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 ign...

  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 th...

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 sh...

  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, brav...

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, ...

  Author: Enid Blyton Rating: 9/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Mystery Main Characters: Larry, Daisy, Bets, Pip, Fatty, Mr Goon Synopsis:   In this series, we are introduced to 5 young children with the names of Bets, Pip, Fatty, Daisy and Larry along with a tiny black dog named Buster.  When Fatty moved to the new town, the children were intrigued with his cleverness and immediately became friends. However, they all realise that have to face many mysterious happenings in Peterswood such as thievery, codes, clues and many more. And everyone is relying on them to solve the case. Well, maybe not everyone. The find outers are always solving the puzzles before Mr Goon, the unpleasant village policeman, much to his annoyance.   Introduction to the characters:   Frederick Algernon "Fatty" Trotteville  – the leader of the Five Find-Outers from the third book on, when he justifies his leader...

  Author: Roald Dahl Illustrator: Quintin Blake Rating: 8/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Humour, Family Pages: 232 Published in: 1988 Main Characters: Matilda, Miss Honey, Miss Trunchball, Lavender     Synopsis: This story is about a young girl named Matilda. You might just think of her as an ordinary girl, but in reality, she is an extremely smart girl for her age. She was able to read at the age of 3! Now, you would expect her parents to be very proud of her, wouldn’t you? Unfortunately for Matilda, however, her parents sometimes forget that she was ever alive. Matilda has a brother, Michael, and her parents think very highly of him. Matilda is used to being treated like this, but deep inside all she ever wanted is for someone to love her and praise her for her talents. Harry (Matilda’s father) is a second-hand car salesman, who enjoys swindling his customers. Zinnia (Matilda’s mother) prefers to play bin...

  Author: David Walliams Illustrator: Tony Ross Rating: 8/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Humour Pages: 448 Published in: Feb 2015 Main Characters: Alfie, Gabriella, Winnie, Miss Root, Alfie’s dad   Synopsis : This story started with a young boy called Alfie. He was famous for having the most horrid teeth! He hated going to the dentist, and, as a result, the boy’s teeth were almost all yellow.  The ones that weren’t yellow, well, they were brown. The teeth that were neither yellow nor brown simply weren’t there anymore. They had fallen out! Alfie lived with his disabled father as his mother had died after giving birth to him. After a traumatising experience in the dentist’s surgery a few years ago, Alfie had vowed that he would not go to the dentist ever again.  Never. Never ever. Hopefully his Father never found the letters from the dentist at the top of the cupboard… When Alfie had gone back to schoo...

Author: Jacqueline Wilson Illustrator: Nick Sharratt Rating: 8/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Friendship, Family, Pages: 188 Published in: 1995 Main Characters: Ruby, Garnet, Dad, Rose. Synopsis: This story is about two identical twins, with the names of Ruby and Garnet. The twins have been living with their father and grandmother since their mother, Opal, died. The two have always been close despite their differences—Ruby is sociable and dreams of being an actress, while introverted Garnet is content to let Ruby dominate their relationship. The twins have their own secret language, and they don't like to make friends at school because they have each other. When their father gets a new girlfriend, Rose, and a new job, their once stable relationship is thrown into turmoil, as the relationship leads to feelings of betrayal from their father to their late mother, and it comes with a big price—leaving their grandmother ...

Author: Enid Blyton Illustrator: E.H Davie Rating: 8/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, mystery, adventure Pages: 163 Published in:   1940 Main Characters: Mike, Peggy, Nora, Jack, Prince Paul Synopsis: This story began with Mike, Peggy, Nora and their friend Jack as they headed off to their new holiday. They had all finished a long, tiring term at school and were ready to go to Spiggy Holes as a treat. The children soon found out from their parents that they were living in a small cottage by the sea with a lady named Miss Dimity. ‘Miss Dimity! She sounds sort of timid and mouse-like. I shall call her Dimmy.’ Peggy had exclaimed.                 The children had all excitedly clambered out of their train, and waited for someone to take them to their cottage. The cottage was called Peep Hole, what a peculiar name! Soon, they had all sat in the horse carriage, along a high, winding...

Author: Enid Blyton Illustrator: E.H Davie Rating: 9/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, mystery, adventure Pages: 167 Published in:  1938 Main Characters: Mike, Peggy, Nora and Jack Synopsis: This story started with 3 siblings with the names of Mike, Peggy and Nora. Since their parents mysteriously disappeared in an aeroplane crash, they had been under the care of their cruel and bad tempered aunt and uncle, named Harriet and Henry. Their unloving aunt and uncle made them to every single house chore that needed to be done, and scolded them viciously when it hadn’t been done to satisfaction. The children think that there is no more hope that their parents will return… will they live with their aunt and uncle forever? Luckily, the children were very good friends with a young boy named Jack. He was tall, but he didn’t look much older than the children. Nobody knew his age, because he didn’t know it himself. Jack lived w...