Children's Series Books Books

I mainly wanted to know the availability of these books for my son's birthday gift. He has loved these stories for years, from the first radio drama. These books are well written and uphold the moral values we have tried to instill in our children. I highly recommend the Sugar Creek Gang stories to all families!

These books are great! Good clean fun and adventure. I don't have to worry about what my kids might be picking up when reading these!

Great books to direct my kid's and my own conversations/thoughts toward what is right.

I am a mom to 5 boys and our family has been hooked on the adventures of the Sugar Creek Gang for a few years now! We originally discovered the stories through an awesome set of cassette tapes. The books were dramatized for an radio series by Paul Ramseyer of Northwestern College Radio in Minnesota and our family is now a part of the ministry, helping to produce the audio series for families to enjoy at home! Do you want your children to learn gentle lessons of courage, faith & friendship on THEIR level? Do you want to see real growth in their character? The stories are fun adventures with the truth of God's plans woven skillfully throughout. See the world through the eyes of Bill Collins, a freckle-faced, firey-tempered red head. You'll enjoy Bill's antics and the barefoot fun of all the boys in the "gang"! (As a side note, I do recommend the books be read in order. They tell an ongoing story from beginning to end.) From the back of the tapes: "Step back in time... to one-room schoolhouses, hot summer days of fishing, fun and barefoot boys. Sugar Creek Gang stories engage the imagination and draw a child's heart into a living relationship with God! Hymns, scripture verses, nature lore, poetry; sensitivity toward the disabled, the oppressed... and the courage and confidence to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ." --- Just the right recipe for training up a child!

I purchased this set of books for my 8 year old son for Christmas. It's January 11th and he has read all by one of the books already. We read these books with our son, him reading, everynight and he reads on his own every chance he gets. The print is a great font, the wording is perfect for kids, and the stories keep children's interest peaked. We also have the #1 - 6 set and plan on purchasing the other sets in the future. I can't find any wrong with these books and can't imagine anyone else finding any problems either.

I'm so happy to find this book on Amazon! I read this book when I was probably about 8 years old. It was not the easiest time in my life and I believe this book did much to help me through that time. I have beautiful, almost haunting memories of the kids flying and still feel as if I was right there in the story with them. No doubt, this was the most profound book of my childhood. Thanks to Penelope Farmer. Now I must read the other books.!

I read one of your books it was called The Summer Birds.This particular book put some questions in my mind.One of them was,Why could only certain peole see the boy?I like fictinal books.I like them because people can do special things.Are their any more books I should read?

I read this book as part of a summer reading program when I was in fourth or fifth grade. I never forgot this book and like another reviewer stated--it ignited my love of reading. I was fortunate enough to locate a copy and have shared it with my young sons. I hope I age in a similar manner to the teacher who understood the children and the wonderful boy. Please share this book with the young people in your life.

I read this book when I was in sixth grade. It had a profound effect on my life. After I read the book, I fell in love with reading. It was a school libray book, and I only read it once, but it was one of those books that I won't forget. I rember vividly details of this book, especially the relationship between the boy and the other children in the town. I would love to have a copy of this book for my own children one day.

In the Summer Birds, the first book about the Makepeace sisters, Charlotte and Emma find a boy on the road who teaches them to fly, and then teaches the rest of the village children. This book is a good introduction to the characters in Emma in Winter, as well as a superb introduction to Charlotte, her way of thinking, and the way she is. Unfortunately, unlike in the other novels, what happens isn't explained as cathartic; that is, in the others, it's prefectly clear the Makepeace sisters' experiences are ways of healing and protecting themselves from their parent's death. Thus, the novel isn't as 'deep' as the others. What I liked most about The Summer Birds, as well as the other books in the trilogy, is that I relate so well to Charlotte: I was constantly teased in grammar school and called a prig because I never got in trouble and was too shy to even speak up in class. I think most children go through this in one form or another. But either way, this novel clicks immediately with the reader...

This is a quality product full of accurate information. But still too hard for an LD student to take the time to read. Yet, this is the right book for the parents!

I got this product right away and my daughter and I started reading it as soon as we got it. She loves it. She will stop me when I am reading and tell me "Mommy, that is me." or "Mommy, I do that."
It is an easy to read and understand book.

The Fisher/Cummings series of books on dealing appropriately with LD in school is one of the best out there. In this particular book, aimed at elementary schoolers, they demystify LD and help kids develop personal coping strategies for success in school and in life. Children with developmental or emotional disorders might also benefit from the authors' casual, spot-on approach to doing what must be done in a world where you've been labeled as different.

This book is a GREAT way for kids to learn about their own Learning Disabilities (the book calls them Learning Differences). I read this book to my son to help explain to him why he's noticing that he's different from some of the other kids in school. The book creates such a relaxed, non-threatening attitude about LDs, and asks some really great questions to help the kids see which LD(s) fit them. It addresses ADHD as well! It has picture drawings of kids having trouble in school that my son could really relate to! He was at once interested, urging me to read more and more, even though he was learning that he was in fact "different". What a wonderful tool for families and kids to learn about each other and themselves. It's a positive book about the harsh reality of LDs - and it's written specifically for kids! Do your child a favor - read this book with them! It will open up conversations and give you both the language and courage you'll need to tackle the days and years ahead!

Now in a revised and updated edition, The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* (*Learning Differences) by University of Nevada-Reno professors Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings, is a simply presented and easily accessible guide written especially for those dealing with children who have "learning differences". Emphasizing that having one of the many kinds of learning disabilities or cognitive restrictions doesn't preclude a child from learning, from having friends, or from growing up to be a successful adult. The readable prose is packed with tips for dealing with teasing, providing encouragement, simple black-and-white artwork, study tips, and more. The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* is highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, tutors, day-care staff members, -- and most especially, for kids ages 10 and up. Also highly recommended for teen readers is The Survival Guide For Teenagers With LD (0915793512; [$$$]); for parents, When Your Child Has LD (0915793873; [$$$]); and for educators, The School Survival Guide For Kids With LD (0915793326; [$$$]).

Kimberly Kirbergers book is good. Its a good way to answer questions about relationships.

My mom bought me both books at some book signing thing and when she gave them to me I was like...thanks. I started reading the book Teen Love first and I couldn't put it down. The real shocker though was the journal. This was as good as the book. It had so many great things in it. Poetry and quotes and something called Colin's pages which are pages with a guys opinion. I don't know hinm from TV but my friends do..anyways it was good ,too. The two books were great and I was just surpised that something my mom bought me was so good.

Kimberly Kirberger is the most brillant author of todays youth. When i purchased this journal i couldnt stop writing down my thoughts. Colin from the real world 8 really makes the journal complete on his thoughts. I am a fan of Mrs Kirberger and i want to thank her for saving me in every way possible. Through heart and soul, i think every one will agree with me on this journal by saying it was a item in which we all will cherish.

This book is so much more than a journal. I have the Chicken Soup Teen Journal also and this is just as good , if not better. Instead of just a bunch of blank questions, there are stories and poems too. The book opens up with a letter to Dear Boy and one to Dear Girl. These are so great. After I read those I knew I would love the journal.Then there are poems and quotes along with really good questions. I am about half way through with filling mine out and I'm sad becasue I don't want to finsih it. I also love Colin's pages. He is a guy from the Real World and he wrote some stuff in the journal. I really enjoyed reading a guys opinion. I still need to get my best friend to fill in the best friend pages but I am waiting because I am giving her a copy for Christmas. I am going to fill in the best friend pages before I give it to her. I think this makes a perfect Christams present. The Teen Love book is good ,too.

As I went through the book and filled it out, it made me realize a lot of triumph and tourmoil I have gone through in my teenage years. Even though I am only seventeen, I have been through a lot.

When I look back at everything I have written, I realize so many things I have learned from my relationships, from first crushes to first loves. I also learned the difference between the two. Falling in love is a wonderful experience for some, but for me, it was more than that. It was a learning experience. What I thought was love then, I do not consider love now. I first thought it was when you like someone a lot and have a lot of feelings for the person. You want to spend most of your time with them. After looking back on everything I wrote, I realized, I had not had my first love yet. Love is when you will do anything and everything for that person. When you are in love, it is overwhelming. It makes you feel like a brand new person.

I finally came to relaize what love really is when I met my current boyfriend. We have not been together long, but we have been together long enough to realize that my feelings for him go far beyond liking him a lot. He has got all of the qualities that I have ever looked for in a guy. He treats me right, with love and respect. If you truly love someone, you respect them. Not just as a person, but as a whole.

I am glad I purchased this book and completed it. I have learned a lot, and if I would have never bought this book, I probably would have never made a journal of my own to look back on as I get older. This is a great book, and I recommend it to all teenagers. It taught me a lesson or two about relationships. I think it could teach everyone.

I read a Nancy Drew book. I liked it a lot. Nancy Drew and Bess Marvin are detective�s .Nancy and Bess were going to watch Cindy. (Cindy is a model) But Cindy was missing! So Nancy and Bess are trying to find her. It�s a great mystery! Find out what happens!

First of all I just want to say this is sad that no one can make a little effort to write a review on one of the best series. Anyways, I liked this book. It had everything like all ND mysteries do. Action, adventure, romance (sorta) and mystery (duh).

This mystery takes place in chicago.Nancy is the major character,Of chors she would be because she is the detective! Her best friend Bess is one of the major characters too!The minor character is Cindy who got kidnapped. The problem occurs when Nancy and Bess go to chicago. To see there friend Cindy who is a modle. But when they show up to the shoot Cindys missing!! Ater that Nancy and Bess go on a wild gosse chase to find out the unexpeted.The most sacrist part of the story is we Nancy is waiting to get on to the subway when someone slashes her jacket with the a razor-blade!The stroie ends in away you didn't think possible!

This book was SO great!! People, if you are reading this, I strongly encourage you to read this book!...If readers read, then everyone that have careers will follow!' my preschool teacher likes to say. If people can't read, then nobody would be able to do anything that has to do with literature. Fashion, modeling, action, mystery, and Nancy...the top five things that girls ABSOLUTELY love!!

This book was sooo good. It aws scary plus with something older kids like. Modeling and mystery. I was upset that some of the Nancy Drew books weren't very good but after I read this one I kept wanting to read more and more!

I was really intreged by this book because it was understandable, interesting, and filled with facts about this amazing man that I've never read or heard about before.

Thomas Jefferson is to me: one of the most admirable people in history.This book has an amazing fictional aproach but yet it is still factual and educational and you can still be one of the biggest Jefferson buffs out there and not have to do years of studying.This book is to me the most animated biography that mosturizes dry facts to fertile entertainment.

As a life long Jefferson fan, I enjoyed this book immensely, but am concerned that Bober does not offer a critical analysis of her subject. She says that one of her goals in writing this book is to make Jefferson appear more human. While she goes into great detail about Jefferson's family values and other interests aside from politics, she omits any mention of his mortal flaws which are exactly what make him human. Any reader can tell that Bober reveres Jefferson like a Revolutionary God (and indeed he was one), but she is unable to maintain any degree of impartiality as a biographer.

For instance, Bober enthusiastically discusses the various ways Jefferson tried to bring an end to the peculiar institution of slavery through his writings, but she never questions why if this was so important to him, he failed to take advantage of his executive power as president to ensure that the Louisiana territory he purchased in 1803 remained slave free? Why didn't he fight harder to retain the clause prohibiting slavery in his original draft of the Declaration of Independence? The Jefferson of Bober's imagination is not capable of such double standards or inconsistencies in character.

Bober only briefly mentions that while Jefferson professed to be against slavery, he owned several hundred slaves at Monticello and his other plantations. Why was his rhetoric inconsistent with his actions? Bober conveniently ignores the fact that Monticello was built entirely by slaves. (This I know because I have a degree in history, but a less informed reader would be misled). Jefferson may have thought that ending slavery was a good idea, but he did not pursue this cause with the same passion with which he fought for the freedom of white Americans from the British.

Bober dismisses the notion that Jefferson had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings and instead suggests that the president's nephew was the father of Sally's children, yet Bober's evidence to support her argument is scant. In fact, she spends as little time as possible on this topic, preferring to discuss Jefferson's contributions to his country. While this approach is refreshing when compared to the massive number of volumes out there on "Jefferson's scandals," Bober has neglected an important part of Jeffersonian history. Recent DNA testing has proven that Sally Heming's children were fathered by a Jefferson male which could be Thomas or possibly someone else.

All this said, Bober does an excellent job of bringing Thomas Jefferson to life and articulating his accomplishments in a meaningful way. It's a shame that her work is decidedly unbalanced and therefore irresponsible from an historical point of view.

A magnificent book for an incredible man. Told in story book fashion, as all history should be, Bober's writing style is a mesmerizing tribute to the subject.It is a shame that a man of Jefferson's character and vision would probably be unelectable in today's visionless sea of pluralism and status quo where the details of the day outshine the necessities of tomorrow.

Probably one of the best books I've ever read- it is very informative, but I was able to read it like I would a novel- a rare trait in nonfiction literature. It was written in a way that even one who is not a history buff can enjoy it. It shows that Jefferson was quite ahead of his time, but he was not superhuman as some sources lead us to believe.

The illustrations are beautiful. The story, as in other Thomas adventures, takes the flaws of human nature, and with a good natured spirit, turns them into benefits for everyone.

My two and a half year old daughter is just starting to get interested in Thomas and trains, so I looked for a book that would give some background information on Thomas and his friends. This is a pretty good introduction to the Sodor Island Railway and the Engines that are Thomas' best friends. The illustrations in this book are captivating, with enough of a mix of new and familiar to keep a small toddler engaged and curious. The story is very simple and each page has only a few sentences. My daughter loves this book and I am basically happy with it. However, if I had been writing this story, I would have included a little something in the beginning about Thomas doubting that he is really useful. His "really useful"-ness is affirmed at the end when he saves the day, but this affirmation seems meaningless because the author never established uselessness as a problem for Thomas in the start of the story. An older child might feel the story is a little hollow.

My daughters, ages 4.5 and 2.5 years old, really enjoyed this book. Cheerfully illustrated with text enclosed in easy-to-read boxes, this book is a must-read for new and seasoned Thomas fans. When the station roof is damaged during a storm, everyone pitches in to repair it. Everyone is useful! As a parent, I thought this book was ?useful? because: (1) it is a good introduction to readers who are not as familiar with Thomas and his friends, (2) children like my 2.5-year-old can identify with Henry the Green Engine?s fear of thunderstorms, (3) readers can cheer Thomas on as he searches for his missing friends Henry, Percy, and James, (4) parents can engage their children by asking questions, such as ?What was James supposed to fetch again?? The answer is lumber, bricks, and slate, (5) parents can also point out the bad behavior of the freight cars and stress the consequences of not doing what you are told.

This book is a great introduction to the Thomas series. Each of the trains are introduced in the beginning, and even indicate their size. Thomas and his friends endure a strong thunderstorm which knocks over a tree onto the station house. When it has to be repaired, Gordon is put in charge of the repairs and sends James off for the supplies. Those bad freight cars are at it again and knock James off the rails and into the mud, while they run off and get into trouble. Thomas goes out to look for his friend and finds Henry and Percy in trouble as well. Thomas gets the naughty cars in line and they all return home for a party. It's a very nice book, easy to read, and very enjoyable for all train lovers. It's one of the most requested books in our house and it definitely holds the attention of toddlers. A great find.

The pictures in this book are very entertaining for our 2 year old son. He sits through the entire story. Any child that loves trains (or cars, trucks, etc) will love this book!

I got this book from the library, and now I'm about to order it its so good. In the starting its kind of stupid...because they fall in love almost emediantly.But after wards its almost perfect! Its very unique in that there maried threw most of the book so thats nice because usually books end were he asks her to marry him and....The End But this ones different! Mrs.Chaiken has a talent for writing fasinating books were there all diferent but you can tell there written by the same person.I love it

This book is very well written. I would recommend reading Linda Chaikin's Lions of the Desert series before this book. Thursday's Child is a continuation of Lions of the Desert. It takes place a generation later during WW II. A very interesting book.

This was a wonderful book. If you have read Linda's other novels and liked them, you will definately love this one. If you haven't I highly recommend it. Especially if you are into spies, intrigue, and mysteries!! :)...

This book is another great masterpiece by Linda Chaikin. Believe me you'll be surprised at some "interesting" things that Mrs. Chaikin puts in there. This is different than what she has done before but you'll be pleased at what she puts into the plots. Very well-written plot and unique characters. Paulette has far to go in the search for her missing husband. She forsakes all and places herself in God's hands to reunite with Garret. Her journey was remarkable and I was glad about how the story turns out. I hope Mrs. Chaikin would get an award for her A DAY TO REMEMBER series. This series deserves an award because you can tell that she researched this very carefully and they're not the same old plot with different characters all the time. I can't wait for "Friday's Child" to come out and I'll definitely read the whole series more than once!!! Great Job Mrs. Chaikin! God bless!

I was a little disappointed with the plot of this book. I felt that Linda Chaikin could have done better. But I did love the very intriguing twist with the characters. Mrs.Chaikin has never interwoven her characters from others book series into others. I don't want to give away anything though so I'll keep quiet. All of you Linda Chaikin fans out there should read this book because I'm sure that you'll love it and find some parts to be very interesting(You'll understand once you've read it! I can't give away anything!).

When I read this book after going through the series I could hardly put the book down! The way Todd and Christy gets together is WONDERFUL!

My mother bought me this book awhile ago. It was the first one I read of the series. As soon as I found out there WAS a series, I went to my church library. I think this book was the best of the series. I finally read the books in order. It was so awesome that Todd finally defined things. It was, and still is, an awesome read!!!!

This is the VERY best book in the whole series and trust me,all the books are very good!Todd makes a deep commitment in theirrelationship, and it is really sweet.Katies life gets really messed up when she gets a boyfriend who is a non-christian.And Doug seems Jellous that Christy and Todd are a couple.Very must-read!

When this book starts, Christy is ready for the relationship again. One look at the "screaming blue eyes", and so is everyone else.

I personally am just a big giant romance nut. This book was totally satisfying. When Todd finally took the initiative there were shouts of joy as I was reading this to my friends. This was another really great book by Robin Jones Gunn

THIS WAS THE BEST BOOK IN THE SEREIES. MY FAVORITE PART OF THE BOOK IS WHEN THEY ARE ALL ON THE BOAT AND KATIE GETS A BLACK EYE.I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD THEIR WERE TEARS IN MY EYES.THIS BOOK HAS HELPED ME A LOT AND IT HAS MADE ME WHANT TO FIND A GUY LIKE TODD AND DOUG.THIS BOOK WAS GREAT I HIGHLY RECOMEND YOU READ THIS BOOK. YOU WILL LAUGH AND CRY. THE BOOK IS AWESOME!!!!!!

Anna Cotman is a sweet, pretty, vulnerable girl who has just moved to Redmarsh with her grandmother and facing the first trials of a new school, making friends and adjusting to her new life. But luck isn't on her side, and Lindy Miller snaps her up at school: "a bossy girl, quick to quarrel and slow to forgive." After running through her own friends, she looks upon newly arrived Anna as a blessing and quickly snaps her up, announcing "you're my best friend."

Anna is delighted and eager to please, which is how she gets caught up with initiation into the club known as the Society of Masks (or the Som for short). Started by Lindy's brother Jeremy Miller and including all of his school friends, the Som is designed to prevent bullies and provide comradeship, including all the codenames, secret passwords, elaborate rites and junk food feasts that you'd expect from such a club.

Of course, Jeremy didn't want his little sister to be a part of it, but his stepfather (who gives him the key to the abandoned factory in which they have their meetings) insists that they all be involved. And so Lindy is allowed, as is one of her friends, and Anna makes the vow of loyalty to the Som. At first she is happy - she's is accepted, she has a friend, and she's under the protection of the popular Jeremy Miller, who wears a golden mask at meetings and is known as the Goldmaster - she's in awe.

But a friendship with Lindy has its costs; she is manipulative, jealous, spiteful and extremely difficult to get along with. But Anna has been raised to keep her promises and be loyal to her friends - despite her reluctance; she is now a part of the Som.

And then things begin to go very bad. More people are initiated into the club - people that aren't school children and who control and bully the younger kids. On top of this, they never take of their masks. The Yellow Lord in particular makes life difficult for Anna, forcing her to do several menial chores about the place. Soon the youngest children are being forced to shoplift and work themselves to exhaustion. Anna wants to tell, but she can't - she's sworn an oath of secrecy.

Finally the catalyst comes - Anna stands up for one of the smallest members of the club and is labelled a traitor as a result. She is to be put on trial before the Som, and with more and more sinister goings-on at the factory, the Goldmaster himself under the influence of alcohol, and Lindy seemingly abandoning her, poor Anna is almost in a state of nervous collapse as the trial date moves closer and closer.

"The Trial of Anna Cotman" is absolutely riveting, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and a book that should be on every child's reading list. Vivien Alcock creates an incredible and realistic story, with perfect representations of bullying, insecure friendships, corruption and values among children, and the small seed of evil that can germinate in groups that rely on secrecy, control and unquestioning loyalty - in many ways it is a "Lord of the Flies" for younger readers.

Alcock creates many memorable characters, and I'm certain that almost everybody in their lives has known a Lindy; she is vividly portrayed as the girl on the playground who has to have it *her* way, who is never to blame for the misfortunes inflicted upon her, and who is a master at dissembling and fibbing. Likewise is the sad reality of her family - a distant mother, a woebegone stepfather and a perfect elder brother that is everything Lindy wants to be - and isn't. There are other perfect little portrayals of human character and behaviour in Tom Smith, the friendly best friend of Jeremy who tries to help, and Peter Elkin, the petrified boy under the power of the malevolent Yellow Lord. Speaking of which, the Yellow Lord is certain to give anyone nightmares...

Anna Cotman herself is a thoroughly likeable, intelligent young girl, who has been raised the best way, but put into the wrong situation. Taught to be loving and forgiving, she's the perfect tool for Lindy and the Som to manipulate, but eventually learning to stand up for herself and the injustices of the Som.

This is a terrific book, meticulously displaying the interactions between children and adults, the shadowy world that children can create for themselves, and the strength that they can display when faced with corruption of the system. Some of Alcock's insights into the ways and minds of children made me gasp with their accuracy - this is a woman that remembers what it was like to be a child and the hierarchy of the playground.

This book is great! The first time I started to read, I couldn't finish. It is about a girl who goes to a new town. The snotty Libby declares the new girl, (Anna Cotman) her best friend. Libbys brother has a club and they let Anna join. in the biggining, the club seems fun. But when time goes on, a world of problems is opened up.

This is a different, creative book that could be kind of dark for a children's book. The plot is interesting, when a new girl, desperate for friends, joins up with a girl who is in a secret club. The club bosses Anna (the new girl) around for a time, until more members are introduced. When Anna is put on trial for sticking up for a younger member, the action starts to pick up. Overall I liked the book, although in some parts it is a little bit slow-moving, but the author makes up for it by adding suspense, like the part when Anna is made to sit on the roof to spy on one of the club's leaders. It has a dark side to it, when kids start taking their own "secret societies" a little too seriously. The characters are extremely well-developed and I really cared about some and hated others. I definitely recommend this book.

Anna Cotman is a sweet, pretty, vulnerable girl who has just moved to Redmarsh with her grandmother and facing the first trials of a new school, making friends and adjusting to her new life. But luck isn't on her side, and Lindy Miller snaps her up at school: "a bossy girl, quick to quarrel and slow to forgive." After running through her own friends, she looks upon newly arrived Anna as a blessing and quickly snaps her up, announcing "you're my best friend."

Anna is delighted and eager to please, which is how she gets caught up with initiation into the club known as the Society of Masks (or the Som for short). Started by Lindy's brother Jeremy Miller and including all of his school friends, the Som is designed to prevent bullies and provide comradeship, including all the codenames, secret passwords, elaborate rites and junk food feasts that you'd expect from such a club.

Of course, Jeremy didn't want his little sister to be a part of it, but his stepfather (who gives him the key to the abandoned factory in which they have their meetings) insists that they all be involved. And so Lindy is allowed, as is one of her friends, and Anna makes the vow of loyalty to the Som. At first she is happy - she's is accepted, she has a friend, and she's under the protection of the popular Jeremy Miller, who wears a golden mask at meetings and is known as the Goldmaster - she's in awe.

But a friendship with Lindy has its costs; she is manipulative, jealous, spiteful and extremely difficult to get along with. But Anna has been raised to keep her promises and be loyal to her friends - despite her reluctance; she is now a part of the Som.

And then things begin to go very bad. More people are initiated into the club - people that aren't school children and who control and bully the younger kids. On top of this, they never take off their masks. The Yellow Lord in particular makes life difficult for Anna, forcing her to do several menial chores about the place. Soon the youngest children are being forced to shoplift and work themselves to exhaustion. Anna wants to tell, but she can't - she's sworn an oath of secrecy.

Finally the catalyst comes - Anna stands up for one of the smallest members of the club and is labelled a traitor as a result. She is to be put on trial before the Som, and with more and more sinister goings-on at the factory, the Goldmaster himself under the influence of alcohol, and Lindy seemingly abandoning her, poor Anna is almost in a state of nervous collapse as the trial date moves closer and closer.

"The Trial of Anna Cotman" is absolutely riveting, shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and a book that should be on every child's reading list. Vivien Alcock creates an incredible and realistic story, with perfect representations of bullying, insecure friendships, corruption and values among children, and the small seed of evil that can germinate in groups that rely on secrecy, control and unquestioning loyalty - in many ways it is a "Lord of the Flies" for younger readers.

Alcock creates many memorable characters, and I'm certain that almost everybody in their lives has known a Lindy; she is vividly portrayed as the girl on the playground who has to have it *her* way, who is never to blame for the misfortunes inflicted upon her, and who is a master at dissembling and fibbing. Likewise is the sad reality of her family - a distant mother, a woebegone stepfather and a perfect elder brother that is everything Lindy wants to be - and isn't. There are other perfect little portrayals of human character and behaviour in Tom Smith, the friendly best friend of Jeremy who tries to help, and Peter Elkin, the petrified boy under the power of the malevolent Yellow Lord. Speaking of which, the Yellow Lord is certain to give anyone nightmares...

Anna Cotman herself is a thoroughly likeable, intelligent young girl, who has been raised the best way, but put into the wrong situation. Taught to be loving and forgiving, she's the perfect tool for Lindy and the Som to manipulate, but eventually learning to stand up for herself and the injustices of the Som.

This is a terrific book, meticulously displaying the interactions between children and adults, the shadowy world that children can create for themselves, and the strength that they can display when faced with corruption of the system. Some of Alcock's insights into the lives of children made me gasp with their accuracy - this is an author that remembers what it was like to be a child, and the very real existence of a playground hierarchy.

I recently re-read this book and didn't find it as interesting as I once did, but of course that's because I'm not ten years old anymore. However it is an excellent book for younger people, and it's not such a bad idea for "adults" to read either. It tackles issues like friendship, betrayal, addiction, struggle to fit in, using a very unique setting. The world is that of any adolescent, but has been made dark and frightening by a "game" gotten out of hand. The Society of Masks is intriguing, color-coded and led by "lords" who impose tasks and duties upon the lower-ranking "companions". It takes the reader to a different world, despite the fact that it's only some kids with some masks in an abandoned shop. The trial scene is strangely symbolic, and the ending is perfect (a rare thing for me to say, as I never like the ending of a book). Read!! ~Raksh:)