Unique in its telling, the story unfolds as a series of legal documents, police interviews and statements, pathology reports and the e-mail correspondence between the two Year 9 private school students. From within these Police investigation reports and statements, clues are unlocked and our suspicions focus upon a particular suspect who is a member of the school community.
Category: Young Adult reviews
A review of The Mystery of Nida Valley by EJ Ouston
This story is the stuff of action and fantasy with children on a learning curve as they traverse a hidden land where dangerous creatures abound and where they must undertake perilous challenges that test their ingenuity, resourcefulness, and physical prowess.
A review of The Girl in the Basement by Dianne Bates
I read a lot of books and the downside of this is that it’s rare to find one that hooks me so completely that I feel I’m living it. This is one such story. Not since, Stephen King’s, Misery, have I cared so much about the fate of a character. Part of the reason is that this story isn’t entirely fiction. It’s on our television screens and in our newspapers.
A review of Gamers’ Rebellion by George Ivanoff
The Gamers trilogy will appeal particularly to fans of, Tron, Doctor Who and Pullman’s The Golden Compass (Northern Lights). It really does have everything: mind-bendingly awesome gadgets, characters you can’t help but care about and even a side-order of romance. But more than that this story, while deceptively simple on the surface, challenges readers to consider the big questions regarding our existence.
A review of The Songcatcher and Me by Ruth Latta
The term “songcatcher” is a beautiful word to describe the passion for archiving the old folk tunes that accompanied people as they came to settle in North America. The fascinating subtle differences of the different regions come to life.
A review of Status Quo by Mark Rosendorf
An outer space adventure by a motley crew of mixed ages and a cat, all curious about a hole beyond the moon’s orbit.
A review of The Amber Amulet by Craig Silvey
It’s a lovely story, full of subtle and rich characterisation amidst the fun and bravado. Martinez’s illustrations are vivid and strange and further adds to the character of Liam, as one almost feels as though we’re privy to some kind of journal, with bits and pieces that he’s culled to create his fringe physics (what he calls his geo-alchemy) and his superhero ethic.
The Adventures of Tintin: Young Readers Edition by Hergé, with extra material by Stuart Tett
For new audiences, especially the younger set, the convoluted plots can often be a little tricky, and Stuart Tett has created a new series that is faithful to the original Hergé version but that adds in lots of material to help situate the stories.
A review of Code Crimson: Arkie Sparkle Treasure Hunter by Petra James
Arkie is a deeply developed character with a realistic personality that is unique and bouncy. She is a brave, daring tween who doesn’t give up easily and other kids the same age as Arkie will relate to her and imagine themselves in her adventure.
A review of In the Beech Forest by Gary Crew and Den Scheer
In the Beech Forest is pure magic. Crew’s language is delightfully poetic; read aloud, his words slip off the tongue. With a master’s hand reminiscent of the great Edgar Allan Poe, Crew builds tension line by line.