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: 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: 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: 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...

  Author: Louis Sachar Illustrator: Vladimir Radunsky R ating : 10/10 Age:9+ Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Adventure P ages : 233 Published in: August 1998 Main Characters: Stanley, Zero, Warden, Kate Barlow, Sam the onion seller. Synopsis: This story began with a young boy named Stanley Yelnats. Unfortunately, due to his bad luck, Stanley found himself stuck in Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention camp. Whenever something went wrong, the Yelnats family would always blame everything on Stanley’s no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather. At this detention camp, the boys were forced to dig large holes in the dry, cracked dirt in the blazing hot sun every day. Once the holes had reached to the Warden’s satisfaction, then and only then were the boys allowed to rest. After some investigation, Stanley had realised that the Warden was not making the boys dig to ‘toughen them up for life’. He realised that the Warde...

Author: J.K Rowling Illustrator: Mary GrandPre’ Rating: 9/10 Age: 10+ Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Suspense Pages: 607 Published in: July 2005 Main Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Snape, Dumbldore,Slughorn. Synopsis:   This story started with Severus Snape. He met up with Mrs Malfoy (Draco’s Mother) and made an Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa, promising to protect Draco. One day, Dumbledore headed over to 4 Privet Drive to collect Harry from his cousin’s home. On the way to the burrow (Ron’s house) Dumbledore and Harry stopped to talk to Dumbledore’s old friend, Horace Slughorn, to work at Hogwarts again. Harry met up with Ron and Hermione once more!  When they were shopping for school books, Harry ran into Draco and followed him to Borgin and Burkes, where he overheard Draco threatening Borgin and insisted that he fix an unknown object. Harry is instantly suspicious of Draco, whom he believed to ...

Author: J.K Rowling Illustrator: Mary GrandPre’ Rating: 10/10 Age: 9+ Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Humour, Magic Pages: 317 Published in: July 1999 Main Characters: Harry, Hermione, Ron, Lupin, Black, Dementors, Voldemort Synopsis:   It was Harry’s 13th Birthday and he receives owls from his friends that had bought birthday gifts for him. As usual, the Dursleys have forgotten his birthday and continue to ignore him. Aunt Marge has came to stay at the Dursley's house and she abjectly continues to insult Harry’s parents during her visit. Harry gets very angry and consequently inflates Aunt Marge where she flows towards heaven like leaping hot air balloon. He knows that he could not stand it any longer if he continues to live with the Dursley’s, so he goes  out to be collected by the knight bus that is meant for any stranded witch or wizards. While boarding a bus Harry witnesses a glimpse of a rather huge hairy and hideous...

Author: Ariana Chambers Illustrator: Thea Glad Rating: 10/10 Age: 10+ Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery Pages: 256 Published in: Feb   2017 Main Characters: Nessa, Holly, Eve, Izzy and her gang Synopsis: Nessa is a normal high school girl who has just settled down in her new school, Fairhollow High. But Nessa isn’t an ordinary girl. Her life was turned upside down when she found out she was a witch! But no, she doesn’t fly around on a broomstick or turn people into frogs. She and her best friend, Holly, are the Silver Witches, and their powers are given to help others. Meanwhile, Izzy, Vivien and Stephan are the Blood Witches. They love to make everyone’s life a misery and are determined to form their pente first. A group of 5 witches are a pente, and both Silver and Blood witches are forced to create a pente otherwise their powers would be removed! While on a trip to Mad Bess Woods, Izzy and her gang are up to...