About the Lennox Author Award
The winner of the Lennox Author Award is decided by pupils in P5, 6 or 7 in East Lothian. In order to vote, you should have read at least one book by each of the shortlisted authors. Please see the information about each author, which includes a list of books.
On Friday 11th May Emily, Katharine, Neil, Ronan, Owen, Sofia, Cera and Sarah and Mrs Baillie, Mrs Brough, Mrs Gallagher and Mrs Davis and Mrs Gemmell were all lucky enough to go to the Award Ceremony at the Corn Exchange in Haddington. Three real live authors were there, Teresa Breslin and Johnnie O`Brien and Ali Sparkes. All the schools that were there did presentations and our school asked the authors questions. We thought it was fun and we were really glad to be there. It was exciting when when Ali Sparkes was announced the winner after lots of schools voted online for their favourite author. What a great day.
by Neil and Cherry
Shapeshifter Finding the Fox by Ali Sparkes
It is about Dax Jones who is the main character, and he can turn into a fox. A man called Owen Hind whisks him away to the C.O.L.A club – Children of Limitless Abilities. Dax needs to go there because he is the only shapeshifter who needs to be protected. The main event is when he’s at Treegaren College.
When I made my vote on the lennox author award I voted for Ali Sparkes. I think that all of the authors books sound very interesting but I haven’t read any of them. The people in 5A that went to the award were Cera ,Sarah, Owen and Sofia. When they got back from the trip they told us all about it aswell.
It must have been really fun at the lennox author award.
I voted for Thereasa Breslin but I wanted Ali Sparkes to win.
i really enjoyed tghe lennox author award
Only four people in 5a went to the Lennox author award they told us loads of stuff that happened at the Lennox author award like that Ali Sparks one the compition and other schools had done speaks and they got autographs well done Ali Sparks.
Catriona 5A
We had a really nice and funny author called Ali Sparks come and visit all the p5’s. She told us how she had to keep on trying to get her book published but all the publishers said” you know how much we liked your book unfortunate
The Lenox Author award was amazing. Ali Sparkes won the prize it was a lovely trophy. It was an amazing time. I got two of her signatures one from the visit to our school and one from the award. Only Law Primary asked questions while everyone else was doing presentasions one for each author. I loved it.
Everyone give a big hand to the winner of the Lenox author award! The winner was Ali Sparks. She got a nice shiny dark and light blue trophy.
At the Lennox Author Award at Haddington .Ali Sparks, Jonny O`Brien and Theresa Breslin had been asked questions from the p5s at Law Primary school North Berwick.There was loads of children from loads of different schools in the audience.I was happy to get chosen.
I went to the Lennox Author Award at the Corn Exchange in Haddington with eight other people from primary 5. The three authors were Ali Sparkes, Theresa Breslin and Jonny O’Brien. The overall winner was Ali Sparkes. I had to ask Jonny O’Brien a question. At the end I got a book from each author which were all signed. I was happy to get chosen but very scared on the day.
ALI SPARKES
Ali came to are school because we won a competition & she went to the winning school. 3 things that I found intresting where her talking about the books she wote in p7. Another thing was when she talked about the book the boy who said plop! plop! plop!. I also enjoyed was when she talked about her next book. James 5b.
Ali sparkes
Ali sparkes came to our school because we won the Lennox author award. She explained about how she got turned down lots of times and she started writing books when she wrote a book about her and her friends solving a burglary(it didn’t get published) .The oxford university published her books in the end. She doesn’t have a favourite book because they all mean something to her . My favourite is the shape shifter finding the fox. It’s my favourite because it’s funny and you never knew what would happen .
Charlotte 5B
hope you read mybook review i had 2
I read darksummer by AliSparkes This book is about a boy Eddie lies aabout knowing to swim.The next day he meets a girl callud Gwerren who becomes his swim teacher.My favourict character was Eddie because i wanted him todo more in the book. I woulld give this book ten out of ten.
I read Dark summer
It’s the summer Holidays and Eddie finds himself drawn to the famous caves of Wookey Hole. He made friends with the ticket seller (Stan). His Aunt thinks Eddie is going bird watching but really he is roaming free in the Wookey caves until he gets lost. When he goes through the crack in the cave wall and Eddie finds a secret quarry and a weird young girl with huge lilac eyes and white hair, when she grabs Eddie’s hand and takes him to the surface where Stan is. He nearly dies in a waterfall pothole. Gwerran is not a full human but she is still there.
My favourite characters are Kayleigh and Chanelle ,They are cousins of Eddie and are really annoying and disco champions.
My score for this book is 9/10 , I liked the book because it felt like I was having an adventure myself. It is an adventure and a fantasy book
I would recommend this book for 12 and under.
Starship rescue book review
I read Starship rescue which is a brilliant book to get people jumping.
The book was about a mission to get Mark`s home planet back to the way it but there was a twist, can he save his planet his friend and himself in time.
Theresa did a brill job writing it, there was not to many characters which kept it simple and effective, it had the right amount of illustrations the bit I thought was amazing was when marc found out Con and Jared the keeper were the same person.
Sasha is my favourite character. I wondered whether Marc would get over the wall. I rate this 9/10. It is a good book as the mission is emotional I’ve learnt the most unexpected is only round the corner.
The book I have chosen is Starship Rescue by Theresa Breslin which includes the characters Marc, Sasha and Con. They are living in a fortress on a planet close to earth and send an SOS to be rescued by a starship. They have lots of adventures on their journey to the radio station. My favourite character is Marc because he was the hero and is very smart. It was a very exciting future themed story and I enjoyed it because it made me feel happy. In the end I learned that you can’t trust everyone. I would recommend it because it is really amazing and it will definitely be your favourite book ever. I would give it 10 out of 10. It is easy to read and very enjoyable.
I read Frozen in time by Ali Sparkes. The book was about two people who were frozen underground for over fifty years and two children dug a hole in their garden because they were going to go Go karting down it which I think was a silly idea. The heat from the sun thawed the ice and they woke up spent time with the family.
I found this book very interesting when Freddy & Polly got rescued by Ben & Rachel. My favourite character was Freddy because I really like the stuff that he did.
I would recommend the book to others and I would give it ten out ten because I thought it was a really good book.
I have read New School Blue`s
Two pupils from different primary schools meet in high school called Jamie and Mary. They cause total mayhem despite their over-protective parents telling them to behave; they come across a ferocious bull, an angry farmer and a total mishap in right of way. The main event was very funny and quite tense, makes you hold your breath really! My favourite character is Jamie because he is very funny. Genre is factual fiction. Theme is funny and possible. What I liked about it was when the bull charge d at them and Jamie gave it an electric shock. I highly recommend this book because it was very, very, very funny and it was action packed. Theresa Breslin is a good writer because she is successful and funny. I give Theresa Breslin a 10 out of 10.
Lewis J F Mackinnon.
I read the book Frozen in Time. It’s about two kids whose father is a genius and he discovered how to freeze people’s heart and then one day he freezes his kids in a underground chamber and he leaves them there for 53 years and they are stuck there till a girl and a boy discovered them in 2009 and they have to teach them about what kind of stuff there are in 2009 But there is a few side a facts…
My favourite charter is Rachel because she is all most all ways in the action and when there was a funny bit or a scary bit she was in it. The genre is being frozen in time. The theme is the past and Iwould recommend this book because it’s very good and it gets you intrigued. I would also mark it ten out ten- ten.
By Breanna Macfadyen
Marc and Sasha need get this message to the Starship. Con, this outsider, outsiders are the people that live outside the main fortress, is really the bad guys bodyguard, he betrays Marc and Sasha. Con says to Marc that he is an outsider and he really is the Jared Keeper, the Jared Keeper is the Bad, bad guys body guard.
The genre is rescue and fantasy. My favourite character is Sasha. The theme is rescuing. I would recommend this book because although that it’s short, it’s very exciting. Mark ten out of ten- eight.
By Jasmin Bouverie.
Title: Unleashed
Author: Ali Sparks
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Brief summary:
I have read the book Unleashed. It was about 2 girls Lisa, Mia and a man Michael.
Lisa and Mia and are protected by the government because they have special powers. On their shopping trip they meet a guy called Michael a TV psychic he has a power like Lisa’s but not as good. They save lives and recue a rich girl called Stacey. They were in London for a holiday.
The main event in the story was when Stacey and Lisa were taken away in a boat; Lisa got saved by Dax and Michael although she could have died, also when Lisa and Michael were on red carpet they tried to save the prime minister from Edwina’s deadly plan. Dax was the saviour then.
Dax was my favourite character because he saved the prime minister because of being able to change into a falcon.
I think this story was action packed fantasy.The theme of the story was life and death.
I enjoyed the book because it was extremely clever and I couldn’t put it down. I loved how you had a spirit guide and you could do mind messages to each other.
I highly recommend this book because it was exciting, clever and mysterious.
I give this book 10/10, I think everybody should read this book!
I read the book Frozen In Time
It is about two children Fredrick and Polly whose father Henry Emerson put them in cryonic suspension for 53 years underneath their back garden at Darkwood house. Ben and Rachel their great nephew and niece dig them up and Fredrick and Polly need to try and fit in to 2009. Russia’s government find out about the 63 year old boy and the 62 year old girl and come to try and capture them.
Rachel delays the helicopter taking off until the police get there and Freddy and Polly get returned to their father who put himself into cryonic suspension. The mystery got solved.
My favourite character is Freddy because he has awesome roller skating skills and he got used to 2009 really quickly.
The Genre was an exiting, dangerous science fiction book
The theme of the story was… never give up
I enjoyed the book because it was scary, funny and had cliff hangers
I highly recommend this book because it is exiting, scary and had lots of action in it.
I would give this book 10/10 and it was the best book I ever read
I read the book The Shapeshifters Finding the Fox which was about a boy called Dax who could turn into a fox, he was a kind of mutant. His Step mum was really mean and he once he got trapped in the garden shed and because it was really hot and he was dying of thirst, he turned into a fox an in his fox shape he found water in a tyre.
It is kind of an adventure and I really enjoyed it and would give it ten out of ten, because it is showing you the harm you could do to foxes. If a fox wanders into your shed it would die of thirst. Dax only shifted when he was annoyed and thirsty.
My favourite character is Dax because he was the main character, he was quite fun and che could shapeshift and that was interesting to read about.
I read The Shapeshifter Finding the Fox by Ali Sparkes.
Dax is an ordinary boy who lives with his step mum and sister. He gets shut in the shed and shifts/changes into a fox! Parliament people take him to a college with lots of COLAS , Children Of Limitless Ability ,he is the only shapeshifter and makes a lot of good friends .Then he realizes he can’t see illusions( one of the cola arts). Big problem when the head, Mr Wood, knows he can’t see them and he uses it to get their attention so he tries to kill him ( he doesn’t trust him , Mr Wood killed another shape shifter before he could come ) .
It was just right in spelling( So it wasn’t hard spelling) ,it had no illustrations , which I liked and my favourite character is Lisa because she is very moody , bossy and persuasive and thinks she knows best . I would really recommend it
I think it’s the best! I enjoyed it because I never knew what would happen, it was always the unexpected. The genre is animals /adventure. The theme is that if you really try hard you can get there!
My mark out of ten is ……………10. Well done, I really do recommend it. I really would not change it because it’s very unique and different. she really has thought about it so much . I would recommend it to readers who like animals and fiction.
By Charlotte 3rd of May.
I Read the Book Starship Rescue by Theresa Breslin
This book is about Marc and Sasha battling their way through the fortress, to send a SOS to Earth, to free the Outsiders from being slaves to the people in the fortress. The main event in this story is for Marc and Sasha to free the Outsiders from being slaves all their lives. This problem is resolved when Marc and Sasha send the SOS to Earth.
My favourite character was Marc because he was a young boy and he was willing to put himself in danger to save the Outsiders.
This book is a SCI –FI genre and I enjoyed this book because it was full of action. When I read this book I knew I would never want to be a slave, ever. I learnt that bravery is a big deal.
I highly recommend this book because of the excitement, the action, and the fact that it was a very simple book to read.
I think Theresa Breslin is a good writer because her books are very exciting and you just want to keep reading.
I give this book a ten out of ten.
By Scott Patey
Book review
I read Monster Makers Electrotaur and Slashermite by Ali Sparkes.
It is about two monsters; Slashermite and Electrotaur that come to life. It all started when Jack spilled magical mead on their drawings which makes them come to life. The main event is when the two men are trying to bully their aunt into moving house so they can build flats instead. I think that is very mean and selfish because they had already bullied everyone else in their street to move. The problem is solved when Slashermite hypnotises the two men who are trying to dig up their aunt’s garden and tells them to rethink their lives.
My favourite character is a boy called Jack who created Electrotaur. He is very smart, sneaky and always brainstorming.
It is an adventure packed thriller. I enjoyed it because it isn’t what I normally read. I would recommend it because it a very different from a normal book but even better. It different because you don’t get monsters coming to life in every book!
I think Ali Sparkes is a very talented writer with a brilliant imagination for confident readers. I thought it was awesome!! 10/10 definitely!!!
Shapeshifter- Finding the Fox By Ali Sparkes
Dax Jones is the main character, and he is the boy who turns into a fox. A man called Owen Hind whisks him away to a place called C.O.L.A club- Children Of Limitless Abilities. Dax needs to go there because he is the only shapeshifter and needs to be protected. C.O.L.A club is up in Corn Well. The main event is when Dax turns into a fox when he’s at Treegaren College (C.O.L.A club) by will.
My favourite character is Lisa Hardman, she is a clairvoyant- speak/hears from the dead, and tells the future, she is very moody and is what people call a superstar. A person who always keeps to her/himself and wears expensive and fancy or posh clothes. The genre is animals and magical powers. The moral is never to trust anyone you don’t really know or think is dangerous. I enjoyed it because it gets me intrigued and it made me feel like I was in the story. It made me feel that Ali Sparkes had a great idea and I loved it. I learned that I should never trust anyone I don’t know well. I would recommend this book because after you’ve read it you’ll want to read the sequels. Mark out of 10……. 10!
By Emily Blyth.
I read Bug Battle by Ali Sparkes. It was about twins called Josh and Danny who were given poison by their next door neighbour who lived in a freaky Science house and turned into big hairy smelly bugs.
My favourite character was Josh because he always helps his brother Danny with problems. Danny loved being a bug at the start and Josh knew it was a bad idea and in the end Danny hated it and wanted to be back to his own self again.
This book was a whacky adventure story an also contains fantasy.
I enjoyed it because it was very interesting and good that Josh cared for Danny.
It was probably best for younger children than me and I am 9 years old.
I would give it 5/10 because I should have chosen a slightly harder book but it was interesting and Ali Sparkes is a very good Author though.
I read Alien Force and it was about a boy who was an alien who was trapped on earth and he was given a crystal by his parents, which helped him to go home.
My favourite character was Jodie, the alien because he came from another planet and he acts different to other boys because he has special powers and can hypnotise people. I would love to be able to do this. I would hypnotise someone who had stolen something so they would have to give it back.
This book is Science Fiction. I enjoyed this book because it was different from books I normally read and because it was funny.
I would recommend this book to any 9 year olds and I would give it 6 out of 10 because I would have liked to have read a bit more action and learned more about the planet where he lived.