Agatha is a Hawk, someone who protects her clan in the mythical land of Scotia. She loves her job, she patrols the wall looking for the enemy. However, Agatha is made fun of by others in her clan and some see her as an annoyance, since she has a learning disability that makes her stand out from the others. Jamie is training to be an angler even though he is scared to death of the water. He's also been chosen to marry a girl he's never met, someone from another clan. This is a big deal because their clan hasn't allowed marriage in a long, long time. On the big day, treachery descends upon the clan and Agatha and Jamie find themselves hunting a deadly group of bandits in order to find their loved ones. Along the way they discover deadly wild wolves, mysterious Highland bull riders, a mad Queen, shadow monsters and many more intriguing characters. It will take all of their nerve and bravery to find their loved ones, the odds are high, but their determination is higher. I loved the Good Hawk, I can hear Agatha's voice in many of the students I interact with. She is kind, loyal yet naive of the world and its often brutal ways. Jamie is patient, caring and courageous even though he wouldn't consider himself any of those things. The Good Hawk is a novel that you'll want to live in for a long time. Heartbreaking and engaging, I know it'll be a hit with our students. It's an absolute thrill ride from beginning to end. Expertly written, you'll be clambering for the sequel.
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Izy's life is pretty ordinary, she's got a best friend at school, Grace, who she shares everything with. She's got a teen sister Megan who is moody and suddenly seems to be angry at the world and she's got a little brother who is kind and funny and annoying all wrapped in one. Then a bombshell rocks her family, her father announces that he is transitioning into a woman. He's going to have a new name, Danielle, wear women's clothes and start hormone therapy. At first, Izzy and Megan are shocked, then angry, especially Megan, who feels it's an absolute embarrassment. Izzy's anger turns quickly into sadness as she contemplates losing the person she knows as her dad. To make matters worse, word gets around school about her father's decision. The whispers, the name calling, the outright abuse becomes too much for Izzy. On top of this she's got to rehearse for the upcoming Guys & Dolls musical that she has a big role in and nobody in her family seems to notice. It's going to be a rough ride and the question is, can she survive the turmoil? Nothing Ever Happens here is a very touching story that is told with a lot grace, humour and consideration. Everyone in Izzy's family deals with the news about Dee (what they decide to call Danielle) in different ways. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how each character initially resisted then adapted and accepted Dee's wishes to become the person she wanted to be. How Izzy handled the bullying was very well written, she took it on mostly by herself until she decided to reach out. This book is about empathy, understanding and representation, things that are vitally important in the toxic whirlwind of self important garbage that swirls in a constant storm on places like Twitter and Facebook. I am delighted that it's out there and on the shelves of our library. We've all been on school trips we've not enjoyed. I once had to go on a school trip to see how a local courthouse was run only to see a family member standing before the judge. Well, that has nothing on Ian's upcoming school trip. Ian's mum is being a little over protective about this particular trip. She's packed him ten pairs of underwear and is very interested in embarrassing him to the tenth degree every chance he gets. Ian's not worried, though, why would he be? It's just a school trip. School Trip from Hell, that is. What begins as a slightly unnerving visit to an eerie mansion turns into a full blown fight for survival as Ian and his friends fend off tentacled monsters and slow moving but equally deadly zombies. Not to mention the entire show is being run by some sort of evil mastermind zombie controlling creature. Mutant Zombies Cursed My School Trip is a hilarious addition to Matt Brown's other hilarious stories. They are sharp, clever and with a little bit of an edge to them, perfect reads for those in Year 6 or 7 who claim they hate reading when in fact they haven't found a book like this one. London has been flooded, Kara and Joe scavenge their way through a rickety part of the city. To some, they are considered scum, urchins who don't deserve to live, to others they represent an opportunity to bring about change. When the siblings come into possession of a bizarre looking map, they find themselves on the run. Captured by sea pirates, they must escape from their prison in order to save the only home they've ever known. FloodWorld is fast paced near future in a terrifying dystopian world where climate change has ravaged our planet and threatened our way of life. The world is split between the super poor and the super rich, there is no in between. I really got pulled into this world and enjoyed every minute of it. Kara and Joe's plight is gut wrenching and nail biting at the same time, they've got nothing in this life but each other so the stakes are very high as they tumble into one twist after another. Fans of Sarah Govett's The Territory will really sink their teeth into this thrilling adventure! Cole is a boy with big problems. His mum is about to lose her job at the local museum and his dad, an ex music roadie, is out of work as well. Cole's best friend is Mason, a boy whose family doesn't have to worry about money. When Cole discovers that a painting in his mum's soon to be closed museum may house a secret to a lost treasure, he becomes obsessed with finding it. Then something extraordinary happens. When a famous artist visits Cole's school. she believes that Cole's painting is a unique work of art and that Cole is an artistic genius. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Cole must endure mounting pressure to create a new piece of art if he's going to save his family from poverty. On the back burner is the painting's secret treasure trail. As the deadline mounts, the pressure on Cole becomes too much to bear. I flew through this novel, Cole is a flawed character that you can't help but root for. We've all been in situations where white lies have gotten out of hand and this novel takes it to a level that is thoroughly enjoyable.His immersion into a world that is completely unknown to him was a real thrill to read. I also really loved the treasure hunt the children embarked on. The Boy Who Fooled the World is a novel that is perfect for ages 10+, it has a great moral base with genuinely funny and touching moments. |
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