Hatchet

Hatchet
by Gary Paulsen

Thirteen year old Brian Robeson is flying in a bush plane over the Canadian wilderness on his way to spend the summer with his dad. He is alone in the plane with the pilot, when the pilot has a heart attack. Brian has no choice, he has to take over control of the plane and try to land it. He crash-lands the plane into a lake. He is alive, but he is alone. He has nothing but the clothes he is wearing and a small hatchet, which was a parting gift from his mother. Brian needs shelter and he needs food. Can a city boy survive in the wilderness? Will he be rescued?

Each time I read this novel, I find it as thrilling as the first time I was lucky enough to pick it up. Hatchet is an exciting, roller coaster ride of a book. Once you pick it up, it is impossible to put down. Woe betide anyone who tries to gain your attention whilst you are reading this novel!

Everything I Know About You

Everything I Know About You
by Belinda Hollyer

Lizzie is used to her little brother's wild imagination, but he has gone too far this time! She really doesn't mind when he pretends he is a dragon, even when she has to pretend to be a princess, tied to a rock for hours at a time, but this is too much to bear! Eric claims to have seen their mother working in the gift shop at the Natural History Museum. It just can't be her, she died five years ago when Eric was just two. But, what if it is? Dad is acting awfully strange, he is definitely keeping some secrets. Lizzie is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I really loved this book. The relationship between the family was really interesting to observe and it is so well written. Although, I don't think I could have been nearly as patient as Lizzie is with her little brother, Eric. I think he would have driven me insane! I will be looking for more books by this author.

Johnny And The Dead

Johnny and the Dead
by Terry Pratchett

Johnny Maxwell is a pretty average 12 year old boy. He spends his time playing computer games and hanging out with his mates - Big Mac, Wobbler & Yo-Less. He doesn't think anything remarkable will ever happen to him. That is, until....

The day he walks through the cemetery on the way home from school. The day he decides to stop and have a look around. The day that changes the rest of his life!

It seemed like such a good idea at the time, to run up to one of the tombs and knock on the door. He really didn't expect anyone to answer, but they did! The ghost of Alderman Thomas Bowler to be precise.

Johnny turned and ran like the clappers.

But then he stopped and thought "what if I don't go back, what if I never know the truth?" So Johnny turns back and knocks on the tomb again.

This meeting is the start of a friendship between Johnny and the dead. Only Johnny can see and hear them, so when the council decides to sell the cemetery for 5p to a company who want to knock it down, the dead decide that Johnny is just the boy to stop them.

This is the second in a trio of books about Johnny Maxwell.

1 Only You Can Save Mankind

Johnny is playing his new computer game. He is about to blast the alien fleet to smithereens when a message appears on screen that says "We surrender!".

What happens when a computer game turns into real life? Johnny is about to find out!

2 Johnny and the Dead

3 Johnny & The Bomb

Johnny and his friends travel back to World War II in a wonky shopping trolley that belongs to Mrs Tachyon, the local bag lady.

It could only happen to Johnny Maxwell!


This is a great set of books to read. Pratchett at his best. Funny, poignant and unforgettable! The one I always go back and read again is Johnny and the Dead, although I really enjoyed Only You Can Save Mankind. Johnny and the Bomb is my least favourite, but still a good book and worth a read.

The Tree Shepherd's Daughter

The Tree Shepherd's Daughter
by Gillian Summers

Keelie is a true Californian girl. She likes fashion, manicures and hanging out at the mall with her friends. That is until her mom dies and she is sent off to live with the dad she hasn't seen since she was little.

Keelie's dad lives a hippy lifestyle travelling around medieval festivals, plying his trade as a carpenter, whilst dressed in clothes from the dark ages. Keelie thinks she will never fit into this odd place. There are people with pointy ears, a boot wearing cat and the trees are trying to talk to her! Thank goodness she has an escape plan to ditch this medieval geekland.

I have had this book sitting around for a while. I would pick it up and put it down again, only to select something else to read. I knew I wanted to read it, after reading a great review, but I think what put me off was the cover. It just didn't excite me at all, but I am so glad I picked it up. It is such a great tale of friendship, love and moving on with life and I just loved Knot the cat. He reminded me of the cat in Sabriel called Mogget, who is bound to serve the Abhorsen, whether he likes it or not. I can't wait to lay my hands on the next book in the trilogy.

Faire Folk Trilogy

Book 1 The Tree Shepherd's Daughter

Book 2 Into the Wildewood

Book 3 The Secret of the Dread Forest