Irish Parents Review English Curriculum

   Compelling and addictive read in the teen fantasy genre. Based in Ireland around the concept of a group of mysterious knights who defend the world from a pervasive force of darkness. In the words of  M. Groarke, an Amazon book reviewer: "Engaging story, interesting both for its supernatural elements and....the very human emotions and experiences the chracters live through: abandonment, loneliness, fear, jealousy etc. It's also a very carefully crafted piece of writing so there's a lot of joy to be had in the very sentences of it." Verdict: suitable for study at Junior Level My teens LOVE Dave Rudden's fantasy books. They are well-written and don't contain any objectionable material. Lucy T. Co.Kildare

 Verdict: not suitable for study in the classroom because  This novel belongs to the vampire horror/thriller genre so we do not recommend it for study in the classroom as some students would not be able to cope with many of the dark and sometimes disturbing scenes and concepts contained in this book. It also contains a good deal of offensive language.   

  Pepper Roux is a young boy who has been told that he will die on his 14th birthday, so in order to circumvent death, he steps into other people's lives and "becomes" them. The book recounts Pepper's manic and many adventures as he lives a wide variety of lives and the writing is descriptive, original and beautiful in parts. Opinion on this book is divided with some readers finding it confusing and having difficulty engaging with the many characters we are presented with, because there is not enough time given to proper character development, while others sing the book's praises. Verdict: This book does contain some objectionable language (damn, bitch, ass, piss, and multiple uses of whore) Also, some students could potentially feel offended at the negative and definite "weaponised" portrayal  of Catholicism. 

The Boy Who Lost his face by Louis Sachar,which has been recommended for first years, promotes Paedophilia , with teenage boys looking at pictures of naked young underage girls: “Most of the girls were pretty young, probably under seven years old, but there were a  couple of girls who were at least fourteen or fifteen”  Although the author describes the protagonist of the story feeling “disgusted” with himself “ he still kept looking” and “here he was getting his kicks by looking at them” . The author also writes that one of the girls “....about nine years old……..had the happiest face he had ever seen. She looked like she was just laughing her head off”. The Boy who Lost his Face also promotes disrespect towards parents e.g the main character, David, giving his Mum the finger. Later, when David’s dad comes to discuss the incident with him, they seem to come to the conclusion that it’s not really that bad a thing to do: it’s really only bad because we, as a society, has dec...

  Roddy Doyle's Wilderness is set in Lapland amidst snowstorms and adventure and uses a family husky-sledging holiday as the backdrop against which to explore themes of family break -up and survival, bravery and acceptance. Verdict: good read for junior level. No objectionable language (well done Roddy Doyle!) I admit I groaned when this book snuck into our house via a visiting Aunty, because I was expecting it to be full of bad language like most (all??) of Roddy Doyle's offerings....but hey! I have been pleasantly surprised by Wilderness which doesn't contain any objectionable language and is actually a lovely story. Nicola P. Co. Meath

  When Buddy's Mum walks out on his Dad, Buddy and his inept, no-good Father have to work at forging a relationship with each other. A funny, gritty, poignant and moving story which deals with the very real issues of racism, neglect and moral dilemma (when Buddy needs to own up to stealing).The story is realistic and witten in simple language which makes this a good read for weaker students. Despite this, the issues are still complex and Hinton cleverly helps his readers to examine the characters and their motives from all angles and to understand their point of view. Verdict: suitable for study at junior level

  Nightjohn  is set deep in the American south in the 1850s, around the time of the American Civil War. The story is related by Sarny, a twelve-yr-old slave girl on the Waller plantation who learns to read with the help of a return escapee, an older man, Nightjohn, who feel self-sacrifice is worth it if he can pass on the ability to read and write so that slaves will be able to write a record of their experiences of slavery, for  future generations. The story is grim and shocking in parts due to the descriptions of the cruelty which slaves underwent at the hands of their traders and masters, but ultimately this book is about the resilience and tenacity of the human spirit and the ability to keep hope alive against all the odds.  Verdict: suitable for study at junior level although parental discretion is needed as sensitive teens could find certain  parts upsetting.  I love this book -so much scope for teaching in the classroom. Great themes and history to ...

  Private Peaceful comes from the pen of accaimed children's author, Michael Morpurgo, who offers us this wonderful, heartfelt tale of two brothers growing up in a harsh, rural environment in southern England. They both enlist to fight in the Great War (WW1) and themes of family, loyalty, courage, sibling rivalry, friendship and humanity are explored. Verdict: Suitable for study at Junior Level but the book does contain a few curse words scattered throughout. Thoughtful and moving. Informative about the harsh treatment of soldiiers and their conditions in WW1 but I was disappointed to see (implied) promiscuity and some bad language in a Michael Morpurgo book aimed at pre-teen/young teen age group. Sheila F,.Co.Tipperary

  The Dark is Rising is the second book of a five part, award-winning fantasy series by Susan Cooper. The Dark is Rising , which was first published in 1965, influenced a whole new wave of fantasy writers. According to the SuperSummary web-site, " the story focuses on eleven-yr-old Will Stanton, who learns on his birthday that he is what is known as an "Old One" -he is destined to wield the powers of The Light in an ancient struggle with the evil force, The Dark.  The book explores "...themes of good vs. evil, the passage of time, fate vs. free will, and what it means to be powerful."  Cooper is a great writer and the story is intriguing and contains great  themes (such as perseverance and sacrifice to achieve a greater goal) which could be discussed and explored further in the classroom. Verdict: good choice for Junior level. Does not contain any obvious objectionable material but magic and fantasy are central to the story. LOVE this writer and series. Thril...

Beloved diary memoirs of Anne Frank, a young dutch Jewish teenager who, along with her family and a few neighbours, remained hidden for two years in cramped living conditions above her father's office, during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in WW11. The family was eventually betrayed and sadly, Anne, her sister and her mother, all perished in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Her father survived the war and returned to the Netherlands where he was given the diary by a friend (Miep Gies, who had kept it hidden all through the war years) and published Anne's diary. Anne's writing is mature for such a young teen and is humorous, poignant, descriptive and insightful. She is observant of her neighbours and also spends much time in introspective inspection. Her diary is considered to be an important document as it stands as an authentic record of life in hiding during this horrific time in history. Verdict: Great choice for study in the classroom. 

  This book has won several awards including both the Newbery AND the Carnegie medal. It is a roller coaster of a fantasy book based in a graveyard, the underworld and the real world and follows the non-stop adventures of Bod (a human boy) and his ghostly companions/guardians. Some of the main themes covered are: death and tragedy; good vs. evil; compassion and forgiveness; fate vs. free will. Verdict: Suitable for study at Junior Level although some parents might object to the setting and backdrop of the story.

  Published in 1969 to great acclaim, The Cay was inspired by a true life story of an 11-yr-old boy who had been aboard the Dutch ship, Hato, when it was torpedoed in 1942. He drifted away on a liferaft and was never heard of again. The Cay, which is beautifully written, is set in the Caribbean during WW11 and charts the story of Phillip, an American boy, who becomes stranded and blinded on a desert island and must learn to overcome his fears and prejudices in order to learn to trust and survive. In today's classroom, some students of African parentage are quick to take offense at any novel which has throwbacks to historical racism (To kill a Mockingbird being a good example) but The Cay shows Phillip overcoming his racist attitude and becoming a better person because of his island friend,Timothy. These classics, which deal with the issue of racism are excellent tools for today's classroom, and teachers should not be put off by students' complaints when the book in question...

  Published in 2004, this novel tells the story of a scarecrow who comes alive after being struck by lightning and takes a servant with him -young orphaned Jack- on a quest to claim a piece of land.  The story could be described as absurd and whimsical with fairytale elements. Themes include loyalty and friendship. Verdict: suitable for reading at Junior Level

  In Pieces was written by a group of second year students in a Ballymun school, in collaboration with author, Kevin McDermott. The story features a boy called Alan, whose world is falling apart since the death of his Mam. He relies on his friend, Mary, but she cannot protect him from the unwelcome attention of Andrew Stapleton and Alan's father is grieving and is also unable to help him. Along the way, Alan discovers he possesses a special gift and can communicate with his departed Mam. He sets out on a "..ghostly adventure that will change his life forever." Reviewed by goodreads.com Verdict by Irish Parents: suitable to be read by Junior students as an example of a collaborative creative writing project.

The Book of Learning by  E.R. Murray In my opinion this is a very mediocre book with nothing very original about it. It contains the usual mix of magic, time travel, ghosts, re-incarnation, fantasy, changing the past etc.etc.I feel that my teenagers could pick up a book like this themselves any day in any bookshop and would have no problem reading it and no need for a trained English teacher to have to spend hours dissecting it and analysing it in the classroom!  I would prefer their time in school be spent actually studying good quality literature (which is sorely lacking in the new prescribed list) for which there IS a need of a trained English teacher to bring out the themes and explain nuances and analyse the depth of a novel etc. How can a teacher do this with such a mediocre text?? (Reviewed by Michelle D.Co.Cork)

  Millions by award-winning writer, Frank Cottrell, tells the humorous (and somewhat complex) story of  young brothers, Anthony and Damien, who come into possession of almost 230,000 sterling pounds in a plot that continually surprises and excites. Verdict: Suitable for study at junior level. Does not contain any objectionable material.

  The Hobbit is a children's fantasy adventure book, set in Middle Earth, replete with Goblins, Dwarves, Dragons and Hobbits, a cracking tale of adventure and a wise and friendly Wizard to guide the likeable heroes, Frodo and Sam, through it all. First published in 1937, to wide acclaim, it became an instant children's classic in the fantasy genre and has ever since been hailed as one of the finest examples of fantasy literature. Many themes occur in the story such as friendship and loyalty, overcoming fear and exercising courage in the face of real and unknown danger, heroism and  self-sacrifice for the sake of others, inner struggles with greed and self-loathing/acceptance etc. and of course, the bigger, over-arching theme of good vs.evil. Verdict: suitable for study at Junior Level although weaker students may struggle with the sophistication of the language and many references to mythology etc. Is there any better writer in the fantasy genre than Tolkien! Pleeease can my ...

  The Red Pony tells the story (in 4 short stories) of a young boy, Jody Tiflin, living on a Californian ranch in the 1930s and follows him, his family and two ponies, through Jody's childhood as Jody learns diligence and perseverance in learning to care for, and ride, his first pony and deals with the shock of losing it when the pony dies following surgery. The difficult relationship between Jody and his father is explored and contrasted with that of Jody and the ranch hand, Billy Buck, who seems to understand Jody better. We see how similarly they think when the old Gitano comes to visit the ranch and is welcomed by them both, while scorned by Mr.Tiflin (Carl), Jody's father. Billy also keeps a promise to Jody, in that he ensures that Jody's young foal is born safely. Jody's relationship with his grandfather is also explored and general themes of conflict within the family, loss of innocence, conquering fear and human fallibility are all here.   Interesting themes for...

  Girl, Missing is an award-winning thriller from the pen of Sophie McKenzie, who was inspired to write the story after a true event she read about.  In terms of language and style, it is an easy read, even for  "non-readers" and the story, although short, is gripping and face-paced enough to keep the attention of weaker students. The storyline follows Lauren's discovery of her adoption and the mystery surrounding her past. She sets out, with her friend, Jam, on a dangerous quest to unlock the secrets of her true identity. The themes of family and identity are explored. Verdict: Suitable for Junior level students although teachers might struggle to find much depth of language or themes to explore.

 The Real Rebecca by Anna Carey reads more like a first hand narrative than a diary, in its style, the genre of  which could be classified as pretty typical light "chick-lit". It is suitable for girls aged 12- 14, depending on their maturity level, and follows Rebecca and her friends through school days with boring classes and embarrassing teachers, bullies and friendships, new crushes and  hobbies and family relationships (although only at surface level).  Verdict: A bland but harmless choice for study in the classroom at Junior level. More suited to students of lower ability. Does not contain any objectionable material. My friend's daughter enjoyed reading this book but I know my son wouldn't have any interest in it as it is a very shallow book aimed at the interests of teenage girls. Tanya B Co. Cavan I fail to see how this trite read can be classified as "literature" to be studied on an English curriculum!  Why are our kids not being introduced to good ...