Guest Library Book Reviews

Time Riders

2011-03-23T15:30:00.000+02:00

This is a book series written by Alex Scarrow. This book was THE BEST I've ever read. The images this book imprints on the mind are riveting. It is about an agency that is set up to stop time contamination from people trying to change the time stream. The first book is set to stop Hitler winning WWII with a time travellers help.

2010-10-27T14:50:00.000+02:00

Hey everyone
Sorry it's been so long, but excellent books are few and far between. This month I will be Reviewing the Edge Chronicals. It comes as three trilogys (Trilogy of trilogys?): The Quint Trilogy, about Quint, who lived in the age of Skypirates and Sanctaphrax; The Twig Trilogy, about Twig, friend of Banderbears and hero of the Deepwoods; The Rook Trilogy, about Rook, who lived during the fall of Undertown and the Battle of the Free Glades. Finally, there's The Immortals, only for the people wwho have read the rest of the series (Tri-trilogys).

Happy Reading!!

Blood Ninja by Nick Lake - reviewed by Mrs Kieswetter

2010-09-14T15:59:00.001+02:00

A vampire book for boys at last!

This gripping story takes place in rural Japan in the 1500s. Taro has been raised as a fisherman’s son but at the outset it is revealed that he is actually the son of a war lord.
As the blurb explains, he will become a ninja, a silent assassin trained in the arts of death.
He will face samurai, he will battle warlords for the title of Shogun.
BUT he will live in darkness for no Blood Ninja can face the light of day.
Derek Landy, author of Skulduggery Pleasant found it brilliant and described it as an action-packed tale of honour, duty and destiny. A book that our Grade 6s and particularly 7s should enjoy.

Christian the Lion by Anthony Bourke and John Rendall reviewed by Mrs K

2010-09-14T15:56:00.000+02:00

Two friends living in London see lion cubs for sale at a department store. They buy the male who they call Christian. Before long this cute but bold cub is getting into all sorts of mischief and sticky situations in their small city apartment. Realising that city life is no way for a lion to live they fly with Christian to Africa where he can live with other lions. After months of rehabilitation into the wild by lion expert George Adamson, Christian is released to live as a wild lion.

A year after his release John and Ace (Anthony) go back to Kenya. Will their beloved lion recognise them? To find out, read this “must read” story.
This is a true story and the book is full of wonderful photos of Christian as a cub in London, with George and then in the wilds of Africa. There are various versions of this book, two picture book stories for Pre-Preppies, a version for Prep level and one for adults. This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. I loved every minute!

Jesse’s Story by Fiona Macgregor - reviewed by Mrs Kieswetter

2010-09-14T15:54:00.001+02:00

This is a story about Jesse, a fourteen year old boy who loves rugby, skating and music and attends a co-ed school in Cape Town. His best friend is Promise and he fancies a girl called Luce. Friendship is one of the themes of the story and being set in Cape Town it has a local flavour with words like lekker and bru being used.
On his way home one evening, Jesse is mugged and this turns his life upside down. (He is helped by a bergie and this makes him examine his attitude towards them.) How he copes with this ordeal -his fear, anger and relationships - forms an important part of the story.
This is an easy South African story that boys should enjoy, especially reluctant readers. Don’t be put off by the cover which is a bit like a text book and don’t be put off by the notes and activities section at the back of the book. These are there in case the book is ever used as class reader.

2010-08-24T15:29:00.000+02:00

CHERUB: The Recruit

I enjoyed this book a lot. The author, Robert Muchamore, has created a seires that grips the reader and dosen't let go. The story is about a boy called James. He's your average, 12 year old coutch potato, until the day his mom dies. He is moved to a childrens home. It looks like a terrible life ahead of him, when a secret orginisation called CHERUB gives him a chance to join a spy school for kids. Read as he suffers through the brutal 100-day training courseand his first mission!

The David Beckham Academy - Bossy Boots; reviewed by Mukisa Mujulizi Grade 6

2010-08-23T15:12:00.001+02:00

The story is about a twelve year old boy who goes to the DBA to improve his soccer skills. He finds himself in a team with a girl! This girl was the best player in the whole academy but he didn’t know that. One day he was complaining that girls can’t play soccer. He gradually starts to discover that she was in fact an excellent player. He was frustrated by this and one day he locked her in the toilet. He lied to the coach that the girl had an ankle injury. She appeared at half time and did not tell the coach what happened. From this day on they became friends. She also gave him her expensive Predator boots.

I really think this book is for people who love soccer like me and it teaches a valuable lesson.

Beast Quest by Adam Blade - reviewed by Matthew Clayton Grade 6

2010-08-18T16:10:00.000+02:00

Beast Quest is about a boy called Tom that has been chosen to set out on dangerous adventures to protect the kingdom from a Beast which has been made by the evil wizard of Avantar. He has made lots of strong and fierce creatures but Tom always wins the battles although they were always very close fights. I think this book is very exciting and it is full of action and it also has a lot of weird looking beasts.

The Dragon Detective Agency by Gareth P Jones - reviewed by Alex Wheeler Grade 6

2010-08-18T16:07:00.001+02:00

The Case of the Stolen Film

The book starts off being really boring but when you get into it gets really exciting and some parts are quite scary and it makes your eyes open. It makes you feel like you never want to stop reading. It is also quite sad as the boy’s dad dies and his mom goes to jail for being an alcoholic. Other than that it is a really good book and there’s a whole lot more books of the Dragon Detective Agency. So try reading it you’ll love it.

Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy - reviewed by Yaeesh Collins Grade 6

2010-08-18T16:01:00.001+02:00

If you are looking for thrill, adventure, excitement and much more, Skullduggery Pleasant is a great read. It’s about a teenager named Stephanie whose grandfather dies and when she gets attacked, her whole life changes. Skullduggery is a ghost who is just bones and no flesh and he and Stephanie work together to fight evil and save the world. It’s a very good book for teens and young readers. There are many books in this series by Derek Landy and I recommend this book to all who like adventure, thrill and excitement. Some other titles in this series in our library are: The Faceless Ones and Playing with Fire.

Special post: Ranger's Apprentice/ 39 Clues

2010-07-15T18:18:00.001+02:00

I've got a special reading post today. Two, that's right, you heard me, two books on preview.
The first is a beautifully written and climatic book, The Ranger's Apprentice. It starts with the Ruins of Gorlan, which is about the boy, Will's, acceptance by Halt to become a mysterious, and scary, Ranger of the King. Its climax starts with his fearful encounter with the evil Kalkara. Written by John Flanagan.

The next book is an excellent theme, trying to get different authors to write the different books. The first book is called the Maze of Bones and is situated in Boston, then Paris. It is about Dan and Amy Cahill, two young orphans going to their Aunt Grace's funeral, where they discover in her Will that they are part of the most powerful and influential family's in history, including Washington, Mozart and Benjamin Franklin. They are then given a choice: one million big ones or a clue that starts a treasure hunt that ultimately ends in the winner or winners become the most powerful people on the planet. What would you choose? Amy and Dan pick the hunt and get a clue and two warnings: Trust no one, and Beware the Madrigals! Maze of Bones written by Rick Riordan.

By Alex Peile

Class A reviewed by Timothy Langerman

2010-06-02T12:14:00.000+02:00

If you’re lying around at home and you’re bored then a good book to read is CLASS A of the Cherub series written by Robert Muchamore. If you want a book filled with love, action, drama and disaster it`s got it all right there. It is about a boy called James Adams and his sister Lauren whose mum and dad died when they were young. They were recruited into an organization called Cherub. All their adventures with their friends are right there. So if you want a good juicy book to read with a hot chocolate I suggest you read this book.

Outcast reviewed by Joshua Wells

2010-06-02T12:09:00.001+02:00

Outcast by Michelle Paver

“Outcast” is the fourth book in a series called “The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness.” It is set six thousand years ago and is about a fourteen year old boy who is caught disobeying his clan’s law. He is then cast out of his clan called the “Raven clan”. He finds himself in some sticky business while trying to show his clan that they can trust him again. Outcast is a good book for children of ages 11+.

I rate the book 9.5/10.

Spud reviewed by Jake Beachy-Head

2010-06-02T12:07:00.000+02:00

My book review is on a hilarious book called Spud written by John van der Ruit.

This book is about Spud’s “activities” that he gets up to at his school, Michael House in Kwazulu-Natal. One of the funny parts was when they went for a midnight swim but after a while they heard some barking and got out and ran back to the boarding house. When they were climbing through the window to get back, Fatty got stuck.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it kept me laughing.

I highly rate this book. 10/10

Darren Shan: Cirque du Freak

2010-05-26T15:10:00.000+02:00

This is the first in a series of twelve, written by a man by the name of Darren Shan. It's about a boy who visits a banned freak show with his best friend, Steve. All goes well (Excluding the Wolf- man incident) until a man called Mr Crepsly appears with a very talented, but very poisonus spider called Madam Octa. After the show, Darren (Whose a child at this stage) gets drawn into a world of the paranormal, deciet and Freaky happenings. Rating: 8,5

By Alex Peile

The Spook's Apprentice - Joseph Delaney

2010-05-11T15:18:00.000+02:00

A chilling tale set back a few centuries, before the Victorian age, in a place called the County. He is the seventh son of a seventh son and is the only one left to defend the County by learning to bind boggarts and witches and send ghosts towards the light. But, when he meets a girl called Alice and accidently frees the most dangerous witch in the County, Mother Malkin, it is up to him to put things right again. Filled with peril and excitement, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. Just follow the warning at the back of the book: do not read after dark…

Reviewed by A Peile

Book Week - Have a ball, read a book!

2010-05-10T11:07:00.001+02:00

10th May saw the start of Book Week and the boys took part in an inter-class challenge to see which class read the most. There were various prizes for the winning classes. The theme this year is 'Have a ball, read a book' and is obviously to do with World Cup Soccer. Boys were asked to donate a soccer ball to donate to other schools in need.

Holes by Louis SACHAR - ISBN 0 7475 4459 X

2010-04-17T11:56:00.000+02:00

Stanley Yelnats finds himself in a boy’s juvenile detention centre simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time – a scenario that has dogged his family’s fortunes since a forefather failed to keep a promise. At the camp he has to dig a hole a day. He slowly comes to terms with the harsh conditions and also learns the reason behind the digging of holes. This book is funny, descriptive and has a very clever plot. It has many lessons to teach and will spark much discussion.

Other books by this author include:
THE BOY WITHOUT A FACE and THERE'S A BOY IN THE GIRL'S BATHROOM.

A bit of history about the Guest Library....

2010-04-15T14:01:00.000+02:00

Sir Ernest Lucas Guest from what was then known as Rhodesia, donated a large collection of valuable books to Bishops Prep School in honour of his twin sons, John and Mellville who attended Bishops in the 1930's. Johns was head of School House and second prefect of the College. He was also captain of cricket and vice-captain of the 1st XV. He was a fine boxer and athlete, was sergeant of the school band and a keen history scholar. He also won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford. When World War II broke out he signed up with the King's Royal Rifle Corps but sadly was killed in action leading his platoon in an attack at Sidi Resegh in Egypt in 1941. He was only 21 years old. Mellville too was a prefect and excelled at sport. After leaving Bishops he joined the RAF, doing duty mostly along the coast of Britain. He was awarded the DFC. He was not yet 21. Sadly, his plane went down in the Bay of Biscay in October 1943. Both boys were passionate about Bishops and were life members of the ODU.