The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

 The Lion,the Witch & the Wardrobe

Synopsis-

1940, during the Blitz of World War II, four children are evacuated- Lucy, Susan, Peter & Edmund Pevensie. They are taken under the care of an old Professor Digory Kirke. While at his house, the four children quickly become bored but soon find adventure in the strangest of lands- the magical land of Narnia.

Review-

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe is the second novel in the Chronicles of Narnia book series and has inspired many children around the world. I love this book because it completely takes you into another world where evil is winning and good is reliant on four small children. My favourite character is Edmund because he goes through the most and becomes a hero at the end.

Verdict - 5/5

Eagle Day by Robert Muchamore

Synopsis-

Hitler has conquered France. Now he intends to cross the channel and defeat Britain before winter arrives . A group of young refugees led by British spy Charles Henderson faces a stark choice. To head south into the safety Spain, or to go north on a risky mission to sabotage the German invasion plans.

Review-

The book is very exciting, if you start reading it you won't be able to stop. It tells the history of WW2 in a really exciting way plus the children are the heroes!

Verdict - 4/5

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

Synopsis -
Summer, 1940.

Hitler’s army is advancing towards Paris, and millions of French civilians are on the run. Amidst the chaos, two British children are being hunted by German agents. British spy Charles Henderson tries to reach them first, but he can only do it with the help of a twelve-year-old French orphan. The British secret service is about to discover that kids working undercover will help to win the war.

For official purposes, these children do not exist.

Review -

I thought this book was excellent. It had a great story line and if you are a Cherub fan then it will tell you how Cherub was made and answer a few questions bout how it was founded and why. It is a good book and I would highly recommend it.

Verdict - 5 out of 5.

Anne Franks: The Diray of a Young Girl by Anne Franks

Synopsis -

The Diary of a Young Girl remains the single most poignant true-life story to emerge from the Second World War. In July 1942 Anne Frank and her family, fleeing from the horrors of Nazi occupation, hid in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Anne was thirteen when the family went into the Secret Annexe and, over the next two years, she vividly describes in her diary the frustrations of living in such confined quarters, the constant threat of discovery, the hunger and fear. Her diary ends abruptly when, in August 944, she and her family were finally discovered by the Nazis. Anne Frank died in March 1945, aged fifteen, in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.

This book provides a deeply moving and unforgettable portrait of Anne Frank - an ordinary and yet an extraordinary teenage girl.

Review -

This book is very sad to read because of the fact that it is all true. However, I would urge people to read it because it is so touching in many of the chapters. I especially liked her romantic interest in Petel.

Verdict - 5 out of 5