ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell 144 pp. Penguin Group. £8.99. (Ages 13 and up) ISBN 9780141182704 Rating: ? Stars This book is set in a future when animals are much cleverer than now. And because of their cleverness, the pigs started a revolution against the humans. Pigs could speak fluently in English unlike the other animals, and that gave them the power to be leaders. But, the story that follows only happened a few years after that... Their first leader, Old Major, was kind and fair who knew animals should be equal. But when Napoleon became the leader it was very unpleasant. He made a rule that allowed the pigs to have better food and that forced all of the other animals to work crazily hard every day and night. That wasn’t enough, Napoleon wanted more power. He decided to kill his brother, Snowball, so that he would be the only leader. Snowball was admired because he came up with a clever idea to build windmill. Sn...
THE SLEEPING ARMY By Francesca Simon 256 pages. Profile Books Ltd. £9.99. (Ages 8 and up). ISBN 9781846682780 Rating: 5 Stars This book is about a girl named Freya who when she blows a horn at the British Museum is taken to Asgard, the realm of the gods. This book is about a young girl called Freya who blows a Viking horn and wakes up four chess pieces Rovska, Alfi, Sleipner and Snot. All five of them are then summoned to Asgard and told to get Iddun the goddess who used to guard there apples that made them stay young and that if they didn't they would turn to stone and wait for the next hero to blow the horn. Freya is just terrified and wants to go home, Alfi is cheerful and happy and helpful, and Snot and Rovska just want to get it done with. What happens when Loki steals the apples back from them when they find them? Will they get them back in time or will they all turn into stone? ...
