Book Recommendations from Students, Staff, and the ISD Community
House of Hollow |
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‘House of Hollow’ written by Krystal Sutherland and published in 2021, as a paperback cover, contains a total of 288 pages and 24 chapters, excluding the prologue and epilogue. The novel is found under the genre of fiction, specifically horror and fantasy, it could also be described as dark fairy tales. It would be appropriate for teenagers aged 13 and up.
The cover really pulled me in and was also a reason for me to pick it out to read. It's a picture of a delicate woman's face looking right at you. The frame of her face is surrounded by flowers growing wildly in oranges, pinks, purples and whites. These also sprawl across her face right above the nose appearing like they fill a cute that goes straight across her whole face. A shiny small bag crawling up the girl's cheek can be spotted, alongside an ant, another one appearing over the eyebrow. There seems to be some bleeding as well, running down the bridge of her nose and her temples in dark drops. The title is spread over the whole cover evenly, the author's name in pink letters at the top.
The Novel is told from the point of view of a 17 year old girl, named iris. She is the youngest out of three siblings, being the Hollow sisters all together. Iris, Vivi and Grey Hollow have been looked at as strange and different from other teenage girls their whole life. When Iris was seven years old, she and her older sisters vanished for a month without a trace, no one knowing where they had gone or what had happened. 31 days after their disappearance, the three girls were found, naked, the eldest holding a knife, on the same street they passed from sight, again but none of them could recall what had been going on for the time they left home.
Their parents, Cate and Gabe Hollow, were first more than relieved and happy to have their children back but soon enough Gabe noticed something off about his daughters. The girls hair started turning white as milk and their eyes went from bright blue to a deep black. One day, the father is found in their house, having killed himself. People blamed it on him being mentally ill and claimed that he had gone crazy but Gabes’ death leaves some twisted unanswered questions.
As Iris, Vivi and Grey grow up, they mainly seem to be living the life of normal teenagers but beneath the surface extraordinary things are happening around them that no soul would be able to explain. Their mysterious disappearance has made them well known and they even have to deal with people stalking them, obsessing over the sisters' mystery, but there seems to be something even darker beneath that.
At 17 years old Iris Hollow is a hardworking, articulate high school student, Vivi lives her life as a punk bass player in a band travelling around europe, being into all things like tattoos, piercings and alcohol. Their oldest sister Grey Hollow had moved out early and become an amazingly famous and successful model, even having her own peculiar fashion label 'House of Hollow’ and being envied for her ethereal beauty.
As the siblings plan to reunite with each other for a band gig of Vivi, Grey seems, despite her sisters numerous calls and messages, nowhere to be found. As Iris and Vivi decide to start looking for Grey things only start to get more puzzling. Danger crawls up on them as a man with a bull's skull over his head starts following them and they seem to be drawing in death and distressing mysteries.
Looking for Grey turns out to be harder than it may have seemed. Facing the devastating difficulties of their search, Iris and Vivi are confronted more and more with their past and the, so thought, inexplicable reasons for their vanishing years ago. Eerily, Iris realises that the world, that had taken them all those years ago, might be calling them back with their disturbing horrors. She also finds herself on the verge of figuring out her oldest sister's terrible and long kept secrets which bring a frightful fate.
Reading this book left me with a loss for words. I was so entirely invested and caught up in the story, it was truly mesmerising. Throughout the book the reader grows closer and closer to the relatable young protagonist Iris, being able to follow her points of view and thoughts thoroughly. Regardless, many other interesting characters are introduced who some might link to better. Vivi, for instance, considered a troublemaker and ‘wild child’ but still being kind hearted and caring for those she loves, offers a huge persona for one to explore.
The most complex character would definitely be Grey Hollow, the eldest of the three.
The 21 year old fashion model is such an exceptionally gripping person, enchanting everyone in the novel as well as the reader with her exceptional beauty, that seems to be from another world, and her twisted creations and persona.
In spite of everything, the girl is surrounded by mystery and does not appear to show any signs of empathy or being warm hearted. Grey seems to know things that Iris and Vivi are unable to reach. With grey hollow going missing only more questions are asked than answered and horrifying actions occur, putting the girls life on the line and their mind on the edge of terror.
This paranormal modern fairytale keeps you overflowing with emotion from curious to amazed to frightened. The horrors of this book are presented so uniquely by the author, some might say they are even scarily beautiful. Even though this glamorous yet chilling story is described as a fairy tale, it still doesn't disconnect from the modern world. With details like social media or the modern celebrity scene things are being kept grounded and more real, which I really enjoyed.
This book stayed with me for days after finishing it, as if the story put a spell on me. It soon became a favourite of mine, and I envy those who can still read it for the first time.
For anyone who likes mystery, fantasy and horror, this book is the perfect riddle to choose and solve alongside Vivi and Iris.
‘House of hollow’ for me would be best described as a magical and thrilling reading experience which has also inspired me and filled my head with many interesting thoughts, ideas and alluring daydreams.
It has taught me that even beneath the most beautiful things, there can lay a sickening, ugly truth that makes your blood run cold and revealing it may sometimes even ask for sacrifices you wouldn’t have made in your worst nightmare.
The cover really pulled me in and was also a reason for me to pick it out to read. It's a picture of a delicate woman's face looking right at you. The frame of her face is surrounded by flowers growing wildly in oranges, pinks, purples and whites. These also sprawl across her face right above the nose appearing like they fill a cute that goes straight across her whole face. A shiny small bag crawling up the girl's cheek can be spotted, alongside an ant, another one appearing over the eyebrow. There seems to be some bleeding as well, running down the bridge of her nose and her temples in dark drops. The title is spread over the whole cover evenly, the author's name in pink letters at the top.
The Novel is told from the point of view of a 17 year old girl, named iris. She is the youngest out of three siblings, being the Hollow sisters all together. Iris, Vivi and Grey Hollow have been looked at as strange and different from other teenage girls their whole life. When Iris was seven years old, she and her older sisters vanished for a month without a trace, no one knowing where they had gone or what had happened. 31 days after their disappearance, the three girls were found, naked, the eldest holding a knife, on the same street they passed from sight, again but none of them could recall what had been going on for the time they left home.
Their parents, Cate and Gabe Hollow, were first more than relieved and happy to have their children back but soon enough Gabe noticed something off about his daughters. The girls hair started turning white as milk and their eyes went from bright blue to a deep black. One day, the father is found in their house, having killed himself. People blamed it on him being mentally ill and claimed that he had gone crazy but Gabes’ death leaves some twisted unanswered questions.
As Iris, Vivi and Grey grow up, they mainly seem to be living the life of normal teenagers but beneath the surface extraordinary things are happening around them that no soul would be able to explain. Their mysterious disappearance has made them well known and they even have to deal with people stalking them, obsessing over the sisters' mystery, but there seems to be something even darker beneath that.
At 17 years old Iris Hollow is a hardworking, articulate high school student, Vivi lives her life as a punk bass player in a band travelling around europe, being into all things like tattoos, piercings and alcohol. Their oldest sister Grey Hollow had moved out early and become an amazingly famous and successful model, even having her own peculiar fashion label 'House of Hollow’ and being envied for her ethereal beauty.
As the siblings plan to reunite with each other for a band gig of Vivi, Grey seems, despite her sisters numerous calls and messages, nowhere to be found. As Iris and Vivi decide to start looking for Grey things only start to get more puzzling. Danger crawls up on them as a man with a bull's skull over his head starts following them and they seem to be drawing in death and distressing mysteries.
Looking for Grey turns out to be harder than it may have seemed. Facing the devastating difficulties of their search, Iris and Vivi are confronted more and more with their past and the, so thought, inexplicable reasons for their vanishing years ago. Eerily, Iris realises that the world, that had taken them all those years ago, might be calling them back with their disturbing horrors. She also finds herself on the verge of figuring out her oldest sister's terrible and long kept secrets which bring a frightful fate.
Reading this book left me with a loss for words. I was so entirely invested and caught up in the story, it was truly mesmerising. Throughout the book the reader grows closer and closer to the relatable young protagonist Iris, being able to follow her points of view and thoughts thoroughly. Regardless, many other interesting characters are introduced who some might link to better. Vivi, for instance, considered a troublemaker and ‘wild child’ but still being kind hearted and caring for those she loves, offers a huge persona for one to explore.
The most complex character would definitely be Grey Hollow, the eldest of the three.
The 21 year old fashion model is such an exceptionally gripping person, enchanting everyone in the novel as well as the reader with her exceptional beauty, that seems to be from another world, and her twisted creations and persona.
In spite of everything, the girl is surrounded by mystery and does not appear to show any signs of empathy or being warm hearted. Grey seems to know things that Iris and Vivi are unable to reach. With grey hollow going missing only more questions are asked than answered and horrifying actions occur, putting the girls life on the line and their mind on the edge of terror.
This paranormal modern fairytale keeps you overflowing with emotion from curious to amazed to frightened. The horrors of this book are presented so uniquely by the author, some might say they are even scarily beautiful. Even though this glamorous yet chilling story is described as a fairy tale, it still doesn't disconnect from the modern world. With details like social media or the modern celebrity scene things are being kept grounded and more real, which I really enjoyed.
This book stayed with me for days after finishing it, as if the story put a spell on me. It soon became a favourite of mine, and I envy those who can still read it for the first time.
For anyone who likes mystery, fantasy and horror, this book is the perfect riddle to choose and solve alongside Vivi and Iris.
‘House of hollow’ for me would be best described as a magical and thrilling reading experience which has also inspired me and filled my head with many interesting thoughts, ideas and alluring daydreams.
It has taught me that even beneath the most beautiful things, there can lay a sickening, ugly truth that makes your blood run cold and revealing it may sometimes even ask for sacrifices you wouldn’t have made in your worst nightmare.
The Sound of Whales |
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The Sound of Whales’ written by Kerr Thomson, published in 2015, and containing a total of 314 pages and 40 chapters, belongs to the genre of fiction. It could be described as magical fiction or adventure. The book would be suitable for teenagers and young adults who are interested in intriguing and wild fiction stories. This novel was awarded the Times children's fiction prize 2014.
‘The Sound of Whales’ was published as a paperback work with an aesthetically pleasing cover. We can see the shape of a seated young boy being superimposed onto a picture of the ocean, colored in various shades of blue and gray. Below the writing, seemingly swimming in the ocean that fills out the boy’s shape, is an orca whale, facing right.
This book deals with the journey of more than one protagonist but most of the time it follows the story and views of Fraser Dunbar. Fraser is a 14 year old boy, living on the island of Nin in Scotland, in a small town called Skulavaig. He is built quite slim and his hair is dark and overgrown. He lives in a house together with his family, consisting of his mother, father and younger brother. The family's relationship to one another would be described as ordinary.
Fraser’s younger brother is named Dunny Dunbar. His age is unknown, but other details, like information about appearance are given. The boy has white hair but dark, gloomy eyes, which often appear to look sad and tired. He is quite skinny with delicate features, like thin fragile fingers. The persona of the boy is quite interesting and leaves you with multiple questions. The most crucial part would be, Dunny being an elective mute, which means that he chooses not to speak at all. That's also a reason for his facial expressions being so important and carefully described.
The young boy is often viewed as odd and strange by others, even by Fraser. He wanders off into nature for the majority of the time, walking along the beach or coastline, sometimes even exploring dark caves or ruins. Every once in a while, Fraser joins his sibling, playing games.
One day, the older one of the brothers starts talking to Ben McCaig, a marine scientist and sailor, who focuses on whales. Fraser becomes sort of a voluntary assistant to Ben, eager to spend his time exploring the world of the ocean-going mammals.
Against his parents' will, sneaking out in secret, Fraser goes out sailing with Ben at night. They sail off on an old boat, later named the ‘Moby Dick, on the dark waters. Unfortunately, a raging storm breaks out and the two have to face some hard struggles.
When Fraser starts to think he sees a person being wrecked by the ruthless waves and crying out for help, their voice being swallowed by crashing water, the story begins to get quite dark.
The following day a whale's corpse is found, the cause of death being hit by a boat. This odd find leaves Ben and Fraser excited, though confused. As they investigate, the mute Dunbar brother is starting to behave very strangely and unusually. He seems to be terribly upset and depressed about the dead animal.
Another main character would be the pretty American girl, Hayley Risso. She moved to Scotland unwillingly with her mother, planning to stay a couple of months. As Fraser and she meet they don't seem to get along with each other too well. As the story evolves their relationship starts to change quite drastically, though.
Hayley is described as quite unhappy and grumpy in the beginning because of her involuntary stay in Skulavaig. Soon enough though, the blonde girl is finding herself tangled up in the mystery of the dead whale, Dunny and the bizarre secret of the figure in the ocean, spotted by Fraser. He, who was mentioned, is also right in the middle of the peculiar happenings, trying to discover the truth about the suspenseful mysteries that the never ending ocean hides.
This book was truly an exciting experience. The story was one of a kind, and I was quickly drawn in. Each individual character has at least something unique and noticeable about them, which leaves us with a lot of interesting traits to figure out and look into. For example, Dunny being such a complex character, not speaking a single word but still seemingly saying more than anyone else could. It gives an insight into how much facial expressions and body language can actually tell you and how we are even able to understand one without actual conversation.
Another thing I really liked and noticed was the beautiful description of scenery and atmosphere. ‘The Sound of Whales’ obviously deals with the ocean a lot. In my opinion, the sea seems to come alive with the style of writing and the way that attention is paid to detail. You can almost feel the waves crashing down, the wind blowing and whistling or smell the aroma of seaweed and dry sand, through the pages. The author describes raw nature very carefully, which makes it easy to visualize the different landscapes of Scotland but still leaves room for individual fantasies.
Looking into Fraser’s character was also quite enjoyable. Since he is a teenage boy with no extraordinary abilities or similar things as such, it is quite easy to relate to him. He seems like a genuinely good hearted person but can be quite sarcastic or teasing, as you can tell from his way of talking to Hayley.
The book is close to perfect for anyone who likes mystery and suspenseful fiction. Even though it is claimed to be a book for children, I believe it can be read at any age and will regardless fascinate and entertain anyone interested in the genre. It has also come to my liking how so many different personalities are introduced, that way pretty much any reader is able to find a character they relate to and bond with that specific person, making you become more connected to their reality and really get a feeling for the struggles they are facing and how they do it.
Following the journey of the young teenagers has really reminded me of how big my love for mystery and wild adventure is. It’s been great to try and crack the secrets of The Island of Nin and the deep blue ocean along with the protagonists and thinking out of the box. It has really come to my liking how everything moves forward, never getting boring but still not evolving at too high speed. ‘The Sound of Whales’ has honestly been lighting up my hours and I wouldn't rather have spent them any other way, than with this thrilling novel.
‘The Sound of Whales’ was published as a paperback work with an aesthetically pleasing cover. We can see the shape of a seated young boy being superimposed onto a picture of the ocean, colored in various shades of blue and gray. Below the writing, seemingly swimming in the ocean that fills out the boy’s shape, is an orca whale, facing right.
This book deals with the journey of more than one protagonist but most of the time it follows the story and views of Fraser Dunbar. Fraser is a 14 year old boy, living on the island of Nin in Scotland, in a small town called Skulavaig. He is built quite slim and his hair is dark and overgrown. He lives in a house together with his family, consisting of his mother, father and younger brother. The family's relationship to one another would be described as ordinary.
Fraser’s younger brother is named Dunny Dunbar. His age is unknown, but other details, like information about appearance are given. The boy has white hair but dark, gloomy eyes, which often appear to look sad and tired. He is quite skinny with delicate features, like thin fragile fingers. The persona of the boy is quite interesting and leaves you with multiple questions. The most crucial part would be, Dunny being an elective mute, which means that he chooses not to speak at all. That's also a reason for his facial expressions being so important and carefully described.
The young boy is often viewed as odd and strange by others, even by Fraser. He wanders off into nature for the majority of the time, walking along the beach or coastline, sometimes even exploring dark caves or ruins. Every once in a while, Fraser joins his sibling, playing games.
One day, the older one of the brothers starts talking to Ben McCaig, a marine scientist and sailor, who focuses on whales. Fraser becomes sort of a voluntary assistant to Ben, eager to spend his time exploring the world of the ocean-going mammals.
Against his parents' will, sneaking out in secret, Fraser goes out sailing with Ben at night. They sail off on an old boat, later named the ‘Moby Dick, on the dark waters. Unfortunately, a raging storm breaks out and the two have to face some hard struggles.
When Fraser starts to think he sees a person being wrecked by the ruthless waves and crying out for help, their voice being swallowed by crashing water, the story begins to get quite dark.
The following day a whale's corpse is found, the cause of death being hit by a boat. This odd find leaves Ben and Fraser excited, though confused. As they investigate, the mute Dunbar brother is starting to behave very strangely and unusually. He seems to be terribly upset and depressed about the dead animal.
Another main character would be the pretty American girl, Hayley Risso. She moved to Scotland unwillingly with her mother, planning to stay a couple of months. As Fraser and she meet they don't seem to get along with each other too well. As the story evolves their relationship starts to change quite drastically, though.
Hayley is described as quite unhappy and grumpy in the beginning because of her involuntary stay in Skulavaig. Soon enough though, the blonde girl is finding herself tangled up in the mystery of the dead whale, Dunny and the bizarre secret of the figure in the ocean, spotted by Fraser. He, who was mentioned, is also right in the middle of the peculiar happenings, trying to discover the truth about the suspenseful mysteries that the never ending ocean hides.
This book was truly an exciting experience. The story was one of a kind, and I was quickly drawn in. Each individual character has at least something unique and noticeable about them, which leaves us with a lot of interesting traits to figure out and look into. For example, Dunny being such a complex character, not speaking a single word but still seemingly saying more than anyone else could. It gives an insight into how much facial expressions and body language can actually tell you and how we are even able to understand one without actual conversation.
Another thing I really liked and noticed was the beautiful description of scenery and atmosphere. ‘The Sound of Whales’ obviously deals with the ocean a lot. In my opinion, the sea seems to come alive with the style of writing and the way that attention is paid to detail. You can almost feel the waves crashing down, the wind blowing and whistling or smell the aroma of seaweed and dry sand, through the pages. The author describes raw nature very carefully, which makes it easy to visualize the different landscapes of Scotland but still leaves room for individual fantasies.
Looking into Fraser’s character was also quite enjoyable. Since he is a teenage boy with no extraordinary abilities or similar things as such, it is quite easy to relate to him. He seems like a genuinely good hearted person but can be quite sarcastic or teasing, as you can tell from his way of talking to Hayley.
The book is close to perfect for anyone who likes mystery and suspenseful fiction. Even though it is claimed to be a book for children, I believe it can be read at any age and will regardless fascinate and entertain anyone interested in the genre. It has also come to my liking how so many different personalities are introduced, that way pretty much any reader is able to find a character they relate to and bond with that specific person, making you become more connected to their reality and really get a feeling for the struggles they are facing and how they do it.
Following the journey of the young teenagers has really reminded me of how big my love for mystery and wild adventure is. It’s been great to try and crack the secrets of The Island of Nin and the deep blue ocean along with the protagonists and thinking out of the box. It has really come to my liking how everything moves forward, never getting boring but still not evolving at too high speed. ‘The Sound of Whales’ has honestly been lighting up my hours and I wouldn't rather have spent them any other way, than with this thrilling novel.
Welcome to Trashland |
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The book ‘Welcome to Trashland’ written by Steve Cole and illustrated by Oriol Vidal contains a total of 121 pages and twelve chapters. The genre could be described as action or dystopian fiction. It is a quite new and modern book and would be suitable for teenagers that are about 13 to 17 years of age.
‘Welcome to Trashland’ is a paperback work with an interesting illustrated cover catching one's eye in purples, grays and shades of yellow. One can spot three people, two walking in the front, carrying various things and one boy standing on a big pile of trash behind them, leaning on a long stick in his hand. They are surrounded by garbage including thrown out electronics and devices, like a broken washing machine to the right. In the upper half of the cover, located in the middle, one is able to read the title printed in white capital letters: ‘Welcome to trashland’.
The book follows the main protagonist, Theo, who is a young teenage boy living on his own in Ghana. In the world Theo lives in, the country is full of garbage with no real cities or even houses to live in. As far as the eye can see, the land is covered in broken electronics, old thrown out devices like phones, an astonishing amount of different metals, and many other things as such.
Theo lives in a tiny shack next to some chickens, sleeping on the floor and drinking rain water. He spends every day finding metal that is still of worth and use with his magnet. Theo then brings his findings to a man who pays him and then makes even more money out of the scrap metal. Living like that, Theo can barely earn enough to satisfy his hunger but it’s just enough to survive. Regardless, the young boy still dreams of going to school and escaping his harsh life.
One day he meets a boy, Emanuel. This mysterious boy, seemingly not coming from ‘Trashland’ where Theo lives, tells him about a secret treasure he needs to find, asking for a helping hand. What Emanuel had told him immediately sparks curiosity in Theo and he sees a chance of getting closer to a better life. But soon enough, Theo has to realize that his new friend isn’t exactly pure and innocent.
Emanuel attracts the attention of a local gang that by no means intends on doing good. The boys find themselves in danger in no time, all the while still looking for the promised treasure and Theo being harshly confronted with Emanuel’s dark secrets…
Reading the book did bring up a few emotions and deeper thoughts. The backstory and current situation of Theo is quite moving and may even be relatable to some.
His character is quick to be likable and interesting. Even though he is living in such an unusual and tough situation he appears to be very down to earth and empathetic. It’s easy to relate to Theo and his actions because regardless, he is still a teenage boy trying his best to survive and do better, like anyone would.
Following his heartfelt story sparks a feeling of excitement and curiosity. The reader is eager to find out more and solve the mystery of the hidden treasure and the suspicious young teen Emanuel who appeared in Trashland so suddenly. The excitement grows as the story evolves and the two boys get seemingly closer to succeed but with every step they take a new issue is introduced. This makes you become really invested in the story of ‘Welcome to Trashland’.
I also really liked how things were kept grounded and realistic. Obviously, the story takes place in a dystopian alternate universe but somehow it still feels very real and raw. The reason for that might be how we are able to really see the struggles that the protagonist is facing and because he is such a relatable young teenager.
When reading the book, I also really enjoyed looking at the different illustrations. It helped to visualize the characters' world without taking away too much so one was still very well able to use their individual imagination and fantasize about ‘Trashland’ in their own ways.
Reading ‘Welcome to Trashland’ and following the boy's journey I couldn't help but notice that I didn’t get wrecked by boredom even once. The author keeps all actions interesting and there is a certain depth to every character that allows the reader to try to understand and explore their minds and souls quite deeply. Even more as we continue reading.
The ending was especially interesting. It does leave some questions for you to figure out which I personally really liked. Another nice aspect of the ending was that it was unpredictable. Also, there were multiple things happening in only short periods of time but the timeline still wasn’t overflowing with information or actions and it seemed just perfect.
At the end of the story the reader is able to find an author’s note with the headline ‘Discovering Trashland’. It gives you an insight of how the author got his ideas and inspirations for writing and publishing the story, also referring to previous works, which is quite interesting to explore.
The author also writes about how mankind affects the environment in terms of trash and pollution. The author points out how, in some time, if people keep on being careless and dont start paying attention to nature and the planet we live on, the world as we know it could actually turn into a ‘Trashland’ as described in the book. In order to prevent such a thing from happening we have to urgently take steps in the right direction to keep our planet as clean and nature as healthy as possible. It has been somewhat of a wakeup call as well and made me want to improve my own behavior towards the environment even more.
I believe ‘Welcome to trashland’ has a certain power to motivate its reader to be more active in terms of saving earth or at least be more aware of their individual way of living to avoid trashing the environment as well as they can. For example, paying attention to simple things such as recycling or separating trash correctly, although, I think that this book has shown that even the most simple things aren’t always the easiest ones.
‘Welcome to Trashland’ is a paperback work with an interesting illustrated cover catching one's eye in purples, grays and shades of yellow. One can spot three people, two walking in the front, carrying various things and one boy standing on a big pile of trash behind them, leaning on a long stick in his hand. They are surrounded by garbage including thrown out electronics and devices, like a broken washing machine to the right. In the upper half of the cover, located in the middle, one is able to read the title printed in white capital letters: ‘Welcome to trashland’.
The book follows the main protagonist, Theo, who is a young teenage boy living on his own in Ghana. In the world Theo lives in, the country is full of garbage with no real cities or even houses to live in. As far as the eye can see, the land is covered in broken electronics, old thrown out devices like phones, an astonishing amount of different metals, and many other things as such.
Theo lives in a tiny shack next to some chickens, sleeping on the floor and drinking rain water. He spends every day finding metal that is still of worth and use with his magnet. Theo then brings his findings to a man who pays him and then makes even more money out of the scrap metal. Living like that, Theo can barely earn enough to satisfy his hunger but it’s just enough to survive. Regardless, the young boy still dreams of going to school and escaping his harsh life.
One day he meets a boy, Emanuel. This mysterious boy, seemingly not coming from ‘Trashland’ where Theo lives, tells him about a secret treasure he needs to find, asking for a helping hand. What Emanuel had told him immediately sparks curiosity in Theo and he sees a chance of getting closer to a better life. But soon enough, Theo has to realize that his new friend isn’t exactly pure and innocent.
Emanuel attracts the attention of a local gang that by no means intends on doing good. The boys find themselves in danger in no time, all the while still looking for the promised treasure and Theo being harshly confronted with Emanuel’s dark secrets…
Reading the book did bring up a few emotions and deeper thoughts. The backstory and current situation of Theo is quite moving and may even be relatable to some.
His character is quick to be likable and interesting. Even though he is living in such an unusual and tough situation he appears to be very down to earth and empathetic. It’s easy to relate to Theo and his actions because regardless, he is still a teenage boy trying his best to survive and do better, like anyone would.
Following his heartfelt story sparks a feeling of excitement and curiosity. The reader is eager to find out more and solve the mystery of the hidden treasure and the suspicious young teen Emanuel who appeared in Trashland so suddenly. The excitement grows as the story evolves and the two boys get seemingly closer to succeed but with every step they take a new issue is introduced. This makes you become really invested in the story of ‘Welcome to Trashland’.
I also really liked how things were kept grounded and realistic. Obviously, the story takes place in a dystopian alternate universe but somehow it still feels very real and raw. The reason for that might be how we are able to really see the struggles that the protagonist is facing and because he is such a relatable young teenager.
When reading the book, I also really enjoyed looking at the different illustrations. It helped to visualize the characters' world without taking away too much so one was still very well able to use their individual imagination and fantasize about ‘Trashland’ in their own ways.
Reading ‘Welcome to Trashland’ and following the boy's journey I couldn't help but notice that I didn’t get wrecked by boredom even once. The author keeps all actions interesting and there is a certain depth to every character that allows the reader to try to understand and explore their minds and souls quite deeply. Even more as we continue reading.
The ending was especially interesting. It does leave some questions for you to figure out which I personally really liked. Another nice aspect of the ending was that it was unpredictable. Also, there were multiple things happening in only short periods of time but the timeline still wasn’t overflowing with information or actions and it seemed just perfect.
At the end of the story the reader is able to find an author’s note with the headline ‘Discovering Trashland’. It gives you an insight of how the author got his ideas and inspirations for writing and publishing the story, also referring to previous works, which is quite interesting to explore.
The author also writes about how mankind affects the environment in terms of trash and pollution. The author points out how, in some time, if people keep on being careless and dont start paying attention to nature and the planet we live on, the world as we know it could actually turn into a ‘Trashland’ as described in the book. In order to prevent such a thing from happening we have to urgently take steps in the right direction to keep our planet as clean and nature as healthy as possible. It has been somewhat of a wakeup call as well and made me want to improve my own behavior towards the environment even more.
I believe ‘Welcome to trashland’ has a certain power to motivate its reader to be more active in terms of saving earth or at least be more aware of their individual way of living to avoid trashing the environment as well as they can. For example, paying attention to simple things such as recycling or separating trash correctly, although, I think that this book has shown that even the most simple things aren’t always the easiest ones.
The Name of the Wind
The book ‘The Name of the Wind’ by Patrick Rothfuss is the first of a fantasy trilogy concerning the story of a man’s life. This book is a good read for the ages of 13+ for both genders to enjoy.
When Kvothe, a barkeeper in a quiet town, retells his past adventures to the wandering story writer, he recounts his childhood in a troop of traveling players, his years as a wild orphan in a crime infested city and his amazing ploy to enter the magnificent school of magic, as well as his life on the run after the murder of a king. This action packed plot is a total page turner and un-put-downable!
When Kvothe, a barkeeper in a quiet town, retells his past adventures to the wandering story writer, he recounts his childhood in a troop of traveling players, his years as a wild orphan in a crime infested city and his amazing ploy to enter the magnificent school of magic, as well as his life on the run after the murder of a king. This action packed plot is a total page turner and un-put-downable!
The Thirteen Reasons Why
In the book, Thirteen Reasons Why, Clay Jenson receives 13 tape recordings from his crush, Hannah Baker, the girl who committed suicide just two weeks earlier. She explains that these tapes will reach the 13 people who are the reason for why she has taken her life. Clay is very confused and forced to listen to all 13 tapes to find out what her story is and how he is involved with this. Find out Hannah’s entire story and how Clay is involved by reading Thirteen Reasons Why… This book may sound a bit upsetting, however it hooks you from the very first page. This is truly inspiring book, and definitely lets you value life more and encourages you to be a better person.
City of Ashes
The book ‘City of Ashes’, by Cassandra Clare, is the second part of a fantasy series which takes place in modern day New York. This series is very popular with people from the ages of 12 to 16 of both genders.
The book is about a girl who discovers that she is a ‘nephilim’, or a half angel, and she must defeat her father before he destroys all that she holds dear while wrangling with unrequited feelings for a boy who will never be hers. Filled with tons of action, such as demon slayings, love and mystery, this book is well suited for boys and or girls who like twisted plots and amusing characters.
The book is about a girl who discovers that she is a ‘nephilim’, or a half angel, and she must defeat her father before he destroys all that she holds dear while wrangling with unrequited feelings for a boy who will never be hers. Filled with tons of action, such as demon slayings, love and mystery, this book is well suited for boys and or girls who like twisted plots and amusing characters.
Noughts and Crosses
The Book ‘Noughts and Crosses’ by Malorie Blackman, is the first book in a series of 4. It is a serious book, showing deep emotions and how strong and powerful love can be between 2 people. The book is written so it shows the thoughts and innermost feelings of all the characters and their point of view on different events. It would also be perfect for anyone over the age of 13.
This book takes the history of civil rights in America but turns it on its end making the black community considered higher class. Two teenagers, Sephy, black and a cross and Callum, white and a nought, have been friends since childhood however now that they have grown up, deeper feelings have begun to immerge. With the separation of the noughts and crosses, creating a huge divide and barrier in the community, the feelings between them are becoming exceedingly dangerous. With fighting, bombing and death around them, can Sephy and Callum hold on to their love?
This book takes the history of civil rights in America but turns it on its end making the black community considered higher class. Two teenagers, Sephy, black and a cross and Callum, white and a nought, have been friends since childhood however now that they have grown up, deeper feelings have begun to immerge. With the separation of the noughts and crosses, creating a huge divide and barrier in the community, the feelings between them are becoming exceedingly dangerous. With fighting, bombing and death around them, can Sephy and Callum hold on to their love?
Das Haus der Kalten Herzen
Das Buch 'Das Haus der Kalten Herzen', von Sarah Singleton ist ein sehr beliebtes Fantasy und Sciencefiction Buch. Es ist am besten für 6-10 Klässler geeignet, besonders für Mädchen, aber Jungen können es natürlich auch lesen.
Das Buch handelt von einem Mädchen, das mit der Hilfe ihrer Schwester versucht einen Fluch zu brechen. Der Fluch hält nämlich ihr zu Hause in einer Zeit und an einem Ort fest, wo jeder Tag genau dem vorherigen gleicht. Es ist tiefer Winter und nicht nur die Zeit verändert sich nicht sondern Leute können die beiden von außen nicht sehen und sie können ihr Grundstück auch nicht verlassen. Werden die zwei Geschwister die Geheimnisse, die das Haus umhüllen, entdecken können und den Fluch aufheben? Finde es heraus: das Buch gibt es auch in der SrS Bibliothek!
Das Buch handelt von einem Mädchen, das mit der Hilfe ihrer Schwester versucht einen Fluch zu brechen. Der Fluch hält nämlich ihr zu Hause in einer Zeit und an einem Ort fest, wo jeder Tag genau dem vorherigen gleicht. Es ist tiefer Winter und nicht nur die Zeit verändert sich nicht sondern Leute können die beiden von außen nicht sehen und sie können ihr Grundstück auch nicht verlassen. Werden die zwei Geschwister die Geheimnisse, die das Haus umhüllen, entdecken können und den Fluch aufheben? Finde es heraus: das Buch gibt es auch in der SrS Bibliothek!
