Over The Line by Tom Palmer

As it's approaching exactly 100 years since the beginning of the First World War, there has understandably been an increase in the number of children's books published on the subject. I've already read and enjoyed several, including work by John Townsend and Tony Robinson. Over The Line by Tom Palmer now joins that group.

It's based on a true story (although, as Tom himself says, 'it is a novel, not a history book') about a professional footballer who plays for Huddersfield Town, Jack Cock. Jack is repeatedly told that footballers are too scared to fight in the army and that there's only one field where you can ever get honour, the battlefield. As the months pass, Jack sees many of his friends enlist in the army and, feeling he needs to help defend his country, eventually joins the Football Battalion (which consists entirely of professional footballers). After a short period of training in England, Jack is soon shipped over to France to fight.

He learns that life on the front line is a lot tougher than he could ever have imagined, and the reality of war quickly sinks in. Jack realises that not all of his fellow soldiers will make it back home safely and witnesses huge amounts of suffering and death, alongside great bravery. Jack is selected to play as a striker in the Flanders Cup, a football competition to be held between all the battalions, which has been organised by the leaders of the army to help keep the soldiers' morale high. For 90 minutes at least, this competition provides him with something to focus on other than killing.

Over The Line is a great short novel and I learned a lot while reading it. The book is quite graphic in places, without ever being gruesome, and the description of the trenches portrays a miserable picture of life for the soldiers on both sides. The action on the football pitch and the action on the battlefield are equally exciting and, because so many soldiers died in the war, none of the characters are guaranteed to survive. It's clear that a lot of research went into the book and it is a thoroughly enjoyable introduction, if that's possible, to the life of a soldier in the First World War. I would recommend it for children in Year 5/6, or possibly even as a class novel.

Mr Biddle

(thanks to publishers Barrington Stoke for the review copy)

New books

Phew! Two days ago I was coming to the end of 'After' by Morris Gleitzman (which is incredible, as are all the other books in the 'Once' series) and my 'To Read' pile was starting to look worryingly small. However, yesterday an order from Amazon arrived, as did a couple of books from publishers to review on the blog. I also went to Waterstones in Norwich and bought a a few books from there, and found two paperbacks that Mr Arden had very kindly lent me lurking at the bottom of my school bag The 'To Read' pile now has about fifteen books on it again and is looking much healthier.

The pile currently includes:

The Sacrifice and The Fallen by Charlie Higson- one of my favourite authors writing about one of my favourite things, zombies!

Doll Bones by Holly Black- sounds like a very creepy ghost story.

Shiverton Hall by Emerald Fennell- good reviews, liked the blurb.

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell- this has recently won two very major book awards (Blue Peter and Waterstones) and could well win two or three more.

The Abominables by Eva Ibbotson- 4JB loved One Dog and His Boy so I'm sure they'll enjoy this. Anything by Eva Ibbotson is a pleasure to read.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers- had a sneaky peek of this in Waterstones and just had to get it. Looks wonderful.

Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger- the film that was based on this book is one of my favourite films ever, so I have very high expectations of this.

Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy- it's a Skulduggery Pleasant book. Need I say more?

The Dealer and Maximum Security by Robert Muchamore- these are the second and third books in the CHERUB series. The first book was great, I read it in a day, so these had better be as good Mr Arden!

Better get reading then. Going to try Shiverton Hall first I think.

Mr Biddle

Easter book quiz

Can you find the word that is wrong in each of these book titles and replace it with the right one? There will be some amazing prizes for the people who get the most answers correct.

1) Charlie and the Sausage Factory by Roald Dahl

2) Diary of a Wimpy Frog by Jeff Kinney

3) Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face and the Badness of Foxes by John Dougherty

4) One Dog and his Toy by Eva Ibbotson

5) The Firework Maker's Sandwich by Philip Pullman
6) The Very Hungry Ladybird by Eric Carle
7) Gangsta Baby by David Walliams
8) The Story of Tracy Sneaker by Jacqueline Wilson
9) You're A Bad Man, Mr Thumb by Andy Stanton
10) Sweet Child by Berlie Doherty

Challenge Mr Biddle
Can think of a book title and change it so that there is a wrong word? Make it tricky!

Horrid Henry's Sleepover by Francesca Simon

Horrid Henry's Sleepover

This book is about Horrid Henry. When Henry slept round all of his friends, his mum and dad would get a call to pick him up at 3:00 in the morning because he's being naughty and very rude. But Henry liked the sleepovers! Henry has slept round all of his friends' houses and they don't want him again. This new boy called New Nick joined his class and New Nick asked Henry if he wanted to sleep over at his house, which meant to Henry new beds to bounce on and new biscuit tins to raid. He couldn't wait. When Henry got home, he told his mum and dad about the sleepover and they said "Just don't be horrid, I don't want to get a phone call to pick you up at 3:00 in the morning". Henry said he wouldn't be horrid, so Henry packed up his bag with everything and went but Henry didn't like New Nick that much. He only liked him because of the sleepover!

By Jaya Norman (with a little help from Haiden)

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

Freak The Mighty

This is a summary of the story! (Warning! Do not read this post if you are reading this book and don't want to spoil it)

Our narrator introduces himself by telling us he was once nicknamed "Kicker". See, when he was little, he would kick all the other kids in day care. Not the most promising introduction. But it turns out "Kicker" is really just a big softy. He outgrows the kicking phase, and now everyone just calls him Max.

Here's what you need to know about Max: he's huge and he lives with his grandparents. By the time he is in 8th grade, he is the size of a grown man. His size and a few other details make him sort of an outcast, but he soon befriends fellow outcast Kevin, who Max lovingly calls "Freak". Freak is tiny and insanely smart.

These two boys could not be more different, but they quickly become close friends. That's right: opposites attract. Freak tries to teach Max about robotics and history, and Max just sort of smiles and nods like he understands. Freak also tells Max that he is going to become the first human/robot hybrid. (A) That's awesome. (B) That means Freak is going to have an operation that will make him stronger so he won't be sick anymore. But it's a really big secret, so Max can't tell anyone.

The boys go on a bunch of adventures and quests together, one of which involves returning a woman's stolen purse. Seems like a nice thing to do, but it all goes horribly wrong. It turns out that the woman, Loretta Lee, isn't so much a damsel in distress as a woman who causes distress. And don't get us started on her boyfriend Iggy, who knows Max's dad.

Oh, and did we mention that Max's dad is currently in prison for killing Max's mom? Yikes. This horribly violent act has earned him the nickname Killer Kane. When Max and Freak finally get away from the adventure-gone-wrong, Max doesn't want to talk about his dad. All Max wants is to forget it ever happened.

Not so fast. Killer Kane ends up being paroled, and he kidnaps Max on Christmas Eve. Luckily, Freak works with the cops to find Max and rescue him. After he's safe and sound, things settle down a bit, and Max even starts doing better in school. But don't get too excited just yet.

When summer comes around, it's time for Freak's birthday. He gets a computer from his mom with some fancy new fangled invention called a modem that lets him dial up to the school computer. (Yep, this is what the Internet used to sound like.) What's with all the new technology? It's so Freak can go to school from home.

Hmmm. Max doesn't understand why Freak wouldn't be able to go to school; and when he asks, everyone gets really quiet. Before Max can get any answers, Freak has a seizure and is rushed to the hospital.

At the hospital, Freak gives Max a blank book and tells him to fill it with their adventures. He explains that he is getting his new robotic body and he won't have time to write their adventures; he'll be too busy learning how to walk with long legs. Max agrees, but he's hesitant. After all, he's not the smart one— Freak is.

The next day, Max goes to visit the hospital, but learns that Freak died during the night. Max goes nuts, kicking people and punching glass windows. Finally, after he is subdued by security, Freak's doctor explains that there never was a secret operation. Freak made it up to have something to hope for.

Max spends the next year alone and majorly depressed. Then one day, he takes out the blank book Freak gave him, and he starts writing. He writes for a long time. And when he's finished, he has written a book called Freak the Mighty.

Review by Haiden Norman.

The Mystery of Miss King (Weird Street) by Margaret Ryan

I have been reading The Mystery of Miss king. I am going to tell you no more, just listen to the blurb.

What strange events are taking place at number 67? Was that a foot in the garden shed? What was a skull doing on the TV? And why have all those holes suddenly appeared on the front lawn?

Just read the book. It starts off scary and then it's not. My favourite part was when Miss Smith told the boy what the body parts were for.

SO JUST READ THE BOOK.

The 13th Fairy by Kaye Umansky

The 13th Fairy is an amazing story and I would recommend it  to everyone.

The blurb says:
Meet Grimbleshanks, the 13th Fairy. She's mad. Hopping mad. Everyone else is invited to the royal christening- but not Grimbleshanks. Oh no, she would lower the tone. And so Grimbleshanks plans a little curse for the new baby...

I like this book because there are loads of surprises and I like how someone has to try and stop the fairy's curse. I think that boys and girls would like this book because it is exciting and funny. My favourite part was when the fairy put the curse on. The next book I will read by Kaye Umansky is The Queen's tale because it looks great.

Review by Gemma, 4JB.