Oaks Park LRC

Alex Rider – Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz “This is because it has a lot of suspense and action and also because it tells you not to lose hope”

The Famous Five – Five Run Away Together  by Enid Blyton “This is because it is very interesting and is absolutely jam-packed with full on tension, mystery and suspense.  It really engaged me”

Little Darlings by Jacqueline Wilson “I love this book because it talks about all the hardships in life that many people have to face, but how they still live happy lives”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J K Rowling “When I began reading the Harry Potter series, I made many friends with the kind, pleasant characters and I looked forward to reading about them.  I had begun the magical journey with Harry and I was finishing it with him as well.  Although, for me it is a very emotional book as I have to bid farewell to my friends”

The Savage Detectives by Robert Bolano “It’s about gangs of enigmatic poets travelling around the world and having adventures, there aren’t many books like it”

IT by Stephen King “ Because of the way he brings the book to life”

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen “Fantastic”

Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl “Roald Dahl at his twisted best!  Short stories that have all the excitement of his books for children, but completely unfiltered”

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith “A novel that show the difficulties of growing up in poverty in America and follows the life of a young woman as she struggles to gain an education and improve her life.  Beautifully written and incredibly vivid characters and settings”

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho “So captivating I read this book in a day!

Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh “A satirical swipe at the peculiarities of the British class system.  Highly amusing assortment of characters brought together by a highly unlikely plot”

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters “This book was so well written and hid it’s amazing plot twist from me right until it was staring me in the face – it made me actually have a sharp intake of breath, as the realisation dawned on me as to what had happened.  Genius!!”

A March to Madness by John Feinstein “The reason I enjoy this book is because it contains two of my passions, American college basketball and a history of some of the coaches, players, games and rivalries”

The Latin Trilogy by Louis de Bernieres “The trilogy is a vivid story of a fictional South American country depicting village life, the goings on within government circles and the Catholic Church, with barons, guerrillas and magical cats thrown in.  The stories are a finely balanced mix of farce, sharp satire and harrowing violence that made me laugh and cry in equal measure”

The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Mountains Echoed – by Khaled Hosseini “All of these are my favourite.  If I had to choose one I would choose A Thousand Splendid Suns because of the ultimate sacrifice for love”

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher “These books follow Harry Dresden, who is a Private Investigator that happens to also be a wizard.  There have been around fifteen books released so far with at least another ten promised to finish of the whole story”

Poemas by Alfonsina Storni “Storni poems deal with the heavy themes of love and sadness…but they flow like rivers.  I love them”

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara “I loved how the relationships and characters develop over the 30-40 year period and how friendship can withstand so much.  And it made me sob”

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman ”Because they are just the best books EVER written” 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee “First adult book I read.  I love how every time you read the book it always seems slightly different”

Hamilton by Catherine Cookson “This book deals with mental health issues, overcoming adversity and finding a silver lining each day”

Goodbye Mog by Judith Kerr “Goodbye Mog gets me every time, I cry at the end.  It is the story of a lovable and very forgetful cat.  This is the 5 th book in the series and deals with the concept of death, which is not usually done in a children’s book “

The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson “An exciting, funny and downright strange story set in the weird and shadowy world of North Korea.  I have never read anything like it”

Birds without Wings by Louis de Bernieres “This is one of my favourite books as I like the way it depicts historical events through a story focused on the lives of people living in a small village”

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown “One of my earliest memories of reading is of reading this book”

Book Review of Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan By Simran, Year 7 Goodnight Boy was about a boy, one dog and a their life together.   When I started to read this book, it was very hard to put down.  This book was sad, exciting and also suspenseful.  In some parts it brought tears to my eyes and in others it made me laugh until my stomach hurt!  Anyone who reads this review I advise you to read all of Nikki Sheehan’s books, Swan Boy, Who Framed Klaris Cliff and, of course, Goodnight Boy.  All of these books taught me a lesson I will never forget.

  Author Nikki Sheehan visiting Oaks Park High School Tuesday 27 th February – World Book Week For more information on Nikki Sheehan and her wonderful books please go to: http://www.nikkisheehan.co.uk Goodnight, Boy by Nikki Sheehan A tale of two very different worlds, both shattered by the loss of loved ones. Tragic, comic and full of hope, thanks to a dog called Boy. The kennel has been JC's home ever since his new adoptive father locked him inside. For hours on end, JC sits and tells his dog Boy how he came to this country: his family, the orphanage and the Haitian earthquake that swept everything away. When his adoptive mother Melanie rescues him, life starts to feel normal again. Until JC does something bad, something that upset his new father so much that he and Boy are banished to the kennel. But as his new father gets sicker, JC realizes they have to find a way out. Swan Boy by Nikki Sheehan Life isn't easy for Johnny. He is trying to h