The Bone Tiki reviewed by Daniel Petersen

I was never really interested in Maori culture until I read this book. David Hair takes ancient places and beliefs and blends them with a modern world. His story takes place in a world where reality and myth collide, where spirit world and modern world mix and there are 600 year old people at our rugby games.

The main character is Matiu Douglas, a young and confused Maori boy and a victim of living in a broken home. When Matt goes to his Auntie Wai Aroha’s funeral, he takes an ancient Tiki and suddenly his life spirals out of control. With the mysterious and evil Tohunga Puarata chasing him to reclaim the Tiki, Matt teams up with Kelly and the dog Fitzy. Together they seek the answers to the problems that they come across and strive to find out the secret that the Tiki possesses.

The Bone Tiki is a book that was written using a third person narrative. The other thing was that it was using a lot of Maori language as well as English, so this made it bilingual.

The real theme of the book is that Justice will always prevail in the end. Also that you should never be ashamed of not knowing much about you’re culture. It also show that with enough loyalty to do the job, the right tools to do the job, the right friends to do the job and the willpower to do it. It can be done no matter what you’re up against.

I would rate this book as one of the best that I have ever heard. David Hair is truly a magician with his words and so highly descriptive, that I think it could so easily be made into an Oscar winning move. With Peter Jackson and David Hair’s magic combined it could turn into the best New Zealand movie ever. David Hair is so descriptive in his scenes and his fights, It almost convinced me that there was a spirit world next to ours and that there are Taniwha, Ghost warriors and people of legend. This book is Intriguing and Fantastic.

Wishes and Dreams-Heidi Ruegg

I reviewed the book Wishes and Dreams by Kathy Clark
This book is an incredible book for the ages 8+ girls because you get the chance to read about TV stars.This book is more about girls partying and about Mary Kate and Ashley's sweet 16. In this book it is all about Mary Kate and Ashley's sweet 16. They send out 50 invitations to 50 teen aged girls. Now Mary Kate and Ashley want to invite 25 girls and 25 boys but they don't want to uninvite 25 of the girls. They have no idea what to do, and their sweet 16 is in two weeks.
The best scene in the book, according to me is when the sweet 16 starts . Mary Kate and Ashley find out they got a car for their birthday. when they receive the car only Mary Kate can drive because Ashley hasn’t got her full licence yet. Another high point of the story is when Mary Kate and Ashley go after the invitations and they nearly lose their boyfriends.
The main characters in this story are Mary Kate, Ashley, Ben, Jake and Wilson. Mary Kate and Ashley are identical twins. You really can not tell them apart cause they look the same. Ben and Jake are Mary Kate and Ashley's boyfriends. Ben is Mary Kate's boyfriend and Jake is Ashley’s boyfriend. Wilson is a kind teenager who is always willing to help Mary Kate and Ashley with their sweet 16. Wilson helps them find places for their party and he helps them organize it.

In Wishes and Dreams the story takes place in America in California. Mary Kate and Ashley go to the mall heaps and look around the country so this book takes place in a heap of places.
My opinion on the book is that this story is high quality and only girls will probably be interested in it. Only because it is more of a girls book. I enjoyed Wishes and Dreams because of what it was about, and the reason that they used the theme about a sweet 16 and that it is about teenagers. So if you like girly drama and sweet 16 parties well then this is the book for you.

Twilight Reveiw-Emily Horgan

I reviewed Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. The story is told first hand by Bella. It is an excellent book that has had a lot of thought and time gone into it. Whoever would’ve thought that this book was dreamed up then the author wrote the book to know what would happen next in her dream.
When Bella Swan moved to rainy, old, Forks, Washington, to live with her dad Charlie, she wasn't expecting much, until she met Edward, a vampire. Then her life gets turned upside down when James a lethal human killing vampire and his friend Victoria are tracking Bella because Edward made it a game for them because he was protecting Bella.
My Favourite part of the book is the base ball game because it’s so funny and cool at the same time.
The main characters are Bella, the shy new girl and Edward, the confident cool vampire. Edward can read minds as if people are saying what they think. Bella is the only mind that Edward can’t read. My favourite character is Carlisle, because he is the maker of the family, which means he turned them into vampires, and with everything that happens in the book and in his life the good and the bad he gets past it with a smile.
I think this is a romantic book, with a twist of danger and adventure. Edward called Bella a danger magnet, because trouble just seemed to follow her around. I think this is such a good book that it will become a classic in years to come. Because there is no book quiet like it I recommend this book to girls aged 10-20 and that like romance and danger jam packed into one book. This book is now a worldwide phenomenon with movies the other books, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn,and so much more.

By Emily Horgan

Anne of Green GablesReveiw-Bailey Jackson!

Anne of Green Gables.

L.M Montgomery

This book is about a talkative, red-headed 11-year-old Orphan who is named Anne Shirley and she gets accidently adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Marilla and Matthew decide to keep Anne Shirley but it takes them a while to choose to adopt her and along the way they say no then yes. They have different opinions about what they will do.
The most exciting part of this novel is when Anne meets Diana and they become best friends and then Anne gets Diana drunk. Diana's Mum goes... well you’ll have to read the book to find out.
The Green Gables is a small area of land in a town called Avonlea. Avonlea is a very old and peaceful town and is miles away from the big cities. People in this town are very kind and caring. I was expecting this book to have a description of the town, houses and charectors .
I really loved this book because I enjoy the old English language and I love the calm setting where the story takes place. I feel this book was very well written and I agree with my nana, she loved this book and she recommend it to me. Now I’m sure that I will give this book to my children to read when they are my age.
I recommend this book for 15+ readers. The language in it can be difficult to understand and pronounce, but if you are into old fashioned books then I would recommend this book to you.

By Bailey Maryanne Jackson.

Monster Teacher by R.L. Stine-review by Logan

I am reviewing Monster Teacher by R.L. Stine. It’s about are boy named Paul who has to go to a boarding school, because his dad and mum said because he was always getting low grades. But after are while he finds out his teacher is not normal... she is a monster. She keeps threatening to eat Paul!

The main character is Paul. Paul always gets into trouble, because he likes to joke around too much. The other characters in the story are the kids in his class, such as Brad, Molly, Celeste. The scariest character is Mrs Maaargh, their teacher. She has a lumpy brown face with watery eyes that never blink. In fact Mrs Maaargh is a monster!

The book is set at The Caring Academy, a boarding school which is inside a creepy stone castle. The school is on top of a hill and miles from anywhere else.

I thought the book was easy to read because the words were easy and the lettering was bold. I quite liked the part when Mrs Maaargh bit the head of a mouse...it was gross!

I would recommend this book to boys, because it is a funny and gross book that would make girls cry!

White Fang by Jack London-a review by Roxy

I would never have known how White Fang’s mind worked or even any other dog’s if Jack London hadn’t written this book. It was like a movie was playing in my head; Jack London made it like there was actually someone inside White Fang’s head explaining him.eg. “They were his environment these men, and they were moulding the clay of him into a more ferocious thing than had been intended by nature”. Pg 181.
In the frozen wilds of northwest Canada, a cub called White Fang is thrown out into the harsh wild and finds himself having to fight and learn the laws of the wild to survive. He encounters ferocious dogs and has to face being treated with hate and respect.
Jack London’s style of writing is so descriptive you can imagine that you’re there. Jack London helps you to understand how White Fang’s feeling about his mother leaving and being hurt every day.
You will just want to keep reading and then the book is over too fast. Don’t worry Jack London has written another book called “The Call of The Wild” that you can read. It is also a movie.I think this book is full of description and is a great story of a wolf’s life. “White Fang stood over the shine-bone, bristling and menacing, while Baseek stood a little way off, preparing to retreat. He dared not risk a fight with this young lightning-flash, and again he knew and more bitterly, the enfeeblement of oncoming age”. Pg 144-145. This book is great for someone who loves adventure and a dog’s journey for survival.

Stink by Megan McDonald review by Cameron Mcinnes

Stink is a story about a boy, called “Stink”. His sister Judy measures Stink each morning, and every morning he is 1 metre 12 centimetres. One day to Stink’s horror, he has shrunk half a centimetre, and only measures 1 metre 11 and a half centimetres. Stink worries about being so short and hates being picked on at school.
One of my favourite parts of the story was when Judy (Stink’s sister) accidently drops the school pet lizard in the sink and switches on the wrong switch; it made me laugh. Characters are Stink, Judy, Lizard, Mrs Bell, Mum and Dad. It is 111pages long. The book is mostly set at Stink’s home and school.
I liked this book because it was about a boy worrying about something that was big to him, which happens to a lot of kids. It was really interesting and cool, reading about how he dealt with his worries, and how his family helped him. I liked the way the book ended too. I would recommend this book to 7-13years old.

Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison review by Jamie Mccormack

Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison, voted the funniest book of the year in the Nestles smarties book of the year. In this story Georgia can't live without a boyfriend. She has plenty of boyfriends throughout the book, but not the right one. Georgia has a cat called Angus and a baby sister. Georgia finds out about a lot of things to become a successful adult. To find out more read this hilarious book!!

The story’s high point is when Georgia stalks a girl called Lindsay. Lindsey is the girlfriend of Robbie (who Georgia has a crush on). Georgia finds out a lot of stuff about Lindsey and tells Robbie some very interesting things. Lindsay wears an engagement ring, but Robbie doesn’t know, so the girls at school think Robbie and Lindsay are engaged.

The important characters are: Georgia the main character and her best friend Jas, Georgia’s cat Angus, Mum and Dad, Robbie and Lindsay. Angus is a bit of a special cat and he enjoys chasing the neighbour’s poodle! Angus is a really funny character.

This book takes place at Georgia's college and house. The setting in this book is England because the title is Angus Thongs and Full Frontal “SNOGGING” which is an English word.
An interesting way this book is written is it’s in a diary structure. The story is told through Georgia’s entries in her personal diary. Another interesting point is that for New Zealanders reading this book , Georgia’s father goes on a work trip to Whangamata New Zealand.

I really think this book is awesome! I like this book because Georgia really tells you about everything going on in her life and it’s adult stuff, not a kiddies book. There is also a movie for this book. I recommend you read the book first, then see the movie. If you want a laugh - READ IT!!

Danny the champion of the world by Roald Dahl a review by Abbey Wilton

Danny the champion of the world, a story by the famous author Roald Dahl, is a fantastic adventure story that has stood the test of time. It is a story about a boy named Danny and his father. When Danny turns 9 years old his father lets him in on a big secret of his, a habit that he had promised himself that he would give up... pheasant POACHING! Sadly Danny’s father couldn’t resist the thrill, then Danny finds out about it and this adventure will be real trouble for both of them. Find out what happens and how they solve the problem.
The main characters in the story are Danny and his father. Danny’s mother died when he was very young so his father has had a hard job looking after him as well as trying to manage the filling station.
The part that is probably the most interesting is when Danny’s father takes him poaching and they use one of the secret methods. To find out what the secret method was then read this book.
This story takes place in the country where Danny’s father owns a little filling station (petrol station) and Danny and his father live in a small old caravan. About half an hour down the road lives Mr Hazell who owns Hazell Wood. This is where Danny’s father goes poaching.
I really like this book because it gets really funny like when Danny and his father make a joke on Mr Hazell and crash the flashest pheasant poaching party, man does Mr Hazell get mad when he finds out who did it. It also gets really sad when Mr Hazell’s guards start chasing Danny’s father with guns. This book is aged for about eight plus and is a great and exciting book to read!
By Abbey Wilton

The Return of the Killer Cat, by Anne Fine-A review by Caralena

The return of the killer cat is a great story about a cat called “Tuffy” and a cat sitter. When Tuffy’s family goes away for the week the cat sitter comes to stay.
There is a war between them both and I wonder who wins? My favourite part of the story is when Tuffy falls out of the tree and gets dressed up as a baby boy by Melanie the annoying neighbour.
Anne Fine is the author of this book she is a great children’s author. She has written other stories like “the diary of a killer cat “and “not so hot so” and many, many more.
I reckon this book was a funny and awesome book because of the war between the cat and the cat sitter. The book was easy so I think I would have been better for year 4-5-6.

Holes by Louis Sachar-Review by Amber

Holes, by Louis Sachar, is a book about Stanley Yelnats, an unfortunate boy who is sent to a juvenile detention centre for a crime he didn’t commit. Each day Stanley and the other boys at Camp Green Lake must each dig a hole 5 feet by 5 feet in the hot desert surrounding the camp. This is supposed to “improve on their bad attitude”. But what are they digging for? Stanley and his new best friend Zero are determined to find out. Join them in this book which goes between past and present events at Green Lake Texas, with all the threads of the story coming together in the end.
If you enjoy creative and exiting books, I would recommend Holes as Louis Sacher’s style of writing is really easy to understand even as it flicks backwards and forwards between times. His style is really creative as it slowly pieces key events together.
If you have enjoyed reading this book I would recommend the movie of Holes, which is just as exciting as the book.
I would say that the theme of this book is friendship between Stanley and Zero. Stories of Stanley’s great great grandfather’s past and the excitement of what goes on in the camp and what Stanley finds out about his past, contribute to the idea that good people get their reward in the end and bad people get punished.
I definitely would recommend this book as I found it really exiting to read. I would give this book to Adults and kids 9+ to read.
By Amber.S

The Wild West Gang Review By Caralena

The Wild West Gang (by Joy Cowley), is a really adventurous book about a boy who goes to his cousins’ house the Wild Wests. The Wild West house is disgustingly weird! Michael’s Dad gives him $10 to buy lollies, but cousin Royce has a different plan! The adventure is muddy!!!
I thought this book was a really cool and super funny story. However it needs more things to happen in it. Still, read it to find out what happens!

Roxanne's review of The Call of the Wild, by Jack London

Sold to become a sled dog, Buck the Saint Bernard cross Border Collie, is sent to become a sled dog in the frozen Yukon in the north. In this harsh climate of hard men and harder dogs, Buck rises beyond his enemies, the elements and even learns to love another master.
I think that the Call of the Wild is a good book to read because it is written with great descriptions of the harsh world Buck lives in. Buck is a determined character and you want to keep on reading to see what will happen to him next. This book would be good for someone who loves adventure, a hero and dogs.

Emily's Review of The 39 Clues -The Maze of Bones

The 39 Clues – The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordin

Dan and Amy are part of the Cahill family, the most powerful family in the world. When their beloved Grandma Grace dies, in her will each family member will get a million dollars or…The first of 39 clues to becoming the most powerful person in the world.

I liked this book because it has information about different famous people that are from history. It also has great settings, the first book being mainly in France and Paris. The book also has things you can relate to, such as beloved ones dying, not liking or having arguments with family. This book is quite similar to the TV programmes Survivor and the Amazing Race (with bombs and fire). It’s like The Amazing Race because it’s a big race to the finish and Survivor because Dan and Amy started with nothing and end up with…

There are more books in the series to back up the first book. What’s unusual about this series is that each book is written by a different authors these are Rick Riordan, Gordan Korman, Peter Lerangis and Jude Watson. The book also comes with cards and an online race activity (http://www.the39clues.com/), so the more you read the further in the online game you can go. The first finisher wins $10,000 in prizes. I recommend this book to people that like adventure or the programme Amazing Race.