The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book is about Nobody Owens, a young boy who escapes murder as a baby and then grows up in a graveyard away from the dangers of the city where he gets up to all sorts of trouble. It is a good book but can cause you to go mad with frustration, as it is a hard book to understand! 7/10
Joe Waplington

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

Recommendation by Dominic Stafford
The orphan Fever Crumb grows up the only girl in the order of engineers in a London recently ravaged by riots against the tyrannical mutated humans called The Heritage. Soon Fever Crumb is submerged in weird memories that aren’t hers and pursued by people who have realised her heritage.
A really good book set in the world of Mortal Engines. 9/10

2010 Carnegie Book Award

The Carnegie Short List has arrived! Having a quick trawl through the titles, Fever Crumb is the first to go. A preliminary assessment gives The Graveyard Book our award for Best Cover and Best First Paragraph. Rowan the Strange, whilst we found the cover frightening, won for Best Blurb.

What We Have Enjoyed in 2009

Curry Man says:

Conclave of Shadows Trilogy by Raymond E.Fiest

This is about a boy who survives the onslaught of his people. He now has to gain revenge for his people. In the second book, Talon must now take service with the man who destroyed his people.

Shed says:

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

I really enjoyed this book because it is a more unique idea than Twilight so stays in your mind for longer. Although I wouldn't recommend this to a younger audience.

Orik says:

Redwall by Brian Jacques

is good because there are lots of books and lots of good and mysterious plots and good battles, with good always prevailing over evil.

Jaqanory says

Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson

is my favourite book of the year because it is a wonderful story about an orphan trying to find her true mum.

Mac n' Cheese says:

Dark Fire by Chris d'Lacey

is an awesome book because it is gripping and gory. Part of the book is when a dead woman who was found alive and then haunts an Inn. Also a Dragon War happens and loadsof houses fall because of an earthquake. Also there is a relationship dispute between Zanno and David, and it's funny to watch them argue.

Will says:

The Mystery of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie

because it has Christmas spirit.

Nottingham High School Year of Reading by Y Gunther

Nottingham High School Year of Reading by Y Gunther WallWisher

2009 Brilliant Book Awards

The Short List for the Nottinghamshire Brilliant Book Awards is out and we want to know your impressions. A really good list for boys, it includes Malice by Chris Wooding - already a popular choice in our library. Lost Riders by Carnegie Prize winner Elizabeth Laird and Torn Pages by Sally Grindley take us to different cultures and look at the realities of children living in Third world countries. Bang Bang. You're Dead and Forbidden Island are thrillers that will keep you guessing until the end. The Pickle King is a crazy adventure story. All available in the Library. This award is given by teenagers so join in, read a book see if it is worth your vote.

The Carnegie Book Award

Yes! The time has come again when we hurry to read the 7 books on the Carnegie Short List before the Award is made. This year the choices have been particularly excellent for boys and as a couple were on the Guardian Book Award, we've had a head start. Just as well because the main bookshops have been very slow off the mark getting copies in!

Below, are a few quick responses to some books so far.

Airman by Eoin Colfer
This is a very good book. It is set in the 1800s and is about a boy called Connor Brokeheart who seems to have his life laid out for him he has an amazing tutor who will help him to make the first ever flying machine; Connor has a nice family and knows a princess. BUT, the power hungry Hugo Bolivian assassinates the king and his tutor and throws him in prison where he is treated badly and forced to dig diamonds. He cleverly escapes and flies at Bolivian in the first ever plane and the united family kill the tyrant. If you liked Artemis Fowl you should like this but if you didn’t you should try it anyway because it is quite different.
Orik (Yr7)

Frank Cotterell Boyce writes ‘Cosmic’ which is a very funny, lively book and it is aimed at 10-13 year olds. However the book is quite hard to understand at first because there is a tall boy called Liam and a smaller boy called Michael. They venture into space and I am surprised that they survive in the end. I would most certainly recommend it *****.
SCORPIA (Yr7)

I’ve read Cosmic and I think it’s really good. It’s a kid’s book because it’s based on kids, but is hard to read. It’s about 2 boys who want to enter a competition to go to space, but one person needs to be a parent so Liam, the tall boy pretends to be an adult. I gad fun reading this book because the storyline is good and enjoyable. I got stuck on to this book as it gripped me and I couldn’t let go. I would recommend this book for 9-11 year olds.

K.R.B.(Yr7)

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

First things first. The language is fluent and easy to read, but people younger than 12 should try to avoid this.
The storyline is excellent, the mystery about black rabbit, was very good. When Raymond disappeared was a very disturbing part of the book, do not read this after nine o’clock.
To sum it up, Black Rabbit Summer is a very funny and witty book, with twists and turns at every corner

FIRESTAR (Yr7)