Andrew Norriss

Floyd Beresford quits tennis after being the youngest British Under 18 winner. Knowing this you should learn more about Floyd's journey to a tennis champ and then quitting to be a marine biologist.

This book is about the youngest tennis player to win the British Under 18. Floyd quits tennis after this because of Mike. Mike is the main conflict in this novel; however, Mike is a projection for Floyd which means that Floyd is the only one who can see Mike. Floyd would be playing tennis and Mike would come out onto the court, this would distract Floyd and he would end up losing the game. Floyd and Floyd's parents thought that Mike was bad, but Mike was trying to help Floyd see that he doesn't enjoy tennis.

Floyd is the main character in this novel because he is a star tennis player. Then comes Mike because he helps Floyd figure out what he enjoys doing and also helps Floyd find his dream job. The last important character is Dr. Pinner. Dr. Pinner helps Floyd figure out why Mike was appearing on the tennis court. He also helps Floyd realize that Mike is good because both Floyd and his parents thought that Mike was there to distract Floyd.

The theme of this novel is to keep trying new things and to take other people's advice on what to try. Mike is what pushes Floyd to do new things and the author wants us to see this because that is Mike’s role in the story. Floyd is pushed to go work at the new aquarium in town. Floyd ends up liking this and this leads the story to change and Floyd ends up going on a trip. This trip helps Floyd realize his love for sea life and he ends up going to college to be a marine biologist.

I recommend this novel because the book shows a lesson to always keep your mind open to new hobbies. This is fun to read about because it takes Floyd and Mike on different journeys, but older readers might not like this book. After all, it is kiddish, so if teachers or parents have younger readers this might be the book for you.… (más)

Francis is sitting alone in the schoolyard, head in his hands, when a strange girl he’s never seen before walks up and sits next to him. Jessica is shocked when he speaks to her because she assumed that, like everyone else, he wouldn’t be able to see her. Because, well, she’s a ghost. They become immediate and fast friends, and then incidentally gather two more outsiders to them to form a group of best friends. As they all start to open up to one another – and when they discover how Jessica died – they begin to realize just why it is that they are the only ones who can see Jessica. And then they begin to wonder why she hadn’t been able to move on…

A sweet and lovely little middle grade book that had a little bit of everything: a slice-of-life friendship story, a little bit of mystery, and an important message about mental health for youth. Definitely recommended.… (más)

This is not the book I expected it to be. But I can't really talk about why without possibly the biggest spoiler ever, and I read the book unspoilered and it was a much more powerful book for it. You have been warned.

So, this book looks like more Aquilla-like Andrew Norriss. The quotes on the cover are all things like 'heart-warming' and 'uplifting'. And the book starts as a mostly jolly jape, Francis finds out one day he can see Jessica, who is a ghost, and there is lots of 'wow, you can walk through things' and 'wow, you can help us get good marks in maths' and 'wow, you can imagine any clothes you want', and it definitely feels in the usual 'kid at school finds weird thing, has an adventure'

Except then it nosedives into the deep deep dark when it turns out that the reason why Jessica is a ghost is because she committed suicide, and the reason that the kids who can see her can see her is because they are suicidal too.

It does deal with it carefully and thoughtfully. and the general advice of 'try and find your people, try and find your own peace with being different, things can get better' is all pretty sound. I think it's an important and valuable book, even if it is desperately sad and very heavy. There is such a fine line between teaching children 'if you are suicidal talk about it and don't feel alone' and teaching children 'if you are sad you might want to kill yourself'.

But if you wanted 'Aquilla, but with ghosts' this is not that book!… (más)

I really enjoyed this tale of the pleasures and perils of what would happen if you were an 11 year old who found out you were a millionaire. Matt is a normal northern schoolboy in the early 90s, who makes a computer game on a BBC micro when he is ill, and then several years later is told he is now a millionaire! He has a lot of fun - buying every computer game in a department store (except for the one about snooker), going to school in a Rolls Royce, finding a mansion to live in - but learns a lot of lessons as well, from the analytical (what is compound interest) to the social (why can it upset your best friend if you casually buy her a bike?). The story is quite moral - he remembers to give his 10% to charity, it ends with him realising that although he doesn't need money, he still needs purpose, and work is the best play - but doesn't lay it on too heavily.

It has dated a lot, not least of all because inflation has happened, so the Vast Wealth the book talks about doesn't actually sound that much any more - who can buy a mansion for 400,000 nowadays? but I feel that adds to the charm, rather than detracts.… (más)