this book and get into reading it.

This novel is one that can relate to real life situations. It can show how any ordinary person can overcome obstacles in life and if they put in enough hard work and effort they can achieve anything in life.

I enjoyed this book because it can relate to everyday life and can relate to the age group that I am in. I would recommend this book to either gender (male or female). Even though the book is based around a male, it also contains scenes that can relate to females. In my opinion, this novel would suit the ages of 12-16 year olds.

Review by Max, Year 9

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Making the impossible possible, nerd boy Dan Cereill is struggling to make friends in his new school, he finds out that his own father is gay, and he’s developing a massive crush on his next door neighbour. Nothing is going his way!

But although his life has been turned upside down, he manages to narrow all his struggles down to only Six Impossible Things, which he has to soon overcome.

I strongly recommend this book more for girls as opposed to boys, around the age of 10 to 14.

Nevertheless I did enjoy this book because of the anticlimactic storyline and never knowing what is going to happen next, really making you feel deep into the book as if you are a part of it.

Will D, YR 9

August 6

‘If I Stay’ by Gayle Forman

       This book is an edgy, heartbreaking and gripping story.

      Seventeen-year-old Mia narrates the story. She explains in utter detail every memory of her life and family. Mia is surrounded by a peculiar but wonderful family, several friends and a beautiful boyfriend. Mia has everything a teenage girl would ever want. One February morning Mia and her family are driving on a snowy road. In a blink of an eye Mia’s life is changed forever. Will she decide to stay or go?

      This book would interest girls from ages 12-17 who are interested in novels that have a heart ache storyline or novels about teenage girls who have to make choices that could alter the whole story. This book would not suite teenage boys due to the feminine side of the story.     

     I would rate this book a four out of five due to the personality that the characters had and how Mia dealt with tough choices she had to make. This book can help change your perspective on the decisions you make.

      Olivia, Year 9

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     “What would you do if you had to choose?”

     To choose whether to live or die? How would it affect your friends and family? How would it affect you? Would you regret the decision? These are only some of the questions running through Mia’s head, but now she must face the harsh reality and make the heart-wrenching decision to live or die.

 

     The life of 17-year old Mia changes in the blink of an eye. Mia loves to spend time with her family and boyfriend Adam. Her family shares a passion for music. Mia takes a special interest in the cello from a very young age and has been playing it ever since. She is working hard for her acceptance into Julliard School.

    

     It was a cold February morning like no other in Mia’s hometown, Oregon. A thin blanket of white snow covered the ground outside Mia’s house forcing her school to be cancelled for the day. So the family decided to visit a family friend’s house for the day and their grandparents for dinner. Before they know it whilst driving and listening to their favourite song their car was spinning out of control along the slippery snowy road and collided into a tree, leaving Mia’s Mother and father dead at the scene and Teddy, her brother injured. Mia is rushed to the hospital and into the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) with a collapsed lung, ruptured spleen, internal bleeding and damage to the brain. Mia is aware of the extensive damage to her body and must now choose whether she would like to stay and live or die.

 

I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommended it to both male and female teens and adults from the age of at least fourteen years due to the mild coarse language found throughout.  If I stay” is a heart-achingly painful, sophisticated and gripping book. I would rate it a 9/10 with very high recommendation.

 

-Rielly B Year 9

November 25

‘Before I Die’ by Jenny Downham

Before I dieI hopefully never have cancer because in Tessa Scott’s eyes it doesn’t seem fantastic. But you know what is fantastic? The book Before I Die by Jenny Downham. This book is about a 16-year-old girl named Tessa and her need to do something with her life before she dies of cancer. With that, she creates a list of things she wants to do with her best friend named Zoey.

The book starts out with a very lazy Tessa in desperate need for a boyfriend. This lazy teen, who doesn’t feel the need to do anything because she’s about to die, has her friend take her to a club where they meet two boys. The boys they meet take both girls back to their house where they attempt to achieve the first thing on Tessa’s list: sex. Other things on Tessa’s list include things like: saying yes to everything for a day and taking drugs.

Another main theme of the book that is mentioned many times throughout the book and is why Tessa is unmotivated to do anything is that she is going to die. Tessa has been diagnosed with a form of terminal cancer known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It doesn’t sound very good! This makes her tired and lazy and very apathetic.

Tessa would not have been able to achieve some of the things on her list if it weren’t for some of the amazing people in her life like: her best friend Zoey, her little brother Cal and her neighbour Adam. These three people, along with her dad, play major roles in Tessa’s life.

I would recommend this book to teenagers, particularly girls, because many people of that are group would be able to relate to many of the themes of the book and most themes would not be suitable for younger kids. I would give the book ‘Before I Die’ a 4 out 0f 5.
~ Laura, Year 9

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What would it be like to be sixteen and dying?

Tessa is sixteen and dying of leukaemia. She only has a few months to live and wants to create a list of things to do before she dies. Some of these include sex and drugs. While trying to complete her list with her best friend Zoey, she meets Adam. Adam shows her the beauty of life and herself. While Tessa is busy fitting in her dates with Adam between going to hospital and having fun with Zoey, her mum, dad and brother are trying to cope with the news of her dying. Cal, Tessa’s brother, is extremely funny and loves to perform magic tricks, even though they almost never work out. Tessa has the time of her life as she goes motorbike riding with Adam, shoplifting with Zoey and shopping with Cal.

 

This is a superb book because it shows that happiness can be found in everyone, even in people who are expecting the worst. I really enjoyed the book, “Before I Die” because there were no boring moments. The story was always introducing something new and keeping the story up-beat! I recommend this book for mature young adults or older as it contains adult themes.

Makayla N, Year 9

November 19

‘Starfish Sisters’ by J.C.Burke

Starfish sisters“Starfish Sisters” written by J.C. Burke, is a story about four girls who all love to surf. Their names are Georgie, Kia, Micki and Ace. The four girls meet at a surf camp and that’s when the happiness, tears and adventures begin. “Starfish Sisters” is a book about the heart and mind. There are boys, breakups, surfing and most importantly the four discover the meaning of friendship.

      Ace is the eldest of the four girls and also the most confident as she is a beautiful model and is also sponsored. Then there are Georgie and Kia who are best friends before the camp and then Micki the youngest of the four. Georgie loves surfing but the pressure of competition is becoming too much for her. Kia can be very unpredictable as she battles with insecurities, jealousy, and having to live up to others’ expectations. Micki also has her own problems as she has to deal with family back home and Kia giving her the most unwelcome arrival. All four girls share the same goal of being selected to be included in the National Training Team.

      This is a book about true friendship, acceptance and a common bond of sharing the same dreams. Will all the girls make it into the team and stay friends? Find out as you read about the Starfish Sisters’ achievements and battles along the way.

Gabriella, Year 9

November 18

‘Fighting Reuben Wolfe’ by Markus Zusak

 fighting ruben wolfe      BAM! WACK! And his opponent is down. Ruben Wolfe wins again. Fighting Ruben Wolfe, written by Markus Zusak.

      Ruben Wolfe is a young boy in a kind of poverty-stricken family, but he has an awesome brother, Cameron Wolfe. This story is about the two brothers, who try a lot to help their family through their financial struggle. Their dad can’t get a job after a work injury, their mum is the only person who gains income. Their big sister is ‘common’ and is always hung over. Their big brother is actually successful; he has a well-paid job, a girlfriend and is now living on his own. The two brothers can see that they really need to do something to help out their family with their financial problems. The brothers begin to do boxing. Ruben Wolfe is well known at his school as a hard fighter, as for Cameron, not so much. In the ring Ruben can get up to $50 per fight, but Cameron can only get the change that is thrown at him when he loses. Ruben is now getting the girls, the money and the power of their family. This power is changing him. He is becoming grubby and disrespectful. Will Cameron be able to persuade Ruben that he is being bad, or will he continue his dangerous road to the Bad Lands? This book is more of a dramatic type of a book.

       This book would probably be recommended for boys from the ages of 14-17 years old. I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. This is because I wouldn’t usually read this type of books and would rather not read these types of books. By Liam, Year 9.

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If your family was struggling for money and you knew you could make a difference, would you? Would you consider taking up boxing to earn the money?

       This story is based on two young boys who get recruited to a boxing club. The boys get told that they get money for wining. They think it over and realize that they could earn the money for their parents. Even though the boys’ family is poor and they are willing to make any money they can, their parent refuse to give them money to help out. Even when they know they’re not allowed to, they still try to help out the family without them knowing that they’re fighting for money.

       The main characters in this novel are Cameron and Ruben. Cameron and Ruben are these two kids who are raised in a poor family. Ruben is the older brother of Cameron and is Cameron’s role model. Ruben is the popular kid at school and Cameron is his nerdy brother. When they both get signed up for the fight club it really changes them both in their heart and spirit.

        I like this book so much because it’s a book I haven’t read before. For example, I have always read books that have been given to me by my teacher. For this book our group chose it and it was different because it was a book we all liked and were willing to read. I would recommend this book to people who like an action-filled thrilling books.

Taylor, Year 9

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This very humorous novel by Markus Zusak is based on a family that is quite poor and desperate for money but it’s mainly about the two brothers of the family, Cameron and Ruben. Ruben is the older of the two being the big, strong, buff, popular kid in high school, whereas Cameron is the younger nerdy brother that isn’t very well liked. Since the father of the family won’t accept the dole, the two brothers of the family decide to do something about it. At first they babysit dogs until an illegal boxing manager who holds illegal boxing fights comes to talk to the older brother Ruben after a fight with someone who called his sister this and that. The manager signs both of the boys up and the fighting begins.

 

Some issues include fighting above their weight against people that are the favourites in their local fighting joint. Other issues show that in most of the fights the brothers are in, they are the underdogs of the whole boxing match. Reading about their fights from the different perspectives of the brothers makes an absolutely fantastic read.

 

This book is great for teenage males as it is very humorous and has an Aussie slang swing to it. Also it is very fast moving and about hitting other people, which the teenage audience loves. This book is similar to a typical Hollywood boxing blockbuster such as Rocky. The boys fight for money to help their whole family out; they put their bodies on the line and get really busted up in some of their fights, which are electrifying to read. I would rate this book a definite 9 out of 10.

 

By Lochie, Year  9

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Fighting Ruben Wolfe is a compelling book about brotherhood, family values and sticking together.

 

In this inspiring book by Marcus Zusak two brothers take up boxing to help their family out with monetary issues but the fight in boxing becomes much more. It goes from a fight for a win to a fight for life, a fight to feel like a winner and a fight to believe that it’s all worth it. Would you let a seedy guy talking about boxing into your house when no one’s home? Would you accept a dodgy deal to box in an unsupervised environment? Well that’s exactly what Ruben and Cameron Wolfe do.

 

The two brothers take up a deal to box to help out their family, proving they will do everything and anything to help their family but when they realize what it all means, their fight in the ring suddenly means nothing. They realize that their fight is insignificant in comparison to their fight to be someone and help make their brotherhood grow into something amazing.

 

Fighting Ruben Wolfe is about family, brotherhood, loyalty and, obviously, fighting. Fighting Ruben Wolfe would suit teenage males as it has a lot of fighting but also has relevant themes in teenage boys’ lives. I would rate this book 4 out of 5.

 

Ryan, Year 9

 

November 12

‘Go Ask Alice’ by Anonymous

 

   Go ask Alice   Drugs. Sex. Boys. A troubled teenage girl. Interested? Then the novel ‘Go Ask Alice’ is for you.

      Although we never get to learn her name, this fifteen- year old girl wrote a secret diary for just over a year about her hardship with drugs, sex and boys. It all started when someone slipped LSD into her drink at a party. From there her whole world went downhill… steeply…. Throughout these diary entries she sells drugs to young children, hitchhikes to Colorado, lives on the streets and much, much more. No, this is not a glamorous story but it gives us an insight into the world of heavy drugs, which is certainly not glamorous.
I found this book thrilling to read with all of its twists and turns. The sense of truth behind it was remarkable. To think that this actually happened to a girl so close to my age and continues to happen today captured me. The narrator describes the high of the drugs, which may sound nice but she also describes the down afterwards. You can picture everything that is going on in her head and around her through her language. This is book is so inspiring that I wish I was able to meet her and really get to know her as a person and not just a drug addict. I would recommend ‘Go Ask Alice’ to students my age because this can generally be when the drug scene kicks in, therefore they can be educated on the possible outcomes of substance abuse. I would gladly give this inspiring book 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Zali S. Year 9

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Drugs. Addiction. Acceptance. ‘Alice’, was the 15-year-old girl drowning under the pressures of life. We don’t know her real name or where she lives. We do know she had a passion for life’s beauty, boys and was wild and loving. One mistake sent her in a downward spiral into depression, loneliness and the seductive world of drugs. She was sucked into mistakes that would change her life forever. This was due to her need for acceptance.  Although Alice never planned for this to happen, she became trapped in a world from which she couldn’t escape.

 

Innocent Alice takes a dive into the world of drugs. She loved it. She first fell victim to the effects of LSD at a party. Drugs became the only priority in her life. She forgets school, family and friends. Her continual need for drugs caused a need for money. Money drove her to do things never expected for Alice. Her life was slowly spiraling out of control. She was entering the nightmarish world of drugs. It wasn’t long before Alice found herself imprisoned in a mental hospital.  She was vulnerable and not emotionally resilient. These personality traits gave her horrible consequences in life.

 

I would recommend ‘Go Ask Alice’ to teenagers and young adults. The book is good for high school students. It relates to teens through the struggle for acceptance, family issues, body image, sexuality, friends and boys.  It describes social pressures, the world of drugs and the struggle with addiction. This book opens the reader’s mind to the devastating effects on drugs and it is extremely intense.  I would rate ‘Go Ask Alice’ 4 out of 5 stars. Sophie, Year 9.     

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One teenage girl. One life. One diary. Partying. Drugs. Sex. Boys.

‘Go ask Alice’ is a book about a teenage 15-year-old girl who writes a secret diary about her life. This innocent girl gets introduced to partying, boys, drugs, sex and, from there on, her whole life turns upside down. It all started on the holidays when Alice went down to her grandparents’ house for a couple of weeks. Her life started to go downhill when she went to a party and someone put LSD into her drink.

 

Alice’s diary is very personal and she writes in it every day: what she does, her feelings, selling drugs to not only older people but little children, she also lives on the streets, gets addicted to drugs and so much more. Alice’s life will never be the same again as she is keeping everything a secret. Her parents start noticing her changes but they can’t help her because they don’t know what’s happening and think she is still their perfect daughter.

 

Why I liked this book so much was because this relates to our society and generation nowadays. Many teenagers are under the influence of drugs, having sex, going partying, being peer pressured into doing things we don’t want to do and lives going downhill from then on. This book is really inspiring and very relevant to many teenagers. This book is influential and shows teenagers how bad drugs really are and what the outcomes are of any abuse towards drugs. Many teenagers now keep secrets, hide things from their parents and do illegal things that Alice does. I would recommend this book to teenagers over the age of 14 and also young adults and rate this book very highly.

 

Monet J., Year 9

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      Have you ever wondered what goes through the mind of a troubled teenage girl, whose only escape is drugs? Well, ‘Go Ask Alice’ is the book for you!

      ‘Go Ask Alice’ is the diary of an anonymous 15 year old girl in the 1960s. It all started when her drink was spiked with LSD at a New Year’s Eve party with her friends. She enjoys the high; it was nothing she’d ever felt before. Little did she know the substances were more addictive than she’d ever thought. Throughout the book, she admits to taking and selling drugs, running away and sleeping with older guys. The owner of the diary tells us that she feels like no one else accepts her unless she is with these boys or selling the drugs. She runs away with her friend and experiences what she thought would be a glamorous Brooklyn life, but it turns out to be a dangerous and saddening trip.

      This book was a very intriguing read and I also found it relatable and interesting, as she is the same age as me, but also I found it exciting and exhilarating because of all the commotion with the owner of the diary and with the people that surrounded her in her life. This book was also a learning experience about the dangers of drugs. I would give this exciting book a 4 out of 5 stars.

      Alex, Year 9.

                              

November 7

‘A Walk to Remember’ by Nicholas Sparks

 A walk to remember“An extraordinary book…touching at times riveting…a book you won’t soon forget.”Sunday New York Post.

      This book is set in Beaufort, North Carolina. The novel follows the life of two 17 year olds, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan, in their last year of school at Beaufort High. Landon is a young boy who lives his life on the edge; he likes to be known as a rebel. Then there’s Jamie, a sweet, smart, innocent girl who strongly believes in the Christian faith. She carries her Bible around with her everywhere that she goes. Christianity is a big part of life in Beaufort, but Landon doesn’t take it as seriously as Jamie and the other Christians in the community. Every year Jamie’s father, who is the Minister at the local church, puts together a production for everyone in Beaufort. While Landon is a part of this production, he discovers things about himself that he never would have, if it weren’t for Jamie. Landon and Jamie’s final year at Beaufort High isn’t how they expected it to be.

      As Jamie and Landon start to become closer, Jamie teaches Landon some special things about the Bible, the Christian faith and about the things that she volunteers for to help other people. As the year progresses, Landon finds out something heart breaking that could shatter everything that they have and change how he sees the world.

I really enjoyed this book because it’s heart warming, and the way the author describes everything makes you feel as if you were there with them. As you read you learn about the things that people that young can achieve and accomplish.

     I would recommend this book to teenagers over the age of 13 as they can enjoy and understand the heart-warming experiences that Landon and Jamie encounter.

      Briahna B, Year 9.    

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     In his last year at Beaufort High in North Carolina, Landon Carter can remember the girl who changed his ways and his life… Serious and responsible, Jamie is the daughter of the town’s minister, and she’s not afraid of boasting to others about her faith, and how important God is in her life. In his last year at school, Landon selects drama as his elective so he doesn’t have to sit through chemistry, which he finds too difficult, and too boring. In drama he meets the person who is nothing like him. In over his head, Landon is forced to ask her for help, as he has no idea how to act. Landon soon finds himself falling in love with this innocent girl who is nothing like the popular, school rebel that Landon is.

     Though the introduction to the life of Landon in the book of ‘A Walk to Remember’ may be a bit lengthy and a little lifeless, you may soon find yourself engaged in the plot of the story, and the two completely opposite characters that both at first look the other way. Landon is the school’s rebel, and Jamie a brain and the town minister’s daughter. Both are completely different and in the story change from neglecting each other, to being hopelessly in love with each other.

      The heartfelt story of these two characters in love seems perfect for a while, but soon a secret Jamie has kept for some time reveals the tragedy that will take Jamie out of Landon’s life. In the end Landon reminds himself that his love for Jamie is like the wind, “he can’t see it, but he can feel it.”       – Nicholas Sparks, A Walk To Remember.

November 7

‘Chinese Cinderella’ by Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese CinderellaImagine being abused by your parents and feeling unloved. Imagine if your own father couldn’t remember your name. Imagine feeling as if you didn’t belong in your own family. The book Chinese Cinderella tells the true and moving story of a young Chinese girl who experiences all of these things throughout her ‘difficult and painful’ childhood.

  Set in China and Hong Kong, this book perfectly depicts a story of courage and victory over the abuse. Adeline Yen Mah is the fifth child born into a powerful and wealthy family but from the moment she is born, she is mistreated and seen as a nuisance. After her mother dies giving birth to her due to complications after the delivery, her family gives her the label, ‘bad luck’. Adeline grows up feeling responsible for her mother’s death. This is intensified when her father marries a lady who is not so fond of her new husband’s five children. She openly shows her hostility towards the children, in particularly Adeline, whilst greatly favoring her own two children born soon after the marriage. Throughout the book the reader feels Adeline’s pain as she is horrifically abused, the reader feels her determination to make her father proud and joins her on her search to find a place where she belongs. Adeline finds some comfort with her Aunt Baba and Grandfather Ye Ye, but even these comforts are taken away from her. Faced with all of these problems, Adeline engrosses herself in her schoolwork, which she enjoys immensely and strives for academic achievement in the hope of finally making her father proud. 

 This is a book that I think is written exceptionally well. It is extremely gripping and I was immediately engaged; it is the kind of book I could not put down. Adeline Yen Mah’s uses of descriptive language made it extremely easy for me to not only imagine the scene clearly but also to put myself into the situation. The story develops perfectly and keeps the reader enthralled until the very last sentence. It is quite tragic to think that the events in this book actually occurred to a real person. It is one of the books that I didn’t want to end and, after reading the book, I went on to research more about Adeline Yen Mah.

  I would highly recommend this book to a broad target audience – anyone from child to adult could easily become enthralled in this moving autobiography. I would rate the book Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah a 5 out of 5 stars.

Olivia, Year 9

 

November 5

‘Son of the Mob’ by Gordon Korman

  Son of the mob    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

 

November 5

‘Back on Track’ by Margaret Clark

BACK on track      Say hello to Simone Fawkner. She is in the 9H from hell at Roxdale High School. She is in that class for a reason, and that reason is that she is emotionally and socially disadvantaged. She is not your typical type of girl. She gets into trouble with the law and her only friends are drugs. At the moment she is in a pretty rough state. Do you think she will ever get back up on two feet?

     Does this sound like your type of book? Then ‘Back on Track’ is the book for you.

     In the suburb of Roxdale, things aren’t starting out well for Simone. She has just witnessed her mother’s death in her favorite armchair, with a bottle of whisky beside her. To this point Simone’s life was a wreck and Simone got to the point of not bothering with life anymore. What she has left is all this guilt in her stomach because she believes that she killed her own mother. Simone now lives with her older sister. She has a troubled life at home, as she gets abused by her sister’s boyfriend for no apparent reason, but she believes he has a drinking problem. All she thinks is that she needs someone to love her. Later on she meets a young, beautiful and superstitious guy. His name is Mike. They text and call 24/7 until one day he randomly stops calling and texting. Simone is getting frustrated and moves to a big city called Palmino where she believes Mike lives. Through the middle of the book she meets a gang in Palmino. The head leader, Grace, introduces Simone to her group. At first they didn’t like Simone but after a while they started liking her. Towards the end of the book she was faced with many challenges. Some of the challenges were: getting raped twice, drug addiction, getting pregnant and losing some of her closest friends.

 

I really enjoyed the book, ‘Back on Track’ because it’s a story about a young girl who has a troubled life, but she never gives up no matter what stands in her way. I was attached to this book by the way Margaret Clark describes the scenes and places. This book always kept me interested, as there was always something new and exciting on the next page. I would recommend this book to young teens that are interested in crime and thriller novels. This book was truly a great read and I would love to read other books by Margaret Clark. I would rate this book 3 out of 5 star.

 

Courtney L., Year 9

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     Where would you go? What would you do? How would you react?

     These are all questions you would have to face in Margaret Clark’s novel, ‘Back on Track’.

     The novel setting varies from chapter to chapter, from the little run down town of Palmino NSW, to the paradise city of the Gold Coast, QLD.

     The main character of the novel is from a broken family. Her mother has passed away and her father is nowhere to be seen. She knows that she has to fend for herself, there’s trouble around each and every corner, and she knows this and has to survive the life of being a dreaded ‘townie’. 

     Throughout the novel, it poses different questions to you and keeps you connected. These questions can range from you thinking what she is going through, and what is she thinking. Is she losing it?

     This novel kept you enthralled throughout, from the complex descriptive language to each and every twist, it keeps you engaged and craving for more. If you’re into heavy drama, true stories and an edgy plot then this is the book for you. I would advice this novel to either man or woman, above the age of 15 as it possesses its own descriptive language and can be somewhat dark at times. This book will keep you on the edge and wanting more. It makes you wonder where she’s going to go next, what she’s going to do and most importantly, will this young girl ever get back on her feet and ‘Back on Track’.

 

Kurt M, Year 9

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Drugs, rape and abuse – three things that we don’t want to suffer in our lifetime. Back On Track written by Margaret Clark explains all three of these actions. Say hello to Simone Fawkner, a girl with an awful past.

‘Why does this happen to me?’ She asks herself all the time. Back On Track is set in a high school at the start of the book and moves its way around Australia.

  Simone Fawkner is a 15-year-old girl attending Roxdale High School in class 9h for the emotionally and social disadvantaged. Things are getting bad for Simone lately. First her mother dies, then she gets abused, moves to Palmino with her so-called ‘boyfriend’ and many more events happen.

  Her new boyfriend lures Simone with promises of a better life if she moves to the big city with him, running away from home where her drug addicted sister and her sister’s abusive boyfriend live. She arrives in Palmino with hope that she can start over. But no, that wouldn’t make the book interesting, would it now? No. What happens when her boyfriend turns abusive? She will have to learn the ways of living on the street with her gang.

 I enjoyed this book very much and I think that you would too. Read along with Simone and discover her life and how she works to make her future better. I recommend this book to teenagers and young adults.

– Rebekah

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     Meet Simone, a fifteen year old that’s been through more than most do in their whole lives. Mom’s dead, living on the street, and addicted to drugs. Life’s tough but Simone is tougher and she is back on track. If this seems like the book you would want to read about for days straight using every bit of spare time you get to read then ‘Back on track’ is the book for you!

     Life isn’t easy for Simone, 15 years of age and already her dad has run away, her mom has died and she can’t count on her older sister for a place to call home because her boyfriend beats them up.  Simone gets hooked up with this boy through her friend and she falls for him almost instantly. He tells her he loves her and can give her a fresh start if she comes and lives with him in Palomino. She gets his number and sleeps on it. The next morning she is packed and on a train, so excited! No more school! No more sister’s boyfriends! Just her and her new boyfriend Mike.

     She gets off the train it is pouring rain and she can’t find Mike anywhere. Arriving at the youth camp she gets confronted by a girl called Grace they end up having a punch up then becoming best friends. Grace takes Simone under her wing until Simone finally meets Mike again. But it doesn’t go how she expected. Mike and his mate lock her in a car and take advantage of her violently. She ends up pregnant, addicted to drugs and the most well known bikie in town is keen on her. But that’s not going to stop Simone. She gets her life back on track goes back to school and studies hard.

     I really enjoyed this book because it was so realistic and it is a side of society that doesn’t get exposed often enough. My eyes were glued to this book for hours straight by the way Margaret Clark described the scenes but didn’t describe the characters too much so that your imagination was allowed to run wild with it. I would recommend this book to teenagers and young adults although it is suitable for persons from 14 years up.

Sam, Year 9

November 4

‘Second star to the right’ By Deborah Hautzig

Second star to the right“‘I won’t be happy till I’m skinny,’ I said to myself, grabbing my skin and letting it fall back to its original place.”

Many young women can relate to this quote, as in the young teen years for girls are hard to see yourself the way you would like too.
This life-changing story is set in New York, in Leslie Hiller’s loving life. Leslie is a fun loving, beautiful and bright 14-year-old girl. She is a perfectionist and when she wants to succeed at something she won’t stop till she has got it. She loves her mother so dearly and has a very close relationship with her. Leslie tries to make her mother proud in everything she does and hates to feel she has disappointed her.
Leslie is just like any normal teenager in New York City; she is strong willed and won’t stop till she gets what she wants, but Leslie starts going on an extreme diet because she feels she is not as stick thin as the other girls at her school. But was it the right thing? Her friends and even her own family are oblivious to what’s going on with Leslie but will they only take notice when it’s too late?
This book is a breath-taking look into the reality of some teenage girls’ lives. I found this book extremely interesting to see what some teenage girls in our society have to go through. I strongly recommend this book to the age group of 13-17 year old teenage girls. I believe this book will help teenage girls prepare them before it’s too late for these young girls in today’s society.

Paris C., Year 9

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Meet fourteen year old Leslie Hiller. Leslie is a smart, well adjusted teenage girl living a privileged life in New York City. She lives a normal life, attends school and like most girls her age, wishes to be perfect and will go to extreme lengths to achieve it. Leslie has exemplary grades, ideal friends and an unrivalled life, a loving mother and father, younger brother Sam, and a best friend named Cavett.

Everything is perfect in her life except for one thing: Leslie has the overwhelming desire to be thinner. After accidentally losing weight due to having the flu, she realises losing weight is easier than she had originally thought out to be. She decides to start an intense diet to achieve her goals of being ten pounds thinner. Being the perfectionist girl that she is, she loses the weight but still finds herself unhappy with how she looks. Because of this, she decides to take her dieting to life-threatening extremes and slowly starts to lose control over everything. Her family and friends start to notice her strange eating habits and low self-esteem. They would soon become very concerned for Leslie’s wellbeing.

Further on in the novel, Leslie is professionally diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, a life threatening mental illness.

I appreciated this book because teens can relate to the theme of wanting to lose weight, being as perfect as they can be and being generally unhappy with their body image. This book can also be used as an exemplary case to observe the severe consequences of an eating disorder on one’s body, mind and others around them.

If you enjoy books that’ll yank heartstrings, place you on a walloping emotional roller coaster and leave you teary-eyed, then I would personally recommend this book to a teen audience, because they would relate more to this book than any other age group in particular. I rate this book an 8 out of 10 stars.

Heather, Year 9

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Second Star to the Right by Deborah Hautzig is a truthful, powerful book that shows us the life of an anorexic teenage girl, Leslie Hiller. The book is based on the author’s own experience with anorexia. She presents the theme of anorexia through Leslie’s life truthfully.

 

Leslie was an everyday teenage girl who has a somewhat perfect life, with a loving family and good friends. The only problem was that she needed to lose a little bit of weight. She decided to go on a diet, and lost some weight. Everyone complimented her and congratulated her on her accomplishment, and this made her happy. As she continued on with her diet, her mind slowly started convincing itself that she needed to be thin to be happy, and the thinner she was, the happier she’d be. She lessens her eating to almost nothing. Her mind is convinced that she shouldn’t eat. Days and months pass, and Leslie is only getting thinner; so thin that people don’t even recognize her. By this time, she was extremely weak, physically and mentally. She starts questioning everything that happens and turns it into a negative. By this stage, she was withering away to nothing. Only a thin line separates her from life and death, and only her will and mental strength can bring her back to life.

 

A strong positive point of the book is that it’s extremely easy to relate to. The concept of losing weight is common among us and many of us have once attempted to, or have gone on a diet. This is something that most of us can relate to. The fact that we can relate to the story makes us want to read the story more. The tragedy of the story also keeps us hooked. At many points, the words were so strong that Leslie was able to connect with me and I was drawn into the story. Things like this makes the story stick with you for a long time.

 

However, the book isn’t perfect and has a few flaws. At some points, there seemed to be too many words to explain simple things, and the vocabulary used could’ve been better. Moments like these interrupt the flow of the story and make it not as enjoyable. The story at the start also progressed very slowly. The story could’ve been more gratifying if it didn’t beat around the bush so much.

 

Aside from these flaws, I found the book very enjoyable and a great quick read. I believe most mature people can enjoy the story and truly understand much more about anorexia, but I would definitely recommend it to teenage girls that are aged 10-16, as they would be able to completely relate to the emotions of the story. I would rate it 8/10, because while the story was powerful and heart touching, it certainly could’ve been improved easily with better wording and vocabulary.

Terina, Year 9

November 4

‘Megan’ by Mary Hooper

megan“I’m 15, pregnant and all alone; Mum’s going to kill me.”

 

Megan is a heart wrenching story about a teenage girl’s dilemma of pregnancy. During a personal development class which talks about female reproduction, periods, the pill and how it all works, Megan’s worst nightmare was realized when her teacher announced, “Of course, it is possible to be pregnant and still have periods.”  Megan’s mind was in a head spin. She had already missed a period and from that point on, everything changed. She finds out she’s five months pregnant. How did this happen? What is she going to do? What will the father say? And more to the point, what will her Mum say?

 

The main characters in the book are Claire, who is Megan’s best friend, Megan’s mum, her little sister Ellie, her Aunty Lorna and social worker Susie. Claire acts as the ‘classic’ best friend who takes care of her, supports her and is a shoulder to cry on.  Susie the social worker and her Aunty Lorna are the biggest emotional support throughout the book, looking out for her and helping her make important and personal decisions. Megan’s mum and sister are the biggest shock of the book, because they are the least supportive and downright nasty.

 

I really enjoyed the book, ‘Megan’ because it’s a relevant story about real teenage issues. This book discusses a sensitive issue, teenage pregnancy, and the emotional experiences around it in a very realistic way. It shows that not all families provide the support that is expected from a teenager and there is not always a ‘happy ever after’.

 

Mary Hooper uses very descriptive and easy to read language. I easily imagined each of the characters and the scenes she described. I was really interested in the story from the beginning of the book till the end because you never really knew what was going to happen next. I was really hoping for a happy ending for Megan but the book doesn’t end there; it continues to the next novel ‘Megan 2’ which makes me want to read more.

 

I recommend this book to girls between the ages of 12 – 16 who like a good heart wrenching, fictional drama that involves confronting real life emotions and experiences. I rate the book ‘Megan’ 4 out of 5 stars.

 

By Natalya T., Year 9

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“Without thinking, my hand moved onto my stomach. It didn’t feel any different. But was that because I did want it to? Was it just a bit bigger? Rounder?”

 

Megan and her boyfriend, Luke, broke up months ago and she is ready to get her exams over and done with so she can enjoy her holidays with her best friend Claire when she is informed in a personal development class,  “Of course, it is possible to be pregnant and still have periods.” Suddenly Megan goes in to shock. She had skipped a period and it had been months since she and Luke… No! She couldn’t be! But Megan couldn’t shake this thought out of her head. She worked out that if it were true, if she was indeed carrying a baby, she would be five months pregnant! What would happen to her if this were true? How would her friends react? What would her mother say?

 

Megan is a normal happy 15-year-old girl who goes to school, fights with her mum and just wants to get past her exams so she can go on her already panned holiday with her best friend, Claire, until she finds out the worst news possible. She’s pregnant. This obviously brings many complications upon her and she will have to make some of the biggest decisions of her life in the up and coming months.

 

Mary Hooper has produced an easy to read, heart-wrenching novel about a young underage teen pregnancy. Through the book you explore Megan’s journey along with her and it provides you with an insight on how the teenagers of today feel when going through this time in their lives. It shows how hard times can be without any support from family and friends. Many people will feel sympathetic for Megan with the awful treatment she receives from her mother and younger sister.

 

This book is a good read for young girls aged 12 – 16 as it informs them on the consequences that will come up if unsafe decisions are made. I rate this book a four out of five stars, as it was interesting and I was intrigued from the very beginning about Megan’s Story.

 

Britney, Year 9.

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“Of course you can be pregnant and still get your period!”

 

     This simple sentence changed Megan’s life forever. Megan was a 15-year-old girl who lived a normal life as a high school student until she realized in her Personal Development class that she was experiencing the symptoms of being pregnant. She automatically went into shock; she counted the months that she had missed her period, realizing that 5 months had passed, which would mean she was 5 months pregnant. All Megan wanted to do was to finish school and enjoy her holidays with her best friend Clair along with all her friends from school. She researched her symptoms and the choices she would be able to make, before eventually coming to the conclusion that she was two months too late to be able to have an abortion.

      The main characters in this book included Claire, Luke, Megan’s mum, Ellie, Susie and Aunty Lorna. Claire is Megan’s best friend, however she didn’t support Megan the way a best friend should. She enjoyed the drama far too much and didn’t seem to care much for Megan’s feelings at all. Luke was her ex-boyfriend of only a few months. He was a typical, reckless teenage boy. Megan’s mum and little sister Ellie were very protective of their Megan. Her mum therefore flipped out when she found out the news of her daughter being pregnant. Susie the social worker and her Aunty Lorna were also main characters in the book. They were Megan’s rocks throughout the whole devastating and unfortunate position she had found herself in, the only people she felt she could turn to.

     I really enjoyed reading the book ‘Megan’, as it relates to real life teenage issues. This book touches a very sensitive subject of teenage pregnancy, but was still very easy and enjoyable to read. It opens your eyes to the real life situations some teenagers face day to day.

     Author Mary Hopper is a very intelligent writer and definitely writes to appeal to a young teenage audience. She used very easy and readable language throughout and it was very descriptive. It was easy to imagine every scene and every character that Mary Hopper described in this book. This book also shows that not every story ends with a happy ending and that some stories can end quite horribly as in this book.

      I recommend this book to teenage girls between the ages 12-16 as at 12 years old they are just starting high school and at 16 they enter their senior year. Girls within this age group may be able to learn from ‘Megan’ and or relate to her situation. I rate the book ‘Megan’ 4 out of 5 stars.

      By Charlee, Year 9

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“A baby. It couldn’t really be true.”

 

       Megan is a powerfully dramatic read about a teenage girl’s pregnancy. An ordinary fifteen year old, Megan, discovers her worst nightmare in a Personal Development lesson. The teacher announced, “Of course, it is possible to be pregnant and still have periods.” At that moment, Megan knew she was pregnant. What is she going to do? What will she do with her schoolwork and exams? The question that scares her most was how will she tell her mum and how will she react?

      The main characters in the novel are Megan’s dreadful little sister Ellie, her untrustworthy best friend Claire and her very unsupportive and heartless mum. On the other hand, there is also the social worker Susie and her Aunt Lorna who are very sympathetic and supportive towards Megan and her critical decisions.

      I enjoyed the book ‘Megan’ because it is a book that deals with a difficult issue, teen pregnancy, which teenagers may relate to. It shows many emotional stages of the issue’s consequences and shows an ethical message of what teenagers should learn from. However, the story was predictable and did not have a major exciting climax.

      Mary Hooper uses engaging descriptive language in this book. The descriptive language made a very vivid image in my head of what the characters looked like and the settings in the story. The ending was decent which made you want to read more, which you can in the other two ‘Megan’ series.

      I recommend this book for young adults between the ages of 12-18 who like emotional and fictional drama books that relate to real life experiences and issues. I rate this heartfelt book ‘Megan’ 3 out of 5 stars.

Grace M, Year 9

 

November 4

‘When Dogs Cry’ by Markus Zusak

When dogs cryHave you ever felt alone? Is your only company your annoying brothers and father who don’t really acknowledge you much at all, but one day when that perfect girl comes around the corner, it changes your world? This is what Cameron Wolfe fells like in the book ‘When Dogs Cry’ written by Markus Zusak.   

           Cameron Wolfe lives with his mum, dad, sister and brother. His Mum and Dad don’t really care about Cameron that much. He has a love and hate relationship with his brother Rube, who is always paying him out and giving him a hard time. Cameron’s sister is one of the nicest people that Cameron has in his life. Steve is Cameron’s brother also but he doesn’t live with them; he has his own apartment down the road. Cameron hasn’t had a girlfriend yet but his brother Rube is the guy who has a different girlfriend every month and Cameron gets really jealous sometimes. Cameron was always interested in Rube’s ex-girlfriend Octavia. Then Cameron started seeing Octavia more often after Rube broke up with her. When he started seeing her it changed his life ….. How? The main characters in this novel are Octavia, Cameron Wolfe and Rube Wolfe.

            I thought that the book, ‘When Dogs Cry’ was an average book because it doesn’t get straight into the main scene, which happens at the very end of the book. On the other hand, it is a great book because it was easy to imagine what was exactly happening in my head. It had interesting characters with all different personalities. One main thing that makes you glued to the book is because it is about a real teenage boy’s life with young love and annoying brothers. I recommend this to teens between the ages of 10-15 years old. I rate the book ‘When Dogs Cry’ 3 stars out of 5.

Jazmin L, Year 9

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Have you ever felt all alone like a bit of a loner at school with not many friends? Well, this is what Cameron Wolfe feels like in the book “When dogs cry”. Cameron Wolfe is a boy who lives with his family and he is pretty much best friends with his older brother Ruben Wolfe. Cameron is a boy who has always been scared to talk to girls, unlike his big brother who gets along really well with girls, so Cameron has to learn to stand up and prove that he deserves a girlfriend and friends.

      Cam also enjoys watching his older brother Steve playing footy at the local footy club and then kicking round the ball with Steve afterwards. During the book Cam finally stands up to realise that he is more then he thinks he is. He forgets about what people thought about him and finds himself a lovely girlfriend that he is happy with. But through all of the happiness, Cam’s brother Rube gets into some trouble with one of his girlfriends, so Cam has to stick to his brother’s side and help him through the trouble because that’s what their family does.

      I would recommend this to people that are about in Grades 8-11 because a lot of people this age are going through things like this in their life and this book is not only going to entertain them but also teach them that in life you have to stand up for yourself even if people don’t think that much of you just like Cam did in the book “When dogs cry”.  

      Taine, Grade 9.

November 1

‘Chained’ by Lynne Kelly

 CHAINED    ‘When Nandita turns over in the water, the rattle of the chain snaps me out of my daydream, and I remember where we are. Not in a jungle home, or any home at all.’

       Meet Hastin, a 10-year-old boy with a big heart who never loses his ability to love and care; Timir, a bad tempered, stubborn man, who wishes to obtain his former glory; Ne-min, a warm-hearted old man who is not only very factual and caring but also has much experience and advice for people; Sharad, a bad spirited, tough trainer who has been affected by some bad experiences. Then there’s Nandita, a playful, loving but sensitive elephant.     

       Ten-year-old Hastin’s little sister has fallen ill, with the family unable to afford her treatment at the hospital, leaving Hastin no choice but to earn money for his family by leaving his home in the Indian Desert to work as an elephant keeper in a faraway jungle. After a little time working at Timir’s circus, Hastin finds it all to be nothing like he was promised, so he plans to escape. But with Nandita’s shackles and a locked gate, how will he ever get out?

     I liked this story because it’s such a beautifully written story that really draws you into the emotion that is being depicted. Lynne Kelly has not only got you to feel the emotions of the story itself but also engages you to feel what the characters would be feeling and the journey that they are experiencing.

      I would recommend this book for both children and young adults of any gender, specifically over the age of 10. If you are into heart and mind books that portray such an emotional story, then this is the book for you!

     Bronte, Year 9

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“I’m going to get you out of here.”

 Chained was a great book. It is a beautiful story about a young boy and an elephant. Although I did not enjoy reading this book it did have a great story line. It made me scared, happy, and mad and at times I almost cried. This book really sends your emotions wild. I would definitely recommend it.

 I was scared that the sister would die at first, then for his mother when he visited her and saw how she was living and the bruises on her. I really thought Timir was going to be a good character at first in the book but he was the complete opposite; he was an evil greedy man. Ne Min had a really sweet story about where his love of elephants came from and how he lost her and it haunted him forever. It was great that he was there for Hastin since he was expected to do so much and he was only ten years old! It was so beautiful how Nandita protects Hastin and how he returns the favor.

 This book shows a lot of love and care. An example of this is how Hastin and his mum would both be abused whether it was verbal or physical just to get a little money so they could pay for the hospital care for the sister.

 This book is quite interesting because at the start of each chapter it has some facts about elephants.

 This book had a lot of thought and research put in to it. Although the story wasn’t actually true, things like this do happen in the world and it is quite sad and doesn’t always have a happy ending. So, before writing the book Lynne Kelly did quite a bit of research and found some interesting things about elephants. An example is that the whole herd, not just the mother, helps to take care of the new calf. Also, elephants are very protective and will surround the calves if they sense danger nearby.

 In conclusion, the book Chained was a sweet book. It was an amazing story about Hastin and Nandita that together they are strong. This story is a great book if have a passion to read. This is an emotion-triggering story and I would recommend that all book readers read this.

 Ebony, Year 9

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 ‘When Nandita turns over in the water, the rattle of the chain snaps me out of my daydream, and I remember where we are. Not in a jungle home, or any home at all.’

When he was working to keep his family alive, Hastin had no one, no one except Nandita. In the poor provinces of the Indian desert Hastin has been through more than any 10-year-old boy ever should. His family is struggling to survive in these hard times and his sister has fallen deathly ill. So he makes the decision to work in a far away jungle, and has to say goodbye to everything he’s ever known. He starts working as an elephant keeper, and meets many new people, but soon finds this job is not what he thought. He plans to run away, but he finds he loves his elephant too much to let her go. This is a story of a young boy who has to grow up very fast, and throughout all this he realizes that love is the most important thing in the world.
I liked the way this story was written. It was beautifully narrated and the story was enticing and touching. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes emotional but adventures stories. Anyone over the age of 10 who enjoys heart and mind books will love this beautiful story. 
Lili M, Year 9

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‘When Nandita turns over in the water, the rattle of the chain snaps me out of my daydream, and I remember where we are. Not in a jungle home, or any home at all.’         

 

                  What action would you take if your little sister was critically ill? This book introduces a poor family of three: Pavarti, a widowed mother and her children Hastin and Chanda. This book’s focus is on a family as it struggles to survive in a desert in India, living of the bare essentials needed to survive in this harsh and isolated environment.

 

After a major flood the youngest in the family, Chanda, fall critically ill and is raced to a nearby hospital in a main city. To pay for the expensive treatment her mother is forced to work for a bitter and violent man who pays for their hospital bills in exchange for her service.

 

Hastin can’t stand to sit by alone while his mother takes action working as a slave, sacrificing her own freedom, so he decides to try and find his own work to relive Pavarti from her misery. At a local marketplace Hastin locates an employer looking for an elephant trainer. This might become Hastin’s only chance to save his mother but will he have the courage to proceed? After all, he’s only 10.

 

This is a story of courage, honor, sacrifice and a love that binds a family together, after all we are still all one at heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the fast moving storyline in the book and the way it was written. I highly recommend this book to all teens who love to read. I would rate it 4/5.

 

Matthew, Year 9