The life of Robert Burns by Catherine Carswell

Background-

First published in 1930 to an unprecedented storm of protest, Catherine Carswell's "The life of Robert Burns" raemains the standard work on its subject.

Review-

Catherine Carswell's "Life of Robert Burns" is still apart from Burns' own account, the best

TEACHER REVIEW - The Island by Victoria Hislop

Synopsis-

On the brink of a life changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. However Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete,however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to deliever to an old friend and promises that through her she will learn more.

Arriving in Plaka, Aleixs is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throe from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalinga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fotini, ans at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daugheters, and a fmaily rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...

Review-

This book has it all- Its educational, historical and emotional . It follows the lives of three women and is set on the island of Crete and the leper colony Spinalonga. The book tracks their lives through illness, war and love. A fantastic read!

Verdict- 5/5

Review submitted by Mrs Rafferty (P.E.)

If you want to find out more about the author then click on the link - Victoria Hislop 

Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling

Synopsis-

Harry, Ron and Hermione are about to start their third year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Harry can't wait to go back to the wizarding world after the summer holidays. However, when he returns to school the atmosphere is tense.. There's an escaped wizard prisoner on the loose and the errie dementors (prison guards of Azkaban, the wizard prison) have been summond to search the school.

And to make matters worse, the escaped prisoner Sirius Black... Seems to be after Harry!

Review-

When JK Rowling wrote this exciting addition to the Harry Potter series, she probablly had no idea how eagerly awaited it was to the Harry Potter fans. As the third installment to the ever popular wizarding series, "The prisoner of Azkaban" offers its reader a whole new look into the wonderful world of Hogwarts and a few new surprises about Harry Potter and his terrible past.

Written with such wit and charm, "Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban" is just.... magic!

The outlaw Varjak Paw by SF Said

Synopsis-


The second Varjack Paw tale- this time the plucky little cat with mysterious fighting skills finds himself drawn to a vicious turf war as cats loyal to super-scary Sally Bones try and take over the city.

Varjak and his friends make many new enemies as things turn nasty. A fateful battle against Sally Bones seems to be the only way to bring things to an end.

But who can Varjak trust?!

Review-

I enjoyed''The outlaw Verjak Paw'' because it is just so amazing and adventurous and I couldn't put it down.

Verdict-

5/5

Skulduggery Pleasant By Derek Landy

Synopsis-

Meet the great Skulduguggery Pleasant: wise-cracking detective, powerful magician, master of dirty tricks and burglary (in the name of the greater good of course!)

Oh yeah and he's dead!

Then there's his sidekick Stephanie. She's... Well, a twelve year old girl. With a pair like this one on the case... Evil better watch out !

Stephanie's uncle Gordon was an author who wrote horror fiction. However when he dies and leaves his estate to Stephanie, she learns that while he may have been writing horror, her unle may not have been writing fiction.

Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source - the wisecracking dead wizard- Skulduggary.

Review

It was really cool & funny. It is one of my favourite books and I love the whole series

Star rating - 5/5

TEACHER REVIEW - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Synopsis -
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak was the best-selling debut literary novel of the year 2007, selling over 400,000 copies. The book's narrator is nothing less than Death itself, regaling us with a remarkable tale of book burnings, treachery and theft. The book never forgets the primary purpose of compelling the reader's attention, yet which nevertheless is able to impart a cogent message about the importance of words, particularly in those societies which regard the word as dangerous.

Nine-year-old Liesel lives with her foster family on Himmel Street during the dark days of the Third Reich. Her Communist parents have been transported to a concentration camp, and during the funeral for her brother, she manages to steal a macabre book: it is, in fact, a gravediggers’ instruction manual. This is the first of many books which will pass through her hands as the carnage of the Second World War begins to hungrily claim lives. Both Liesel and her fellow inhabitants of Himmel Street will find themselves changed by both words on the printed page and the horrendous events happening around them.
 
Despite its grim narrator, The Book Thief is, in fact, a life-affirming book, celebrating the power of words and their ability to provide sustenance to the soul. Interestingly, the Second World War setting of the novel does not limit its relevance: in the 20th century, totalitarian censorship throughout the world is as keen as ever at suppressing books (notably in countries where the suppression of human beings is also par for the course) and that other assault on words represented by the increasing dumbing-down of Western society as cheap celebrity replaces the appeal of books for many people, ensures that the message of Marcus Zusak’s book could not be more timely. It is, in fact, required reading -- or should be in any civilised country.

Review-

This book appeals to me because it is beautifully written with such unusual expression, This is by far my favourite read this year.

Verdict- 4.5/5


Review submitted by Miss Holiday (Drama)

Want to check out more on this author?? Follow this link - Markus Zusak