Unwind - Neal Shusterman

The recent re-discovery of 'dystopian' literature by teens, makes this a good choice for classroom study. Set in the near future, Unwind is set in a society where until the age of 16, you can be 'unwound' and your parts recycled.

Teenagers who question, challenge or are just not up to the grade, can have this 'punishment'.

Connor, Risa and Lev, challenge the system and survive - to help lead a struggle to change society...

Check out the book trailer here

I am number 4 - Pittacus Lore

I am number 4 is one of those books that plays with your head - Pittacus Lore is the author and one of the main characters - but the book is a work of fiction and the characters are alien refugees.....so go figure!

James Smith is a teenage refugee from the planet Lorien - hidden on earth with his protector or guardian, Pittacus Lore. They move often, don't build relationships and stay 'out' of touch with the other refugees - named 1 - 9. But the 9 have a bond that if broken will meab the death of them all and their race.

Action packed, intriguing and very readabale. I haven't seen the movie adaption - but am keen to once the DVD is out.

Check out the fan website - I am number 4 - here

Trash - Andy Mulligan

Raphael , Gardo and Rat live in a community of rubbish dump dwellers. They and their families survive by sifting through the rubbish that others dispose of without a thought. They carry on in the hope that they will some day find something that will change their lives. And one day they do.

A great story of social justice and hope set in a community that seems devoid of hope. Engaging characters and multiple narrative viewpoints help to develop a plot that reveals itself slowly.

The social, political and historical events that underpin the story may be 'fictional' but they will sound very familiar to many of us. Junior readers will not need prior background knowledge to enjoy the adventures of the trio of characters.

Lost riders - Elizabeth Laird

A work of fiction based on the collected stories of young (as young as 3) Pakistani boys who are 'saved' from lives of poverty and deprivation. Instead of a life of education and prosperity in their new homes, they were forced in harsh, dangerous and often violent conditions, to train as camel riders who took part in the notoriously wealthy races in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Over 4000 of these young boys were thought to have been 'given' into slavery. Only 1000 were returned home after the practice was 'banned' in recent years.

The story is very readable and I'm sure 'tamed down' for a young audience. Mature junior readers.

Lies - MIchael Grant

The 3rd in the 'Gone' series picks up where Hunger left off - the survivors are split into three distinct groups - those with special powers are feared by all others. A council of elected members are making the decisions - making life a little easier for Sam - but only for a while. The FAYZ is still in place and food and fresh water are becoming scarce. It appears that on top of everything else, those who die can return. Including Sam's arch enemy Drake.
As well as this one of the girls claims to be able to communicate with the children's parents on 'the other side' of the dome.

Fast paced and not quite as brutal as Hunger. Again more suited to mature junior readers as the content is scary.

The 4th instalment Plague is due next year.

Ebony Hill - Anna McKenzie

Ebony Hill is the sequel to The sea-wreck stranger - contuing the story of Ness and Dev - and the struggle for survival in a post apocalyptic world.

As the communities rebuild, Ness tries to find a place and identity amongst her newly found "family" and that is not easy . The community itself faces threat from other groups who choose force over collaboration and community spirit. This in itself is very topical as we as readers can see the connections between the treatment of prisoners of war in this text and the treatment of simialr detainees in places such as Guantanomo Bay. What are the boundaries of human behaviour in times of war? An age old question.

Fast paced and thought provoking.

Now - Morris Gleitzman

The third in a the series - this follows on from Once and Then, Now picks up the story of Felix 50 years after the end of WW2. He escaped the horrors of post war Germany and has resettled in Australia, where he became a successful surgeon.

The story is set in a small rural, bush community during very hot summer. The Zelda of Now is Felix's grandaughter, who struggles to find her identity and place in the new school and town she has moved to. Modern disasters prove to be as harrowing as those of the past and we are reminded of the speed in which someone's life can change.

The style is as captivating as Once and Then, but Now can be read as a stand alone, but I would recommend making the effort to read them first. The issues of identity, remorse and regret as well as the need for closure are key to the novel. A moving story for young teens.

Patrick Ness - The ask and the answer

Finally got round to reading the second instalment in the 'Chaos walking' series.
Action packed from the first chapter - pretty riveting reading. The parallels to historical events are very clear - segregation and branding (banding) - have clear links to racial cleansing of the not too distant past.
The bond between Todd and Viola is believable as are the lengths they go to in order to survive.
The underlying question of moral responsibility in a time of war, makes for a very thought provoking book - for a mature junior reader.

Hunger - Michael Grant

Dark, scary at times and a psychological thriller - this is definitely a book for the mature teen reader. Hunger is the second novel in the Gone series - a supernatural fantasy about a world of Perdido Beach now known as the FAYZ - where everyone over the age of 15 has disappeared and the remaining kids struggle to survive. Some of the kids have an array of supernatural and peculiar powers. Sam struggles to provide leadership in a town where no adults have survived and where the necessities of life are in short supply.

The archetype and sinister struggle between good and evil reminds us that evil lives inside even the most innocent.

You can check out the fanwebsite here ..if you dare.

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

After reading The Road in some Level 3 exam essays the last couple of years, I decided I'd better read it. As a fan of science fiction, this post apocalyptic novel appealed. The bleak view of the world presented is tempered only by the unwavering love the father has for his son.

I cannot imagine what the film will be like - other than that Viggo will be powerful as the father.
You can read more about The Road and McCarthy here .

I couldn't put it down. Powerful Level 3 essays too.

Triskellion – Will Peterson

Rachel and Adam are sent to their Mother’s home village in rural England – the first time they have ever been there from their home in NY. The village is quiet and unsettling and has a dark history going back 1000s of years. The villagers have a strange way of dealing with mysterious issues that arise. Mysteries and a history that the kids are inextricably linked to.
The novel pulls together threads of medieval history and mysticism - the druids and pagan rites and is a little 'dark' in places.

The first in trilogy.

For the mature junior reader.

Then - Maurice Gleitzman

I am sure that anyone that has read Once by Gleitzman, could not help but be moved by the story of Felix and Zelda. Then follows on with their escape from the 'death train'. As the title suggests, each chapter begins with the statement 'then'. This simple narrative structure emphasises the idea of cause and event, action and consequence.

Again highly recommended, for a mature junior reader.

Check out Maurice Gleitzman's website here