These fiction titles I could not put down. They just had to be read.
After Morris Gleitzman (Penguin)
After is the fourth title in the World War Two story of Felix, now 13 years and old and still in hiding. He attempts to rescue his friend Gabriek and learns that not only is he good at mending but he is also good a killing for he helps the Partisans and Felix has just witnessed him attack train and to be allowed to live Felix soon is entwined with the Partisans and attacking the local Nazis. Gabriek is injured and moved to another camp, Felix unsuccessfully attempts to escape the watchful eyes of the partisans and find him; he becomes friends with another partisan Yuli; assists the medical officers, and also attempts to find his parents in the camps as the war ends. There is war and death and healing.
This is another powerfully crafted book, wonderfully written, that draws out every emotion of the reader. Also look for the previous trhee titles - Once, Then, and Now.
Louis Beside Himself Anna Fienberg (Penguin)
Louis’ best friends are Singo and Hassan and they are into basketball and skateboarding but Louis is into words, like reverie, phenomenon, livid, sagaciously, bewildered and perilous (and that’s just in the first chapter). Louis’s widowed dad is into wrestling and wants to build him up and teach him some self defence moves as he imagines dangers that might befall Louis so Louis joins in reluctantly.
But when Louis’ dad breaks a mirror during a kitchen wrestling routine, things start to go bad – even though Louis doesn’t really believe in broken mirrors and curses. A burglar with problems of her own breaks into the house and ends up spending a few nights camped in a tent in the backyard – even though Louis knows he should have wrestled her to the ground as his father had taught him. Louis’ dad falls in love, the girl in the tent is a runaway, Louis dad is thrilled with his new fund ability at house maintenance (although it isn’t Louis’ handywork) and Louis finds his courange and attempts to unite the runaway and her mother and solves a few family problems along the way.
This book is delightful. The characters and the antics they are entwined in are amusing and the relationships between all of the characters, both children and adult, are warm and engaging.
Some words are explained in the text and others are in the word bank at the back of the book.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKeqCNwxFK0&feature=player_embedded
Malice Conspiracy 365, Gabrielle Lord (Scholastic)
First it was Conspiracy 365 that had Callum, Winter, Boges and Winter running for their lives and trying to survive 365 days to solve the Ormond Singularity. Now Winter has received a piece of old torn newspaper with the words The Drowner … 30 days and Winger has the feeling that someone is watching her and has been reading her diary. This time though Callum is completing flight school and mystery needs to be solved. An abandoned old house, a mysterious criminal from the past returns, sea caves and rising waters, an old chest from a shipwreck containing gold coins in mint condition, old photos revealing long ago secret and much more are in these pages.
A great read and amazing continuation of Conspiracy 365. More to come next year.
After is the fourth title in the World War Two story of Felix, now 13 years and old and still in hiding. He attempts to rescue his friend Gabriek and learns that not only is he good at mending but he is also good a killing for he helps the Partisans and Felix has just witnessed him attack train and to be allowed to live Felix soon is entwined with the Partisans and attacking the local Nazis. Gabriek is injured and moved to another camp, Felix unsuccessfully attempts to escape the watchful eyes of the partisans and find him; he becomes friends with another partisan Yuli; assists the medical officers, and also attempts to find his parents in the camps as the war ends. There is war and death and healing.
This is another powerfully crafted book, wonderfully written, that draws out every emotion of the reader. Also look for the previous trhee titles - Once, Then, and Now.
Louis’ best friends are Singo and Hassan and they are into basketball and skateboarding but Louis is into words, like reverie, phenomenon, livid, sagaciously, bewildered and perilous (and that’s just in the first chapter). Louis’s widowed dad is into wrestling and wants to build him up and teach him some self defence moves as he imagines dangers that might befall Louis so Louis joins in reluctantly.
But when Louis’ dad breaks a mirror during a kitchen wrestling routine, things start to go bad – even though Louis doesn’t really believe in broken mirrors and curses. A burglar with problems of her own breaks into the house and ends up spending a few nights camped in a tent in the backyard – even though Louis knows he should have wrestled her to the ground as his father had taught him. Louis’ dad falls in love, the girl in the tent is a runaway, Louis dad is thrilled with his new fund ability at house maintenance (although it isn’t Louis’ handywork) and Louis finds his courange and attempts to unite the runaway and her mother and solves a few family problems along the way.
This book is delightful. The characters and the antics they are entwined in are amusing and the relationships between all of the characters, both children and adult, are warm and engaging.
Some words are explained in the text and others are in the word bank at the back of the book.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKeqCNwxFK0&feature=player_embedded
First it was Conspiracy 365 that had Callum, Winter, Boges and Winter running for their lives and trying to survive 365 days to solve the Ormond Singularity. Now Winter has received a piece of old torn newspaper with the words The Drowner … 30 days and Winger has the feeling that someone is watching her and has been reading her diary. This time though Callum is completing flight school and mystery needs to be solved. An abandoned old house, a mysterious criminal from the past returns, sea caves and rising waters, an old chest from a shipwreck containing gold coins in mint condition, old photos revealing long ago secret and much more are in these pages.
A great read and amazing continuation of Conspiracy 365. More to come next year.
