Mark Haddon is a writer and illustrator of several
Award-winning children's books and television screenplays.
As a young man, Haddon worked with autistic individuals. This gave him the opportunity to understand the minds of children with autism.
Mark Haddon’s book begins with a 15-year-old autistic boy named Christopher Boone, who stumbles over the body of his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, impaled with a garden fork, and he is initially blamed for the killing.
Christopher knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. However he is incredibly talented in math and is studying for his A levels. Christopher is the first to take A level maths in his school. He also hates to be touched, won’t touch the colours brown and yellow, and refuses to eat his foods if they are touching.
Christopher then decides that he will track down the real killer and turns to his favourite fictional character, Sherlock Holmes, for inspiration and will write a book about it for his school homework.
I love this book; this is one of my most favourite books I’ve ever read. I would give this book a four out of five star rating because it is so gripping and you just want to read on and it’s fun to read. It’s funny when he says “Terry, who is the older brother of Francis, who is at school, said I would only get a job collecting supermarket trolleys or cleaning out donkey shit at an animal sanctuary and they didn’t let spazzers drive rockets that cost billions of pounds.”. Also I like that it has a twist in the story and cliff-hangers wanting you to keep reading.
“EXCEPTIONAL by any standards...”
Sunday telegraph
“Superbly realised…
A funny book as well as a sad book...
BRILLIANT”
Guardian
By JW Yr9
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
“The only happy thing was that Sym (your main character)didn't die. The only good thing about this book is that you can't guess what on earth's going to happen next.” Amazon book reviews- Liz (SA!)
Carnegie award winning author and three times Whitbread Children’s Book Award, Geraldine McCaughrean, has produced an interesting novel based on the story of Captain Lawrence Edward Grace Oates, a nineteenth century explorer. The story is set mostly in the heart of Antarctica, the first person account of emotions channelled by a fourteen year old Symone Wates. Symone (Sym) is not very popular at school and has an “imaginary” friend in Captain Oates- or Titus as she prefers to call him. Her love life is non-existent and her one friend is in her own world of girly magazines.
A plot begins in which the reasons for certain events become clear throughout the story line. Symone has an “uncle”, or rather a friend of her father’s who she believes is a trustworthy and highly intelligent man. Her reasons for believing in him and his wisdom so strongly, she thinks are linked to her father’s feelings towards her. Spread out through the story are emotional feelings towards her father’s disregard for her feelings and interests, along with a few minor comments to certain mind games that are brought up by her Uncle Victor to improve her own outlook on life and an episode before the untimely event of her father’s passing when she is forgotten completely by him and he is enraged by her presence in his house. This came as a hook in the story of his mental health.
When her uncle suggests a trip to Paris and then a following visit to Antarctica, a place which she has become enticed by, and her mother is accidentally left behind, dark secrets become unveiled, strange quests for the centre of the world surface and emotions bubble, bringing the story to a tightened climax. Antarctica holds many new experiences and sinister ideas for the 14year old school girl.
Focusing mainly on the first part of “White Darkness”, you notice that the main aspect of the story is highlighted as Sym’s love for Titus, a 125 year old “ghost”, who died in 1912, at the age of 32, this is linked in with his significance and her “classmate’s” reactions to her “pretend friend”. This part is a part that most students can identify with, being an outsider within a group of people in school. The focus varies a lot during the beginning however does not ruin the overall effect of the story opening. Emotions run high in this opening, which adds to the small hook at the beginning of the story. She feels as if Titus is her soul mate and the taunts from the more “popular” girls in school made her believe in him even more, he was all she needed. I believe that this was true to life and showed that even the slightest things can set off stress, which is what may have caused her imagination to run wild in the first place. One harsh point that I did notice that was cold hearted and malicious was the comment that made her close in in the first place, after her father died, when Maxine said to Nats, “’ Don’t worry. I expect she just imagined it.’” Nevertheless, this was a god technique as it created sympathy for the main character and set the opinions in the reader’s mind that should have carried on throughout the book.
There are numerous ways of perceiving the main character. Is she a lonely child who just needs someone to talk to, someone who understands her? Has she merely been corrupted by her “uncle”, the man she believed really cared about her and her father, and felt that with the knowledge passed onto her from him could- in reality- create a friend for her? Or, is she simply mad? Of course, my explanation is that an imaginary friend has simply taken it’s time developing and, following the death of her father, she needed help from someone who, because he had all of her “under the surface emotions” , could tell her how she really felt. Although I did feel that Liz’s, from Amazon, comment before my own review wasn’t exactly right as I like to want to guess what will happen next but it wasn’t that interesting and Sym getting in a bit more trouble may have made that little bit more interesting.
Disregarding the main character’s occasional funny parts, for example: “We settled on killing Uncle Victor by brute force. With an ice axe.” She follows to almost plea for sympathy from the reader, “(I should say, in our defence, that we were very, very scared)”, this book, I felt, didn’t really hook me after I began to read it. The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” springs to mind as I write this next comment as, you can probably guess, I did indeed do just that. The simple faces on the front and back cover of the book, partnered with the cold colours and intricate swirled patterns convinced me to pick up the book and read the blurb on the inside. I guess it is better to take a book and be let down than to avoid a book that looks dull and find out that you have missed out on something good because, at the end of the day, at least you’ve attempted it.
I felt that the hooks were few and far apart, and the storyline became less interesting as I read along. I believe that this book was not so awful that no- one should ever even consider reading it, however it is not a book that I would read again. With the serious and almost never ending plot, this book reminded me of a soap as it carried out the Uncle’s secret for too long and anyone in their right mind would have realised that something was not quite right in the first place. All I can say is that I hope that because of the ending being left open for questions, that wont mean a sequel.
Due to the lack of interest the storyline conjured up in my mind, however still remembering the occasional high points, I would give this book a two star rating and would only recommend this to someone who would read anything and everything.
YJL Yr9
Carnegie award winning author and three times Whitbread Children’s Book Award, Geraldine McCaughrean, has produced an interesting novel based on the story of Captain Lawrence Edward Grace Oates, a nineteenth century explorer. The story is set mostly in the heart of Antarctica, the first person account of emotions channelled by a fourteen year old Symone Wates. Symone (Sym) is not very popular at school and has an “imaginary” friend in Captain Oates- or Titus as she prefers to call him. Her love life is non-existent and her one friend is in her own world of girly magazines.
A plot begins in which the reasons for certain events become clear throughout the story line. Symone has an “uncle”, or rather a friend of her father’s who she believes is a trustworthy and highly intelligent man. Her reasons for believing in him and his wisdom so strongly, she thinks are linked to her father’s feelings towards her. Spread out through the story are emotional feelings towards her father’s disregard for her feelings and interests, along with a few minor comments to certain mind games that are brought up by her Uncle Victor to improve her own outlook on life and an episode before the untimely event of her father’s passing when she is forgotten completely by him and he is enraged by her presence in his house. This came as a hook in the story of his mental health.
When her uncle suggests a trip to Paris and then a following visit to Antarctica, a place which she has become enticed by, and her mother is accidentally left behind, dark secrets become unveiled, strange quests for the centre of the world surface and emotions bubble, bringing the story to a tightened climax. Antarctica holds many new experiences and sinister ideas for the 14year old school girl.
Focusing mainly on the first part of “White Darkness”, you notice that the main aspect of the story is highlighted as Sym’s love for Titus, a 125 year old “ghost”, who died in 1912, at the age of 32, this is linked in with his significance and her “classmate’s” reactions to her “pretend friend”. This part is a part that most students can identify with, being an outsider within a group of people in school. The focus varies a lot during the beginning however does not ruin the overall effect of the story opening. Emotions run high in this opening, which adds to the small hook at the beginning of the story. She feels as if Titus is her soul mate and the taunts from the more “popular” girls in school made her believe in him even more, he was all she needed. I believe that this was true to life and showed that even the slightest things can set off stress, which is what may have caused her imagination to run wild in the first place. One harsh point that I did notice that was cold hearted and malicious was the comment that made her close in in the first place, after her father died, when Maxine said to Nats, “’ Don’t worry. I expect she just imagined it.’” Nevertheless, this was a god technique as it created sympathy for the main character and set the opinions in the reader’s mind that should have carried on throughout the book.
There are numerous ways of perceiving the main character. Is she a lonely child who just needs someone to talk to, someone who understands her? Has she merely been corrupted by her “uncle”, the man she believed really cared about her and her father, and felt that with the knowledge passed onto her from him could- in reality- create a friend for her? Or, is she simply mad? Of course, my explanation is that an imaginary friend has simply taken it’s time developing and, following the death of her father, she needed help from someone who, because he had all of her “under the surface emotions” , could tell her how she really felt. Although I did feel that Liz’s, from Amazon, comment before my own review wasn’t exactly right as I like to want to guess what will happen next but it wasn’t that interesting and Sym getting in a bit more trouble may have made that little bit more interesting.
Disregarding the main character’s occasional funny parts, for example: “We settled on killing Uncle Victor by brute force. With an ice axe.” She follows to almost plea for sympathy from the reader, “(I should say, in our defence, that we were very, very scared)”, this book, I felt, didn’t really hook me after I began to read it. The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” springs to mind as I write this next comment as, you can probably guess, I did indeed do just that. The simple faces on the front and back cover of the book, partnered with the cold colours and intricate swirled patterns convinced me to pick up the book and read the blurb on the inside. I guess it is better to take a book and be let down than to avoid a book that looks dull and find out that you have missed out on something good because, at the end of the day, at least you’ve attempted it.
I felt that the hooks were few and far apart, and the storyline became less interesting as I read along. I believe that this book was not so awful that no- one should ever even consider reading it, however it is not a book that I would read again. With the serious and almost never ending plot, this book reminded me of a soap as it carried out the Uncle’s secret for too long and anyone in their right mind would have realised that something was not quite right in the first place. All I can say is that I hope that because of the ending being left open for questions, that wont mean a sequel.
Due to the lack of interest the storyline conjured up in my mind, however still remembering the occasional high points, I would give this book a two star rating and would only recommend this to someone who would read anything and everything.
YJL Yr9
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
‘Al Capone Does My Shirts’ is the story of a twelve year old boy, called Mathew (Moose) Flanagan, who’s just moved to the island of Alcatraz, because his Dad’s just got a job as an electrician and prison guard there. Not only does he then have to get to grips with his knew school and trying to find new friends, but also he has to help his family look after his 15 year old sister, Natalie, who has Autism, which at the time hadn’t been discovered, as he is the only one of the family that seems to be able to connect with her.
Throughout the story, Natalie is trying to get into Esther P. Marinoff School; however the experts say that she isn’t ready to go there. No-one really knows how to deal with Natalie, as Autism hadn’t been recognised at that time, and the only thing that seems to calm her down are her box of buttons and numbers. As a result of no-one knowing how to deal with her, Moose and his mum get into a lot of rows about what to do, which causes tension in the family.
But even though life in this story for Moose may be difficult, he looks at life in a positive way and tries his best. He can handle situations well, and seems to know how to handle his sister far better than his other family members, which is proven when only he is able to get her off the boat, by reading the indexes of a book incorrectly, as he knows she will correct him. He also knows how to deal with the people who don’t know what to make of Natalie. He sticks up for her, and looks after her like a loving brother would, which is one of the main reasons this story is so believable. He uses her flair for numbers to prove that although she may have Autism, she is not as stupid as Piper, one of Moose’s school friends, thinks she is.
Al Capone, an inmate in the Alcatraz prison, may not be featured as much as you would think he would be, in a story with a title based on him, however there is an element of curiosity throughout the story, from both the readers and the characters, or who and what Al Capone is really like. Although he is not a main character, he does play a large part in the story, especially in getting Natalie into Esther P. Marinoff School. In the final part of the story, he becomes a main part of the plot, however the only word throughout the story that is from him, is the word “Done”.
Although this story may not have a real plot, what makes it a great book is the fact that Moose, the main character, is so likeable and realistic. He looks at life with a positive frame of mind and makes the most of what he’s got, even when he’s put into situations he’d rather not be in. Teenage readers can really relate to him, and the way he acts towards his sister leaves you with a “rich and heart-warming” impression of the book.
SM Yr9
Throughout the story, Natalie is trying to get into Esther P. Marinoff School; however the experts say that she isn’t ready to go there. No-one really knows how to deal with Natalie, as Autism hadn’t been recognised at that time, and the only thing that seems to calm her down are her box of buttons and numbers. As a result of no-one knowing how to deal with her, Moose and his mum get into a lot of rows about what to do, which causes tension in the family.
But even though life in this story for Moose may be difficult, he looks at life in a positive way and tries his best. He can handle situations well, and seems to know how to handle his sister far better than his other family members, which is proven when only he is able to get her off the boat, by reading the indexes of a book incorrectly, as he knows she will correct him. He also knows how to deal with the people who don’t know what to make of Natalie. He sticks up for her, and looks after her like a loving brother would, which is one of the main reasons this story is so believable. He uses her flair for numbers to prove that although she may have Autism, she is not as stupid as Piper, one of Moose’s school friends, thinks she is.
Al Capone, an inmate in the Alcatraz prison, may not be featured as much as you would think he would be, in a story with a title based on him, however there is an element of curiosity throughout the story, from both the readers and the characters, or who and what Al Capone is really like. Although he is not a main character, he does play a large part in the story, especially in getting Natalie into Esther P. Marinoff School. In the final part of the story, he becomes a main part of the plot, however the only word throughout the story that is from him, is the word “Done”.
Although this story may not have a real plot, what makes it a great book is the fact that Moose, the main character, is so likeable and realistic. He looks at life with a positive frame of mind and makes the most of what he’s got, even when he’s put into situations he’d rather not be in. Teenage readers can really relate to him, and the way he acts towards his sister leaves you with a “rich and heart-warming” impression of the book.
SM Yr9
Friday, June 27, 2008
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is about a 15-year-old boy named Christopher Boone. Christopher has a photographic memory and can easily understand the most complicated of maths questions, but finds it extremely difficult to understand other people. After discovering the neighbour’s dog lying lifeless on the lawn, he decides to find the killer whilst writing a murder mystery. But ends up uncovering other vital mysteries that will affect his life.
His different use of sentence structure and vocabulary really helps the reader to understand how his mind works under the pressure of everyday life. The sentences Mark Haddon uses can be frustrating for some readers, but usually are very understandable and shows how his problems affect him and the people around his life. This helps us to sympathise with him. He repeats a lot, which include words like “then” and “and”. This creates a sense of unease in the reader.
The book has a very good story line but is very hard to get into in the beginning of the story but I insist you have to persist with it because it starts clawing you in and you will be unable to put the book down.
This is the best book I have ever read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in reading.
“Incredible…
A must read for anyone” The Guardian
SH Yr9
His different use of sentence structure and vocabulary really helps the reader to understand how his mind works under the pressure of everyday life. The sentences Mark Haddon uses can be frustrating for some readers, but usually are very understandable and shows how his problems affect him and the people around his life. This helps us to sympathise with him. He repeats a lot, which include words like “then” and “and”. This creates a sense of unease in the reader.
The book has a very good story line but is very hard to get into in the beginning of the story but I insist you have to persist with it because it starts clawing you in and you will be unable to put the book down.
This is the best book I have ever read and I would recommend it to anyone interested in reading.
“Incredible…
A must read for anyone” The Guardian
SH Yr9
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS
By Gennifer Choldenko
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published in Great Britain 2004
Al Capone does my shirts is written from the perspective of 12 year old Moose Flanagan, who moves to Alcatraz Island with his family. Alcatraz is home to the high security prison and famous gangster, Al Capone. Moose has to deal with many problems: he has a new school; he has to make new friends, and look after his sister. However, his sister Natalie gives him his greatest problem.
Natalie, Moose’s sister, has autism, which affects the brain. She is prone to tantrums and likes to play with her button box. Her mum wants her to do to the Esther P. Marinoff School, which would help her. However she is not accepted due to her age (Moose’s mum keeps Natalie at the age of 10 although she is 16). It is through Natalie that we see Moose’s caring character. Although he has to give up doing things with his friends for her, he still cares for her.
Piper is the manipulative warden’s daughter who is always scheming. In the book, she hatches a plan to make money. She gets the students at the school her and Moose go to to pay to have their clothes washed by Al Capone. This plan works, however, the warden finds out and the children involved get punished. This shows how she is persuasive, because she persuaded the other children on the Island to help even though Moose thought it was a bad idea. It also showed she was mischievous and didn’t mind breaking the rules. Piper’s first question to Moose is "What's the matter with your sister?” This shows how she doesn’t mind what people think of her. She is confident enough to ask the question.
The book is written from the point of view of Moose. He writes in the present. “He has a friendly smile.” “The girl who comes after Piper is up front now.” This makes us feel like we are there and this helps us visualise what is happening. It also makes us sympathise with the main character, Moose.
Reading Al Capone does my shirts; I felt it lacked a plot. Nothing much happens in the book, it doesn’t really have a plot. Some parts of the story were realistic. The character Moose was convincing, the way he was fed up of having to look after his sister and not being able to play baseball with his friends. However, I thought the ending was unlikely. The way Al Capone helped them and then sent a note saying “done”. All his post would have been checked, so how did he get Natalie into the school?
EL Yr9
By Gennifer Choldenko
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
First published in Great Britain 2004
Al Capone does my shirts is written from the perspective of 12 year old Moose Flanagan, who moves to Alcatraz Island with his family. Alcatraz is home to the high security prison and famous gangster, Al Capone. Moose has to deal with many problems: he has a new school; he has to make new friends, and look after his sister. However, his sister Natalie gives him his greatest problem.
Natalie, Moose’s sister, has autism, which affects the brain. She is prone to tantrums and likes to play with her button box. Her mum wants her to do to the Esther P. Marinoff School, which would help her. However she is not accepted due to her age (Moose’s mum keeps Natalie at the age of 10 although she is 16). It is through Natalie that we see Moose’s caring character. Although he has to give up doing things with his friends for her, he still cares for her.
Piper is the manipulative warden’s daughter who is always scheming. In the book, she hatches a plan to make money. She gets the students at the school her and Moose go to to pay to have their clothes washed by Al Capone. This plan works, however, the warden finds out and the children involved get punished. This shows how she is persuasive, because she persuaded the other children on the Island to help even though Moose thought it was a bad idea. It also showed she was mischievous and didn’t mind breaking the rules. Piper’s first question to Moose is "What's the matter with your sister?” This shows how she doesn’t mind what people think of her. She is confident enough to ask the question.
The book is written from the point of view of Moose. He writes in the present. “He has a friendly smile.” “The girl who comes after Piper is up front now.” This makes us feel like we are there and this helps us visualise what is happening. It also makes us sympathise with the main character, Moose.
Reading Al Capone does my shirts; I felt it lacked a plot. Nothing much happens in the book, it doesn’t really have a plot. Some parts of the story were realistic. The character Moose was convincing, the way he was fed up of having to look after his sister and not being able to play baseball with his friends. However, I thought the ending was unlikely. The way Al Capone helped them and then sent a note saying “done”. All his post would have been checked, so how did he get Natalie into the school?
EL Yr9
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
‘Truly magnificent. An inspirational read’ MP, Award Winner of 2008 Reviewer of the Year
Elsewhere is based in what many people think to be heaven. It is based on a girl called Elizabeth Hall, but known to most as Liz, who is killed in a hit and run incident. The novel is about how she is trying to overcome the fact that she has died, but is still able to live like she did on earth. The story is about her, and the people she meets on here way to Elsewhere, discovering the adventures of life after death.
The structure of the verb tense throughout the novel is set very much in the present day; however, the chapter entitled 'Waking' is set in the past. It is telling the reader about a dream that Liz is having, and is a clever aspect of the plot. This is because, with out stating at the beginning what happened to Liz in the hit and run incident, the reader is told by the contents of her dream. In this chapter, there is also no gap between where the dream ends and where the 'real life' begins, as in many novels there are graphical features - such as stars etc, however, as the past tense starts at the beginning of the chapter, there is no way of knowing immediately that it is not in the present day. I think this is a good way of letting the reader know more about the character but is done quite subtly.
At the beginning of the novel, Gabrielle Zevin describes what happens after the accident, but from Elizabeth’s dog’s perspective instead of the Narrators. This was an unexpected start to the story, as I was unsure whether to read that part first, as it was entitled ‘In the End’. However, the reasons for this are because going to Elsewhere is part of a cycle and so the story starts with the end of the last stage. I thought this was a clever aspect of the story, as to some religions this is what they believes happens when they die.
The language through out the novel is quite informal as it is mainly from Liz’s point of view. This is a good feature, as the target audience, in my opinion, is for the teenage age range.
I personally feel that this is an amazing novel. To start with I was a bit unsure of how well someone would be able to describe life after death, with out having experienced it themselves. However, as soon as I started reading Elsewhere, I was gripped! It was very realistic and I was able, in some ways, empathize with each character, as you would feel very lonely knowing that you would never be able to see your family and friends again. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age!
MP Year 9
Elsewhere is based in what many people think to be heaven. It is based on a girl called Elizabeth Hall, but known to most as Liz, who is killed in a hit and run incident. The novel is about how she is trying to overcome the fact that she has died, but is still able to live like she did on earth. The story is about her, and the people she meets on here way to Elsewhere, discovering the adventures of life after death.
The structure of the verb tense throughout the novel is set very much in the present day; however, the chapter entitled 'Waking' is set in the past. It is telling the reader about a dream that Liz is having, and is a clever aspect of the plot. This is because, with out stating at the beginning what happened to Liz in the hit and run incident, the reader is told by the contents of her dream. In this chapter, there is also no gap between where the dream ends and where the 'real life' begins, as in many novels there are graphical features - such as stars etc, however, as the past tense starts at the beginning of the chapter, there is no way of knowing immediately that it is not in the present day. I think this is a good way of letting the reader know more about the character but is done quite subtly.
At the beginning of the novel, Gabrielle Zevin describes what happens after the accident, but from Elizabeth’s dog’s perspective instead of the Narrators. This was an unexpected start to the story, as I was unsure whether to read that part first, as it was entitled ‘In the End’. However, the reasons for this are because going to Elsewhere is part of a cycle and so the story starts with the end of the last stage. I thought this was a clever aspect of the story, as to some religions this is what they believes happens when they die.
The language through out the novel is quite informal as it is mainly from Liz’s point of view. This is a good feature, as the target audience, in my opinion, is for the teenage age range.
I personally feel that this is an amazing novel. To start with I was a bit unsure of how well someone would be able to describe life after death, with out having experienced it themselves. However, as soon as I started reading Elsewhere, I was gripped! It was very realistic and I was able, in some ways, empathize with each character, as you would feel very lonely knowing that you would never be able to see your family and friends again. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age!
MP Year 9
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Elsewhere is a novel about a 15 year old girl, Elizabeth Hall, is killed in a car accident. Her whole “life” is turned upside down. After her death, she is in heaven, called Elsewhere, and back living with her Grandma it’s the strangest feeling for her. In Elsewhere, they are not dead. They all live, work, play and have relationships, as we do here on earth. Most importantly, they all age. Except, they age backwards, from the time they stepped foot on Elsewhere, to when they become a baby again, and they get transported to a new chance for life.
After watching her own funeral (used by her high school principal as an opportunity to lecture on traffic safety), Liz realizes that this is no dream. Nor is it exactly her "life." Liz is dead. She has to get used to the fact that she will never drive a car, get married, have children or find true love. Or will she? She falls in love with a young man, who saved her from drowning and realises that life on Elsewhere isn’t so bad after all.
Elsewhere is a book that once you start reading, you wouldn’t want to put down. Very gripping story line and the characters were perfect. Specifically, “Sorry, but nothing of much importance ever happened to me...I’m just a girl who forgot to look both ways before she crossed the street”. The author, Gabrielle Zevin, remarkably engaged the reader and made them want to read on.
Zevin has taken an everyday concept, turned it on its head and written what can only be described as a believable story about what happens to everyone when they die. Good readers of 13 and above would absolutely love this book. It challenges views on life-after-death and may help people understand that death isn’t all bad.
I most definitely recommend this book to anybody, who loves an emotionally attaching plot and amazing characters. I found myself crying at some points during the book, not because of the sadness of her dying, purely because it can change your views on almost everything such as, relationships and love, life after death, family and friends and the importance that you will always live on.
If you don’t enjoy reading, make an exception for this!
MD Year 9
After watching her own funeral (used by her high school principal as an opportunity to lecture on traffic safety), Liz realizes that this is no dream. Nor is it exactly her "life." Liz is dead. She has to get used to the fact that she will never drive a car, get married, have children or find true love. Or will she? She falls in love with a young man, who saved her from drowning and realises that life on Elsewhere isn’t so bad after all.
Elsewhere is a book that once you start reading, you wouldn’t want to put down. Very gripping story line and the characters were perfect. Specifically, “Sorry, but nothing of much importance ever happened to me...I’m just a girl who forgot to look both ways before she crossed the street”. The author, Gabrielle Zevin, remarkably engaged the reader and made them want to read on.
Zevin has taken an everyday concept, turned it on its head and written what can only be described as a believable story about what happens to everyone when they die. Good readers of 13 and above would absolutely love this book. It challenges views on life-after-death and may help people understand that death isn’t all bad.
I most definitely recommend this book to anybody, who loves an emotionally attaching plot and amazing characters. I found myself crying at some points during the book, not because of the sadness of her dying, purely because it can change your views on almost everything such as, relationships and love, life after death, family and friends and the importance that you will always live on.
If you don’t enjoy reading, make an exception for this!
MD Year 9
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Moose Flanagan is a typical 1930s boy from San Francisco. He goes to a state school, loves baseball and everything else most kids of the time do. There’s only one thing; he and his family live on Alcatraz Island, home to the most infamous criminals, like Machine-Gun Kelly and the most infamous of them all, Al Capone.
So, maybe Moose isn’t that normal. At his new school he’s squeezing in as much time as he can to play baseball with his friend Scout. He and the other players don’t understand what Moose does for his sister, Natalie. She has a condition called Autism (but it was not recognised in 1935) and so he must look after her whilst his father works at the prison and his mother teaches piano on the mainland.
Moose is always helping Nat as much as possible. The main plot of the story is getting her to a school for children who have similar conditions, called the Esther P. Marinoff. She has already had a trial their but she was sent home due to her ‘early- rising habits’. After her being turned down, Moose looks after her whenever he is home. He works hard considering that he doesn’t get to be with the other kids living on the island as much.
Whilst this is happening, Scout has stopped Moose from joining in with baseball. Moose thinks that if he can give Scout a convict’s baseball (they sometimes fly over the wall), then he will be allowed to join in again. Whilst he searches he leaves Natalie somewhere near by. He doesn’t feel easy about doing this but he wants to find the ball; ‘I wish I could see Natalie.’
When he returns to her, all she says is, ‘105’. Moose is utterly confused by this and can’t understand her.
When he goes back to search again he is appalled to find out that ‘105’ is a con that is working in the gardens, beyond the fence. Moose frets terribly that something more happened between Natalie and the gardener. He hates himself for leaving her and really wants to get Natalie somewhere safe. The Esther P. Marinoff.
Natalie, meanwhile, has been making progress with a teacher named Carrie Kelly and is proposed to retry for the school. Again she fails and Moose’s family is in despair. But then the Warden’s crafty daughter (Piper) has an idea. Doesn’t Al Capone have some connections?
So Moose slips him a letter in the washing, which the cons do, and hopes for the best. Soon after, Natalie is accepted in to the Esther P. Marinoff. And Moose finds a note in his shirt pocket, saying, ‘Done.’
I really enjoyed this book, as it was mostly realistic. It was a simple book but it had you going through Moose’s emotions all the time. I believe its message was to keep trying with anything you do. I would say the only negative aspect of this is that the message also seems that you can cheat to get where you want to, but I was to happy for this fictional family to properly think about it. I advise anyone to read this book from about 12+, a definite must!
JB Year 9
So, maybe Moose isn’t that normal. At his new school he’s squeezing in as much time as he can to play baseball with his friend Scout. He and the other players don’t understand what Moose does for his sister, Natalie. She has a condition called Autism (but it was not recognised in 1935) and so he must look after her whilst his father works at the prison and his mother teaches piano on the mainland.
Moose is always helping Nat as much as possible. The main plot of the story is getting her to a school for children who have similar conditions, called the Esther P. Marinoff. She has already had a trial their but she was sent home due to her ‘early- rising habits’. After her being turned down, Moose looks after her whenever he is home. He works hard considering that he doesn’t get to be with the other kids living on the island as much.
Whilst this is happening, Scout has stopped Moose from joining in with baseball. Moose thinks that if he can give Scout a convict’s baseball (they sometimes fly over the wall), then he will be allowed to join in again. Whilst he searches he leaves Natalie somewhere near by. He doesn’t feel easy about doing this but he wants to find the ball; ‘I wish I could see Natalie.’
When he returns to her, all she says is, ‘105’. Moose is utterly confused by this and can’t understand her.
When he goes back to search again he is appalled to find out that ‘105’ is a con that is working in the gardens, beyond the fence. Moose frets terribly that something more happened between Natalie and the gardener. He hates himself for leaving her and really wants to get Natalie somewhere safe. The Esther P. Marinoff.
Natalie, meanwhile, has been making progress with a teacher named Carrie Kelly and is proposed to retry for the school. Again she fails and Moose’s family is in despair. But then the Warden’s crafty daughter (Piper) has an idea. Doesn’t Al Capone have some connections?
So Moose slips him a letter in the washing, which the cons do, and hopes for the best. Soon after, Natalie is accepted in to the Esther P. Marinoff. And Moose finds a note in his shirt pocket, saying, ‘Done.’
I really enjoyed this book, as it was mostly realistic. It was a simple book but it had you going through Moose’s emotions all the time. I believe its message was to keep trying with anything you do. I would say the only negative aspect of this is that the message also seems that you can cheat to get where you want to, but I was to happy for this fictional family to properly think about it. I advise anyone to read this book from about 12+, a definite must!
JB Year 9
Small Steps by Louis Sachar
After being released from Camp Green Lake Armpit is home in Austin, desperately trying to turn his life around. But that almost seems impossible with his past criminal record. The only person it seems who has any faith in him is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. He seems to be on the right path until X-Ray (his best mate) comes up with a plan to double Armpit’s well earned money. (Six hundred. I wouldn’t!) This leads to an unlikely encounter with teen pop sensation, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly he is out of control of his life and taking too bigger steps.
In this fantastic novel Sachar uses his wit together with a realistic plot and character’s that readers can relate to, to generate a fantastic read. One theme throughout the story is the way in which Sachar describes hectic life of a celebrity. He states something that is normal to girls and shows how you can’t have it when you’re a pop star. (In this case the singer is twenty-four but hasn’t had a boyfriend!) The way in which I was able to relate to the novel was how Armpit describes some of his life and the reader realizes that, “I’m exactly the same!”
I thought this book was hooked you from start to end. The can create realistic relationships between two people from completely different backgrounds. The whole plot was most definitely realistic and I never put the book down. This is one of the best one off book’s that I’ve ever read. Exellent signor!
GH Year 9
In this fantastic novel Sachar uses his wit together with a realistic plot and character’s that readers can relate to, to generate a fantastic read. One theme throughout the story is the way in which Sachar describes hectic life of a celebrity. He states something that is normal to girls and shows how you can’t have it when you’re a pop star. (In this case the singer is twenty-four but hasn’t had a boyfriend!) The way in which I was able to relate to the novel was how Armpit describes some of his life and the reader realizes that, “I’m exactly the same!”
I thought this book was hooked you from start to end. The can create realistic relationships between two people from completely different backgrounds. The whole plot was most definitely realistic and I never put the book down. This is one of the best one off book’s that I’ve ever read. Exellent signor!
GH Year 9
Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
Al Capone Does My Shirts was short listed for the Carnegie Medal in 2005. It is the story of Matthew Flanagan or ‘Moose’ who moves to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay with his Mother, Father and sister Natalie because his father has a job as an electrician there. Natalie has autism, which was an unknown disease at the time, and the family are attempting to get her a place at a special school for children with brain disorders.
The book is set in 1935 when Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly were two of the famous prisoners to walk the halls of the prison. Al Capone was a notorious gangster who was in Alcatraz for tax evasion although he killed many people in opposing gangs.
The children of Alcatraz are fascinated by the prisoners as becomes clear when they sit on the rock so they can watch the prisoners walk past to the cells. This episode makes clear the scale of Alcatraz and shows a difference between the children and Natalie. Natalie seems uninterested by the prisoners and would rather play with the dirt around her to create her own place to be. Whereas, Piper Anne and Moose watch the prisoners trying to decide which of the prisoners is Al Capone.
Natalie is at first confusing to the other children and she is often in her own world. She has a talent with numbers and remembers on what pages you can find what facts in encyclopaedias. She has a problem with appearing to need buttons to simulate her brain. She improves and struggles with her autism on Alcatraz. However, she fails to settle into the school due to her brain condition and her age means she should not be allowed to attend the school anyway.
Al Capone Does My Shirts is an interesting take on what life on Alcatraz must have been like for the children. The book seems at times to move very slowly and there is no real dramatic crescendo to the plot. However, the historic nature of the book makes it fascinating to anyone who has an interest in the prison when it was working. The book is touching as the reader feels a sympathy and empathy with Moose who struggles to deal with Natalie’s condition. This book moves gently towards the final ending which really made me smile. If you enjoy Al Capone Does My Shirts why not try Notes From A Liar And Her Dog also written by Gennifer Choldenko?
CH Year 9
The book is set in 1935 when Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly were two of the famous prisoners to walk the halls of the prison. Al Capone was a notorious gangster who was in Alcatraz for tax evasion although he killed many people in opposing gangs.
The children of Alcatraz are fascinated by the prisoners as becomes clear when they sit on the rock so they can watch the prisoners walk past to the cells. This episode makes clear the scale of Alcatraz and shows a difference between the children and Natalie. Natalie seems uninterested by the prisoners and would rather play with the dirt around her to create her own place to be. Whereas, Piper Anne and Moose watch the prisoners trying to decide which of the prisoners is Al Capone.
Natalie is at first confusing to the other children and she is often in her own world. She has a talent with numbers and remembers on what pages you can find what facts in encyclopaedias. She has a problem with appearing to need buttons to simulate her brain. She improves and struggles with her autism on Alcatraz. However, she fails to settle into the school due to her brain condition and her age means she should not be allowed to attend the school anyway.
Al Capone Does My Shirts is an interesting take on what life on Alcatraz must have been like for the children. The book seems at times to move very slowly and there is no real dramatic crescendo to the plot. However, the historic nature of the book makes it fascinating to anyone who has an interest in the prison when it was working. The book is touching as the reader feels a sympathy and empathy with Moose who struggles to deal with Natalie’s condition. This book moves gently towards the final ending which really made me smile. If you enjoy Al Capone Does My Shirts why not try Notes From A Liar And Her Dog also written by Gennifer Choldenko?
CH Year 9
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
Writing the storey from the point of view of an autistic 15-year-old, Mark Haddon takes the reader into the world of a young boy unable to understand the emotions of other people around him. As well as this he gives away very early in the story that he doesn’t react well to physical contact with other people,
“The policeman took hold of my arm and lifted me onto my feet. I didn’t like him touching me like this. And this is when I hit him.” This shows us that he is unable to understand that the policeman was not lifting him to threaten him, only to make it easier to talk.
Fifteen year old Christopher has been attending a special school in Swindon for most of his life, living at home with his father, a heating contractor who works long hours. Extremely able at maths, he squares the number 2 to calm himself and can list the prime numbers up to 7,507.
To the reader Christopher seems unable to understand sarcasm and cannot read the facial features of anyone apart from happy and sad. The way that Haddon describes the sudden death of Christopher’s mother from the boy’s point of view helps the reader to sympathise, as well as empathise with Christopher. The reader also sympathises through the father, due to the fact that Christopher describing his view of the world helps us to recognise how hard it is for a single parent to control a child as demanding as Christopher, such as when Christopher refuses to hug his father and instead they have this routine, “I held up my left hand and spread my fingers out in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other. We do this because sometimes father wants to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people, so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me.”
JK Year 9
“The policeman took hold of my arm and lifted me onto my feet. I didn’t like him touching me like this. And this is when I hit him.” This shows us that he is unable to understand that the policeman was not lifting him to threaten him, only to make it easier to talk.
Fifteen year old Christopher has been attending a special school in Swindon for most of his life, living at home with his father, a heating contractor who works long hours. Extremely able at maths, he squares the number 2 to calm himself and can list the prime numbers up to 7,507.
To the reader Christopher seems unable to understand sarcasm and cannot read the facial features of anyone apart from happy and sad. The way that Haddon describes the sudden death of Christopher’s mother from the boy’s point of view helps the reader to sympathise, as well as empathise with Christopher. The reader also sympathises through the father, due to the fact that Christopher describing his view of the world helps us to recognise how hard it is for a single parent to control a child as demanding as Christopher, such as when Christopher refuses to hug his father and instead they have this routine, “I held up my left hand and spread my fingers out in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other. We do this because sometimes father wants to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people, so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me.”
JK Year 9
The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean
When I read this book and saw the cover, I was expecting a thrilling fantasy and adventure to an unknown place. I was entirely wrong. I found the book extremely unclear and I found it not at all gripping. I wouldn’t encourage anyone to read this ‘slow moving’ book; it will crush your interests in reading.
Firstly, the characters in this novel are at an extreme difference to normal people. For instance; Sym or Symone, the narrator, is 14 and she wears a hearing aid that she can’t hear without. Also she has an imaginary ‘friend’ called Titus Oates, a polar explorer that travels with her everywhere.
Her uncle Victor, as well as taking care of her family after her father died, believes in a world that lives inside our own Earth and he wants to travel there and prove his theory. If this doesn’t prove the madness that runs through the characters in the book then I don’t know what would.
Secondly, the slow movement of the book. For example, Uncle Victor, Sym and some other explorers were travelling on the ice trying to find this other world for 210 pages, nearly the whole book. In this time they encountered maybe 3 problems and had a good old chat. These things filled the whole book, problems and chat.
Finally, this book is full of the same thing over and over again. In nearly every chapter on the ice, there’s the group walking over ice and whiteness, and if you’re lucky, an encounter with a problem. The same things happen all the time; this makes the book extremely hard to connect with.
Overall, the book was filled with the same plot on every page. The same structure and the same events. White Darkness was filled with... white darkness. A blank book that had no emotion, exciting plot or interesting characters. A white darkness that lacked importance or entertainment, a books purpose is to entertain and this one failed. It was a poor attempt to grip the reader and interest an audience.
HG Year 9
Firstly, the characters in this novel are at an extreme difference to normal people. For instance; Sym or Symone, the narrator, is 14 and she wears a hearing aid that she can’t hear without. Also she has an imaginary ‘friend’ called Titus Oates, a polar explorer that travels with her everywhere.
Her uncle Victor, as well as taking care of her family after her father died, believes in a world that lives inside our own Earth and he wants to travel there and prove his theory. If this doesn’t prove the madness that runs through the characters in the book then I don’t know what would.
Secondly, the slow movement of the book. For example, Uncle Victor, Sym and some other explorers were travelling on the ice trying to find this other world for 210 pages, nearly the whole book. In this time they encountered maybe 3 problems and had a good old chat. These things filled the whole book, problems and chat.
Finally, this book is full of the same thing over and over again. In nearly every chapter on the ice, there’s the group walking over ice and whiteness, and if you’re lucky, an encounter with a problem. The same things happen all the time; this makes the book extremely hard to connect with.
Overall, the book was filled with the same plot on every page. The same structure and the same events. White Darkness was filled with... white darkness. A blank book that had no emotion, exciting plot or interesting characters. A white darkness that lacked importance or entertainment, a books purpose is to entertain and this one failed. It was a poor attempt to grip the reader and interest an audience.
HG Year 9
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