The Haunting of Aveline Jones

Phil Hickes

I was really excited about this book. I often have students at school asking for 'horror' or 'ghost stories' and I find the majority of horror books lean quite heavily towards the 'Young Adult' age range...understandably, as is the nature of the horror genre. However, I am always on the look out for scary books for our younger students (ones that they can enjoy but won't give them nightmares, or too much 'grown up' content - that can be 'scary' on a whole different level!).

Aveline, a lover of ghost stories, comes across a strange book, whilst holidaying at her aunt's house by the sea. From this finding, her half-term is transformed as she sets about on an intriguing mystery...to find the author of this book; a young girl called Primrose Penberthy who vanished from the coastal village years before...and never returned.

The author has created a brilliant 'old-fashioned' yet totally contemporary ghost story. A story that is fantastically creepy without being horrendously gory or incredibly depressing. In fact, he has balanced this story to fit so perfectly into my missing niche (ghost stories for pre-teens) it is as if Phil Hickes has read my mind!

Aveline is a wonderful character and her delightful adventures are (thankfully) just beginning. The next book 'The Bewitching of Aveline Jones' is out in September 2021!

Boy, Everywhere

By A M Dassu

Sami has a very comfortable and happy life in Syria; his dad is a doctor, his mum a teacher, he and his best friend Joseph are excited to be part of the school's football trials...

But he never gets to play. His family flees Syria because of the war and begin to make their long, perilous journey to find safety in Britain.

This book is written in a very accessible way and enables students, from Year 6 onwards, to begin to understand some of the reasons that refugees come to the UK, how hard it is for them to leave their families and homes behind and the difficult and dangerous journey they must make to get here.

An excellent book to make us more aware of what people go through and the risks and sacrifices they must make to feel safe and secure again.

Some lovely moments of kindness but lots of tense, scary times too, and ultimately a very important book for all young people to read today.

THE OUTLAWS SCARLETT & BROWNE

Jonathan Shroud

Set in dystopian Britain after an environmental disaster, our heroine, the smart talking, sharp shooter, Scarlett accidentally encounters a hapless young man, Albert Browne.

Travelling across the wastelands of England, they encounter trouble every way they turn, trying to outrun the law and the other unsavoury characters on their tail.

A lively and bright, thoroughly entertaining adventure with witty dialogue and some brilliant vocabulary.

Although this is a fine story in itself, I presume that it is the start of a new series? There are lots of questions that need answering, mainly to do with Scarlett's back story. The good news is that it didn't ruin the story in any way and I definitely want to find out about her, so will be looking forward to the next instalment.

Recommended for good Year 7 readers and upwards :)

The Swallows' Flight

Hilary McKay

Set during World War II, this beautifully written book follows families both in Germany and England throughout the traumatic war years.

So gentle and sensitively written, the characters are so real and vibrantly constructed, you become totally invested in their lives. There are lots of storylines within the book but the author weaves them together perfectly with wisdom and compassion, touching on important historical points of war.

Ruby and Kate are both unconfident and insecure but grow into wonderful capable young ladies by the end of the story, when their worlds collide with the German boys, Erik and Hans, in a most unexpected dramatic fashion. There is also Pax, the dog, who is a wonderful character in his own right!

There are so many books about this period of history but it is so important for young people to read them and understand what others their own age lived through. This is a perfect, respectful, warm and wise example.