Target Reading Challenge
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
Magnus Chase is another instalment in the Percy Jackson franchise. This spin off series is about Magnus Chase, (the cousin of Annabeth Chase from the original Percy Jackson series) and how the Norse gods of the ancient world like to mess with his life.
I found the book exciting, funny and interesting. It gave a new twist to old stories which is something Rick Riordan does best. The Author has previously written 13 books about Greek, Roman and Egyptian mythology and he has added Norse mythology to the mix while still keeping to the original Greek roots of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. However, I think that Magnus Chase is the best trilogy simply because it tackles real world issues such as homelessness, family dysfunction and many more. The books do tone down the severity of some of those issues but they also don’t cover them up, the problems of our world do carry over into these books. The characters from the book are also very lively and you can almost always find one character or character trait that you can identify with.
I would recommend Magnus Chase if you are:
- A mythology lover
- An adventure seeker
- A fantasy reader
- Percy Jackson/Heroes of Olympus/Kane Chronicles fan
Or if you would just like something new and interesting to read.
Sylvie Mei, Year 9
Once by Morris Gleitzman
Plot: The plot of this compelling book is about the struggles and lifestyle of World War 2. The main character Felix, is a young boy, who lived in an orphanage, so his parents can keep him safe while sorting out their bookshop business. After discovering a whole carrot in his often bland soup, he suspects that the carrot was a sign from his parents. Felix embarked on a journey to find his parents so he could help them save their books from Nazi soldiers who burnt them. While he was trying to find his parents, he found a orphan young girl who survived after her house burnt down. Unfortunately, Zelda’s parents died from the fire so Felix took her under his wing. I found this plot so interesting because it is about similar struggles and experiences during World War 2 that people experienced. I also love how this plot is adventurous and compelling.
My opinion: I found this book very interesting because it teaches me about similar struggles and experiences that people had to overcome during World War 2. I love how Morris Gleitzman included a non- linear format and a ‘cliff- hanging’ ending. This story did not end like I expected which adds to the element of uncertainty and excitement while reading this book. This is why I would rate this book 5 stars.
Recommendation: In my opinion, I would recommend this book to children of the age of 11 and over because this book definitely includes violent scenes and topics and phrases that young children may not understand. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to older pre- teens and teenagers because it teaches us about World War 2. I would also recommend this book to people who love to read historical fiction and adventure books.
