Bob’s Books!

1. Bob’s Books! Here are the books Bob Docherty talked about during Book Week, 2010, at Queenspark School Library.

2. Tiger, Tigerby Lynne Reid Banks Tiger, Tiger is a hugely powerful and epic novel set against the dazzling backdrop of ancient Rome. This compelling and uplifting story about friendship, brotherhood and battling against the odds will grip all who read it. Her heart was throbbing behind her ribs. A real, live tiger? But that was impossible! Of all the beasts brought from far-off countries the tiger was the most formidable. There could be no one bold enough to introduce one into Caesar's palace! Two tiger cubs are snatched from their native jungle and shipped to Rome. On arrival at this strange land crowded with noisy two-legs they are cruelly separated. One cub becomes the princess's pampered and adored house pet. The other, fiercer, cub is trained to become the star performer in Caesar's bloodthirsty circus. Princess Aurelia detests her father's brutal sport , but must keep her feelings secret - no one dares criticise the almighty Caesar! The only person she can confide in is the slave Julius, her tiger's keeper. But such a friendship is equally forbidden: should the Emperor find out, his anger would be terrible and the punishment severe. But friendship and love cannot be dictated, and neither tiger nor man is destined for a life in chains. In a world dominated by Caesar's will, all must fight for freedom...This is Lynne Reid Banks at her very best. She has written a hugely powerful and moving story, which boys and girls from 10 years onwards will love. The animals' thoughts seem eerily perceptive. Utterly captivating Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

3. Nanny Pigginsby R. A. Spratt This book is just brilliant! I read it with a continuous smile on my face because while it is aimed at Junior readers from 8years old to 11 years old, there are enough in house adult jokes to laugh over. It is an old fashioned “shaggy dog” story, well several of them really, and it is great to read humour, which has been lacking in children’s literature of late. Nanny Piggins is a pig, of course, who has run away from the circus as she is sick of being fired out of a cannon, in spite of being the star of the show. She applies for the job of nanny to Derrick, Samantha and Michael Green. Their father is a morally bankrupt lawyer who lacks a sense of humour, is totally stressed, and is a miser to boot. Nanny Piggins loosens the whole family up with range of adventures with the co-operative children, from bunking school, visiting an art museum, hiding a Russian bear, capturing a burglar and eating mountains of chocolate. R.A. Spratt is an Australian writer and if she writes other Nanny Piggins books as good as this then she is going to be in the money. I will certainly read them. While this book is not politically correct it is heaps of fun and as far as I am concerned the more fun there is in reading the better. Suitable for junior readers and older readers who want a laugh. A great classroom read-a-loud for years 3/4/5. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/the-adventures-of-nanny-piggins-by-r-a-spratt/

4. The Story of a Seagull and the Cat who taught her to fly by Luis Sepulveda A seagull, dying from the effects of an oil spill, entrusts her egg to Zorba the cat, who promises to care for it until her chick hatches, then teach the chick to fly. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

5. The Hunger Gamesby Suzanne Collins Phew! Reading this book just blew me away. Several kids and librarians had mentioned The Hunger Games  to me so I bought it and boy I’m glad I did. Suzanne keeps you guessing and on your toes right till the last page It is about a country called Panem in which Capitol rules over 12 Districts in a tight fisted way. Previously there were 13 Districts but after a rebellion the 13th District was destroyed to teach the other Districts a lesson. The action starts in a coal mining community, probably what is left of West Virginia, or District 12. It is on the eve of The Reaping, a ballot in which all children from age twelve to eighteen take part. A boy and a girl from each District are drawn to take part in the Hunger Games. Katniss and Peeta represent District 12 at the Hunger Games, a contest that has only one winner, the last one left alive. Part one of the story gives the background to the Hunger Games and the lives of Katniss and Peeta and their families, up to the Reaping draw. Part two covers the action from the Games and Part three covers the winner and the immediate aftermath. There are resemblances to TV programmes Survivor, America’s Top Model, War footage from the News and the Roman Empire Games. Put them together and you have the Hunger Games. It is brilliant. This book will appeal to reluctant readers and good readers alike from Intermediate school age through to Secondary school students. The good thing is there are two more to come in the series. You won’t put this book down. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/04/10/the-hunger-games-by-suzanne-collins/

6. Lord of the Nutcracker Men by Iain Lawrence A young boy gradually comes to understand the difference between his toy soldiers and the bloodshed of the First World War in this poignant story. Ten-year-old Johnny loves the army of nutcracker soldiers his toymaker father whittles for him. Johnny eagerly plays at war, demolishing imaginary foes. But in 1914, war with Germany looms, and all too soon Johnny's father is swept up in the war to end all wars as he proudly enlists to fight at the front in France. Johnny believes his father will be back in a few months, in time to celebrate Christmas with him and his mum. But the war is nothing like any soldier or person at home expected. It is brutal and horrific. The letters that arrive from Johnny's dad reveal the ugly realities of combat -- and the soldiers he carves and encloses begin to bear its scars. Still, Johnny adds these soldiers to his armies of Huns, Tommies, and Frenchmen, engaging them in furious battle out in the muddy garden. His war games bind him to the father he longs to see again. But when these games seem to foretell his dad's real battles, Johnny thinks he possesses godlike powers over his wooden men. He fears he controls his father's fate, the lives of all the soldiers in no-man's-land, and the outcome of the war itself. In this haunting and poignant tale, Iain Lawrence explores the irrationality of war and its effect on lives that are all too fragile. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

7. Measle and the Wrathmonkby Ian Ogilvy A magical adventure story about an orphan called Measle who lives with his horrible guardian, Basil Tramplebone. Basil is a Wrathmonk - the worst kind of wizard - and when he find Measle playing with his beloved train set he zaps him with an evil spell. Now Measle's only a few centimetres tall and trapped in the world of the train set. There's a hungry bat in the rafters waiting for nightfall to swoop down on Measle and there's an enormous cockroach after him, but Measle finds some friends in the train set and together they come up with a plan. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

8. Doubting Thomas by Morris Gleitzman Thomas is eleven and lives with his mum, dad and big sister Alisha. He was a pretty normal kid until two weeks ago when he discovered he had developed a startling new ability. Every time anyone tells a lie, Thomas develops a violent itch in his nipples. Its uncomfortable, embarrassing and gets Thomas into all sorts of trouble ... Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

9. Graceby Morris Gleitzman Eleven-year-old Grace only knows one world - the world her mum and dad and twin brothers, and the strict religious community they belong to. But when her dad is thrown out of the church for asking questions, Grace is torn. How can she stay in the church and keep her family together? Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

10. Noah Barleywater runs awayby John Boyne A marvelous book from the writer of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. It is hard to follow a classic but John Boyne has done it in brilliant style and with a story that is so different. Early in the morning before the dew has set and before everyone is up, eight year old Noah Barleywater dresses, and without breakfast or telling anyone, runs away from home. Why? He passes through a couple of villages where people are not friendly and finally comes to a huge and very impressive tree. Behind the tree is a ramshackled house made of wood, so feeling very hungry he goes in and finds a toy shop where all the toys are made of wood and around the walls are a number of puppets. The shop appears magical to Noah for magical it is. An old man who owns the shop comes out to him feeds his hunger and together they swap stories about their lives and the reason why Noah has run away. John Boyne describes his novel as a Fairytale so if you know the story of Pinocchio you will understand why. This is a magical tale that links past and present, it ends well and wishes everybody a wonderful life. It is the story of growth, facing circumstances and taking chances. A boy grows into a young  man and a young man grows into an old man. Sometimes with regrets. Something in this novel for everyone but aimed at children  of middle school and Intermediate age.

11. Nowby Morris Gleitzman After the stunning ending of Once I wondered where Morris Gleitzman would go with Then and I am not disappointed. In fact I am in awe. What he has done is bring Felix and his memories and grand daughter, to Australia and introduces a bushfire to create a comparable wartime situation to that experienced by people in World War 2. Just as Felix hid down a hole from the Nazis, so Felix and granddaughter Zelda, (named after Felix’s 6 year old companion in Once), with dog Jumbles hide down a hole from the firestorm that destroys their home. Throughout the novel Gleitzman fills us in in what happened to Felix after the horrors at the end of Once, and we learn of his life as a brilliant surgeon in Australia. Felix is now 80 years old and is still haunted by the holocaust, how could he not be. Zelda his granddaughter shows the same spirit and innocence that Felix did in his troubles, and it is very uplifting. This book reaffirms the need to never forget what has happened. History has a habit of repeating itself. Surely there is a lesson to be learent from history. Perhaps not! A great story written in Gleitzman’s easy accessible and humorous style. A must read and must purchase for every school library. A very good class read-a-loud. This is for everybody but mostly for middle and Intermediate school children Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/10/30/now-by-morris-gleitzman-pub-viking-2010/

12. Trashby Andy Mulligan This is a stunning novel about poverty, life, corruption and survival in a Third World nation. No country is named but it is most likely the Philippines. The reaction you have when you finish the story is Yes, Yes, Yes! If you have seen the film Slumdog Millionaire then you have got the picture. Raphael, Gordo and Jun Jun live and work in the dump of a large city. They sift the rubbish as it comes in hoping for a big find that never comes for most. They are dirty, diseased and live an appalling life style. One day Raphael finds a wallet containing 1100 pesos, an encrypted note,  a key and an identity card. The next day police are around asking about it, offering a reward and Raphael consults his friends Gordo and Jun Jun as to what to do. Because of the urgency shown by the police they decide to unravel the clues given and see what can be found. What they unravel will leave you breathless and keep you reading till the end of this  tension filled story. It also has a book code to break amidst the action. A story in five parts narrated by all three boys and an array of characters that fill in crucial parts of the story. It is a story of corruption by high ranking politicians, police and even lesser officials and is probably the way things are in many Third World Countries. The fact that three dump kids can outwit them all, is the most appealing part of the story. One of the best novels for school years 6/7/8 and even junior high school that I have read this year. It exposes a world we rarely think about but should know about. You will not regret reading this beauty. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/trash-by-andy-mulligan/

13. Winterby John Mardsen Winter de Salis has been away a long time. Mystery surrounded her departure, and mystery surrounds her return. She has come home to find answers. Her past is confused, muddled, almost lost. Somehow she has to find that past. If there is to be hope in her future, Winter must find the answer to the greatest question in her life. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

14. Parvanaby Deborah Ellis There are many types of battle in Afghanistan. Imagine living in a country where women and girls are not allowed to leave the house without a man. Imagine having to wear clothes that cover every part of your body, including your face, whenever you go out. This is the life of Parvana, a young girl growing up in Afghanistan under the control of an extreme religious military group. When soldiers burst into her home and drag her father off to prison, Parvana is forced to take responsibility for her whole family, dressing as a boy to make a living in the marketplace of Kabul, risking her life in the dangerous and volatile city.By turns exciting and touching, Parvanais a story of courage in the face of overwhelming fear and repression.

15. Shadowby Michael Morpurgo A lovely story this but then all Michael Morpurgo novels are lovely. This one is very current as it concerns the conflict in Afghanistan with the Taliban. As always there is an animal in the story playing a crucial role. This time it is a Springer Spaniel named Shadow but as we find out later in the story, her real name is Polly. Matt is a young English boy who has a friend from Afghanistan called Aman. When Aman and his mother are taken to Yarls Wood detention Centre with a view to being deported back to Afghanistan, Matt enlists the help of his ex journalist grandfather to help out. What evolves is a story that can apply to many of the world’s refugees who have been through extreme hardship, will be killed if they return to their home country and who are not wanted by the country they seek refugee status in. Set in Bamiyan Province where the Taliban destroyed those magnificent statues of Buddha, thankfully I saw them in the 1970′s and they were incredible. The New Zealand contingent in Afghanistan are working in Bamiyan. Add in a dog who Aman and his family befriend, a dog not found normally in Afghanistan and one who the locals condemn as a “foreign dog”. This dog has a history and becomes crucial to the outcome of this story. Great story that will help children get an insight to a world wide problem of refugees. We are all human beings aren’t we? Suitable middle to Intermediate school, but it is such a good yarn older kids would love it too. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog” http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/10/31/shadow-by-michael-morpurgo/ To hear Michael Morpurgo talk about the story behind the writing of the book Shadow, go to the link below: http://www.youtube.co./watch?v=zZsGSoMPoBo

16. Moribito: Guardian of the spiritby NahokoUehashi This extraordinary new fantasy merges the deep well of Eastern myth with the Western fantasy tradition, for a rich, hard-to-put-down novel. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

17. The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indianby Sherman Alexie I have only just caught up with this title and it is a ripper! I road tested this novel with several schools, talking to year students of all reading levels and they loved it. What is refreshing about this novel is that it exposes racism towards the American Indian nation by the white population, through humour. Nobody would write a novel like this in New Zealand, it would be too unPC. I applaud the approach because as you are laughing, the truth and inhumanity of the situation just comes and kicks you in the guts. I love it when that happens. Brought up on an Indian reservation, Junior was born with “water on the brain” that resulted in him having seizures, a stutter and a lisp. He also had 42 teeth, 10 of which were extracted in one day as the dentist only visited the Reservation once a year. He grew up tough and he grew up mean, but his intelligence and wit saw him through. The kids on the reservation called him a “retard” and he was beat up all the time. His best friend Rowdy protected him but wanted him to stay where he was on the reservation. He also beat Junior up. Read the rules of Fisticuffs on pages 61 &62 are an eye opener. Junior had aspirations and after an incident with a white teacher, he is persuaded to enroll at a “white school” 22 miles from the reservation. This sets the book alight as the attitude of the white kids at Reardan School is that “Indians didn’t deserve shit” If you want to know how Junior gets on, read the book yourself. The basketball games are incredible and Junior’s quest for acceptance will make your soul sing. Simply one of the best books I have ever read. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog” http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/the-absolute-true-diary-of-a-part-time-indian-by-sherman-alexie/

18. Eating things on sticksby Anne Fine Former Children’s Laureate Anne Fine has written some of the best stories for children and young Adults. This is not her best novel but it is still worth a read. It is for younger readers from ages 9 to 12 years but her writing is so good it will appeal to older readers too. Take this line as an example as she describes a grumpy old man – “his face is miserable enough to make a funeral procession turn up a side street”. The whole book is scattered with descriptions and witticisms that leave you in awe of her writing talents. Harry is a young lad with a sense of humour and a bit of nous, but through an oversight he has succeeded in burning down his mother’s kitchen. The family has to leave the house so repairs can be done and Harry goes to live with his uncle Tristram who is mother is not comfortable with even though he is her brother. Tristram fancies a hippy type girl, Morning Glory, who lives on an isolated island, but does she fancy Tristram? Harry and Tristram go to visit Morning Glory and encounter a weird collection of characters who inhabit the island and take part in an annual competition from which the book gets it’s name. The situations that arise are full of humour that will incite the most reluctant of readers to keep reading. Have a bit of fun and read it yourself. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/eating-things-on-sticks-by-anne-fine/

19. The billionaire’s curseby Richard Newsome This was the winner of the Esther Glen Award in 2010 by a new Zealand born writer now living in Australia. I say this because this book came from nowhere to win from a writer I’ve not heard of. Now I have. Why did it win? Quite simply because it is a ripping good yarn, very well told. The book opens with the theft of a the Noor Jehan diamond from the reading room of the British Museum which leaves a policeman on the floor with two rose stem sticking out his bottom. Well I say! this is definitely not British, or perhaps it is. The story then shifts to every kids dream. Gerald is an ordinary 13 year old lad until he discovers that his great aunt Geraldine has gone and snuffed it and left him more than a billion pounds. Did she snuff it or was she killed? if she was killed who was it and why? Gerald has to fight off greedy relatives, a mysterious thin man, a one eyed Major and a host of eccentric British characters who staff the stately homes of England, and members of that fine old British institution the Private Gentleman’s Club. Fortunately Gerald has help from Sam and Ruby who have a bit of the Famous Five about them. The adventures they have solving the whereabouts of the diamond have a bit of Indiana Jones about them. It was refreshing to read an old fashioned story like this and to read Richard newsome taking the water out of the British. Great fun. Middle school in appeal and remember this is just book one. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/the-billionaire-trilogy-book-1-the-billionaires-curse-by-richard-newsome/

20. Freak the mightyby Rodman Philbrick Extraordinarily powerful, uplifting and memorable, the story of Freak the Mighty explores an unlikely friendship, and finds optimism and humour in a story of great poignancy. Bring your tissues. Maxwell Kane is feared and bullied because of his mental slowness and enormous size. But this is not the only cross he has to bear; Maxwell's father is in jail for murdering his mother. Kevin is smart, quirky and funny with insatiable curiosity and zest for life but he suffers from a rare genetic condition, which inhibits the growth of his body. Yet the combination of Kevin and Maxwell is formidable, when together they become Freak the Mighty. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

21. No such thing as dragonsby Philip Reeve The best book about a dragon that I have read since Sheryl Jordan’s Hunting the last Dragon, only better. More an adventure than a fantasy and a superb story that will grip you tighter than the scaly talons of the dragon. Philip Reeve showed his mastery of the Medieval mentality in his Carnegie Medal winning title Here lies Arthur, and in this title he portrays a Christendom full of tricksters, villains and fraudsters, none greater than Brock the dragon slayer, one of the central characters in this novel. Brock preys on people’s fears of the dragon, rather than on the reality of the existence of a dragon that slaughters livestock and burns villages with it’s fiery breath. He employs a young boy, Ansel, to be his squire. Ansel has had a horrid upbringing and has lost the power of speech through mistreatment by his father.  Will he get it back by the end of the story? Brock and Ansel are employed to kill a dragon that allegedly lives on Dragon mountain, and the villagers tell graphic stories of what it looks like and what it has done. Brock is secretly cynical but agrees to set off into the mountains with Ansel and a reluctant holy monk, Flegel, who is nothing but a fraud himself. What will happen to him? On the mountain they meet a young girl, Else, who was left as a sacrifice to the dragon, but has somehow survived, and confirms that the dragon exists and the villagers horror stories are true. What happens after that is just magnificent and the ending is superb. If you miss this dragon story it serves you right. Aimed at Intermediate and junior secondary but if you like dragon stories you’re going to love this one. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/01/29/no-such-thing-as-dragons-by-philip-reeve/

22. Night huntingby Deborah Burnside Ten-year-old Nick Tressider is all keyed up. At last his mum and dad think he's old enough to go possum-hunting at night with Rotorua Bill, a long-time mate of the family. Bill is a bit burpy, hairy and farty, and his jokes get him in trouble a lot with Nick's mum, sister Olivia and Aunt Kathy, but he tells the most fantastic stories and is a lot of fun to be around. Bill takes Nick tramping deep into the bush, where they lay out possum bait. Later on in a clearing Bill helps Nick to shoot his first rabbit, and then they sit watching the sun set and telling stories. It's the best evening of Nick's life. But when it's fully dark and they're on their way back in to the bush to collect the possums, something unthinkable happens - Bill falls down a bank and is badly injured by a rusty old gin trap. Will Nick be able find his way out of the dark bush in time to get help for his friend? Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

23. Cirque du Freakby Darren Shan Little did I know that Alan's mysterious piece of paper was to change my life forever. For the worse! Darren is just your average schoolboy -- or was, at least -- until he and his friend Steve buy tickets to the outlawed magical and macabre Cirque Du Freak. Packed with wonderfully grotesque characters -- including a snake-boy, a wolf-man and, most exciting of all, an enormous performing spider -- the boys are enchanted, fascinated and yet terrified by the show. Darren, a total spider freak, decides to steal and train the spider to perform amazing tricks. Not realising the extreme consequences of his daring theft, Darren finds himself forced to make a terrible bargain with a creature of the night! Told in a compelling 'mock-umentary' style, Cirque Du Freak is more than just a spooky supernatural tale. It has bags of teaching potential, and is consistently described as one of the best books to engage reluctant readers -- and keep them reading. Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

24. Violet Raines almost got struck by lightningby Danette Haworth This is a story of growing up, a story of change in the lives of two 12 year old girls, and a boy, as puberty threatens. Not all 12 year olds are at the same stage of development physically, mentally and in the way they relate to each other and to the opposite sex. Change can happen over night, or take place over a summer as it does in this novel. Violet,  Lottie and Eddie have been friends all their lives. When city girl Melissa comes to town with sophisticated ways, with makeup, high heeled sandals and wearing a bra, the innocent childhood ways of the three friends becomes complicated. Melissa muscles in on the Violet/Lottie relationship and there is tension when the girls are together. Melissa calls Eddie “cute” which the other girls haven’t noticed before, and she chides Violet about her relationship with Eddie. “where’s your boyfriend?” When lightning hits Lottie’s house this precipitates action as all characters go through changes in their relationships the way they act and thought processes. A first book for Danette Howarth and a very good one too. She has the pre-teen voice just right and tells a lovely story of friendship and community. Suitable for school years 5/6/7/8. Girls will like it most but boys shouldn’t pass it by either. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/violet-raines-almost-got-struck-by-lightning-by-danette-haworth/

25. Secret friendsby Elizabeth Laird It's crazy, starting at a new school. For days, you feel so new and lost it's as if you've wandered into a foreign country where you can't speak the language. This haunting story about Rafaella, the new girl at school who finds making friends hard, is a stunning piece of writing. With her strange name and sticking out ears she's different from the rest. Lucy is the first to tease, the first to call her 'Earwig'. Until a secret friendship starts, full of warmth and mystery... Summary taken from Wheelers: http://www.wheelers.co.nz/

26. Fierce Septemberby Fleur Beale I waited a long time for this sequel to Juno of Taris to come out and I wasn’t disappointed. The domed island of Taris was in danger of collapsing at the end of the first book, both physically, and through divisions amongst it’s 500 inhabitants. These divisions are rapidly forgotten as they hurriedly leave Taris on a boat before being hit by an advancing storm. T hey are taken to Aotearoa whose population has been reduced to one million by a series of pandemics that have ravaged the world. On arrival they are greeted with hostility and are housed together in one building. They realize immediately that the closed rigid social structure and community that existed on Taris will not be able to work in Aotearoa. The man who evacuated the Tarians from Taris, Willem, becomes an important friend to them. Howevert there is a subversive element within Aotearoa that conduct a hate campaign via the internet, against Juno and her fellow Tarians. Things come to a crisis when a new pandemic breaks out and the Tarians are accused of bringing it to Aotearoa. Did they bring it? If not where did it come from? Who hates the Tarians so much that they want to destroy them? How will Juno and her friends cope in an alien culture? Why are people scared of the talent possessed by Hera, Juno’s 2 year old sister? This book cleverly sets up a third book, at least I hope it does, as there are some unanswered questions at the end of this novel. Cleverly written in short chapters by one of New Zealand’s best writers of children and Young Adult literature. At the end of each chapter is a blogspot by which readers can access and discuss what has happened. Just to give you ideas Fleur Beale writes several lines of gossip that haven’t come out in the narrative, for the reader to contemplate. As with the first book this is also narrated by Juno. Get in and read it. Review taken from ‘Bob’s Book Blog’ http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2010/09/18/774/

27. Running wildby Michael Morpurgo When the tsunami hit Indonesia on Boxing Day 2004, Will a 9 year old British boy, was sitting on top of Oona, an Asian elephant, walking along the beach. Oona sensed that something was wrong and took off into the jungle and kept going for days. What follows is an amazing story of survival in which Will comes to rely on Oona for his survival and three orang-utan babies depend on Will for theirs. Will travels around the dense Indonesian rainforest for nearly a year and his story is beautifully told by Michael Morpurgo in his unique style. Morpurgo’s  knowledge of the wildlife and plantlife of the rainforest ecosystem is inspirational. Nobody does it better. Morpurgo links Will’s survival with the world wide plight of the rainforest habitat with Will encountering heartless smugglers of orang-utans, and those that destroy their habitat to grow palm oil trees. This is a conservation story with Morpurgo pulling no punches as to scale of the rainforest destruction, the plight of the remaining orang-utans  and where the blame should lie. The story of Will, Oona and the orang-utans is exciting and uplifting and the ending will melt your heart. It is a long book, over 350 pages, but is an easy read for children from 9-16 years old. If you have never read a Michael Morpurgo novel before do yourself a favour and read this one.

28. The boy in the dressby David Walliams