The Great World of Books

  Author: Tahereh Mafi Rating: 9/10 Age: 12+ Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Suspense Pages: 338 Published in: 2011 Main Characters: Juliette, adam, Aaron   Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old, Juliette Ferrars is in a cell. She has been there 264 days, alone. She has seen no-one and spoken to no-one. Food comes through a slot in the door, once or sometimes twice a day. Once a day her cell opens and she can walk along unlit stone passageways to a toilet and shower. Her mind is breaking down. She repeats things, she counts things, she scribbles her thoughts in a small notebook, then crosses out the bad thoughts. She stands at the window daydreaming of birds. At night she dreams of a bird with golden plumage, flying in the sky. Juliette’s touch can inflict intense pain. She was incarcerated after she killed a small boy trying to help him up when he fell. Her parents hated her and wanted rid of her. She is joined by a cellmate. A boy who takes both beds and both blankets and ignores her.

  Author: Malorie Blackman Rating: 9/10 Age: 12+ Genre: Fiction, Family, Dystopian, History Pages: 454 Published in: 2001 Main Characters: Sephy, Callum, Jude, Kamal, Ryan, Jasmine, Meggie, Lynette   Synopsis: This is a story written by Malorie Blackman, and we are introduced to 2 very socially-divided groups, the Noughts and Crosses. The Noughts are seen as the ‘second class’ citizens, while the Crosses are highly revered and perceived as the ‘superior race.’ The story begins with 2 very different teenagers, with opposing personalities, traits, and of course, races. Sephy Hadley is a 14 year old young cross who is the second daughter of one of the most influential politicians in the country, Kamal Hadley. Callum McGregor is the son of Meggie and Ryan McGregor and brother to Jude and Lynette McGregor. He also has a secret relationship with Sephy in a world full of racism. The plot of this story focuses on their relat

Author: Veronica Roth Rating: 9/10 Age: 12+ Genre: Fiction, Family, Science Fiction Pages: 592 Published in: May 2012 Main Characters: Tris, Caleb, Four, Jeanie Synopsis:   Picking up shortly where the first book, 'Divergent' ended, Jeanine Matthews sends a message to every faction in the city. She says that after the war, peace seemed unattainable. Now, she feels the opposite way, and that peace can be achieved so long as they purge the city of their one enemy - the Divergents. At the same time, Jeanine's men go to the Prior home in Abnegation faction (Tris’ old faction) and retrieve a box with a symbol of each faction on it, holding what is believed to be a message from the founders of the city. They need a Divergent to unlock it. In the second book of this series, we are again introduced to Tris and Four. As she searches for allies and answers in the wake of the uprising, Tris and Four are on the run.

Author: Veronica Roth Rating: 9/10 Age: 12+ Genre: Fiction, Family, Science Fiction Pages: 487 Published in: April 2011 Main Characters: Tris, Caleb, Four, Christina, Will, Al Synopsis:   The word “divergent” is defined as “differing from each other or from a standard .” This story begins with a 16 year old girl named Beatrice. In Chicago, society is divided into five factions, or groups, each dedicated to the personality of a person. These groups consist of the following: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. Beatrice, her parents and her brother all belong to the Abnegation faction, and for her, the decision is between staying with her family or being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she ma

  Author: Jackson Pierce Rating: 10/10 Age: 12+ Genre: Fiction, mystery, Horror, Paranormal Fiction Pages: 336 Published in:  2011 Main Characters: Gretchen, Ansel, Samuel, Sophia Synopsis:   This book is a modern recreation of the famous fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel.  As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. At least that’s what they convinced everyone. No matter how hard they tried, no one ever seemed to believe them. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear too. Years later, when their selfish stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak somewhere in South Carolina. They're invited to stay with a girl similar to their age, Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds and sells sugary magic-covered treats that create confidence, bravery and

Author: David Walliams Illustrator: Tony Ross Rating: 09/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Adventure,Humour Pages: 477 Published in: Nov 2016 Main Characters: Tom,  Porter, Midnight gang members, Sally Synopsis: This story is about a young boy named Tom Charper. Tom woke up confused in the very strange Lord Funt Hospital. He soon realised he’s there because he had been hit on the head with a cricket ball at St Willet’s Boarding School for Boys and, after being assessed by a doctor (not much older than himself), he is moved to the Children’s Ward. It isn’t very pleasant here, as the whole ward his run by a matron who HATES children. Even when Tom thought that these days will be the most boring days in his life, he soon found out that he was wrong. It is here that he discovers the Midnight Gang. The Midnight Gang was a secret gang of children who went on midnight adventures in the hospital. Not just any adventures, howe