Series: Extreme Adventures (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Justin D'Aith ((NZ/Aust)
PUBLISHED: ~2005
SERIES: Extreme Adventures
FIRST BOOK: Shark Bait

REVIEW: Each short novel (~130pgs) revolves around one major obstacle/mission, with several smaller obstacles impeding success.
The main character, Sam Fox, faces various difficulties (fighting animals, a runaway hot air balloon, struggling to save his life, or the lives of his younger brothers, etc) which he must overcome.

AGES: 7-10
GENRE: Adventure
RATING: 4 - 4 1/2 stars

Series: Book of Ember (Fic)

AUTHOR: Jeanne DuPrau (USA)
PUBLISHED: 2003+
SERIES: Book of Ember
BOOKS: The City of Ember, The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, The Diamond of Darkhold,

PLOT (The City of Ember):
The city lies in a world of darkness, lit only by lightbulbs powered by the generator and the river running underneath it. When two 12-year-olds graduate into Ember's workforce, their combined curiosity and conviction that all is not right in Ember lead them on a journey to discover the truth about Ember's existence.

REVIEW: Gripping in parts, the ending leaves you curious (although not jumping-out-of-your-chair,  sprinting-to-the-library eager) to read the sequel.  The book has a movie tie-in.

AGE: 10-15
GENRE: Fanatsy
RATING: 4 1/2 stars

Series: The Magician's House (Fic)

AUTHOR: William Corlett (UK)
PUBLISHED: 1990
SERIES: The Magician's House
FIRST BOOK: The Steps Up the Chimney

PLOT:
Three children go to their uncle's house where they discover a magician at the top of stairs inside a chimney. He recruits them to fight against his evil apprentice.

REVIEW:
Similar to, but not as good as the Narnia series. The first book is reminiscent of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Deals with "magic" bordering on wizardry, with spiritual possession of animals (not something I'd promote lightly), good vs evil, etc.

AGES: 9-11
GENRE: Fantasy
RATING: 3 1/2 stars

Then (YA Fic)

AUTHOR: Morris Gleitzman (Aust) PUBLISHED: 2008

PLOT: Two children run away from a Nazi train bound for a concentration camp. They befriend a farmer woman who tries to protect them. The story is confrontational, and gives perspectives from many people: Nazi soldiers, those who are sympathetic to Jews (including some soldiers), etc.

Similar to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

AGES: 10+
GENRE: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction
RATING: 4 1/2 - 5 stars

Series: Monster Blood Tattoo (YA Fic)

AUTHOR: D.M. Cornish (Aust) PUBLISHED: 2008+
PAGES: ~600 pgs. SERIES: Monster Blood Tattoo
BOOKS: Foundling, Lamplighter, Factotum

PLOT (Lamplighter):
A young boy becomes an apprentice lamplighter: people charged with lighting the lamps lining the roads in order to keep people safe, and deter the monsters who live in the area. One night he witnesses a carriage attacked, and he forges an unsteady friendship with one of the occupants.

REIVEW:
The language is archaic and new vocabulary is added. Different names are given to known objects, tasks, etc, making it a difficult read, even for those who love to do so. Overall, the story drags. It is a very long book (599 pgs, not including appendices), and a tedious read.

Links to a website.

The Ranger's Apprentice is FAR better.

AGES: 11+
GENRE: Fantasy
RATING: 3 stars. It holds little appeal overall, but some may thoroughly enjoy it.

Series: Vampire Academy (YA Fic)

AUTHOR: Richelle Mead (USA) PUBLISHED: ~2008
SERIES: Vampire Academy
FIRST BOOK: Vampire Academy

PLOT:
The story is told through the eyes of Rose: a Dhampir - half vamipre, half human; guardians charged with protecting vampires. The first three books are set in high school, where the Dhampirs learn the art of guardianship and the vampires learn... school things. Other characters include Lissa, Rose's vampire best friend who brings her back from the dead, and Dimitri, another Dhampir, Rose's trainer, and the object of her love.

REVIEW:
With some twists on vampire lore, it's enjoyable if you can get past the "tortured teenager" threads (which, of course, will hook the target reader - the tortured teenage girl).

AGE: 13+. Some sex in the third book.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure
RATING: 4 1/2 stars

Series: The Adventures of Captain Underpants (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Dav Pilkey (Aust) PUBLISHED: 1997+

PLOT: Two fourth-grade boys hypnotise their principal and get him to believe that he is the hero of their own made-up comic book.

AGES: 7-8
GENRE: Humor, mild Adventure
RATING: 4 stars.

Series: Anthony Horowitz Horror (Fic)

AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz (Aust) PUBLISHED: ~2000 SERIES: Anthony Horowitz Horror, by Orchard Books

PLOT: ("Scared"):
Contains three short stories. 1) Scared: Nature gets its revenge on an insolent teen boy. 2) A Career in Computer Games: A boy who does nothing but play computer games becomes trapped in one. 3) Howard's End: When Howard has a fatal accident, he thinks he's tricked his way into heaven. But has he?

Interestingly, all characters are rude, disrespectful, insolent, delinquent - perhaps some good moral lessons ;)

REVEW: They are similar to The Midnight Library series in that each book contains a few short stories.

AGES: Suggested for 11+ because of the horror themes.
GENRE: Horror, Thriller.
RATING: 5 stars.

Much Ado About Nothing (retold)

AUTHOR: retold by Andrew Matthews (UK/Aust) PUBLISHED: 2006
PAGES/ILL: ~ 55 pages, large font with sporadic pictures. SERIES: A Shakespeare Story by Orchard Classics

PLOT: Hero and Claudio are in love and plan to marry. At the same time, they plot to have Hero's friend Beatrice and Claudio's friend, Benedick, fall in love with each other.

REVIEW: A lovely introduction to Shakespeare; easy to understand, but keeping to the original in an engaging way.

AGES: 6+
GENRE: Humor, Historical, Classic.
RATING: 5 stars

The Graveyard Book (Fic)

AUTHOR: Neil Gaiman (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2008

PLOT: As his family are being murdered, a toddler wanders into a graveyard. Pursued by the murderer, the ghosts of the graveyard are charged with his safekeeping, and there he is raised.
As he grows, he learns about the other ghosts in the graveyard, the dangers in and out of the graveyard, ghouls, witches, himself, and his would-be murderer.

REVIEW: A wonderfully-written story that can make you laugh and cry.  It has horror themes, and might be genuinely scary for some children, but these parts are quickly resolved, and any conflict always ends on a high note.

This would be an ideal read-aloud for 7th or 8th grade.

AGES: 11+ (I'd hesitate before recommending this to under 11s or 12s - it really depends on the child's maturity and what they have previously read. This book is perfect for high school reluctant readers, with enough appeal to engage adults).
GENRE: Horror
RATING: 6 stars!!

Series: High School Musical (Fic)

AUTHOR: Helen Perelman (USA) PUBLISHED: ~2008

PLOT: The books tell various stories based on the characters created by Peter Barsocchini for the hit movies.

REVIEW: Will appeal to tweens because of links to the Disney movies.

AGES: 8-13. The thin plots and simple language will not appeal to more advanced readers.
GENRE: Realistic Fiction.
RATING: Personally, I'd give them 1 star, but they get 3 1/2 stars for their appeal to the target age group.

Series: The Ranger's Apprentice (Fic)

AUTHOR: John Flanagan (Aust)
PUBLISHED: 2004+
SERIES: The Ranger's Apprentice
FIRST BOOK: The Ranger's Apprentice

PLOT: Will is small for his age, but agile and energetic. All his life, he has dreamed of becoming a great knight like the father he never knew, so he is devastated when he is rejected as an apprentice to Castle Redmont's Battleschool. Instead he is apprenticed to Halt, the mysterious Ranger whose uncanny ability to move unseen is thought to be the result of black magic. Reluctantly, Will learns to use a Ranger’s secret weapons: a bow and arrow, a mottled cloak and a stubborn little pony. It may not be the sword and battlehorse he longs for, but when Will and Halt set out on a desperate mission to prevent the assassination of the King, Will finds that a Ranger’s weapons are not so useless after all . . .

REVIEW:
The author wrote the series for his 12 year old son (who was apparently very small) to show him that you don't need to be big and buff to be extraordinary. Issues dealt with include orphanage, responsibility, death, war, friendship, trust, bullying, overcoming adversity.

Links to a website, and the books are also available as e-books. At the date of this post, a movie is in the works.

A good one to start out with if children aren't sure if they enjoy the fantasy genre or not.

AGE: Average reading age would be 10+. Exciting enough to engage adults as well as children.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure
RATING: a strong 5 stars

Series: The Bromeliad (Fic)

AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK)
PUBLISHED: ~1998
SERIES: Bromeliad
BOOKS: A three-book series (Truckers, Diggers, Wings)

PLOT (Truckers):
A group of nomes (not Gnomes) are forced out of their hole in the ground and discover tribes of other nomes living in a store. When they discover the store is to be demolished, they make plans to leave, and thus begins the adventure.
Along the way, the nomes find out a lot about the world, humans, and themselves.

REVIEW:
BRILLIANT social commentary and satire on everything from why people wear name tags to the development of language, religion, and egocentricity. The knowledgeable child (or adult) will adore it.

AGES: From whenever reading ability allows it, but the satirical undertones will go over young children's heads. Probably from ages 11-12 will get the most out of it.
GENRE: Fantasy, Humour, Adventure
RATING: A strong 5 stars.

Series: Jack Brown (Fic)

AUTHOR: Greg Pyers (Aust) PUBLISHED: ~2006
SERIES: Jack Brown
FIRST BOOK: Jack Brown and the Labyrinth of the Bats

PLOT:
A teenage boy has the ability to see through the minds of animals he encounters. The series begins when he rescues a baby gorilla from infamous poachers, who then make him a target of revenge. Together with his cousin (a girl who happens to be an expert in martial arts), these circumstances take them on a variety of adventures as they sporadically fall into (and escape) the clutches of the poachers.

REVIEW:
Great descriptions, action, suspense, and characterisation.

AGES: 9 (with high reading level) - 16
GENRE: Adventure
 RATING: 4 1/2 - 5 stars

Series: The Midnight Library (Fic)

AUTHOR: Nick Shadow (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2004
SERIES: The Midnight Library

PLOT: for example: "The Whisperer" contains three short stories. "The Whisperer" is about a "haunted" computer which writes for the user and predicts the future, eventually predicting the user's death (which comes to pass). "Gabriel" is a demon in disguise as a teenager. A girl (who has a crush on him) suspects he is a vampire, but she discovers the truth when he 'eats' her soul. "Fast Forward" is perhaps more predictable. A tween boy sees a fortune teller at a fair. After he wishes he were old, he travels through a haunted train ride. When he emerges he is indeed an old man and dies of a heart attack.

REVIEW: Each book contains two or more short stories in the Goosebumps vein, although in some ways, they are a little more sophisticated. Both series contain similar horror themes: haunted/possessed items/houses, fantasy horror (vampires, zombies), religious horror (voodoo, demons, etc). Similar to the Anthony Horowitz Horror series.

AGES: 10+. This, of course, depends on the individual child. If a child currently enjoys Goosebumps (without being overly frightened by them), you could recommend this series.
As always with horror, knowledge of the child is important. Some children are more imaginative (some may call it 'sensitive') than others and reading horror fiction may lead to nightmares.

GENRE: Horror, Thriller.
RATING: 4 1/2 stars.

Where Is The Green Sheep? PB

AUTHOR: Mem Fox (Aust)
PUBLISHED: 2004

NOTES: Starting with colours (red sheep, blue sheep), the book follows a predictable pattern (Here is the __ sheep. (x2) .... But where is the green sheep?)
The ideas are connected and follows an ABCB rhyming pattern.
VERY cute story!

AGES: birth to 3
RATING: 5 stars

Where's My Cow? (PB)

AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK)
PUBLISHED: 2005

REVIEW: Pratchett may not be known for picture books, but you only need to skim this one to see his style coming through. It's a story about reading a story and making up a story. May go over the heads of some children (it's quite unusual, and the double/triple layering of the story can take a bit for young minds to wrap their head around), but a great book which lends itself to adult-child discussion about what is happening.

AGES: 5+.
RATING: 5 stars.

The Elsewhere Chronicles (GN)

AUTHOR: Nikko Bannister (U.S.)
PUBLISHED: 2007.

PLOT: Rebecca, Noah, Max and Theo discover a passageway into another world in the abandoned house of Grandpa Gabe, Rebecca's grandfather. When Rebecca and Max are trapped on the other side of the passageway, Noah and Theo rush to their aid. In ElseWhere they meet monsters - wicked spies called Shadows, - and strangers who become friends. They use their wits, brawn, and light to fight off the Shadows - and to protect our own world.

REVIEW: A 4-book graphic novel series by Lernerbook publishers. Linked to a website. Excellent illustrations. Story takes some understanding and interpretation (some links between the dialogue and the illustrations need to be made by the reader).

AGES: 8+.
GENRE: Adventure, Horror, Graphic Novel.
RATING: 5 stars.

Series: The Magic School Bus (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Joanna Cole, Bruce Degen (USA)

PLOT: A class of school children learn in unusual ways thanks to their unusual teacher and a bus which can take them anywhere.

NOTES: The original books have been adapted into Scholastic Readers. The Scholastic website also links to classroom and home activities. Some books can be read online as Google Books.
This brilliant series will help children learn and encourage interest in a large variety of topics.
There are also tv series and films based on the books.

AGES: 5+.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure.
RATING: 5 stars.

Series: Ace Detectives (Kids Inc series) (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Geoff Patton (AUST) (2007)

PLOT: A group of teenagers join together to create a detective agency, solving crimes in their town.
NOTES: A 4-book series. Well-written. Children will enjoy following the clues along with the characters. Part of the Kids Inc series'.
Good follow-up books would be Encyclopaedia Brown, etc.

AGES: 7-10.
GENRE: Realistic Fiction, Adventure.
RATING: 4 - 4 1/2 stars.

Series: Rainbow Magic (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Daisy Meadows (UK) (2004)

PLOT: Two young girls help the fairies recover wands and other magic items stolen by Jack Frost, who uses them to wreak havoc across Fairyland and the real world.

NOTES: Linked to a website, there are several sub-series: 7 books for 13 types of fairies (Weather Fairies, Rainbow Fairies, Ocean Fairies, PetKeeper Fairies, Party Fairies, Dance Fairies, etc) and a 3-book series for a further three types of fairies (Holiday, Christmas, Special Fairies), etc. They are now published in "reader" format, too.

AGES: Girls aged 6-8.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.

Series: Fairy Realm (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Emily Rodda (AUST) (2000)
PAGES: >100.

PLOT: A young girl discovers a door to a magic realm of fairies, unicorns, elves, etc at the bottom of her grandmother's garden. In each book she must show courage and solve problems to save the realm.

NOTES: Previously published as the Storytelling Charms series under the name Mary-Anne Dickinson. Multiple sub-series: 6 books in series 1; 4 in series 2.

AGES: Girls aged 6-9.
GENRE: Fantasy.
RATING: 4 stars.

Guards! Guards! (GN)

AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (UK) (2000)

PLOT: A group of sorcerers summon a dragon to terrorise a village. The survival of the village is in the hands of a motley group of police.

NOTES: This graphic novel is based on Pratchett's books of "Discworld". The language is quite advanced (average 5th grade level). Unlike some graphic novels, this one is pleasingly devoid of the nudity, sex, and language so prevalent in this genre.

AGES: 9+.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure.
RATING: 5 stars.

Series: Deltora Quest

AUTHOR: Emily Rodda (AUST) (2000)
PAGES: ~ 120 pages, 16 chapters.
PLOT: A group of young people search for the keys to release their land from the clutches of the evil Shadow Lord. In their travels they must discern good from evil, and learn that what you see initially is not always the truth.

NOTES: Deltora Quest 1: 8-book series. The characters must solve puzzles that children will delight in (mirror-image writing, people talking backwards, riddles). Some parts could be quite scary for some young children.
There are several sub-series. Deltora Quest 2: 3 books; Quest 3: 4 books.
Also includes How to Draw Deltora Monsters/Dragons books, Deltora Quiz book, Tales of Deltora, Deltora Monsters.
Includes a website, card game, video game, cartoon (anime).

ISSUES: good vs evil, friendship, trust, responsibility, courage, coming-of-age.

AGES: 8-13.
GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure.
RATING: 5 stars.

Series: Scream Street (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Tommy Bonbavand (UK) (2008)
PAGES: ~150 pages, 13 chapters.

PLOT: A young boy who has recently transformed into a werewolf and his family are 'banished' to Scream Street. He befriends a wannabe-vampire and a young mummy, as well as a surfer-dude-zombie and witch, who help him in his quest to find a way for his 'normal' parents to go home.

REVIEW: Similar to Freak Street series, but more advanced in plot and language.
This is an 8-book series. Linked to a website.
Well-written.

AGES: 7+. Focus age would be about 8-9.
GENRE: Horror, Humor.
RATING: 5 stars.

Daniel X: Alien Hunter (GN)

AUTHOR: James Patterson, with Leopoldo Gout (USA)
PUBLISHED: 2008

PLOT: A young teenager seeks out and destroys the nasty aliens who come to terrorize Earth. Being an alien himself, he's well equipped with a "magic" list of the aliens he needs to find, and an imagination powerful enough to create real objects, even imagining friends who help him in the hunt.

NOTES: A graphic novel that connects with a novel, The Dangerous Days of Daniel X.

ISSUES: loss of parents, loneliness, good vs evil, power of imagination, feeling of isolation and responsibility.

AGE: 10+.
GENRE: Graphic Novel, Thriller, Fantasy
RATING: 5 stars.

Series: Ghost Hunters (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: Cornelia Funke (UK)
PUBLISHED: Originally written and published in Germany by Loewe Verlag (2003) ; in the UK (2006+)
PAGES/ILL: ~15 chapters/100+pgs (short chapter books)

REVIEW: Currently a 4-book series about Tom and his grandmother's friend who help friendly ghosts, and hunt and capture/destroy/get rid of nasty ghosts. With each ghost having its own personality and likes and dislikes that can be used to help or hunt them, Hetty, a seasoned ghost hunter, begins to train Tom in the art of ghost hunting. Mixes horror and humour for a bit of a fun scare.
Not as scary or serious as Goosebumps.

AGE: 7+.
GENRE: Horror, Humour
RATING: 4 1/2 stars.

Series: Goosebumps (Jnr Fic)

AUTHOR: R.L. Stine (USA)
PAGES/ILL: 20+ chapters/100+ pgs per book : some ill.
REVIEW: This is a set of horror stories, dealing with every topic from voodoo and satanism, to haunted dolls, ghosts, vicious animals, and made-up animals/monsters, to simply kids playing tricks to scare others.

An endless series made up of 3 bands: "original", "HorrorLand", and "Choose-your-own-adventure"
some books "continue" into the next book.

Similar to The Midnight Library series and Anthony Horowitz Horror series.

AGE: 10+, but I know some 7 year olds who read them. Remember, some of the books ARE genuinely scary and may give sensitive children nightmares. Other kids will enjoy the adrenaline rush of reading thrillers.
GENRE: Horror.
RATING: 4 1/2-5 stars.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

AUTHOR: Jeff Kinney (USA) (2007)

NOTES: There is now a movie based on the books.

ISSUES: coming-of-age, friendship, life

PLOT: Presented in diary form (lined pages and all), a young boy gives a humorous recount about events in his life from a realistically egocentric point of view. Similar to Tales of a Forth-Grade Nothing (Judy Blume). Children (especially those on the verge of adolescence) will be able to relate, and enjoy these stories of growing-pains.

AGES: 7/8+ GENRE: realistic fiction RATING: 5 stars.

The Tale of Despereaux

AUTHOR: Kate DiCamillo (UK) (2003)

PLOT: Follows 4 main characters and how their stories intertwine. Despereaux is a mouse born unlike other mice. Pea is the princess he falls in love with. Roscuro is a rat who feels "wronged" by the princess and wants revenge. Mig is a young girl sold into slavery who wants to be a princess more than anything.
It's a tale of friendship, love, and forgiveness.

Appropriate for third grade class read-aloud.

AGES: Read aloud (parent-child) from 5 or 6+; a lovely book to share with a young child. Children can read for themselves from whenever their reading ability permits.
GENRE: fantasy.
RATING: 5 stars.

The Very Naughty Mother series

AUTHOR: Gretel Killeen (Aust) (2000+)

PLOT: In "The Very Naughty Mother Runs Away", the mother decides to run away because the children wanted her to eat her brussel sprouts, which she hid from them, and then lied about eating them. Subsequently, she is kidnapped and the children have to rescue her.

REVIEW: This series is a load of rubbish. While some children may delight in the juxtaposition of a mother who behaves like a naughty child, and her two children who have to raise and rescue her, it is not done with style or quality. There are far better nonsense writers (Dr Seuss, Paul Jennings) for children to enjoy. This book is full of "toilet words" which, yes, children think are funny, but this book over-does it, and it's certainly not something to be encouraged.

AGES: NONE! I don't recommend this to anyone. If you HAVE to, though, it would be for ages 6-8.
GENRE: Adventure, Fantasy.
RATING: 0-1 star.

Freak Street series

AUTHOR: Knife and Packer (Aust) (2008)

NOTES: 8-book series about four unusual families who live on Freak St (wizards, humans, zombies, aliens). Bit of a comic book style (sentences and short paragraphs between pictures).
Website: http://www.freakstreet.com.au.

** A similar series, but more advanced, is Scream Street series.

AGES: 6-8 (10 if reading ability is low). Older, competent readers will find no challenge in the basic storyline and characters.

GENRE: horror, adventure, fantasy. RATING: 4 1/2 stars.

Get Real series

AUTHOR: Phil Kettle (Aust) (2009)

ISSUES: friendship, school, adventure, imagination

NOTES: 10-book series about the adventures of two boys (time travel, etc). Includes jokes and writing ideas at the back of the book. 9 chapters, ~60 pgs, lg type.

AGES: 6-9. GENRE: adventure, fantasy. RATING: 4 1/2- 5 stars

Radio Revolution series (Kids Inc)

AUTHOR: Tempany Deckert (Aust) (2007+)

NOTES: A 4-book series. Very mild in terms of excitement/action, but easy to read. 60 pgs, lg type, 7 chapters. Part of the Kids Inc titles.

ISSUES: friendship, fitting-in, school problems, music.

PLOT: Five friends (4 boys, 1 girl) love music and want to get their own show on the local radio station.

AGES: 7-10. Would attract young children who seem to be 'mis-fits' with strong reading ability in particular.

GENRE: Realistic Fiction RATING: 4 1/4 stars

Fashion Police series (Kids Inc)

AUTHOR: Tempany Deckert (Aust) (2007+)

NOTES: A 4-book series. Very mild in terms of excitement/action, but easy to read. 60 pgs, lg type, 7 chapters. Part of the Kids Inc titles.

ISSUES: friendship, fitting-in, school problems, fashion and clothes, mysteries, death (one of the character's mums died in the recent past).

PLOT: Two 14-year-old-aged girls and a boy become friends over their love of fashion and design. They win an internship at a local fashion house, and attempt to make-over the kids at their school.

AGES: 6-9. Would attract young girls who seem to be 'mis-fits', with strong reading ability in particular.

GENRE: Realistic Fiction RATING: 4 1/4 stars

Dragon Blood Pirates series

AUTHOR: Dan Jerris (Aust) (2008+)

NOTES: A 6-book series. A little bit "thin" at times in terms of concise story-telling. Reader has to bring lots of own knowledge and ideas to form a "picture" of the story. 84 pgs, large type.

ISSUES: Pirate lore, stealing, friendship, good vs bad.

PLOT: Two boys discover a portal to a land of pirates through an old sea chest. They join a motley crew of "good" pirates, and help them outwit the "bad" pirates in search of treasure, etc.

AGES: 6-9. Would attract young boys (but girls as well) interested in adventure and pirates.

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure. RATING: 3 1/2-4 stars.

I am the Cheese

AUTHOR: Robert Cormier (Aust)

ISSUES: death, family, trust, running away, psychology.

PLOT/NOTES: Slightly disjointed (not chronological). A psychological thriller, with a twist at the end. Follows a young boy in two slightly separate stories; one in an interview with a psychologist in the third person; one a recount in the first person.

AGES: 13+ GENRE: Realistic Fiction, Thriller RATING: 4 1/2 stars

Nancy Drew series

AUTHOR: A variety of ghost authors, all published under the pseudonym 'Carolyn Keene' (US) (1930-present)

NOTES: Made up of different series aimed at different ages (see AGES, below). Follows Nancy, an amateur sleuth, and her two best friends. In the younger series' (Notebooks, Clue Crew) Nancy is 8-9 years old, and she solves "crimes" such as missing hats and toys. In the older series (Girl Detective, On Campus, Files, Mystery Stories) she is 18+, and she solves mysteries of stolen jewelry and home invasions. The 'On Campus' series focuses more on relationships and college life than mysteries.
Films and video games, and graphic novels have also been made about the character, along with "off-shoot" books such as "Nancy Drew Cookbook" and "Campfire stories". Most attractive to young girls with advanced reading skills.

AGES/RATING:
JUNIOR PRIMARY:
~ The Nancy Drew Notebooks (short chapter books, 1994-2005) ages 6-8. 4 stars.
~ Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (longer chapter books, 2006+) ages 6-8/9. 4 stars.

UPPER PRIMARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL
~ Nancy Drew Mystery Stories (short novels, 1930-2003) ages 8-13. 4 stars.
~ Nancy Drew, Girl Detective (short novels, 2004+) ages 8-15. 4 1/2 stars.
~ Nancy Drew Files (short novels, 1986-1997) ages 9-15. 4 1/2 stars.
~ Nancy Drew On Campus (short novels, 1995-1998) ages 11-15. 3 1/2 stars.

GENRE: Mystery/Crime, Realistic Fiction

Alex Rider series

AUTHOR: Anthony Horowitz (UK) (2000's)

NOTES: The series comprises a list of novels as well as graphic novels, short stories, and supplementary books, as well as movies and a video game, and a website. All this makes is an excellent series to get kids reading.

PLOT: A 14-year-old orphan, Alex Rider, discovers that his uncle, a spy with MI6, has been training him to be a spy also. After his uncle's death, MI6 recruits Alex, sending him on various missions across the world.

AGE: 9, 10+. Attracts boys from 4th/5th grade with solid reading ability.

GENRE: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller. RATING: 5 stars.

Johnny Maxwell series

AUTHOR: Terry Pratchett (U.K.) (1990's)

NOTES: 3-book "Johnny Maxwell" series about Johnny and his friends comprising Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny and the Dead, Johnny and the Bomb. Humorous (subtle jokes and extra-textual references), and easy to read.

ISSUES: death, friendship, trust, family, community.

PLOT: (Johnny and the Dead) Johnny, who can see dead people (but not in a creepy "I see dead people" way), tries to help the "ghosts" buried in his local cemetery when plans are made to redevelop the land.

AGES: 7-12 (younger children would need to be more advanced readers, and not too sensitive regarding the unknown and supernatural). Still enjoyable for older children and even adults.

GENRE: Fantasy, Horror, Humor RATING: 5 stars

Superpower series

AUTHOR: Alex Cliff (UK) (2007)

NOTES: The 7-book series covers one day (one superpower/task) in each book. By lining up all 7 books, the back cover creates a board game. Each book contains a paragraph of information about Hercules and other gods, and the topic for each book (Namean Lion, etc).

ISSUES: friendship, good vs evil, ancient mythology.

PLOT: Two young boys, Max and Fin, discover Hercules trapped in a castle, imprisoned by the goddess Juno. By using one of his powers each day, they must complete a task set by Juno in order to return Hercules' powers to him and set him free. Eg: In Book 1: The Jaws of Doom, Max and Fin use Hercules' power of strength to capture a saber-toothed (Namean) lion.

AGE: 6-9, or 10 y.o with low reading ability. Will attract younger boys with advanced reading skills in particular.

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure. RATING: 3 1/2 stars.

Boy In The Striped Pajamas

AUTHOR: John Boyne (Ireland) (2006)

NOTES: A perfect beginners introduction to the topic, and pertinent to any age child studying the 2nd World War, written from the perspective (and in the language) of a 9-year old boy. It also lends itself to discussion, as much of the detail is only alluded to (people falling down and not getting up, people disappearing after going on marches) and exact names are not used ("the Fury" and "Out-With"); a 9-y.o. reporting on something he doesn't fully understand.

ISSUES: friendship, family, the holocaust (death, starvation, etc).

PLOT: Written from the perspective of 9-year-old Bruno whose father is a commandant in the German army and assigned to work at a concentration camp, living in a house just outside the fence of the camp. Bruno ends up befriending a Jewish boy through the fence.

AGE: For ages 9-109, but intellectually and emotionally the child needs to be mature enough to process it.

GENRE: Historical Fiction. RATING: 5 stars

Harry Potter series

AUTHOR: JK Rawlings (UK)

ISSUES: friendship, trust, magic, good vs evil, family, 'coming-of-age', choices, shouldering responsibility, child-adult mentor relationships

NOTES: a 7-book series, together with movie versions. Incredibly well-written and detailed.

PLOT: A young boy who sees himself through the eyes of his aunt, uncle and cousin as a nobody discovers that he is actually a wizard, and a famous one at that. As the character develops through each book, we discover that he has been destined practically from birth to battle the most evil wizard the world has ever known.

AGE: Read-aloud from age 8 (depending on child's maturity and ability to handle elements of terror). Children can read for themselves from as young as their reading ability allows them (generally about 10). The increased length of the later books naturally attracts an older reader.

GENRE: Fantasy, with elements of sci-fi, horror, and supernatural. RATING: 6 (out of 5) stars!!!

28 Days Later: The Aftermath (GN)

AUTHOR: Steve Niles

ISSUES/NOTES: A graphic novel based on the movie of the same title. Visually violent. Themes of science gone wrong, violence, death, fleeing for your life.

PLOT: When a science experiment goes wrong, a "rage virus" is released into the city of London, resulting in aggressive-vampire/zombie-like behaviour (lots of blood and killing).

AGES: 13+

GENRE: Graphic novel/Horror. RATING: 4 stars.

The Sandman Library series (GN)

AUTHOR: Neil Gaiman (USA)

NOTES: A dark series comprising 10 volumes. Topics deal with death, sex, dreams, killing, legends, mysteries. Contains nudity and violence.

AGE: Recommended for mature readers only (not only because of the topics, but the language used is also fairly advanced). Young adult (15/16+).

GENRE: Graphic Novel, Fantasy, Horror, Thriller RATING: 5 stars.

Go Ask Alice

AUTHOR: Anonymous (USA). PUBLISHED: 1970's

ISSUES: drugs, family, friendship, trust and betrayal, homelessness, running away, addiction, death.

NOTES: The diary of a drug addict. Easy to read, and gives an interesting insight into teenagers. A good book for discussion and analysis of issues of being a teenager. In particular note the fact that the girl was a "follower" and from that you can discuss how and why children need to build strength-of-character and self esteem.

AGES: Recommended for ADULTS who work with children, or have them.
For children: minimum age 12, depending on maturity.

GENRE: Non-Fiction (supposedly)/Realistic Fiction. RATING: 4 stars.

We All Fall Down

AUTHOR: Robert Cormier (Australia).

ISSUES: teenage alcoholism, extreme vandalism (home invasion), assault, sexual attraction/first love, divorce, abduction, murder. Quite graphic at times. Not recommended as a read-aloud.

NOTE: it is on some schools' "banned book" list.

PLOT: A gang breaks into a house and vandalises it. When a young girl returns home unexpectedly, she is assaulted and pushed down stairs, going into a coma. The story follows her sister, and one of the vandals.

AGES: Recommended for highschoolers, ages 15+, for mature audiences only/parental guidance recommended.

GENRE: Thriller. RATING: 5 stars.

Conspiracy 365 Series

AUTHOR: Gabrielle Lord (Australia)

INFO/ISSUES: A 12-book series (one for each month); also has its own website http://www.conspiracy365.com. Issues of death, running away, solving a mystery, friendship, family, trust. Suspenseful, but in a "safe" way.

AGES: Recommended for boys ages 10-15, or as a read-aloud-to-the-class for ages 10-14. Might attract reluctant male readers.

PLOT: "They killed your father. They'll kill you. You must survive the next 365 days." A 15 y.o. boy must race against time (and the 'baddies' - thugs and police) as a wanted fugitive to solve the mystery of his father's death and a centuries-old family secret.

GENRE: Action, Adventure, Mystery. RATING: 5 stars.

Week 1: What Lies Ahead

Is this just going to be another blog where some random person writes random things about studying? No.

Being a life-long lover of books, and now being in the process of making it my profession, the goal of this blog is to inform people about the power of reading, give links to information about books, and review quality books. Quality being defined as not only value for money, but those books you can be assured will not be shelf-sitters. I hope that eventually this blog might be a place grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents, and even other teachers might come to when considering what book/s to buy the children in their lives.

I'm not sure if the layout limitations of blogger will allow the lofty dreams I have, and knowing myself I'm not sure if my own limitations of time, concentration, and perseverance will allow this blog to last more than a few months. We'll see.