Bloomsbury Novels selected for Carnegie Medal 2013
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley November 26, 2014
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Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishers
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Mister Creecher by Chris Priestly.. ISBN 9781408827987
Billy is a street urchin, pickpocket and petty thief. Mister Creecher is a monstrous giant of a man who terrifies all he meets. Their relationship begins as pure convenience. But a bond swiftly develops between these two misfits as their bloody journey takes them ever northwards on the trail of their target… Victor Frankenstein. A gripping, gothic thriller featuring some of the most intriguing characters from classic literature.
In Darkness by Nick Lake. ISBN 9781408826935
In darkness, I count my blessings like Manman taught me. One: I am alive. Two: there is no two.
In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, a boy is trapped beneath the rubble of a ruined hospital, thirsty, terrified and alone. Shorty is a child of the slums, a teenage boy who has seen enough violence to last a lifetime. Shorty’s story, told through flashbacks, is interwoven with the life of Toussaint l’Ouverture, the Haitian rebel who led the slave revolt and faced down Napoleon to force the French out of Haiti two hundred years before.
‘A tale of two Haitis — one modern, one historic — deftly intertwine in a novel for teens…A dark journey well worth taking — engrossing, disturbing, illuminating.’ Kirkus Starred review
Murder Notebooks 1: Dead Time by Anne Cassidy . ISBN 9781408815502
Rose’s mother and Joshua’s father went out for dinner one night and never returned. Several years later, police investigations have turned up nothing but dead ends. But when Rose is reunited with Joshua she discovers that he has been doing some investigating of his own. At the same time, Rose finds herself mixed up in a murder hunt after she witnesses the killing of two of her college classmates. Could there be a connection to their parents’ case? The first book in a four-part crime thriller series for teens.
The Broken Road by B.R. Collins. ISBN 9781408806494
Rufus is an apprentice in his father’s goldsmith workshop in Germany. One day he hears a boy, Nick, preach in the city centre. Nick’s message and words are mesmerising and Rufus is spellbound. He is overcome with the desire to follow the flawed yet charismatic young Crusade leader on his journey to the Holy Land. And Rufus is not alone. Many children are captivated just as Rufus is, and leave their homes and families having fallen under Nick’s spell. But what begins as a journey of innocence turns, terribly, into a journey of sorrow and despair. An extraordinary historical tale based on the Children’s Crusades.
The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan. ISBN 9781408823002
Armed with a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother travel to England. Life is lonely for Kasienka. But when someone special swims into her life, she learns that there might be more than one way for her to stay afloat. A startling, original coming of age story, this deftly tackles the subjects of refugees and bullying, and the alienation experienced by many young immigrants. Moving and utterly page-turning, we share the experiences of a remarkable girl who shows us how quiet courage prevails.
Sektion 20 by Paul Dowswell. ISBN 9781408808634
Alex lives in East Berlin. The cold war is raging and he and his family are forbidden to leave. But Alex is no longer pretending to be a model East German, and the Stasi has noticed. The longer he stays the more danger he is in. His parents start to realise that leaving the East may be the only option left to them, but getting across the Wall is practically impossible. And even if Alex and his family make it to the other side, will they be able to escape the reach of the Stasi? A tense, nail-biting historical thriller that builds towards a terrifying showdown as powerful forces from the East and West converge.
Burn Mark by Laura Powell. ISBN 9781408815229
A reimagining of modern day London, where the witch trials have never ended. Witches are the persecuted underclass and inquisitors are the ruling power. Glory has grown up among criminal gangs in one of the poorest parts of London. But she is from a family of witches that was once feared and respected. She is desperate to become a witch herself and restore their reputation. Lucas is the privileged son of the Chief Prosecutor for the Inquisition, the witches’ mortal enemy. Becoming a witch is the worst thing that could happen to him, but it does, and on the same day it happens to Glory. In one fell stroke, their lives are inextricably bound together, whether they like it or not . . .
This is Not Forgiveness by Celia Rees. ISBN 9781408817698
Rob has been honourably discharged from the army after he was severely wounded whilst serving in Afghanistan. He is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Increasingly he is turning to drink, drugs and violence as an outlet for the pain and frustration he is feeling. Caro is a political activist and her means of making her voice heard are becoming more extreme. When the two come together, the consequences are explosive. With a brilliantly plotted narrative told by three compelling narrators, Readers will be shocked and utterly gripped. ‘Sleek, dark and dangerous. Celia Rees has ventured into new territory and returned with explosives’ Patrick Ness