Bookbuzz ’24 – time to choose your book, Year 7

Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore

‘Yeah they call me Growls, I’m like a tiger on the prowl. King of jungles so you better take a bow. King of concrete so you better say it loud!’

Shaun (aka MC Growls) is ready to drop his best bars and smash the competition at Raptology. That way, he’s convinced Tanisha, his crush, will finally give him a chance. But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, Growls’s dirty laundry is literally exposed. He’s finally achieved his dreams of going viral – not in the good way. Now Tanisha won’t look at him, he’s the joke of the school and there’s no way he can show his face at the competition. Will he ever catch a break? Then a new girl on the block appears who might be just the friend Growls needs. Especially when she points out that Raptology could be the answer to his problems after all… STEP UP TO THE MIC! It’s MC Growls and he’s ready for this. He’s steady for this. It’s comeback season and they call him comeback king for a reason.

Jampacked with hilarious wordplay and laugh-out-loud funny one-liners, this sparkling novel follows wannabe rap star Shaun whose life becomes a living nightmare after his livestream practice goes epically wrong and has been a hit with staff!

Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll

Ramya Knox is only five when she first encounters one of ‘them’. At a family party, an enigmatic stranger demonstrates the power to command the behaviour of all the unwitting guests around her. Ramya is apparently the only person in the room able to defy the mysterious woman’s seemingly innocuous requests.

Fast forward seven years and the death of Ramya’s beloved grandpa prompts her to discover an incredible truth – that extraordinary beings lurk behind the mundane day-to-day world we all see, disguised by something called Glamour. Her grandfather had been writing a book about them – and it’s now up to Ramya to harness her own magic and continue his mission, entering the dangerous world of the Hidden Folk (tribes of kelpies, trolls and mermaids), armed only with the knowledge that she must ‘Beware the Sirens’.

This is a magic-infused, adventure – brilliantly well-paced and engaging, with drama and twists a-plenty. Ramya is a bright, determined, sassy and hugely likeable character who happens to be dyspraxic, while her cousin Marley provides a quiet and organised assistant, resulting in a satisfying dynamic. You might recognise the author Elle McNicoll if familiar with or have read her fantastic book A Kind of Spark and this is fantastic too!

Quiet Storm by Kimberly Whittam

Do you hate reading aloud in front of other people? Or sharing your work with the class even when you know it’s good? Do you never put your hand up because you can’t stand everyone looking at you? Well, Storm feels exactly like that. So far, she’s managed to navigate school by being a shadow to her best friend Zarrish but Zarrish seems to be moving on to new interests and friends and leaving Storm behind.

When Storm breaks the record for the fastest Year 7 sprinter her school has ever had, she has the chance to pursue something she really loves but can she find the courage to speak up and branch out? Storm has to experience rejection, embarrassment and despair before she finally comes to realise that friends should pull one another up, not put one another down. It’s a passion for sport and the camaraderie that comes with being part of a team that eventually gives her a voice.

Anyone who has struggled with shyness will find much that is familiar in Storm’s story. The overriding message is that it’s OK to be scared but you shouldn’t let your fears stop you from chasing your dreams.

Ghosts (Horrible Histories) by Terry Deary (Author), Martin Brown (illustrator)

Do you believe in ghosts? People have been telling ghost stories for hundreds of years, but where do the stories come from? Are they real or invented?  

The Horrible Histories team have been gathering up ghost stories from Egypt and ancient Assyria to the Victorians, the Georgians and rightup to the twentieth century. Step back in time and discover the frightful facts, ghostly tales and ghastly legends from history that they’ve found. You can find out about one of the first ghost stories ever recorded, The Ghost in the Garden; a trick invented in 1862 called Pepper’s Ghost that theatres used to create ghosts on stage; or the tale of the screaming skull from Wardley Hall in Manchester. There’re restless ghosts, ancient curses, ghost ships, unsolved mysteries, and ‘ghosts’ with scientific explanations too.  

Combining facts with a chatty narrative style and lots of humour, the Horrible Histories series is a brilliantly engaging way of finding out about historical events, attitudes and ideas – some of which seem utterly bizarre to us today, while others continue to be a part of our cultural knowledge, like the curse of Tutankhamun or the tale of the Flying Dutchman. 

Are you spooked yet? 

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

Nic Blake has just been given a hellhound puppy for her 12^th birthday. She lives with her dad in Jackson, Mississippi. They are Manifestors – Black people who have a magical Gift within them – and who can see vampires, werewolves and all kinds of Remarkables. Her Unremarkable best friend JP lives next door – but he is remarkable in his enthusiasm for the fantasy books of TJ Retro, and for hanging out with Nic. When they meet their favourite author, everything Nic thought she knew is turned upside down. The thrilling events he wrote about really happened – and they’re linked to Nic herself. Soon, Nic, JP and a new friend find themselves pursued by the Guardians, the Manifestor police, for something they didn’t do, while Nic’s dad is thrown in jail. They must find the mysterious Msaidizi, before his Gift is removed forever. And so begins a thrilling adventure involving shapeshifters, wizards, the devil’s daughter and even a dragon.

This is an absorbing, fast-paced fantasy adventure full of humour and heart, from the writer of the Hate U Give, Angie Thomas whom former GGS student Merin Kazi interviewed over video link in Mississippi in 2021. With plenty of action and inventive moments to keep readers racing through the pages. Nic’s narrative voice is spot on, and JP is a brilliantly funny character.

21% Monster by P. J. Canning

When 12-year-old Darren destroys his school with his bare hands, he is arrested and sent to a high-security juvenile prison. Here he is ‘rescued’ by Marek, who claims to be 19% alien and reveals that Darren is 21% monster. Marek explains that they were both created through Project Helix, a series of experiments conducted by secret organisation XSP, which modified human DNA to increase the strength and intelligence of the next generation. When 49 children died, Project Helix was shut down, and now XSP want to destroy all the evidence – including Darren and Marek. The boys are very different: while Marek is logical and an intellectual genius, Darren is fast, strong and has exceptional instincts. They must combine their incredible, superhuman skills and work as a team if they are to stay one step ahead of the ruthless XSP agents, who will not stop until the boys are eliminated.

This action-packed science-fiction adventure is the first in what promises to be a thrilling series and will have readers on the edge of their seats. With extraordinary characters and some awesome futuristic technology, this gripping tale is sure to appeal to fans of Alex Rider and Percy Jackson.

Code Name Kingsfisher by Liz Kessler

Liv’s grandmother, Bubbe, never talks about her childhood but when Liv tells her that she’s been abandoned by her best friend, she shares that she too knows what it’s like to be left behind. 

In Amsterdam, in 1942, Jewish sisters Mila and Hannie are living with another family, with forged identities. The Nazis have occupied Holland and are sending Jewish people to concentration camps. Hannie, at 15, joins the Dutch Resistance and helps deliver young children to safe houses. Mila knows nothing of this, and feels abandoned by her sister – the only family she has left.  Meanwhile, in the present day, when Liv realises that Bubbe had a sister she’s never spoken of, she is determined to find out more. 

Incredibly moving and heart-breaking, this novel deals with tough topics at a personal level. Liz Kessler’s powerful novel sheds light on the bravery and selfless sacrifice of many ordinary people during World War II.

Lost on Gibbon Island by Jess Butterworth

Lark’s mum is an environmental journalist and has dragged the whole family to Cambodia while she investigates a story, meaning Lark is going to miss a big gymnastics competition she’s been training for. But things get even worse when a dolphin-watching trip goes horribly wrong: the boat is attacked and Lark is shipwrecked, alone, on an uninhabited jungle island. 

Surrounded by dangers –snakes, baking sun, jellyfish-infested waters and more –Lark must search for food and water and somehow find a way to stay alive. The only company she has is a baby gibbon. As Lark records her struggle for survival in her waterproof notebook, she begins to question why someone would attack her boat like that, what happened to the other girl who was on the boat – and how she’s going to get off the island.  

A classic adventure story with a mystery woven through it that has an environmental and animal conservation theme, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves stories about righting wrongs and doing what you believe in.  

Glow Up Lara Bloom by Dee Benson

Lara Bloom is captain of the school football team, best friends with Anaya, Becky and Kayleigh, and top-notch at embarrassing herself. Just before Year 10 starts, Lara bumps into a new boy, Caiden but he’ll never be interested in her, especially with the beautiful Sienna draping herself over him at all times. Coincidentally, Lara and her friends decide they’re going to do a glow up this term, though obviously not for a boy, that would be silly. (OK, it’s sort of for a boy.) They are going to have goddess energy, queen energy, supermodel energy and independent woman energy. Cue lots of rituals, embarrassment and laughter. At least Lara’s online diary is secret…

And so begins Lara’s journey towards attracting Caiden, and to accepting herself as she is – football skills, flat chest, big hair and all. Set in Liverpool, with a Black protagonist who’s brilliant at football but can be ‘girly’ too, this is a refreshing addition to the various tween and teen diaries that are so popular with upper primary and lower secondary readers.

With many slapstick moments and lots of great friendship scenes, this comical, heart-warming story is a lot of fun to read. 

Barry Loser: Total Winner by Jim Smith

Join Barry as he embarks on everyday adventures with a surreal twist in this hilarious graphic novel from Jim Smith. There are five stand-alone stories, in each of which Barry must deal with a different challenge: feeling jealous of a joint birthday party; a missing nose; a yawning epidemic; avoodoomystery; and a gaming ban. Barry faces these events head on with a dash of creativity and the support of his best friends –though his tendency for drama and chaos ensures there’s plenty of fun along the way! 

The short story format is great for readers who want a light-hearted read they can dip in and out of. The madcap stories and the distinctive comic-book style illustrations will appeal to readers of Action Dude, Bunny vs Monkey, and Freddy vs School. For any budding illustrators, there are also three ‘how to draw’ spreads at the back of the book. 

Tutankhamun’s Treasure by David Long (author) and Stefano Tambellini (illustrator)

Stories of the Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and the amazing things to be found hidden inside their tombs have fascinated many people for hundreds of years, and the story of Tutankhamun is one of the most famous real-life treasure-hunting stories ever – though perhaps that’s because of the supposed curse linked to it.

This is an excellent retelling of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and two of the people who dedicated years of their lives to finding it, Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon (although did you know it was actually a young Egyptian boy who found the key to where the tomb lay hidden in the Valley of the Kings?).

From background information on the Egyptians, their pyramids and their tombs, to the challenges faced in searching for Tutankhamun, the importance of its discovery, and some of the strange events that came afterwards, master storyteller David Long packs a lot of fascinating detail into just 76 pages, accompanied by maps, diagrams and illustrations.

Told in an accessible narrative style, it’s a brilliant book for anyone who loves non-fiction and amazing real-life stories, and shows how Tutankhamun’s treasures are what the story should really be remembered for. 

Murder at Snowfall by Fleur Hitchcock

It’s a cold, wintry evening. Ruby and her annoying step-brother Lucas are walking home from school when they spot the abandoned trunk on the roadside. There’s no way it could actually contain a body – is there? But when Lucas dares Ruby to open it, that’s exactly what she finds – and it’s someone she knows, too: her mum’s boss, Dr Price. 

Who would want to kill Dr Price and why? Does it have anything to do with the recent break-in at the surgery, or the creepy car that follows them home later that week? Ruby and Lucas are soon caught up in a chilling chain of events as they try to piece everything together. And as they get closer to the truth, it becomes clear that whoever is responsible will do anything to stop the two teenagers from finding them out. 

Set on the outskirts of Bath, this atmospheric winter murder mystery has plenty of intrigue and page-turning tension. Ideal for readers who love puzzles and crime-solving, it should keep them guessing about who the culprit is right up to the final, icy chase.  

The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger by J T Williams

Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle come from very different walks of life. Lizzie lives with her large family in their tea shop in the heart of busy London. Dido is a lonely heiress living with her aunt and uncle in a mansion near Hampstead Heath. But when they catch each other’s eyes at the theatre one night, each is delighted to see another Black girl her own age. And when Lizzie’s actor father is nearly killed by a falling chandelier, they both know it wasn’t an accident.

They team up, making notes and following suspects – until they’re plunged into terrible danger themselves. Can Lizzie and Belle navigate their new friendship, and stop the would-be murderer?

Packed with atmosphere and charged with tension, this is a hugely enjoyable mystery set in the dangerous Georgian era. It was particularly dangerous if you were Black, and this is explored in an age-appropriate way. The support and passion within the Black community (and Lizzie’s own family) is brilliantly depicted, shot through as it is with sadness about their brothers and sisters who are still in slavery. Yet there is hope and joy and love too.

Running Out of Time by Simon Fox

Alex and his dad are on the run across Europe. His dad was caught stealing classified documents that he plans to use to expose the truth about their country’s brutal totalitarian government, but to get to safety they must put their lives in the hands of dangerous people smugglers. The only thing on their side is Alex’s extraordinary ability to pause time, which enables him to see where one decision or another might lead.  

But when Alex gets separated from his dad on the channel crossing, he finds himself on his own, an illegal unaccompanied refugee. He needs to find out what happened to his dad and get the stolen documents out into the world, but who can he trust to help him? Caught between two groups of bad guys, it’s a race against time to try and save his future.  

This action-packed, fast-paced thriller ticks all the boxes for an edge-of-the-seat read whilst also exploring contemporary political topics such as migration and people smuggling. Alex’s time-stealing ability adds an extra level of intrigue and jeopardy, plus there’s a really brilliant story twist towards the end. Great for fans of Alex Rider or the Cherub series.  

Animal Record Breakers by James Fair

As you’d expect from its title, this book is full of facts about the most exceptional creatures on Earth, accompanied by fantastic photographic images. 

Did you know there is a four-eyed fish? Or that the Aztecs believed axolotls were gods in disguise? Speaking of disguises, which creature do you think is the best at camouflage? Which is the most poisonous? And who do you think has a longer tongue – a chameleon or an anteater?  

From the creepy and strange-looking to the cute and cuddly-looking, Animal Record Breakers is full of surprising mammals, birds and insects. Covering topics such as smallest, largest, smelliest and fastest, it features world record holders from all the different animal groups.  Discover the tiny Blue Dragon, the Long-eared Jerboa, the stinky Hoatzin – and many, many more.  

‘Bite-sized’ chunks of text about each creature and what makes them special accompanied by full colour photographs makes this a bright and engaging book perfect for dipping in and out of.  Brilliant for fact lovers and animal lovers alike.