Category: YA 5 out of 5s

Ransom Riggs’ — Miss Peregrine’s home for peculiar children *****

After Jacob’s grandfather’s mysterious death, he and his father travel to a Welsh island. While exploring the island, Jacob accidently stumbles through time where he discovers the peculiar children his grandfather once told him about though at the time, Jacob never believed his stories. Unlike many other books, when Jacob is confronted with evil he doesn’t rely on violence.

This tale is aimed at YA readers, but I was so enchanted by this adventure, that I had to read the second, then the third. However, by the fourth book, the adventures didn’t draw me in the way the first three in the series had.

This is yet another book made into a movie, where the book outshines the movie.

Tracy Chevalier’s — New boy

Dee develops a friendship with the new boy at school, but Rod is jealous. This is a YA novel, but I couldn’t put this well written book down. The entire novel takes place over one day and the ending will leave you spellbound.

Katherine Marsh’s — Nowhere boy *****

Thirteen year old Max is not one bit happy his parents have moved from Washington D.C. to spend a year working in Brussels. To make matters worse, Max has to repeat grade six in a French school. The boys in his class make fun of him and the only one who helps him with his French is Farah. But Max’s life takes a dramatic turn when he discovers a Syrian refugee hiding in their cellar. Will he tell his parents or will be inspired by a neighbour, Albert Jonnart who hid a Jewish child during the WW11?

A well crafted YA novel that examines the challengers facing refugees and the fear and prejudice in the countries they move to.

Laura E. Weymouth’s — The light between worlds *****

While the Hapwell children, Phillippa, Jamie and Evelyn wait for their parents to dash into their London bomb shelter, they are mysteriously whisked away to another world — The Woodlands. But after five years with the Woodland creatures Phillippa and Jamie are desperate to return to their world. The readjustment to their original ages when they are transported home is hard on the three of them. For Evelyn who hardly remembers her previous life, it is the most difficult. Will she be able to cope back in England when she cannot breathe a word of her life in the Woodlands?