Creating a strong reading culture where everyone in our community reads regularly for pleasure is one the things we strive for at Garden International School. With readily available resources at our library, everyone from our students, and even parents and staff is encouraged to read and share recommendations and reviews with one another. Here are a few book reviews by our members of GIS community.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4 students
By Edwin Eldho Paul (GIS student)

Title: A world without heroes
Author: Brandon Mull

If you enjoyed Rick Riordan books like Percy Jackson, then you will really like this series. This is because it is filled with adventure, comedy and a bit of thrill.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4 students
By Genevieve Sing Yue Ling (GIS student)

Title: Fairy Tail (Books 1 & 2 – Manga)
Hiro Mashima

The great thing about this book is that there is a girl who also wants to be a wizard and join a famous guild called ‘Fairy Tail’. Then she encounters a male with a blue cat. They go onto extreme adventures with each other and have lots of fun. The girl is a Celestial Wizard and can summon spirits from each zodiac and a few extras. I really hope that you will enjoy the book! But make sure to read Book 1 first so you get a chance to understand the characters.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Elias Mohamad Izhan (GIS student)

Title: Leviathan
Author: Scott Westerfield

I recommend this book because it is a typical World War One story made into a fun, intriguing and cool novel to read.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Xin Yi Mu (GIS student)

Title: Magyk
Author: Andie Sage

I love this book because it is a magical adventure with many plots and twists. If you enjoy this, you will enjoy the next book “Flyte”.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio

It is very intriguing to me and it has a very deep message.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By John Ling (GIS student)

Title: Cherub : The Diamond Brothers
Author: Anthony Horowitz

This is a very funny book to read that also increases your reading age. My reading age is 16 even though I am 12 years old.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3
By Elias Mohamad Izhan

Title: The Haunting of Jessop Rise
Author: Danny Weston

Alone and penniless after his father is killed in a cotton mill accident, fourteen-year-old William faces the rest of his childhood in a brutal workhouse. This book is great because it combines the atmosphere of mystery and horror and keeps you reading.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3
By Shannon Liew (GIS student)

Title: The Recruit
Author: Robert Muchamore

This is about a boy named James Adam, who was orphaned after his mother was poisoned. Suddenly, he is sent to an orphanage without his sister where he meets a boy named Kyle, who is actually a secret agent on a mission administered by the CHERUB organisation to recruit him. James is recruited by Kyle and becomes a CHERUB agent. He is sent on his first mission with his partner (also his crush) Kerry Chang, a Hong Kong born orphan, to a terrorist group located at a place called Fort Harmony. Read the book to find out the rest!

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Edwin Eldho Paul (GIS student)

Title: The Ruins of Gorlan
Author: John Flanagan

This is an amazing book. It is set in the middle ages, focusing on people called the King’s Rangers. This book is packed with action and comedy.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3
By Aryan Srivastava (GIS student)

Title: Time Travelling with a Hamster
Author: Ross Welford

Back to the Future meets The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in this original, poignant, race-against-time story about a boy who travels back to 1984 to save his father’s life.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3
By Xin Yi Mu (GIS student)

Title: Trials of Apollo
Author: Rick Riordan

I love this book! It is very similar to Percy Jackson, The Olympians and Magnus Chase. It is full of magic and adventure and is a really nice and funny book. If you love this, you will love Percy Jackson, The Olympians and Magnus Chase.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Yuan Zhao (GIS student)

Title: Web
Author: Alison Prince

Max helps Tim to do his homework. Tim thinks he is a good friend. But Max starts asking for money. Tim can’t pay. Max has trapped him like a fly in a web. How can he get out?

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: A Series of Unfortunate Events (Series)
Author: Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler)

Very sad, but not soppy. The story lines are very intriguing, and are about three children, who experience a variety of unfortunate events, beginning with their parent’s death!

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Pacharapol Padungkarn (GIS student)

Title: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Series)
Author: Jeff Kinney

These books are very entertaining to read. This series follow around the character Greg Heffley as he navigates his way through different, more or less relatable problems for a school kid.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: How To Capture An Invisible Cat
Author: Paul Tobin

Really funny!

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: How To Outsmart a Billion Robot Bees
Author: Paul Tobin

Really funny!

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Isabel Ryan(GIS student)

Title: The Fault in our Stars
Author: John Green

Hazel a 16-year-old cancer patient, meets and falls in love with Gus Waters, a similarly afflicted teen from her cancer support group. Hazel feels that Gus really understands what’s happening in her life. They both share a love of books, especially Grace’s touchstone, “An Imperial Affliction” by Peter Van Houten. When Gus scores an invitation to meet the reclusive author he and Hazel embark on the adventure of their brief lives.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams

Strange, but funny. It is a science fiction book and may seem confusing at first, but it is a very good and well known book.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: The Land of Stories
Author: Chris Colfer

One of my favourite series of all time. It is relatable and is based in a land where fairytales are real! Very exciting, and appropriate for males and females!

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: Theodore Boone
Author: John Grisham

This book is funny and relatable. It’s overall one of the best books I’ve ever read.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: Zom-B (Series)
Author: Darren Shan

Zom-B is a horror book, which usually I am not a fan of, but reading the book opened up a new path for me, and it is a must read!

 

 

Recommended for: Age 13 and up!
By Kay Ven Tan (GIS student)

Title: We Are All Made Of Molecules
Author: Susin Nielsen

It was one of the most brilliant books I have ever read, and is a must read for older children.

 

Recommended for: Key Stage 3 and 4
By Michelle Mary Kraal (GIS student)

Title: The adventures of Tintin
Author: Alex Irvine

The adventures of Tintin is a book about Tintin and Captain Haddock going on an adventure to find the legendary treasure of Red Rackham, the most notorious pirate ever known.

 

Related stories:
Book Reviews for Key Stage 4 and 5 by the GIS Community
Book Reviews for Key Stage 5 and adults by the GIS Community