Now that school is back, the Paradise Books Review Crew is back at work reviewing books for young readers. The Review Crew is a monthly free program run by Devon at Paradise Bookshop for local kids aged 10–15 years old. They meet after school on the last Monday of every month to read and review new books and help curate the Young Adult and Junior Fiction shelves. We have a lot of fun together and read a lot of books!
Here are a few recent book reviews from the Review Crew.
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
The War That Saved My Life is a novel that takes you back in time to 1939, where the Second World War is just beginning.
In this book you will follow Ada as she recounts her experiences as an evacuee from London during World War 2. As she adapts to life in a small country town, she has to overcome many different obstacles, the main one being that people shun her for having a disability. She overcomes her foes and learns a lot along the way. When Ada arrived in the village, she had never even seen grass before!
I recommend this book for 10-13 year olds as it has some parts that may be scary or hard to understand for younger kids. Overall, I think the war that saved my life is an amazing story and a ground breaking insight to the life of someone living in the time of World War 2.
Roni, 12, She/Her
The War That Saved My Life is $19.99
How to be normal by Ange Crawford
This book is about a 17-18 year old girl named Astrid who makes friends with a girl named Cathy after going to a new high school because she was home-schooled. There are secrets she has to keep from Cathy about her dad who is strict and has too many rules. Cathy helps Astrid become comfortable sharing her love of music and they perform together at a talent show. Astrid meets a girl named Leila and develops a crush on her. Astrid wants to be normal and blend in but it’s hard because of her dad and with it being her first (and last) year at high school. Astrid’s mum had been planning to leave for a while. This is a dramatic and emotional book that I would recommend for people eleven plus. I would definitely read it again
Poppy, 11, She/Her
How to be normal is $21.99
Two Headed Chicken Beak to the Future by Tom Angleberger
Two Headed Chicken was an interesting book where one or two chickens go travelling through time. It was funny and a really good book. I also might point out that they kept telling people that so it kind of felt like an ad but the rest was really good. The chickens have great adventures like where they go to a time where everyone is famous for 15 minutes. Also they run into a lot of moose who want to eat them.
Otis, 11, They/Them
Two Headed Chicken Beak to the Future is $24.99
For more information about the Review Crew, you can contact Devon on 5348 1288 or info@paradisebookshop.com.au
