The Power of One by Karlie Simmons

I’m reviewing a book called the power of one, written by Bryce Courtenay. This book has two versions, the young readers’ edition and, the adults’ version. The adults’ version has more violence and detail in it and goes on to show Peekay at his next boarding school.

Six years old and growing up in a world filled with racism and hatred, Peekay, a small English boy, is sent to a boarding school filled with Afrikaner children. Little Peekay is very small; people think that they can push him around because of his size. The Judge is a prime example of this as his acts of cruelty towards Peekay and his chicken, Grandpa Chook, are inhumane. The Judge is racist to Peekay and calls him a Rooinek.

On the train home from the boarding school, Peekay meets a man called Hoppie Groenewald. Peekay looks up to Hoppie, and Hoppie becomes a very important role model to Peekay. Peekay has a dream; to become welterweight boxing champion of the world. Hoppie is a boxer and enjoys giving Peekay some advice. He tells him ‘first with the head then with the heart that’s how a man stays ahead from the start’. Peekay uses this saying in boxing just as he does in everyday life.

A few years later when Peekay is living with his Mother after she had a nervous breakdown, Peekay has started boxing lessons at a nearby prison. One of Peekay’s friends is staying at the prison for the remainder of the war. Doc is teaching Peekay how to play the piano. Peekay is very close to Doc and knows more about him than a lot of people do. Doc has freedom within the prison, so Peekay can come and go as he pleases.

Doc and Peekay are to perform a concert for the people of the town in order to keep whatever freedom they have. In the end of the story something happens that really makes Peekay realise just how cruel racism can be. Peekay has many great friends that agree with him that racism is cruel and people shouldn’t be treated that way just because they have a different colour skin than somebody else.

My favourite point in this book is when Peekay realises that Geel Piet didn’t turn up to one of Peekay’s and Doc’s most important concerts. It got more exciting because by that point in the book you knew a lot about the characters, so it’s easily said that Geel Piet wouldn’t have missed that concert if he weren’t in trouble.

Peekay is a very interesting character; he is extremely intelligent, yet he doesn’t understand how bad racism is, until quite later on in the book. He likes to help people (the prisoners in particular), he doesn’t really mind what happened in their past, he is more focussed on helping them rebuild a better life.

Doc and Peekay meet when Peekay is still quite young. He captures a photo of Peekay with a sad look on his face, and almost immediately they become friends. Doc realises the potential Peekay has. Doc is a person who loves cactus, he takes Peekay to help him find new plants and record details for him. Although Peekay isn’t completely fascinated by the cactus they both enjoy speaking with one and other.

This book was set in the 1930’s and 1940’s in South Africa. The main setting in this book was at the prison where the prisoners are treated appallingly. This is also where Peekay learns to box. It may not be the best environment for a growing child, as some of the things that happen in the prison could, possibly influence on the decisions Peekay makes, but Peekay seems to enjoy his time there.

I really enjoyed this book; it was more exciting than a lot of books I have read. I think the reason it’s more exciting is because the kind of stuff that happens in this book did happen and still does in some parts of the world. If this book wasn’t recommended to me I probably wouldn’t have read it, because by the look of the cover it is all about boxing, but when you get into it you realise how true and realistic it really is. I’m glad now that I did read it.

See Ya Simon, by David Hill-review by Karlie

I reviewed a book called See Ya, Simon written by David Hill. In this story teenagers Simon and Nathan are best friends and they both go to the same school. They have been making the most of their last year together as Simon is getting weaker and weaker each day. Although Simon is unwell he acts and talks tough. Nathan knows not to talk all sympathetic to him because Simon hates people thinking that he isn’t capable of handling his own troubles.

Simon has a strong willed attitude and will say exactly what he feels. He tries his best and all his friends help him out along the way. Simon’s parents (Mr and Mrs Shaw) are also very supportive of Simon just like his big sister Kristie. Nathans Mum cares just as much for Simon as she does for her own son, but she is in a terrible state and it is affecting Nathan and his little sister.

I think that this book is really cool and I could easily read it again. I think that you would enjoy this book more if you were 10yrs+ so that you understand the true depth of the story and the story behind it. This story is a devastating story because Simon’s tragedy happens to kids all over the world. So if you like sad stories about devastating tragedies this is the book for you.

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!