Balclutha School

32,853 pages read and 3,444 team points

Team members

Heather W

3,630 pts

(2,912 pages read)

The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho

3 stars

Although this book was highly recommended and deemed suitable for Year 8 students, I just didn't get it. Maybe another reading might make more sense?
Resist - A Story of D-day

By Alan Gradz

2 stars

Alan Gratz has used the same approach he used for 'Refugee'. He has made the chapters short and punchy with a climax at the end of each one. A young resistance worker dices with death from the Nazi soldiers in the small French town where she lives. Again, I thought this would be good as a read aloud but Refugee is so much better!
The Names

By Florence Knapp

4 stars

I gobbled this up over a couple of days. Easy to read but quite confronting in places.
Wildlands

By Brogen Murphy

3 stars

I read this book with the idea of reading it out loud to my class. It covers the journey of two sisters finding their way back to 'civilisation' after being left behind in a wilderness area. It is set in the future - 25 years ahead - and has plenty of dramatic moments. However, as the book meandered on, I was rather sick of these moments, which lurched from one to yet another. Some of my 2026 students may well enjoy this book - we all have different tastes.
Remarkably Bright Creatures

By Shelby Van Pelt

4 stars

This book had me hooked from the very first page. An easy read, and even though you know what the inevitable answer is, it keeps you engaged. Great holiday read.
Good Things Come and Go

By Josie Shapiro

4 stars

I devoured this book in a day. It was easy to read, just like her previous novel, 'Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts'. I could picture the drive around the Coromandel Peninsula - I could even connect with some of the skateboard 'jargon'. (It brought back memories of a certain child's obsession with skateboarding!)
Educated

By Tara Westover

5 stars

Religious indoctrination and the effects mental illness can have on a family. That's this book in a nutshell - but somehow it is more. You just want to keep reading!
The Book of Guilt

By Catherine Chidgey

5 stars

'Profoundly unnerving' reads the blurb on the back... well, how unsettling could it be? All the way through, you think you have it solved and sorted - and then another chink is added in. Great read - I can't imagine how the author could conjure up such mind-blowing situations.
The Women

By Kristen Hannah

4 stars

A great book to read when your brain is exhausted, and you want a chick flick with a bit more to it.

12 - 0 - 1

Add pages read

Balclutha School

32,853 pages read and 3,444 team points

Team members

CherieZB

LindaS

VickiN

MareeP

Nisha

Heather W

Janette

RSCraig

Maggie

Old Chook

Tristaaa

Billie

Heather W

The Alchemist

Resist - A Story of D-day

The Names

Wildlands

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Good Things Come and Go

Educated

The Book of Guilt

The Women

Balclutha School

32,853 pages read and 3,444 team points

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