Lily Alone

Lily Alone
by Jacqueline Wilson

This book is about a girl called Lily who has two sisters and a brother called Bliss, Pixie and Baxter. They have a single mother who has to leave her children home alone. Since Lily is the eldest she is in charge and normally manages to get the others into bed in time. One day their mum goes to the pub and comes back talking about a man she met. Later on she ends up going with him on holiday. Lily is very worried about the idea of her mother being away for a week and having to look after three children at the age of eleven! The ending was not what I was expecting but I enjoyed it very much and it was exciting.

review by Amy

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The Longest Whale Song

The Longest Whale Song
by Jacqueline Wilson

This book is about a girl called Ella who lives with her mum and her step dad. Ella’s mother is having a baby and when the baby is born she is immediately very ill. Ella is with one of her mother’s friends. A few days later Ella’s step dad takes her to the hospital to see her mum but when Ella sees her mum she feels upset looking at her. Ella has a look at her new little brother Samson and feels a bit better. Ella goes to the hospital to see her mum nearly every day so she takes most days off school. I enjoyed this book because it was very interesting.

review by Amy

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Little Darlings

Little Darlings
by Jacqueline Wilson

This book is about a girl called Destiny who lives with her mum, and a girl called Sunset who lives with her rock star dad Danny Kilman and her mum and her sister and brother Sweetie and Ace. Destiny is an eleven year old girl and doesn’t have a lot of money but Sunset’s family are very rich. The two girls meet at the premiere of a movie that Danny Kilman is featured in. Destiny and Sunset become very good friends. Destiny performs in a school talent show and her dreams start to come true. I enjoyed this book because I could relate to the characters and I really felt they were living their dream.

review by Amy

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The Brilliant World of Tom Gates

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates
by Liz Pichon

I like this book because Tom is always trying to trick his sister Delia and his teachers. My favourite character is Delia. She is really cool.

My favourite part is when Mr Fullerman tells Tom off for getting ink all over his work.

My favourite drawings were the front cover and the class portraits of the class. Poor Marcus Meldrew put I'm and idiot or was it Tom?...

I really enjoyed it. I love the little pictures of the eye's when he writes down Mrs Worthington, who has a moustache (it's tricky not to stare). It is also cool when he draws a moustache.

Comic like books I don't really read but this one was really funny and full of things that you just wouldn't do.

Writing like this is really smart in books like this. BIG AND Wide.

Liz Pichon is a really good author. Sometimes chapter books can be boring but comic chapter books are different.

The writing is different than normal Times New Roman (boring- I'm so tired) but the types of writing that Liz does is exciting and enjoyable.

I really do think this book is exciting to read and fabulous laughter.


review by Rebecca
age 10

6/12/2011

From the Heart

From the Heart
by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

From the heart continues the story of Willa Havisham, the wedding planner's daughter. Willa lives in Cape Cod with her mother and her step-dad Sam, helping to run their guest house and the occasional wedding.

This year, Willa is given the opportunity to plan a wedding by herself and she is so very excited. The wedding is for her dad's sister, a true eco-warrior.

Along with the excitement of planning a wedding there is unrest in the town over nesting birds and an oddly acting boyfriend to contend with as well as friendships new and old.

I just love this series of books. They are just so comforting. They really give you a glimpse of Cape Cod and a whole different lifestyle. The differences between Cape Cod and Scotland are very apparent as you read these books.

My one word of warning would be, watch out for the title 'Forget me not : From the life of Willa Havisham', as it is actually the same book. I noticed as we have both titles in the library. Coleen is branching into the pre-teen market and the new books have been published with photographic covers for an older audience instead of the familiar, rather sweet illustrations we are used to. So this story has been published twice with different covers and titles. On further investigation I found there is a slight twist at the end of Forget Me Not : From the life of Willa Havisham', which makes me think the wedding planner's daughter is finishing with From the Heart and The Life of Willa Havisham is taking over.

I Shall Wear Midnight

I Shall Wear Midnight
by Terry Pratchett

Tiffany Aching never really wanted to be a witch, but had witchood thrust upon her when she was scouted by the 'witch finder' Miss Tick. It sort of ran in the family, the being a witch that is, although no one spoke of it, as it wasn't the done thing on the Chalk where they live.

Now, seven years later (and three books later), Tiffany is truly a witch and practising openly much to the consternation of many of the villagers, who don't want to think about it too closely, even though Tiffany is the first person they turn to if they need help of any kind.

Tiffany and her wee (when I say wee I mean it, they are little folk or fairy folk as they are sometimes known) tribe of faithful Scottish warriors - the Nac Mac Feegles have there work cut out for them this time around. As rumour, suspicion and prejudice swirl around the Chalk after the Baron dies while being tended to by Tiffany.

As if that isn't enough she is also pursued by the mythical Cunning Man a demonic creature filled with hatred and has to cope with the suspicions of her ex-beau Roland, the Baron's Son and his silly wife-to-be Letitia.

It is hard enough being a teenager, but being a witch too is a real trial!


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If you want to read Tiffany's story from the beginning, start with Wee Free Men, the story in which nine year old Tiffany is initiated into the witchood by Miss Tick when the Queen of the Elves makes an attempt to enter the Discworld, by stealing children and infesting dreams. Tiffany's baby brother is one of the stolen children and with the help of the 'Wee Free Men' - The Nac Mac Feegles, she attempts to rescue him and save the Discworld.

In book two, A Hat Full of Sky, Tiffany is preparing to leave home and take up witchcraft properly. Tiffany goes to live with Miss Level to learn herb lore from her, but while she is with her a strange presence called 'the Hiver' inhabits Tiffany, making her do all sorts of things she wouldn't do and abusing her new powers. The Nac Mac Feegles and Mistress Weatherwax, a legendary witch arrives in the nick of time to help.

In the third story, Wintersmith, Tiffany is continuing her training with a witch called Miss Treason. When Miss Treason takes Tiffany to witness the Dark Morris - a morris dance which is performed wearing black clothes and octiron bells and is danced in the winter. Tiffany joins the dance and finds herself face to face with the Wintersmith. The Wintersmith is very taken with Tiffany and starts to give her gifts and powers which get her into all sorts of trouble, but as ever the Nac Mac Feegles and Mistress Weatherwax are there to help.

Enjoy!