Tiger, Tiger by Lynne Reid Banks

'Tiger, Tiger' is set in one of my favorite periods of ancient history, and is written by one of my most loved authors. Without even opening this book, I knew I was going to love it. Tiger, Tiger follows the story of two tiger cubs separated at birth; one to be trained as a fighter in the arena, and the other as a companion for the emperors daughter. Two brothers, with two very different fates.

I first read this book when I was 10 and doing a history project with some friends. One girl and I were older so were encouraged to read a couple of books alongside the project, that fitted in with the time period we were studying.  In this case the period was Ancient Rome, and the book was 'Tiger, Tiger.' As I often say, I think my enjoyment of this book was heightened by reading it at the same time as my friend because we could discuss the characters and plot. The only slight difficulty with this was that Libby was a lot faster at reading than me and had usually finished the book a couple of chapters ahead -she also wasn't particularly good at keeping the ending to herself!

Reading 'Tiger, Tiger' brought the world of Rome truly alive in a way that fascinating and gripping for my 10 year old self, and is one of the reasons I went on to do Classical Civilisation at GCSE. Whenever I pick up Tiger, Tiger I think of the towering Colosseum in Rome, full to the brim with people eager to catch a glimpse of exotic wild animals fight. I think of the cool marble palace of the emperor with it’s beautiful fountains and stately rooms, and I think of the twin cubs. I think of how different their lives became but how, through it all, they remained close.

As always favourite characters are a familiar question. Often I have so many that it is hard to choose, for example in the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings I will jump up shouting 'Yes! That's my favourite character!' for pretty much every single person throughout all of the books. In 'Tiger, Tiger' however my answer is a lot simpler; Marcus. Marcus is Princess Aurelia's younger, and extremely annoying, cousin. Despite being rather foolish and spoilt at the start of the novel, Marcus develops into a wise and much more reliable young man. At first he takes pleasure in teasing and causing trouble for Princess Aurelia, but after a horrifying event at the Colosseum he assumes his responsibilities. Unlike his old self, he accepts his share of the blame and guilt for what happened, realising that what he did had huge affects on everyone involved. 

I would advise reading 'Tiger, Tiger' around 10-11 years old. Maybe you could find a friend who would enjoy reading this book at the same time as you, so that you can talk to them about the characters and plot. Sometimes reading a book alongside friends, especially books that you might find difficult, makes it more enjoyable. A little while back my friend Dan read the Silmarillion. I also really wanted to read it, so decided to start at the same time. Unfortunately, due to being extremely busy at the moment, I still haven’t finished the Silmarillion however, having a friend to talk about it with has made it easier to read as much as I have and inspired me to finish it when I have time. 

As a final note,  before I go and pack for my holiday, this book is well worth reading and I encourage all of you to give it a go. There is something very inspiring about two tigers, animals we see as strong and independent, struggling to have any say in their lives. Also, who can resist a story set in Ancient Rome? 

Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott

Eight Cousins starts on Aunt Hill, the name given to the hill on which Rose's numerous aunts live. One of the things I loved most this book, when I read it, was the sense of reality that Louisa May Alcott creates and how relatable her characters are. One point that I found the main character, Rose, particularly easy to relate to, was when she was cooking bread in the kitchen. In this particular passage Rose is described as being red around the face, flustered and stressed. You can imagine the scene: flour everywhere, messy hair, and there, triumphantly placed in the centre of the table the loaf of bread! I really enjoy cooking but sometimes it can be quite stressful. I often feel like the recipe is asking me to be way too many places all at the same time and, consequently, often get things wrong. I have managed to add garlic butter to a cake, dropped eggs on the floor, forgotten to add baking powder, let bread rise so much that it explodes over the sides of its tray and, most recently, covered the entire kitchen in chocolate sauce! My friend, Megan, and I, didn't pay attention to how much chocolate sauce we were pouring on top of the cake. Before we knew it, it was too late. The chocolate proceeded to roll off the cake, off the plate and finally, off the work surface, before collecting in a sticky, brown puddle on the floor. It took a lot of cleaning up- especially as the sauce was very sticky!

Before I ramble on and on about my numerous cooking calamities let's return to the book that I am meant to be writing about, Eight Cousins. This is another of the books that my mum read to my siblings and I when I was was younger, I have also read it multiple times since. When I pick up Eight Cousins I think of long walks, quiet afternoons reading, baking, playing outside in the sunshine, trying new things and just generally doing all the things I love doing most. Books like Eight Cousins are great because so many of the experiences the characters have are realistic. For example, Rose learns to horse-ride, even-though, initially, she is terrified of horses. There are numerous things in everyone's life that they are afraid of, but overcome. When I was younger I used to be very frightened of horses as well. They were so very big and powerful, and I was so extremely small! I managed to get over this initial fear however, after taking horse-riding lessons with my friend Libby for just over a year. I'm still not completely confident around horses but I am able to walk, trot and canter without freaking out. Well, that is if I can still remember any of the things I used to know!

Louisa May Alcott writes about all of her characters in a way that makes them connect with you as the reader, each of them have their strengths and weaknesses,’ just as in real life. I'm not sure who my favourite character is in Eight Cousins, however, one that is particularly inspiring and heart-warming is Phoebe. She is a lovely young girl who is employed at Rose's great aunt's. Rose and Phoebe immediately strike up a lasting friendship despite their differences. Phoebe comforts Rose in her small sorrows and misfortunes without envying Rose's wealth, family or education. Despite how hard she has to work Phoebe is still optimistic, joyful and hard-working. She is also described as being incredible at singing, and thoroughly enjoys entertaining people with her voice as she preforms her work around the house.

Well, that's me done. My hope is that you will have been persuaded to pick this book off your shelf, dust it off, and give it a read (I know copies of Eight Cousins do still exist in local libraries). Louisa May Alcott is a favourite author of mine and I encourage that you try reading Little Women as well. Eight Cousins may not be as well-known, but it is a wonderful story about growing up, making friends, and facing life with strength and kindness. I am convinced that if you give this book a try you will come to love Rose Campbell as much as  I have.

The Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brian

Let me start by saying: 'do not judge this book by its cover!' (or the movie if you happen to have seen it) Another thing is that even if you aren't particularly fond of rats, mice or maybe even wildlife in general, persevere. This book is well worth it. In his novel, O'Brian deals with issues extremely relevant to us in our modern day society, for example; discrimination and animal testing, to name just a couple. All of the characters in this book fight injustice and work to have more power and control over their own lives. Mrs Frisby particularly, although tiny, believes that she has a right to raise her family in safety and security. Sure the main characters in this book are mice and rats, but what they want is to have a voice in their own lives and destinies. 

'The Rats of Nimh' has various different titles including 'Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh' and 'The Secret of Nimh,' it's original title. I have read this book multiple times and have yet to get tired of the Frisbys and the rats. The novel tells two stories at once: the story of widowed Mrs. Frisby and her struggles to protect her family, and the story of a group of highly trained, super smart rats. The difference between the two is that Mrs. Frisby's story unfolds in real time, while most of the rats' story occurs in flashbacks, as they tell their story to Mrs. Frisby.

The protagonist in this novel is Mrs Frisby, which is unique because she is a widowed field mouse with four children- definitely not your typical hero. I actually prefer Mrs Frisby because of how ordinary she is, it encourages me to continue to aspire to do amazing things, no matter how small I may feel. It also makes it easier to sympathise with the characters if they are down to earth and vulnerable, rather than invincible superheros.   

At the time The Rats of NIMH was written questions about animals, control, rights, and destiny were a big thing. Therefore, it's not at all surprising that Robert O'Brien chose to write a book that is at least partially about animal rights. Despite the fact that 'Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH' is the tale of a community of animals living in harmony, there are loads of other themes in this book. These include: wildlife and farming, medical testing using laboratory animals, courage and self-sacrifice, perseverance, teamwork, prejudice / profiling and most importantly the importance of friends and family. Right from the very start of the book Robert C. O’Brien emphasises how close the Frisby family have to be to stay alive and how much they have to depend on their friends. The fact that they are mice, particularly shows their vulnerability and need to stick together.

Stereotypes is another main theme in Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. A group of highly intelligent rats and a distressed widow with four children to look after, outsmart the humans and go against everything they’re labelled as. The Rats of NIMH, for example, refuse to steal and scavenge, instead learning to live independently and grow their own food. 

Speaking of food, I'd better go, my little brother JJ is begging me to go bake some cakes with him....

Off The Shelf Radio- The Rats of Nimh 

The 21 Balloons by William Pene Du Bois

The 21 Balloons was written and illustrated by William Pene Du Bois and is definitely a classic. It's about the travels of an old professor and is a great example of a book not to judge by its cover, especially in some editions when it can look a bit 'childish.' When I discovered The 21 Balloons on my shelf my immediate reaction was to ask whether it belonged to one of my younger siblings before moving it to the back of my shelf. This was so I could escape reading what I thought was going to be a 'baby-book.' It turned out I was completely wrong. I read this book when I was 12 and thoroughly enjoyed it. However I think its probably best read at 9-12 years old or as a read aloud. I'd definitely advise you to read it sooner rather than later though so that you can fully appreciate the wonderful inventions and adventures that William Pene Du Bois creates for his characters to experience.

The 21 Balloons starts with a comparison of the two types of journey people can take: one that aims to reach a place in the shortest possible amount of time and the other that aims to take in the beauty of travelling with no regard for how long it'll take to get to your destination. William Waterman Sherman is the kind of man who doesn't care about the length of time it takes him, he just wants some peace and quiet, away from other people after being a teacher for many years. The first few chapters of The 21 Balloons are full of descriptions that build up for the rest of the book. It helps me personally to sympathise better with the main character William Waterman Sherman and understand his responses to different situations. Part of the beauty of this book is the wonderful language and ideas William Pene Du Bois uses to describe things. There are many books that begin similarly to The 21 Balloons and have 'intro's' where the author describes the main character and where they live so that when you read the book you can understand them fully. 

My favourite character in The 21 Balloon is probably the Professor, or William Waterman Sherman as he is also called. I love how different he is from everyone else in his home town and how willing he is to try new things. One thing I find particularly interesting about the Professor name is his name. Most of it actually comes from the full name of the author, William Pène Sherman du Bois. The whole book is about William Waterman Sherman's adventures and how he leaves his home in San Francisco in one giant hot-air balloon before being found floating in the North Atlantic surrounded by 20 giant balloons. After several days rest and recovery the Professor relates how he ended up in the North Atlantic with 20, instead of just one, balloon. Hence the title 21 Balloons. Another thing I really like about the Professor is his thoughtful way of doing things. When preparing his hot air balloon he carefully considers what things are necessary and how to make all his belongings lightweight so that the balloon will rise. For example his mattress was a balloon so that when it was day time it would float to the ceiling instead of taking up space on the floor. The only slightly unrealistic item on the Professor's balloon was the bamboo book case full of books. It does add to the Professor's characters however because it shows that he enjoys reading and learning. 

As a brief conclusion The 21 Balloons is an amazing book. Full of all the kind of adventures and inventions children dream of when they are younger. It's one of those great books you can read again and again when you're older and still enjoy. Finally, remember not to judge this book by its cover! Pick it up and you will experience the wonderful adventures of William Waterman Sherman. 

Off The Shelf Radio- The 21 Balloons 

To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

I only started this book because I was studying it for my GCSE, but I'm so glad I did. In fact putting it down was always a bigger battle than picking it up. Harper Lee has an incredible talent for weaving multiple levels into her story, not only are we intrigued by the 'actual' activities in which Scout and her  neighbours are caught up, but also the layers of symbolism underneath. Every childhood memory, game or incident has meaning far above what we would at first imagine- part of the reason I have been able to read it so many times without the story fading in significance.

Having 'To Kill a Mockingbird' on the GCSE English Literature syllabus only encourages me to read the rest of the list, and I am so glad, that despite the rest of my class studying 'Of Mice and Men', I choose to do Harper Lee's famous classic. Don't get me wrong, 'Of Mice and Men' is an incredible book as well, but in terms of studying 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is that bit more challenging, and. therefore, more rewarding in the end.

'To Kill a Mockingbird' has amazing historical significance within the plot itself as well as in Harper Lee's own experiences before and after she published her book. She uses the experiences of three young children, narrated by Scout, the youngest, to bring to light the racism and injustice that was going on in America and around the world at the time. Scout's development from innocence and curiosity to the firm assurance that all men are created equal by God is incredible and heart warming,

One thing that I would say is, don't spend the whole first half of the book waiting for the climax. Enjoy the stories' growth and the development of the characters and setting. It is in the beginning that you find the most symbolism, and this is where most of the story's eventual climax is explained. This story isn't a fast paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it is the amazing story of a town's prejudices fought against, sometimes unintentionally, by a nine year old girl.

The truth is that sometimes it takes a child's unwavering belief to make adults understand.

NB. If you are studying this book for GCSE don't make the mistake of just reading the study notes- they might get you through the exam but they won't give the essence of what this story is about.

Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes- the name we all associate with 221 Baker Street, blockbuster films and, more recently, the BBC series staring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. If we're honest I don't think any of us think of the books by Arthur Conyan Doyle first, if you do I give you a round of applause.

I am a great fan of all things Sherlocky, as most of my friends and family would probably tell you. Not so much that I am constantly talking about Sherlock Holmes, but enough that, when in London, I convinced my friends to walk up to 221 Baker Street. Let me tell you now, it is a very very long street. Something I probably should have realized from the address. Needless to say my friends were not very impressed, some even wanted to turn around when we got to 21 Baker Street and realized we had a couple hundred more houses to go. I was determined however and we eventually arrived at our destination, to find, much to my disappointment, that it really wasn't that impressive - I have no idea what I'd been expecting - I did get a photo though and pretended, mainly for the benefit of my friends, to be very excited.


There are nine books in the Sherlock Holmes series, they are as follows;

A study in Scarlet

The sign of four

The adventures of Sherlock Holmes

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes

The Hound of Baskervilles

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

The Valley of Fear

His Last Bow

The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes

The first Sherlock Holmes adventure I read was The Speckled Band, and that is when my love for the Sherlock stories began. Of course I'd heard about Sherlock Holmes before but I had never really wanted to read it or had any particular interest in it. Then, after watching The Study in Pink on TV I decided to start reading 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes,' Even though it wasn't the first in the series I found that it didn't matter because the mysteries were almost completely stand alone and not in chronological order.

I can't say much about the book series as a whole as I have only read one book and only a half of it at that, but the one thing that caught me about Arthur Conan Doyle's style is how cleverly he manages to confuse the readers and disable us from making conclusions before Sherlock presents his, extremely logical and apparently 'obvious' observations. Most mysteries present the reader with clues unknown to the characters in the book, with Sherlock Holmes its different, he knows everything whilst the reader is still in the dark waiting his explanation. This role is shared by John Watson and it is his train of thought we follow and not Sherlock's. This technique might differ in other books but as I haven't yet read them I cannot say. 

As a closing note let me strongly encourage you to read the Sherlock Holmes series for yourself, don't rely on the magic of television to accurately portray the genius behind Arthur Conyan Doyle's famous characters. 

The Youngest Girl in The Fifth by Angela Brazil

If you like Malory Towers, Chalet School or any of those sorts of books then you'll like this. Full of pranks, punishments and grades, this shows both Gwen's home and school life, which is something that neither Malory Towers or Chalet School dwells on.

I remember one of the first times I was talking to someone who had been to boarding school. Of course, having read Malory Towers, Chalet School and The Youngest Girl in The Fifth, I thought I knew all about it. Midnight feasts, picnics, swimming by the sea, lessons outdoors, head girls and of course plenty of real-life mysteries just outside the door. But in reality, boarding school is no where near as 'perfect' as in the novels. I must admit I have had no personal experience but from what I have heard midnight feasts certainly don't take place as regularly as one might think.

Despite the slight differences between truth and fiction, I cannot help but enjoy these novels about growing up. The Youngest Girl in The Fifth particularly focuses on themes and issues that can be relevant in 'normal' life. For example, Gwen struggles with feeling left out because she is pushed into the year above. This means that her friends from the year below become jealous and stop speaking to her, and no one in the year above wants to befriend her either because they feel she is too stuck up. This leaves Gwen feeling isolated and alone, especially since her only friend seems to be her worst enemy.

The other interesting aspect of this book is that Gwen doesn't board at school, instead returning home at the end of every school day. This adds another dimension to the story as we get to see Gwen's interaction with her family and friends outside, as well as inside, school. We get to see how Gwen is encouraged to persevere no matter how hard things may seem, and how her family are always there for her to turn to in times of difficulty.

Angela Brazil manages to create a unique book that, although similar to Malory Towers and Chalet school still manages to hold its own and adds a different colour to the classic school story genre. Even though I wouldn't read this book again or necessarily advise reading it, I would say that if you enjoy this type of book it is well worth reading.