In Part II of our YA Reads blog, we bring more reviews written by participants of our iRead programme: a summer reading programme for children aged 11 and 12 at the end of this school year.
My Story: Fall of the Blade by Sue Reid
It’s 1792. Living comfortably in a chateau just outside France is a girl called Isabelle. But times are dangerous; it’s the French Revolution. Isabelle saves a boy called Armand and cares for him until he is well enough to leave. Soon after, Isabelle finds herself in a cell with Armand’s cousin and they become friends. When Isabelle escapes by wearing a guards uniform and seeks refuge with some friends. While running away from that (when a house search is carried out) she meets up with Armand. Together they escape to England and I don’t know what happens next but I think they get married.
Time travelling fashionista and Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile by Bianca Turetsky
Louise is an ordinary girl in the 20th century, she is regularly pick on by the school bully, has the best friend in the work and she has a passion for vintage fashion. When she tries on a Grecian dress in a mysterious store, she’s transported to the film set of the famous movie Cleopatra and she is the temporary assistant to one of her famous dress designers. But after trying on a pearl necklace and being transported way back to 51BC, will she survive being handmaid to Queen Cleopatra? Experience snake attacks, poisoning, treason, conspiracy and being BFF to one of history’s most glamorous figures. She discovers that all wasn’t as it seemed – Cleopatra’s siblings were amazing and murderous and Cleopatra was an ordinary teenager with a lot on her plate.
My Story: Pompeii by Sue Reid
Claudia is the daughter of a baker, sister of two brothers and a friend to a Briton slave. Rumblings and minor quakes are frequent and Claudia fears that something bad is coming. After briefly meeting him at a slave market, she befriends a young British slave. After meeting a stuck up girl’s cousin, Claudia meets an unlikely friend. Then the slave boy, Aengus, is sold and forced to be a Gladiator. He survives, then escapes and Claudia is reluctant to part. Then Mount Vesuvius erupts and (partially guided by a wise beggar called Ancient) they flee to a nearby city, Herculaneum. I don’t know what happens next but it finishes with “No matter how dark the night, the sun always rises.”
Another review, which was too good not to include, features a book we don't currently hold in the Libraries:
Prickly Problems in Caktusplantz by Bobbi J G Weiss
This story is a Looney Tunes comic – the two main characters are Daffy Duck as ‘Western type hero’ and Porky Pig as ‘comedy relief’. After weeks of full on action, Daffy and Porky stop in at the saloon. Daffy orders ten vanilla milkshakes with a round of decaf cactus cola chasers. Daffy is unable to pay so he makes ‘deputy’ Porky go on the dishes to pay for it. Bored waiting, Daffy looks for a job rounding up villains. He aims for the roughest, toughest one, Nasty Canasta. After failing in several attempts, Porky steps in and saves the day. Their roles are switched and the story ends with Daffy washing the dishes.
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