Book of the month – November
Key Stage 3
The Book No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade
The Book No One Wanted to Read is a story told by a book. Although, there isn’t much of a story to it. It is more of a look at reading and writing. It stars you. Yes, you. One day, you go to the library and discover a talking book. A talking book that nobody has ever read. As you converse with the book, you discover plenty of important things about books and what it means to be a book. It’s the kind of book that could start a few conversations and even inspire some youngsters to write their own books.
A fairly uncomplicated, short novel which may not be to everyones taste. What it lacks in plot, it makes up for with fun. It’s also clever. It’s the kind of book that gets you excited about reading and the written word.
It’s the kind of silliness that will please younger readers but there is plenty for older readers to appreciate. He has a dry sense of humour, which creates a unique story. This book contains a lot of Ayoade’s strange humour and wordplay. There are also a lot of fun references thrown in for good measure. The illustrations included in the book totally bring the story to life. Tor Freeman does an amazing job of bringing Ayoade’s humour to life. A good thing too because this book is unmistakably Ayoade and another joy to read.
Key Stage 4
See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Barrett Bloom is hoping college will be a fresh start after a messy high school experience. But when school begins on September 21st, everything goes wrong. She’s humiliated by the know-it-all in her physics class, she botches her interview for the college paper, and at a party that night, she accidentally sets a frat on fire. She panics and flees, and when she realizes her roommate locked her out of their dorm, she falls asleep in the common room.
The next morning, Barrett’s perplexed to find herself back in her dorm room bed, no longer smelling of ashes and crushed dreams. It’s September 21st. Again. And after a confrontation with Miles, the guy from Physics 101, she learns she’s not alone—he’s been trapped for months.
When her attempts to fix her timeline fail, she agrees to work with Miles to find a way out. Soon they’re exploring the mysterious underbelly of the university and going on wild, romantic adventures. As they start falling for each other, they face the universe’s biggest unanswered question yet: what happens to their relationship if they finally make it to tomorrow?
I loved the adventures Barrett and Miles went on, and how they tried to enjoy being in a time loop. The author did a great job of explaining the time loop, so it did seem like a possibility, but she also gave us a plausible spiritual explanation as well. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a quirky romance with some hidden mysteries.