Ashes by ILsa J. Bick

Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick. Pub. Quercus, 2011.

An absorbing read this, perhaps a bit long, but dealing with some pretty raw material.

Seventeen year old Alex has lost her parents and been diagnosed as having an inoperable tumour on the brain that has already taken away her sense of smell and taste. She goes walkabout in the forests near the Great Lakes to think things over and after meeting an 8 year old brat Ellie and her grandfather an Earth shattering thing happens that changes things for ever.

An electromagnetic pulse, EMP, from unknown origin, zaps the World, killing millions and changing changing young people and old people into something they were not before.

The EMP also cuts all solid state and computer operated machins so that communication is destroyed. The cities are destroyed to ashes and the civilisation that remains is reduced to survival mode and being America the very worst and best of human qualities is exposed.

The pulse has changed people in different ways depending it seems on the hormonal balance of the body. Teenagers either develop super senses as Alex does or become flesh eating maniac zombies. Old people either die immediately or are rejuvinated.

Alex meets Ellie and ex soldier Tom and together they survive quite well. But then things change as pressure on the world increases, the trio are separated and Alex experiences the mayhem that the World has become.

Well written with a high level of tension and horror but well worth reading. Teenagers will find it absorbing.

Ilsa J. Bick is a new author for me and it seems this idea is ripe for at least one sequel.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick Introduced by Lemony Snicket

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick Intro. Lemony Snicket. Pub.  Houghton Mifflin Children’s Books,  2011.

Many of you will know the Chris van Allsburg picture book classic The Mysteries of Harris Burdick first published in 1984 that featured 14 illustrations with a title and worded observation underneath that suggested mystery.

Many teachers have used this book to inspire their students to write stories on what they have seen in the illustrations. I myself have pondered what happened in each.

Well 14 very good American writers have provided their thoughts of what happened in each. Jon Scieszka, Louis Sachar, Lois Lowry Kate Di Camillo, Stephen King and others including Chris Van Allsburg himself have answered the mysteries of the pictures.

Some will appeal to others will not. I peronally loved the Lois Lowry story of the Seven Chairs -The fifth ended up in France. Brilliant imagination from all 14 writers and a great addition to any school library.

I read this book in half a day so it will keep you interested, Mysteries always do.

The stars of this book are of cousrse the illustartions themselves. Check out the picture book it is a classic.

Flip by Martyn Bedford

Flip by Martyn Bedford. Pub. Walker Books, 2011.

This would be the strangest book for teenagers I have read for some time but boy was it compelling reading. It will make you flip.

Alex wakes up after a night out with his mate and finds himself in a bedroom he doesn’t recognise. He looks in the mirror and it isn’t his face, he goes to the toilet and the crown jewels are not his, they are more impressive in fact. Yuk!!

He here’s a female voice calling Philip down to breakfast and he quickly realises that he is Philip, well the body is Philip but his mind is Alex. What has happened?

First he has to negotiate the first day including school, Philip’s friends, classes, sister, girlfriends and parents. They are nothing like Alex. What has happened to his own body?

Mentally he starts to fall apart because Philip is nothing like he is as Alex. Philip is a sporty jock with limited intelligence and Alex is more cerebral preferinf chess and academic performance.

Alex tries to contact his family in London but discovers something is wrong and suspects that the body of Alex is in fact dead. He goes to London to see his family and I can tell you no more. Read it yourself.

Martyn Bedford makes you think. He touches on that important aspect of human existence, the soul. Can it be transferred from one person to another? Psychic evacuation he calls it. Terrific stuff. I loved this book.

Wonderful ending. Read it.

Legend by Marie Lu

Legend by Marie Lu. Pub. Razor Bill Penguin, 2011.

This was a brilliant action book to read with appealing characters and a believable plot.

A future  America  which has been divided into two parts, The Republic of America in the west and the Colonies in the east and they are engaged in a long war. Flooding on a global scale has occurred and the society that exists in the Republic  is a very dour one indeed ruled by a ruthless military dictator.

Plague has decimated the population with the elite living very privileged lives, the rest grovel for what they can get in survival mode.

There are two major characters, Day a teenage boy, who is very intelligent and has superior fighting and climbing skills. He is a one boy terrorist and is wanted by the ruling military.

June is the second character,  a beauty from the privileged side  with super intelligence and skills. When  Day kills her brother while raiding on a hospital for life saving drugs to save his brother, June is set by the authorities to track him down.

When they meet the result is dynamite.

An excellent action novel with appeal to Secondary school students but Intermediate students could easily cope.

Readers of The Hunger Games series will find parallels in this novel. Marie Lu could easily build a series around the senario she writes about and I would be pleased if she did. Good stuff, easy to read.

Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake

Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake. Pub. Gecko Press Ltd. 2011.

I read this to a group of young children and they laughed and laughed and made me read it again. Then after I had finished my talk to them about other titles they wanted to hear it again. Some praise.

The difficult thing though was that the adults in the room were not too sure. I always was because it is earthy, it is a cautionary tale and it is funny.

It is about a little rabbit called Simon who can or will only say two words “Poo Bum”. He ends up being eaten by a wolf and later saved by his father who is a doctor.

Does he learn from his experience? Decide for yourself.

Simple and colourful illustrations that will attract children and initially easy text but some big words towards the end that will need explanation.

Originally published in France in 2002, it adds an international flavour to any picture book collection and a load of fun too.

Juniors seniors and adults will enjoy this politically incorrect picture book.

There is no Dog by Meg Rosoff.

There is no Dog by Meg Rosoff. Pub. Penguin Books, 2011.

This is one of the funniest books I have read in years. If you have evcer heard the joke “what to you call a dyslexic atheist? Someone who doesn’t believe in the existence of Dog”. Then you will understand the tone of this novel.

God in this novel is a teenage boy called Bob. Wonderful. Lots of teenage boys think they are god’s gift to girls and Bob is like this. He is motivated by food, sex and the avoidance of pain and one day an absolute goddess of a girl, called Lucy, asks for God’s help and Bob is ready to cash in.

Bob 0only became creator of the Earth because nobody else wanted the job. He has a mother is a drunkard and a gambler and cares only about herself, and an assistant ,Mr B, who is like the butler Alfred to Batman. Life is not easy for God as having created the World he has completely lost interest, Lucy takes up all of his thoughts. Is he in love? and what consequences will this bring?

Hugely entertaining book by one of my favourite authos Meg Rosoff. Some could be offended by the flippant tone but it is just a laugh.

Mainly for the teenage market but adults will love it too.

The Monster Billy Dean by David Almond

The Monster Billy Dean by David Almond. Pub. Penguin Group, Puffin Books, 2011.

This is undoubtedly the most original book of the year but for many it will be beyond their interests and too difficult to get into. Not for me though I have enjoyed every one of David Almond’s books no matter how dark and sinister they appear to be.

Billy Dean was born the day terrorists with car bombs and suicide bombers blew the guts out of the town of Blinkbonny. Thirteen years later the town is still in ruins and into this world comes Billy Dean after being locked away from everybody for the whole of his life.

Billy Dean is the product of a great crime. His young mother was seduced by a priest and is brought up by his mother secluded from the world. His father Wilfred is an out and out religious lunatic and his influence on Billy when he visits is deeply disturbing. The absent father is a frequent theme in David Almond’s novels.

When the father leaves for ever, Billy is released into a world that views him as an angel, as a mystic, as a faith healer as a messiah. Billy doesn’t know any better and understands nothing of what is going on. I will leave it to you to decipher the ending and the role that Billy assumes. It is a mystery and in parts disturbing.

To add to the mystery the novel is written in a geordie accent in words that are written as they sound, phonics, I think it is called. Perhaps it is the way language is going, I like it better than text language. It takes a bit of getting used to but you do. You couldn’t get the Geordie accent across any other way.

Definitely senior secondary.  For me it was compelling reading.

Farm Boy : sequel to War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

Farm Boy by Michael Morpurgo. Illus. Michael Foreman. Pub. HarperCollins Childrens Books, 2011.

Nobody tells an animal story like Michael Morpurgo and while this is not a new story(first published in 1997), it is as relevent today as it ever was, and it is the sequel to War Horse , a film currently showing around the world.

Joey was the horse that went to World War 1 and now he is a plough horse working for the boy who went to war to find him.

The story tells of a boy who teaches his grandfather to read and his grandfather in turn writes him a story about Joey and his mate Zoey as they compete with a tractor in a ploughing competition.

It is a hare and Tortoise story with the lesson “never take anything for Granted”.

Absolutely outstanding and brilliant for describing a byegone era and relationships between old and young especially grandfather and grandson.

For primary and intermediate age children but have a go yourself, it will melt your heart.

Infernal Devices Bk. 2 Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Pub. Walker Books, 2011.

In a nutshell this novel is almost Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen novels with black magic and young love. Plenty of blushing here.

When Will was 12 years old he opened a mysterious box in his parents room and released a demon who tried to kill him. He was saved by his sister Ella who dealt to the demon. In retaliation the demon cursed Will saying anyone who loved him would die. In the morning his sister Ella has died a horrible death.

Now Will is a dark brooding handsome 17 year old, as shown on the book cover, and he is terrified of loving anyone or having anyone love him. Onto the scene comes American girl Tessa who he is strongly attracted to, and she to him.

They live in a dark Victorian world ruled by the Clave whose job is to keep demons and a host of nasties out of this world. There are different levels of humans in this magical world from Mundanes, Shadowhunters and warlocks. Will is a Shadowhunter and Tessa is unknown but she has the skill of a shapeshifter in that she can possess something of another person, hold it in the hand and get inside that other person. Wow!

In Book 1 Clockwork Angel a magister called Mortmain broke into the London Institute killed a family, stole something precious and is known to be trying to create a an army of clockwork monsters to destroy the world of the Clave.

Complicated? Definitely but it is good fantasy of the darkest nature. Teenage readers who liked Twilight and similar fantasies will adore this. Also read Cassandra Clare’s first series The Mortal Instruments.

Brotherband Book 1: The Outcasts by John Flanagan.

Brotherband Bk 1 The Outcasts by John Flanagan. Pub. Random House, 2011.

I love Viking stories and Viking warrior culture because it is exciting and gives us some terms such as berserk, valhalla and saga which evoke thoughts of  prowed ships, laden with axe wielding helmeted warriors coming out of the mist seeking gold and jewels. This is such a story.

Set in the kingdom of Skandia, Hal is the son of a freed slave who will always be treated as an outcast but who possesses qualities that the local Skandian lads admire and fear at the same time. Hal has  a guardian called Thorn, a strong warrior and friend of his dead father but now reduced to a target of ridicule after losing a hand and hitting the bottle.

Hal has a friend called Stig, also an outcast and they will become a formidable pair.

All the Skandian lads at the age of 16 years attend training to become warriors at Brotherband and this novel is about their training and first exposure to battle. The training is excellent reading as the qualities of competition, of teamwork, of courage and particularly of leadership are brought out as the lads now in three teams thrash it out.

One important lesson learned is that most fights are won with the first two or three punches. There are bloodthirsty pirates around to provide tension and action. Gritty stuff.

John Flanagan also wrote bestselling series Rangers Apprentice and this series will attract those readers and others of high school age and good readers at intermediate level.

I look forward to the rest of the series.