Outlaw.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

"Terminal velocity! A seagull at two hundred fourteen miles per hour! It was a breakthrough."


More than anything else Jonathan Livingston the seagull loves to fly. He doesn't fly to eat, or to impress the flock or anything else. He flies for flights sake itself (he does like speed quite a lot as well).


His dedication shows, he can fly faster and longer than any seagull alive. He is also a bag of bones and rather unpopular with the flock and his parents for his unseagullish ways. Nevertheless he is happy. He discovers a rich bounty of fish under the surface by diving from far above and is thereafter better fed.


One morning he crashes though his flock at terminal velocity shocking them dreadfully and almost killing himself in the process. That night the flock elder outlaws Jonathan Livingston Seagull from the flock.


Jonathan flies away.


This is a book about a seagull's quest for perfect flight among other things. It is very old (1972) and I am assured very famous. It contains some very good black and white pictures of seagulls and a totally new way of looking at the world. I am not going to say good or bad but I will say "worth reading", it's a new lens to see the world through.

Role Reversal.

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman.

This is a story set during the black civil rights movement in America - except in a world where the roles are reversed. The skins of the oppressed are white and the oppressors are black.

Callum is a white struggling for a decent education to make his way in the world. Sephy comes from an upper class black family in the spotlight regularly.

Their friendship goes from strength to strength as Callum's brother and father join the Liberation Militia, a violent terrorist organization supposedly aimed at promoting equality between the two races, and Sephy's mother becomes an alcoholic.

They develop a more intimate connection.

Sephy's dad is a high-ranking politician - strongly anti white integrating - (racist) which does not help the problem. Matters are somewhat complicated further when Sephy receives an unexpected surprise.

The book shows a different but effective "how would you like it?" view, and shows the difficulties and struggles of a racist society. The book is part of a series of four books and is followed by Knife edge, Checkmate and then Double Cross.

Bruno and Shmuel.

The boy in the striped pyjamas by John Boyne.

This is a very short and easy read, but also a powerful one. It is set in Nazi Germany where Bruno, a young boy, faces many challenges when his family move to live in the country, due to his fathers senior military position working at a concentration camp.

Bruno is oblivious to the horrors going on inside the camp and believes that the camp is just a game. He makes friends with a boy called Shmuel through the fence - the only person he now has as a friend.

This may be a short book but it certainly goes a long way and will leave you thinking even after you finish it. It will give you an idea of what a certain perspective of life was like in Nazi Germany. At least see the movie, which is exceptionally well done (despite the characters English accents). This story has a layered plot and will show you many things.

A life of Adventure.

Foundling, book one of the Monster Blood Tattoo Trilogy by D.M.Cornish.

"Beware the monsters, me boy! Ye've been safe in here all yer life, but out there..."

Rossamünd Bookchild, a foundling from the city of Boschenburg, has lived his entire life at Madam Opera's Estimable Marine Society For Foundling Boys And Girls. He is often bullied for his girlish name and his small size and if it weren't for his dormitory masters Fransitart and Craumpalin, and Verline, a parlour-maid he would be having a horrible time.

Rossamünd dreams of heroism on the vinegar seas, of great battles with slavering sea monsters, of becoming a vinegaroon in the Empire's service. So when he is summoned to begin life as a lamplighter by a leer named Sebastipole he is shocked and disappointed.

A Lamplighters life is a life of adventure he is told, "a life of land-locked boredom" he thinks as he sets out on one of the most dangerous, interesting and certainly exciting journeys of his life.

Foundling contains the beginning of a marvellous world where mechanics are replaced by bio-mechanics and alchemy mystery and monsters abound. Fun and easy to read, I like it.

A World of light.

The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau.

"There it sat, unnoticed, year after year until its time arrived, and the lock clicked quietly open."

The Food shortages are spawning corruption. The coughing sickness is coming in waves, killing many. The generator breaks down often plunging the city into chaos. Worst of all the light bulbs are almost gone.

Darkness is choking the city of light.

Lina sees none of this. She continues her day to day life looking after her little sister Poppy and her slightly senile grandmother and running messages across the city for young and old.
But even she dreams of a taller city, a newer city, a brighter world.

Doon sees it all. He sees the shabby generations old clothing, the food deficit and the general shortness of things. He desperately wants to help Ember and even takes a job in the paperworks to try and help repair the centuries old generator. Sadly he cannot even understand how it works.

Poppy mostly sees things to chew on, but when she finds and chews on some very tough paper (how satisfying) she changes the lives of Lina and Doon and the destiny of Ember itself.

This is an engaging Post-Apocalyptic novel about a city filled with lights but surrounded by darkness. A good read for anyone of high school age or under with a truly imaginative theme.

Concorde.

Wings, the third book of the Nomes by Terry Pratchett.

"you re not suggesting we steal a plane!" " Well it can't be harder than stealing a truck,"


This is the story of Those who went away, Maskilin, Angalo, Gurder and "The Thing".
After their enormous (for Nomes) adventure in truckers Maskilin, Angalo and Gurder leave the quarry.

Gurder is leaving to find "Grandson Richard Arnold, 39" living deity and grandson of his God "Arnold Bros (est 1905)" in the hope that he will refresh his faith and explain the world in terms he can understand.

Angalo is leaving to find "Grandson Richard Arnold, 39" human and grandson of one of the arnold brothers who built the store in 1905, mainly to prove Gurder wrong but also to write his masterpeace "A Scientific Encyclopedia for the Enquiring Young Nome".

Maskilin is leaving because the thing told him to. He is to travel to Florida wherever that is and find a satellite so The Thing can find the ship to take them HOME.

This a good solid book with real people and situations but sadly it is for children, its plot line is a bit to simple for anyone over about 8 years old. However it is a very good bedtime book for the younger ones.

A Bright New Dawn.

Diggers, The second book of The Nomes by Terry Pratchett.

"I said don't press it! Did i say press it? I said don't press it!!"

After the epic journey in Truckers, The Nomes have settled in a quarry and a Bright New Dawn is coming for them all, or is it?

Maskilin has gone on a journey to find Grandson 39 and hasn't come back...

Nisodemus the mad Nome is inciting riots, trying to grab power and throwing doubt...

Dorcas has found a strange monster call Jekub buried in the hill....

The weather is growing cold, puddles are going solid and frozen bits of sky are falling from above.

The Store Nomes are confused and unsure of their new environment.

And the humans are returning...

Can Grimma fight them off?, will Maskilin return alive?

Again this is a good solid story, with nice 3D characters and backgrounds, a very good story for younger readers. I feel a bit sorry for the humans in Diggers, I'm glad I'm not one.

A Journey of sorts.

Truckers, the first book of The Nomes by Terry Pratchett

Most of the things you are hunting are also hunting you...

Maskilin must hunt ferocious beasts, gather enormous amounts of food and perform all the finicky and back breaking maintenance for the 8 very old and cranky people he lives with.
Grimma does the cooking, the cleaning and the reassuring needed in any household/hole in the ground. A journey of sorts.

Maskilin and Grimma are not human, oh sure, they have the right number of legs, arms and heads and the eyes and ears are in approximately the right place, but they look like brick walls on legs. They are so stocky they make Japanese sumo wrestlers look half starved by comparison. As a species the Nomes don't live long, ten years is a long lifetime, but they do live fast, for a Nome one year lasts as long as ten years does to a human.

They are only 4 inches tall...

Truckers tells the story of Maskilin, Grimma and the old people's hardships and their subsequent escape attempt. It also tells the story of The Store.

This is a very nice story, it's plot is good but direct and the characters are believable enough but i'm afraid that it is not a young adult book it is more directed at children.

Bored?

Coraline, the graphic novel written by Neil Gaiman and adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell.

Coraline is an Explorer, she has discovered the hot water tank (in cupboard), she has counted all the windows (21) and all the doors (14) and one more which is bricked up.

Coraline has talked to Mrs Spink and Mrs Forcible about their younger days and she has talked to the old man upstairs about the mice that won't go oompah oompah.

Coriline is bored..........

Coriline goes to look at the bricked door and finds a dark hallway where the bricks should be, she enters....

This book is actually quite scary for a childrens comic but its well drawn with a good plot.

Twilight series.

Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer

Stephanie Meyer wrote the Twilight series, which comprises of 4 books Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

The series is about the impossible love that forms between the main characters Edward who is a vampire and Isabella who is human and the trials and tribulations that they face to make their love work.

Edward and Bella must face together mad vampires, a vampire cult, werewolfs, shapeshifters and last but not least Edwards own lust for Bella's hot liquid blood. Bella herself must also face the daily traumas faced by all teenage girls in high school, boys, friends and homework.

As a whole the books were good though full of wordy romantic nothings, but to many readers the movie was a disappointment, things happened too quickly and out of sequence, the actors weren't quite right for the parts and the director didn't follow the script closely enough to make the movie good.

Twilight isn't a bad series I certainly liked it, if you liked them you should look out for Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edwards perspective) or her other book The Host.

The Trials

The Trials, based on The Crucible by Arthur Miller and preformed by Hillcrest High school.

Hillcrest High School presents a 2009 year 13 drama production of The Trials, based on The Crucible by Arthur Miller. This production is based on the actual events that, in 1692, led to the Salem Witch Trials, a series of hearings before local magistrates to prosecute over 150 people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. In 1692 a witch-hunting fury swept many of the small, isolated communities in the New World, with Salem in Massachusetts being the most intensely affected. The Trials show how the nightmare gathered force until innocent and once respected citizens were tried and hanged for crimes they had not committed. Although based very closely on historical records, it has many lessons for our own time.

Shiro Binks the Director of The Trials thinks that The Trials is a meaty play for the students to perform. She is looking forward to the joys of acting in traverse, where the audience is on two sides of the stage. She is very excited to be working with this bunch of students. She says that The Trials “should be good” and that she gives the production a “quadruple thumbs up”.
Briana Christey who plays Elizabeth in The Trials thinks that the audience will be drawn to her character for her good morals. She believes that The Trials will be a highly memorable play. She says that The Trials was “not made to entertain”, meaning that it’s “not a comedy” She believes that we can learn from plays such as The Trials how to prevent history from repeating, and how it came about in the first place.

Samara Roberts-Thompson who plays Mary Warren thinks that her character is easily manipulated and because of that is scared most of the time. She tries to do what is right, but gets scared into “capitulating”. She says that it’s really cool because she gets “to spend the whole play crying”. She believes that The Trials shows what happens when people point the finger at others and cause mass hysteria among the people.

Nisha Erin Appanna who plays Betty thinks her character is a” young silly little girl”, who likes to whine a lot. “She likes being the centre of attention.” She likes how the play conflicts and differs to our society and how it shows what it was like back then.

Mhairi Hayworth who plays Abigail believes that her character has 3 sides to her, and that she shows a different face to different people. She has the ability to change from one face to another quickly. Her faces are a façade to her true nature. Her three sides are evil, innocent and flirtatious. She thinks that The Trials is a really, really cool play, which will send chills down the audiences spines. She also states that “Mrs Binks is the greatest director ever.”

The performances start on Tuesday the 18th of August and the last night is on Friday the 21st of August, and are being held in the auditorium. Tickets cost $5 for students and $8 for adults and are available from the school office. Door sales are also available, but not guaranteed. Get in quick for a wonderful time.

Signs in the dark..

Thud! a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett.

The Dwarf bled alone in the mud and darkness....

There once was a time when Sam was one of only three policeman in anka-morpork. He was for the most part drunk, greasy, single, happy and as free as a bird. Sadly not any more. Sam Vimes is the current Duke of Anka-Morpork and police chief of the same he has a wife, a butler and worst of all responsibility. Though he is ashamed to admit it, he is loving it.

These perks do not come without problems to solve. The Dwarfs are getting angry and secretive, the Trolls are wearing more lichen and carrying bigger clubs, there is a government inspector loose in his watch, he is expected to hire a Vampire of all things and Koom valley day, the historic start of dwarf-troll hatred, is looming along with a civil war. He must do something!

But every night without fail at 6:00 Sam Vimes must read "Where's my cow?" to his little son.

There are some things you have to do.

Enviromental care helpbook list.

You can save the planet by Rich Hough.

Wow! This really is a day in the life of your carbon footprint. This book takes an environmental journey through your day. At 7:30 you have breakfast – did you know that 22 glasses of water are used in the processing of 1 glass of Brazilian orange juice? At 4:30 you do your homework – did you know that each year, every person in the UK throws away an estimated 2 trees worth of paper and card? This book is very easy to read and at the end of each chapter it contains useful advice as to how you can live a more sustainable and environmentally friendly life. (Includes a six month diary checklist of what you can do to save the planet!)

Paper or plastic by Daniel Imhoff.

Packaging is a huge environmental problem which needs to be addressed. This book focuses on harmful/wasteful packaging which has reached epic proportions. Includes some packaging tips on what you can do: (pretty much just don’t buy products with heaps of packaging), however, it is relevant and thoroughly convincing that greater action must be taken. Jam-packed (Ha!) with statistics and images that make you wince with disgust. If you want to see how pathetic packaging really gets check out the box on page 34… sad.

Sustainable development by Clive Gifford.

At first glance you may think this is just another book which you may only open for a school project. You may actually be right. It does, however, take a serious and somewhat depressing look at the situation of the Earth. Pages 48 and 49 tell you what you can do. It will certainly show you the reasons why environmental change is necessary.

Power by Kate Ravilious.

Easy to read. Focuses on resources and the environment. Designed to make the reader think by its slightly corny “you decide” activities: “would you consider alternative methods of transport when you go on holiday?” – written for young people but seriously – what kid is allowed to decide the type of transport for their parent anyway. Another says: “would you buy a banana that had been grown in the Israeli dessert?” I am not sure if they are asking the right questions, but at the back it does provide books and websites to go to for further information, so you may have more luck there…

1001 easy ways for Earth-wise living by Reader Digest writers.

Hmmmmmmn. Chapter titles include “the natural home”, “around the home”, “the healthy body”, “feeling well”, “Earth-wise gardening” and “out and about”. I mean come on! We are greenies, not housewives who go to Yoga and make “caramelized red onion relish” whilst reading “ten tips for better digestion” (page 200). However, you may find sanity in this book under efficient living, and also “out and about”, which takes a look at power and travel environment tips. Just watch out not to get sucked into “understanding your skin” and “Holistic Health”! (Blurgk!)

Save the Earth by Jonathon Porrit.

First published in 1991, this book may have slightly passed its best by date, however, it does contain some detailed and informative content and seems like it was ahead of its time. Don’t miss the foreword by HRH the Prince of Wales or (more importantly) the introduction by Peter Garret! This book would be very interesting to read if you have enough time on your hands. It has many contributions from a wide variety of well known people and covers in depth a large variety of environmental topics.

Good (magazine).

This magazine does have LOTS of advice. The target audience seems to be for more of an older audience than high school students, though. Some of it will bore you to tears – NO, I am NOT thinking about buying a heat pump! Your parents are likely to benefit from this more than you, but it does provide some valuable content, just have a flick through.

Window by Jennie Baker.

A sophisticated picture book which illustrates the way a community environment can change so easily and drastically over a few years. Wonderful illustrations and a clear message that does not require words.

Earth Matters by David de Rothschild.

It is not just the content of this book that is environmentally friendly - the paper used to make it is sourced from responsibly managed forests, their paper mill recycles 91% of the water required during manufacture. Their printer has reduced its carbon footprint by 52% since 1994 (very clever printer), and generates 100% of its own electricity. Their ink is vegetable ink, not petroleum products and there is not dust jacket (to save paper and energy). Yes, they really have gone the whole way, and guess what! - it's actually a really good book too. Has pretty much everything you need to know about the environment, is up to date and also filled with wonderful photography.

The acidly accurate textbook tale.

"The Social Significance of Sport: An Introduction to the Sociology of Sport" by Barry D. McPherson, James E. Curtis and John W. Loy.

You are about to embark on a reading journey that is both stimulating and frustrating.

If one were to encounter this statement as the opening sentence of a book, it could realistically be assumed that the subject of said book would be an enthralling issue such as flower arranging, stamp collecting or African weaving.

The authors of this book seem to have an incredibly optimistic view of the limits of human tolerance, because, in most cases, a reasonably normal human being would be at least slightly reluctant to read a book that has the potential to cause frustration.

The preface states that the book, or more specifically textbook, would be useful for those studying physical education, sociology, sport studies and kinesiology.

I will here admit that I have not read the entire book, for I am a reasonably normal human being and have little patience for frustration, especially my own. However, judging by my few glances at the contents page and chapters excitingly titled 'Sport, Socialisation and the Family', 'Social Class, Socioeconomic Status, and Sport', 'Sport, Collective Behaviour, and Social Movements' and other similarly captivating names, I can fairly assume that the book would indeed be useful for those studying the aforementioned disciplines - but only those.
Otherwise, the book would most likely bore a reader to tears. That would almost be preferable, in most circumstances, because crying would render the reader unable to see the words.

To be fair, however, if one reads this book, one can expect to learn interesting new phrases such as BIRG Phenomenon, frustration-aggression hypothesis and melting pot theory.

Successfully using these in everyday situations, though, could prove difficult ...

Good luck with this; and good luck reading the book, because you'll need it.

Jatta

Jatta is a Princess.

She lives in a land of undeath, werewolves and the demi-godlike sorcerers.

She is cursed to be a werewolf, she must save her kingdom and she must marry the dorkish and half mad Prince Riz.

She is beset on all sides and struggling even with the illusionist's orb and help from Sorcerer Redd.

Its Good!!

One at a time.

Reaper man, a discworld novel by Terry Pratchett

What happens when Death goes on holiday?

Windle Poons is 130 and like all good wizards he knows when he will die, it just happens to be tomorrow and he's been looking forward to it for a very long time.

After a bit of a party Windle Poons dies and his spirit leaves his body only to find that there is.... nowhere to go. Being a pragmatic sort of person Mr Poons goes back. He finds that as a dead person he is more alive, more in control and certainly more mobile than he has been in years.

Windle Poons begins to have fun...

A new zombie on the loose isn't the only odd thing happening on the Discworld, clothing is getting up and walking away, furniture is putting down roots and things are starting to float around. The cause of all this, it seems, is an excess of life. You see Death does not kill you, he just takes away your life and without him the life just floats around wondering what to do with itself.

The problem is that Death is having a holiday as a human pending his permanent and enforced retirement. The Auditors of Reality have decided that Death is too slow and nice and are bringing in a new model. So Death gets to find out what it means to be human and he likes it....

There are also strange snow globes appearing in the nooks and crannys of Anka-Morpork......

Classic Terry Pratchett book, not one of his better works in my opinion but as original and good as usual, worth a read anytime.

A balancing act

Making Money, a discworld novel by Terry Pratchett.

The post office is running smoothly on mountains of paperwork. Moist von Lipwig is tipped to become chairman of the merchants guild complete with goldish chain and he has a beautiful chain-smoking golem-hunting girlfriend Adora.

Moist von Lipwig is trapped in chains of goldish.....

When the old crook is offered a post as chairman of the Royal Mint and the Bank, his heart leaps at the chance to escape the boring bureaucracy, stifling security and the chains of goldish. He is warded off by the inbred insane and rich lavish family, the gold loving semi-vampiric Chief Cashier and the giant glowing gurgling glass Glooper lurking in the cellar.

Fearing death or worse Moist sadly declines the offer.

Then Mrs Lavish steps into his life. Current manager and chairman of the bank, a Mk1 feisty old lady with an embarrassing sense of humour and a gleeful pleasure in mild cruelty. As fast as she enters his life; she sadly exits hers. She inflicts a final cruel prod in her will, she leaves 50% of the banks shares to a small dog named Mr Fusspot who already owns one percent.

She then leaves the dog to one Moist Von Lipwig........

This leaves poor old Moist in exactly the same position he was trying to avoid. He is now the owner of, one Royal Mint that runs at a loss, one bank currently in dispute by the insane and rather murderous Lavishes and finally one very rich dog named Mr Fusspot who needs to go for walkies at least once per day.

This is a good yarn with a well put across message as well as being very very funny and insane................ Completely insanee Ha Hah Hah Hahahahahaha!! Ahahahahahahahahahah!!!!

just kidding lol, this book is thoroughly recommended by me.

Selling the Sizzle.

Going Postal, a discworld novel by Terry Pratchett.

Moist Von Lipwig is a face in the crowd, even when he is by himself.

He uses his natural gifts of a unremarkable face, irresistible showmanship and a silver tongue to defraud, trick, pass false cheques and generally relieve fools of their money.

As fools like to keep hold of their various monies, some less than foolish persons have tracked him down, caught him and thrown him into an Ankh-Morpork jail cell for the six weeks he has before he is to be hanged. For six weeks Moist has been chipping away with a spoon at the crumbling mortar around the large stone in the wall to which he is chained. His spoon is now a stub, his mattress is full of mortar and the rock is almost free. One last tug and it is free and behind it he finds.......

.......... Another spoon, another rock and some suspiciously new mortar. He whimpers. The guards walk and see that the rock is free, one of them grumbles and hands the other some money.

After a short explanation of why he was led to believe he could win his freedom involving "occupational therapy", "keeps you from moping" and "the greatest gift of all, hope" he is taken to the gallows and hung. CRACK! The lights go out.

"Mr Lipwig, Have you ever heard of Angels?"

After being hung to within an inch of his life Moist von Lipwig is offered a choice, be hung for real or aid the ailing Ankh-Morpork postal service.

It is a tough decision.

I am a bit of a diehard Terry Pratchett fan but this is one of the prime examples of his work, just real enough to be believable but the situations and people are quite literally out of this world, a lively and likeable contrast to the normal and ploding plot lines of most other books, have fun reading it =)

The soul of a dragon.

Brisinger by Christopher Paolini, third in the Inheritance series.

Eragon and Roran are hunting.

During the thrilling finale's of the last book, Eldest, Eragon battles against the new evil dragon rider, Murtage and Thorn (his dragon) and loses but is spared. Roran's epic trek across his world with his home village ends with Roran killing the twins with his hammer and turning the tide of battle as a consequence.

Eragon is now torn between oaths. He has made commitments to the Varden, the Dwarves, Natasha, the Elves and to his cousin Roran and he is having trouble keeping them all. In the last book Katrina, Roran's beloved is kidnapped by Sloan and the Ra'zac and are currently housed in Hellgrind, home of the Ra'zac.

This is the purpose of Eragon and Roran's hunting deep within the empire, to find and kill the Ra'zac and their mounts and rescue Katrina from her prison. At first everything seems to work out fine, a Ra'zac is dead and so are both its mounts, Katrina has been found, but then Eragon finds Sloan. Sloan is a murderer, a traitor and Katrina's father, Roran would kill him if he found him and Sloan would return the favour if his eyes hadn't been pecked out and he wasn't half starved.

Eragon cannot find it in himself to end Sloan's miserable existence and instead sends away Roran, Katrina and Sapphire so Roran will not learn that Sloan is still alive. Eragon begins a long arduous trek through the heart of the empire in an effort to bring himself and Sloan to safety.

Good book, necessary reading if you have read the first and second installments, getting deeper moralistically at points but the characters are 3D and the setting is amazing as usual, hop to it.

Red and gold scales...

Eldest by Christopher Paolini, second in the Inheritance series

Eragon is now a cripple. During the epic battle at the end of the first book Eragon fought against Durza, the shade, and won turning the tide of battle but only with the help of Ayra and Sapphire. The victory came at a cost, the star Sapphire is broken and Eragon has an enormous scar across his back that sends him into seizures when he does anything physical rendering him effectively useless as a rider.

Directly at the start of the book, the twins , the leader of the Varden and Murtarg are killed by a group of Kull and Eragon is in time to hear the last words of the Varden's leader, compelling him to make sure the Varden is not thrown into turmoil. These deaths as well as the thousands from the battlefield throw Eragon into emotional and political turmoil.

Eragon now has many problems, his love for Ayra is causing problems, his back is rendering him ineffective, he must delve in politics, he is emotionally fraught and his magic is weak. Eragon is not the only one with problems and in this text a parallel story emerges telling the story of Roran and what happens when the Ra'zac come to Carvahall and threaten Katrina, Roran's beloved.

Both Eragon and Roran set out on a journey, Eragon to the elves and Roran to the Varden, both get more than they bargained for.

A worthy second installment of the inheritance series perhaps not as imaginative as the first but a good read nevertheless with a good assortment of new information to digest. Go forth and read!

Eragon and his Dragon.

Eragon by Christopher Paolini, part one of the Inheritance series.

Eragon, the hero of the story, is an orphan who was placed in the hands of his uncle Garrow when he was a baby. He has grown up with his cousin Roran and learned to farm, hunt and work under the tutelage of his uncle.

While out hunting for deer in the treacherous range of mountains called The Spine, he is witness to an explosion of fire and noise. When he investigates the source, he finds a polished blue stone.

Coming home in a failed attempt to sell the thing, he places it on the shelf and sleeps. The blue "stone" hatches. It is in fact an egg, a dragon egg to be precise. Over the next few months he both feeds and hides his growing dragon, until the day the Ra'zac (evil servants of a mad tyrant) destroy Eragon's uncle's farm and his uncle.

With the help of the village storyteller Brom, he sets out with his dragon Sapphire to exact a heavy revenge upon the Ra'zac, growing and learning on the way all the skills he will need and the rich history that it is a part of.

A good and lively tale full of twists, turns and realistic settings. characters, A little cliched but never the less a a good story.

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy.

The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams is the single greatest book of all time in its category.

This statement, grand though it may seem, is not an overstatement (at least in my opinion).

This book tells the tale of an inconspicuous and seemingly insignificant British man named Arthur Dent, who wakes up one morning to find a yellow bulldozer advancing down his garden path with the intention of demolishing his much ignored brick house. This slight misunderstanding starts the morning in which,

1). He meets a direct male-line decendent of Genghis Khan,

2). His house is destroyed to make way for a bypass,

3). He finds out his best friend Ford Prefect is from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse,

4). The earth is demolished to make way for a hyperspace bypass.

He wakes up upon a Vogon spaceship having being saved by his friend Ford and begins walking running and randomizing his way around the universe, unwillingly on a quest to discover the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything and meets some interesting characters on the way.

A sci-fi, a comedy, a damm good book.

Death in the skies, haunted by lies

Skybreaker, by Kenneth Oppel, sequel to Airborn

Matt Cruse is no longer a cabin boy on the Aurora, thanks to a generous reward for information leading to the capture of the sky pirate, Szpirglas, he is now studying at the airship academy in Paris, something he has always longed to do.

During a training flight a sudden updraft sweeps the ship he is on far above what they can handle and at the peak of the flight, before he dramatically saves all their lives he sees a ghastly sight.

It has rips in it's fabric skin and icicles hanging from it's ballast tanks, it is an infamous floating treasureship/graveyard called the Hyperion that has been above the clouds since before Matt was born. And Matt is the only one with the coordinates.

Because of Matt's still impoverished state he is greatly tempted by the masses of gold (among other things) rumoured to be hoarded upon the Hyperion. Together with Kate de Vries, a gypsy girl with a key, and a young manly entrepreneur with a ship called a "skybreaker" they set off to skyberia in search of frozen treasure.

However gold attracts more than penniless heroes and they are followed by pirates yet again, these pirates are better equipped, more ruthless and a lot more nasty.

Altogether this is a good read, not quite as clever as the first but certainly a good story with an entertaining plot.

Born in the air, flight without care.

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel

Matt Cruse wasn't born on earth.

He was born high in the sky in a dirigible, one of the fantastic fleet of ships with skeletons of alumiron, held aloft by bags of goldbeaters skin filled with the lightest gas on the planet: hydrium .

He, like his father before him works on these magnificent machines. Unfortunately for him he is a lowly cabin boy and most of his pay gets sent to his mother and sisters, his father died 3 years ago and is therefore unable to support them.

Through a supposed ballooning incident he meets Kate de Vries, a bright and knowledge hungry female (not to mention beautiful as Matt soon realises) in search of her grandfather's dreams. Her search pits both of them against storms, pirates and flying things with pointy teeth.

This book gives any reader a good rolling adventure story that unlike many does not push but slides along and I would recommend this to anybody.

What is inside a dog is good for Readers

"outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is to dark to read"

For anyone who can identify with the feeling shown in the above joke will enjoy this site http://www.insideadog.com/.

It is primarily a user generated book review site but there are many other things you may do, read the news any reader would like to know, write and submit surveys, get sneak peaks at up coming novels, check out the extensive themed book lists and even win a book when you submit a review or answer a survey.
the layout is good with a tasteful border and a rather funny logo and slogan

This is a good solid website that is good at what it does I would certainly recommend it if you are looking for a book reviewing site, if you are looking for games, hard facts or the local greengrocer it doesn't want to know you.

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend, inside a dog it is to dark to read"-Groucho Marx

The Name Of The Wind: Patrick Rothfuss

The Name of the wind, the kingkiller chronicle's day one written by Patrick Rothfuss.

The story starts by describing a man named Kote, an "innkeeper" who seems to be more. When he is found by a wandering Historian named The Chronicler he is recognised as "Kvothe the Bloodless" an imagination defying historical figure who has slipped into obscurity for unknown reasons. The Chronicler manages to persuade him to tell his story and so he starts, the story goes from the caravans of the Edema Ruh, to the streets of Tarbean and finally to the University, a place of magic and bitter rivalry. For the length of the book and for some time after the anticipation is tangibly real as Kvothe goes from one drama to another. It finishes back in the inn where it started leaving you wanting more, but sadly the next two are not yet in existence and so we shall have to wait.

The Name of the wind is, in my humble opinion, a great book full of Mystery, Magic and Myths. It is set in a beautifully crafted world, the characters are almost real to the mind and the penmanship is second to none. This book is a great read though the text is small and the book long. It is certainly recommended by me.

New Zealand Post Book Awards

This month sees the announcement of the NZ Post Book Awards. This annual event celebrates New Zealand books written for Young People. The Teenage Shortlist includes

• Juno of Taris by Fleur Beale
• Chronicles of Stone # 1: Scroched Bone by Vincent Ford
• The Tomorow Code by Brian Falkner
• 10 pm Question by Kate De Goldi
• Gool by Maurice Gee



Here @ Hillcrest High we hold copies of the Teenage Shortlist.To celebrate the NZ Post Awards Hamilton City Libraries are holding a Short Story Competition

Entry Form.




The theme : Describe a Utopian Society. Only 700 words all short stories have to be in at your local HC Libraries by 5pm Wednesday 13th May 2009.

For ideas try reading the following titles:

• Bloodtide by Melvin Burgess


• The giver by Lois Lowry


• Shade's children by Garth Nix


• Theives by Ella West


• Noughts and crosses by Malorie Blackmore


• Cherry Heaven by L. J. Adlington


• Brave new world by Aldous Huxley


• 1984 by George Orwell


• or watching V for Vendetta on DVD



All of the above are availble from our school library

If you'd like to investigate Utopian fiction further take a look at Appleton Library's booklist

there are a number of interesting titles to discover.

Happy reading and writing...

Mrs H.








Or watching V for Vendetta

The long awaited.....

Hello all,

Welcome to 2009.
We have many new and exciting projects planned for this year including
a library refit and new webcatalogue. Watch this space for updates.
Thanks to the expertise of librarians we are able to bring you the long awaited 2008
Library Olympics video.

Enjoy.







Mrs H.