What To Read Now

28 Feb What To Read Now

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this month’s What To Read Now: Max, Ava and Alexia. We love to share different voices on our website. Would you, or a young person you know, like to review books for us? Get in touch.

The Graveyard Riddle by Lisa Thompson, suitable for ages 9 +

Reviewed by Max, age 11, from Hampshire.

I thought The Graveyard Riddle was an excellent book because it was exciting; I wanted to read on. The storyline follows on from The Goldfish Boy, but you do not need to read that to enjoy this book. Some of the characters in the books are the same, but the storyline in The Graveyard Riddle is mainly about Melody.

I liked it because there’s a big mystery and it’s about citizenship and being helpful. I hope there is another book about the people in Chestnut Close, and I’m looking forward to reading more books by Lisa Thompson. I also liked The Boy Who Fooled The World.

The Climbers by Keith Gray, suitable for ages 13+

Reviewed by Ava, age 13, from London.

Sully is the best climber in his village. He has climbed all of the trees! Twisted Sister, Spider Trap, Double Trunker, and even Crazy Ash Bastard. The only tree he hasn’t climbed yet is the last tree… that is not yet named. The first person to climb it will get to pick its name, and Sully wants to be that person.

When new boy Nottingham comes along and threatens Sully’s title as best climber, he is not happy. Sully’s friends even think that Nottingham has ‘reach’! He has to prove that he is the best climber- yet how?

They have to race. Who can make it to the top of the final tree? The first one to make it will go down in climbing history! But this feud between them isn’t worth losing it all, is it? Is it worth destroying his relationship with all of his friends just to prove his title?

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, suitable for ages 16+

Reviewed by Alexia Yuill. Alexia is one of our school managers at BCiS. 

I would like to admit that I completely judged this book by its cover. It looked ‘masculine’ and the title didn’t help.  I thought this book was going to be just another book about teens with a ‘Then he said, and then she said’ type dialogue; and, as I started to read, I proved myself right. 

Lucky I continued on because somewhere, a few chapters into the book, the writing changed. The book captured my attention to the point I couldn’t put it down.

The issues raised within the book are sensitive which highlights just how important this book is. The diplomacy given on the different perspectives was written so accurately and realistically; as a reader, I could particularly relate to one of the characters and the moral dilemmas we might all face in everyday life.

This book may just be the book that gives our youth encouragement to stand up for what they believe in and even though the first 30 pages may have some hard-hitting swearing, it does disappear throughout the rest of the book. Please do not let the title words ‘Boys’ or ‘American’ put you off, this book is relevant to everyone and a must-read.