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Book of the week
The Last Duchess (8-10 Junior/Middle)
Laura Powell
Meet Pattern – no first name, the orphanage where she grew up neglected to provide one. Thirteen years-old she is a graduate of Mrs Minchin’s Academy of Domestic Servitude and destined to go far: no-one darns like Pattern. Even so, there is great surprise when she is appointed lady’s maid to the Grand Duchess of Elffinberg, also thirteen.
Latest Reviews
Where the World Ends (10-14 Middle/Secondary)
Geraldine McCaughrean
(Usborne Publishing Ltd)
We have been to Antarctica, the central plains of Asia, the middle of Australia – now Geraldine McCaughrean takes us to one of the harshest – but beautiful – landscapes – the islands of St Kilda on the edge of the Outer Hebrides.
Wave me Goodbye (10-14 Middle/Secondary)
Jacqueline Wilson
(Doubleday Childrens)
It is September 1939. Shirley Louise Smith, aged ten, is evacuated from London to an unidentified small town in the safer countryside.
Rook Anthony McGowan (10-14 Middle/Secondary)
Anthony McGowan
(Barrington Stoke Ltd)
Rook completes a trilogy which began with Brock and Pike. Young Nicky’s life has been tough. His Mum’s left home, his Dad’s been in trouble with the law, his older brother Kenny has special needs and Nicky is his main emotional support.
See You in the Cosmos, Carl Sagan (10-14 Middle/Secondary)
Jack Cheng
(Dial Books)
This story is told in the voice of eleven-year-old Alex, whose particular hero is the late, popularising astronomer of the title. It consists of a series of audio recordings he makes for the benefit of life forms out there in the cosmos.
Every Hidden Thing (14+ Secondary/Adult)
Kenneth Oppel
(David Fickling Books)
Dinosaur skeletons! Hostile American Indians! Teenage orphans, one girl, one boy! Young love! Double dealing! Near death! This novel has them all!
