Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

Book title: Running Wild

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Page Number: 348 pages

Genre: Animal Stories

Rating: 5 out of 5

Overview: This book is about a boy named Will who went on a holiday to Indonesia with his mother, but going to Indonesia wasn't just an ordianry holiday. It is an escape or a new start of a chance to forget all the tragic things that had happened to them over the past months- things like the death of Will's father. At first, it seemed to be that it is just perfectly what they needed to be- in a quiet place where they would have the opportunity to forget. But when suddenly, Oona- the elephant that Will was riding on when the tsunami came stampeded wildly into the safety of the jungle without warning, Will's life began to turn upside down. Before he knew it, the tsunami came and hit the coast where Will's mother was swimming on the beach. And at only about a month or so, Will had lost both his mother and his father. What is he going to do and who is he going to turn to......after all, he had to survive in the dangerous jungle where tigers and leeches lived?

Comments: At first, this story began with the tragically event of Will's father dying, I was completely drawn in by the sad events that happened to Will that I just had to read on!! I think this is a truly moving book that makes me unable to put my eyes off it! There are a lot of good language and vocabularies in this book and the author- Michael Morpurgo described every movement of every character in the book so well that it makes you feel that you were actually Will himself. I think Will is a really strong boy in his mind because even though he lost his parents, he still has the determination of living and he still holds hope and never thought on the bad side, but always the good side. I am very glad the ending of this book was wonderful and extremely happy (I won't ruin your desire of reading this adventurous story by telling you the ending, if you want to know, find out yourself)! Again, I think this book is truly and absolutely touching that I wouldn't care to read it again and again, it made me stunned there for so long at the ending, playing the whole story over my head again and again! Michael Morpurgo is always one of my full-time favourite authors and I think this is the most moving book that I have read so far! I learnt from this book that no matter how hard or difficult life is, you always have to work hard to make yourself alive and be happy despite how bad the tragedies are, just like Will did. I also learned, from this book, that some things we cannot control, like the tsunami and other natural disaster, but the only thing we can control is ourself. I sincerely recommend this story to you all!

Dogs Don't Tell Jokes by Louis Sachar

Book title: Dogs Don't Tell Jokes

Author: Louis Sachar

Page Number: 209 pages

Genre: Funny

Rating: 4 out of 5

Overview: Gary Boone knows that he is born to be a really good comedian, but no one actually laughs at his jokes and everyone doubts his jokes! Everyone thinks his jokes are stupid! Then his school has a talent show and suddenly before he knew it, Gary Boone was the first one to sign up for the talent show! But good times don't last- some days before the talent show, his best friend- Angeline suddenly rang up and told him that she has a bad feeling that the talent show will turn up to be a disaster! Would the talent show turn up to be a disaster or would it not and turn into a comedy after all?

Comments: I think this book is very funny and sometimes I laughed at the jokes. But in my opinion, this is a really boring book because it just kept saying how Gary had trouble making friends AND making up jokes for his talent show! This book was written by Louis Sachar, who wrote the book 'Holes' I was quite surprised to believe that he had actually written this book! But still, I think this book has its good ways and that is at the jokes, Louis Sachar had certainly thought a lot of good jokes for this book (if he hadn't found them off a joke book) and he certainly linked them together really well at the part of Gary's part in the talent show. As usual, Louis Sachar made the ending fantastic but I don't understand why Gary cried at the end. I give this book a 4 out of 5 rating because most of the jokes are quite good and it has a happy ending and a moral. I recommend this book to joke lovers but I don't recommend it to people that are very serious! This moral to this book is:
'If you want to do something, no matter if you succeed or not, but you just have to do your best at everything, then you wouldn't be sad anymore.'
I like this book in some ways, though.

Little Foxes by Michael Morpurgo

Book title: Little Foxes

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Page Number: 200 pages

Genre: Animal

Rating: 5 out of 5

Overview: Billy Bunch, a child that is bullied at school, often nagged at the apartment in Aunty May's, there is only one place that he truly feels at home- the wilderness by the canal. In there, he could watch a lot of little animals in their everyday lives and he can see beautiful cygnets on the water and can save a family of fox clubs. But good days often doesn't last long- one day he heard that the neighbourhoods had discovered the fox cubs and have already gotten rid of three or four of them. Sad and frustrated, he dashed immediately to the wilderness and found nothing. Just when he thought that he has completely lost any little light of hope, he found out that one of the fox cubs are still alive, he quietly brought it home with him; however it was quickly discovered by the animal hater- Aunty May. Now she threatens to throw him out of the house....... since he is an orphan, he has no one to turn to and no one to help him. Where is he going to go?

Comments: At first, I thought that Billy was a naughty child because of his awful attitudes toward everything, but afterwards, I found out that he is just a poor child who has got no family to care for him except for the nagging of Aunty May. And I think he is actually quite intelligent but he just doesn't like school, instead he likes nature and the fox family that he cares for in the wilderness. I really liked the ending of this book although it is really sad that the little fox cub has to go into the wild and cannot return to Billy, but I also think that what Joe did was the right thing because after all, a fox is a fox and they have got to be put into the wild or they will lose their ability of hunting and would die eventually. On the other hand, I LOVED the ending when Billy found a family that actually belongs to him now and he won't feel left out anymore. I also really liked at the last paragraph, the author described how the swan which Billy saved some time ago had accomplished its mission of finding Billy a new home that he likes. I truly think Michael Morpurgo is a really talented author because he writes really heartwarming books for us to enjoy and the quality of his work is unbelievably excellent! I truly recommend this heartwarming book to all animal lovers and I think most of you are.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Book title: A Wrinkle in Time

Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Page Number: 232 pages

Genre: Science Fiction

Rating: 5 out of 5

Overview: One dark and stormy night, an extraordinary visitor with weird clothes visited the Murry's house in the middle of the night and beckons Megarette Murry, her younger brother- Charles Wallace Murry and their friend that they met by accident- Calvin O'Keefe on to a most dangerous, indescribable and supernatural journey or adventure which will truly threaten their lives. They also found out that they were not only on a quest to save their father, but also our dear planet- Earth.

Comments: In this excellent and breath-taking book that leads us into an utterly extraordinary adventure, the author- Madeleine L'Engle precisely described every movement and action of the characters with great tension, suspense and the use of interesting vocabularies and quotes are just simply amazing! I truly like this book because it is not only an ordinary fiction book, but also it tells about some of the science and I also learned a lot of new vocabularies and phrases from this book. I also like the characters in this book very much because they are all tender-hearted and I especially like Charles Wallace because he has the heart of a child but a wise mind of an adult, the only thing I don't like about him is that he is sometimes too confident and a little arrogant too! I think Meg is okay but I really think that she gets angry too often. This is certainly a very interesting and great read from Madeleine L'Engle's classic Time Quintet. I truthfully recommend this time-travelling adventure story to you all

The Hunted by Alex Shearer

Book Title: The Hunted

Author: Alex Shearer

Page Number: 284 pages

Star Rating: 5 out of 5

Overview: Tarrin is a boy who is born into a world where the petrifying nightmares of medical science has all come true. People's appearance are younger than they actually are and most of them lives up to a hundred and either looks like they are only in there thirties or forties, or even in their childhood. Real children are very rare, most people are not fertile so most people tried to get hands on children on the street, or children that is not well protected, even though it means to do something illegal, such as kidnapping! Children are bought and sold, won and lost, some were even stolen, most children lives in fear of being stolen, or even worse. Tarrin was one of the rare children that you would find, he does not have a family and every day, he is stalked by the horror of being taken. Would he be able to find his lost family or would he be kidnapped again or sold to someone else? It is up to YOU to find out!!

Comments: I think this is a really moving book by Alex Shearer. I really take pity on Tarrin because of the longing of his family. When I am reading this book, I think about myself and how I have a family and go to school, etc; I suddenly felt I was so lucky! In this marvellous book, we can see how the human beings wants to break the life rule- born, old, die, but we will lose the rate of growing population when fewer dies; we will gain something, however, we will also lose something, too! I think it is quite true when the author says that it is the world's revenge and found it quite true if the things that happened in this book actually happened to us in real life. I truly pities Tarrin, on the other hand I totally dislikes Deet because he makes Tarrin his meal tickets and uses him to earn money for himself, he is really selfish and only thinks about himself. Deet also makes Tarrin go to other people's houses for rent for one or two hours and he earns money, whereas Tarrin had to be the boy that the couple wanted him to be. I think this is a sad book and a moralish book, too. 
The moral to this book is that:

• 'Cherish the life that you have now and feel yourself is lucky because, somewhere in the world, there's got to be a person that could be in a worse situation in you.'

and the other moral is:

• 'When you are angry with your parents/family, think about Tarrin and some other people around the world who has not got a family and they would love to have one when you are not satified with your family when you have one.'

This book is really moving and sad. I absolutely recommend this book to everybody, whether children or adults! I am very touched and I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating!

Night at the Museum by Leslie Goldman

Book title: Night at the Museum

Author: Leslie Goldman

Page Number: 140 pages

Genre: Magic+ Fantasy

Star rating: 5 out of five

Overview: At his very first night as security guard at the Museum of Natural History in New York, Lawrence Barley was astonished to watch all the exhibits, from the tyrannosaurus rex bones to Attila the Hun, come to life. Later, he tells his son Nick all the amazing things that he saw at the museum. At first, extrememly reluctant to believe his crazy father's words, he accompanied his father to work one day and began to feel proud of his father when all the exhibits actually came to life. But suddenly before they knew it, they were surrounded by the ex-night guards who were trying to steal the tablet of Akhmenrah, to which was the beginning of all these extraordinary events. Can they save this museum or do they just have to helplessly see all the precious things to be stolen away?

Comments: I think this book contains a super amazing story that makes you unable to get your eyes off it for it is packed with adventures that you surely cannot miss! I think although Larry was very bad at his business, but he also has a talent which can coordinate people (at least the exhibits in the museum!) and he is not completely worthless as some people thinks so about him. Most of you might have watched the movie already but, in my opinion, this book is more excellent than the movie. I like it! I recommend this book to you all, including the ones who has seen the movie already!

Spider Sparrow by Dick King-Smith

Book's title: Spider Sparrow

Author: Dick King-Smith

Page Number: 163 pages

Genre: Farm story

Star rating: 5 out of 5

Overview: John Joseph Sparrow (known as Spider) was an abnormal and extraordinary boy and he has always been so. He was abandoned as an infant and adopted by a kind-hearted shepherd couple. However this boy cannot talk walks or goes to school to learn like other children and even worse, he grows up to be mentally slower than the others of his age. But Spider has a talented gift; he could imitate the sounds of all the animal he had heard perfectly, causing animals drawn to him naturally. Although the world was sometimes difficult for Spider, he does his best to survive the teasing of other boys and his sometimes hard life; he lives his days with enthusiasm, happiness, courage and actively. Causing those who has met Spider will never forgive him.

Comments: This excellent story tells a boy with problems with his speaking and communicating with others who managed to survive with joy and happiness, without complains. At first, I thought this book was absolutely tedious because of the author Dick-King Smith's long descriptions of the farm and the weird ways of Spider's walking, etc. 


But afterwards, I realised that this book has some very deep morals hidden within this seeming boring book, the morals are:

• "One must keep doing their best to survive and one must be always improving oneself."
• "One cannot deny someone just because their are abnormal or somehow different from us, everyone must have their own talents that others might not have, too!"

This book has an ending which made me thought about it for a long time. At the end, Spider sadly died of a heart attack. At first, I thought this was very sad, however when I thought again, I think that letting Spider dies could also be a relief for him because, one day, the shepherd couple would die and he would be left with no one to help him to face this cruel world that might come to him. Therefore I think that Dick-King Smith is a very considerate author who makes ending of his books as perfect and heartwarming as possible. I think Dick-King Smith is an excellent author who writes heartwarming and moralish books to children and with reading discover the great things about life, for example, kindhearted. Therefore I give this book a 5 out of 5 star rating for the great morals that he taught everybody who has read it. I sincerely recommend this heartwarming book to you all!

Dragon Slayers' Academy by K.H.McMullan

Book's title: Dragon Slayers' Academy

Author: K.H.McMullan

Page Number: 280 pages

Genre: Adventure & Fantasy


Star rating: 5/5

Overview: Wiglaf was a twelve-year-old boy who was very nice, tender-hearted and very short for his age. He lived a miserable life with his parents and his twelve mean brothers all cramped up in a small tiny cottage with one room. His brother always teased him about his height, carrot-coloured hair and his tender heart for he cannot bear to see the sight of even one single blood or kill one single innocent animal (not even a fly). One cold and rainy day, a cold and poor minstrel knocked on their front door and from that day on, Wiglaf's life has changed forever! Wiglaf (the kind-hearted boy) persuaded his mean parents to let the old minstrel stay so the he didn't only told him interesting stories about mighty heroes, but also taught him how to read and write. After the old mistrel has gone away for good, Wiglaf and his family saw a sign saying about a 'Dragon Slayers' Academy'. Wiglaf thought that this is the right path to become a hero, so he managed to persuade his parents to let him attend this school which only cost them seven pennies. At the Academy, Wiglaf met a lot of friends that helped him on a mission to slay ferocious dragons, at this very minute, Wiglaf know that his adventures to become a hero has begun! (This book is a three-in-one book with three exciting stories all about Wiglaf!!)


Comments: I think this is a great, adventurous and humourous book. It is really well-written and I totally liked it. It was so good that I read it in one day! I really liked Wiglaf because he had a kind heart, unlike his rude and cruel brothers and I also like Eric (or Erica) because she is enthusiastic and she works very heart to be a true dragon-slayer. This book taught us a moral: "Don't deny somebody because their lack of experience and ability, instead encourage them so they will improve more quickly. This is certainly a very excellent read from this book and I absolutely recommend this humorous and adventure-packed book to you all!

The Sandman and the Turtles by Michael Morpurgo

Book title: The Sandman and the Turtles

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Page Number: 94 pages

Genre: Fantasy+Magical

Star Rating: 10 out of 10

Overview: When Michael went back to Wales to have a summer holiday with Dadci's interesting stories about the Sandman and his Turtles, the Old Russian sea captain and the blood-red dragon in his lair. Polly (Michael's cousin) actually believed every word of the story and she is very determined to make them all come true. But when one day the Sandman actually was woken up and the grandson of the Russian sailor turned up with his submarine, their adventures have just begun.

Comments: This is a magical and wondeful book convincingly told by the famous author- Michael Morpurgo! At first I didn't quite like Polly and thought she was a nuisance, but afterwards, I think she is quite cute too! I like Michael (or Mickey) because he is a nice boy that tried to make everyone happy by doing things that they wish. This interesting book taught me a moral: "Don't always disbelieve what little children say, sometimes they could be right too!" I truly recommend this interesting book to you

Tales from Shakespeare by Charles & Mary Lamb

Book name: Tales from Shakespeare

Author: Charles & Mary Lamb

Pages: 278 pages

Publisher: Warkworth Calssics

Genre: Classical Stories

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 (Excellent!)

Overview: This an excellent book about some of the famous tales from the famous Shakespeare which are retold in modern English mixed with a bit of Shakespearean English, too.

Comments: In most of the stories, there are a moral accompanied with it and I think all of the stories are all really good and they all teaches you something, for example, 'Don't completely believe what others say except when you have proved it right yourself, or the innocence would suffer greatly.'. Some of my favourite stories are: King Lear, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Cymbeline, All's Well That End's Well, etc. Although I really liked this book, I think some of the stories are still a bit difficult for me to understand some of the Shakespearean English, but overall I still liked it a lot and I have learned a lot of things, such as interesting morals and exciting vocabularies in this book. I really enjoyed it and recommend you all to read it!