William SHAKESPEARE,(1600), A Midsummers Night’s Dream, Wordsworth Classics

By Clara Galindo Moreno, 2º ESO B

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is about a young woman called Hermia. She is in love with Lysander but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Another young woman, Helena, is still in love with Demetrius, although he left her to marry Hermia.  Duke Theseus, following the law of Athens, gives her four days to obey her father and marry Demetrius or else she will die. Hermia and Lysander plan to run away to get married. She tells her plan to Helena, who tells Demetrius. Oberon, the king of fairies has a potion which will make people fall in love with the first person they see when they wake up and…

                  In my opinion this book is very entertaining and enjoyable for people who like William Shakespeare. Until now, the only book I had read by William Shakespeare was “Romeo and Juliet”, but I prefer “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” because it is less cheesy and it’s less of a tragedy and more of a comedy. I totally would recommend this book but not to people of my age unless it’s an adapted version because it’s very difficult to read because of the vocabulary.                          

Thomas BREZINA (1999) Tiger Team: Curse of the Pharaohs

By David Ramos, 2ºESO EFL

I like this book because it´s interesting and at the end of each chapter it makes you a question. It also brings tools to decrypt the answer.

Tiger Team is a collection of several books, each of different subjects but with the same characters.

          I recommend this book because it makes you participate and has clues that help you solve the problem. The characters are interesting. It is a mysterious book.

Thomas HARRIS (1981), RED DRAGON, G P Putnams Dell Publishing

By Ann Mundzic, 2º ESO B

A serial killer, known as The Tooth Fairy, has a habit of stalking and murdering families at random. He has murdered two families until an FBI agent, Jack Crawford, finally comes to sort out the situation. Crawford needs help to capture The Tooth Fairy, so he gets in touch with his protégé Will Graham, who caught the serial killer Hannibal Lecter three years earlier (which makes him a very good protégé). Will agrees to assist Jack. After looking at the crime scenes over and over again, Jack and Will realise that they are missing something. In order to find The Tooth Fairy Will and Jack have to visit Hannibal and get help from him (as Hannibal is a brilliant psychiatrist). The serial killer - calls himself the "Great Red Dragon" as he is obsessed with a painting called "The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun". Dolarhyde (the real name of The Tooth Fairy) usually gets flashbacks of his past, shows of what happened to him as a child and... 

This is a book for people who like crime, horror and thrillers.

Nathaniel HAWTHORNE (1850), The Scarlet Letter, Dover Thrift Editions

By Lorena Davies Mosquera, 2º ESO B

This story is set in the 17^th century in Boston. It tells of a married woman named Hester Prynne who has given birth to an illegitimate daughter. Hester is then forced to wear the letter A on her dress, the A standing for ‘adulteress’, and then lives in solitude with her daughter, Pearl. Only the involvement of Arthur Dimmesdale keeps Hester and Pearl together. Meanwhile, feeling betrayed by his own wife, Roger Chillingworth sets out seeking revenge on Hester’s unknown lover.

I recommend this book because it has deep symbolism and is a very interesting read. While it can be complicated at certain stages of the book; it is a classic that will not fail to capture your heart, with intriguing characters, a stimulating plot and a vivid 

The Fall of the Last Roman Fort, the beginning of the end

By Andrew Hutchison, 2º ESO B

Lucius Quintus Maximus took off his sandals and threw out the stones which had collected in the bottom. Satisfied they were all gone he put the sandals back on his feet. He looked up. The sun was deep on the horizon and light was fading fast. He could see the wall in the distance and knew it would be completely dark by the time he got back, if he got back that is. He was a centurion of the 9th legion 4th cohort. He was sent on a mission in Britania to recover the lost eagle of the ninth. After recovering the sacred standard he journeyed to the closest Roman fort. He arrived at midnight and was tended to but did not sleep. The following morning he was shown to his cohort. He then demanded to see the commander of the fort. As he was travelling to the fort he hadfelt that he was being watched most of the way. He had then seen a man hiding in the forest next to the path. Lucius had been certain that the British were trailing him. He explained all of this to the commander, who rustled through his beard thoughtfully. After Lucius finished, the commander demanded that the fort be ready for battle. During the next few days swords were sharpened and armour cleaned. A ring of defensive stakes was made around the fort. Then they waited. A week passed and nothing happened. And much to Lucius’s distress, the commander gave the order to stand down. 

                                            That night, the British came...

Lucius was woken to the sound of screaming and of sword grinding on sword. Quickly he grabbed his own sword and ran outside. They had broken through the defenses and he could see that there was only a dozen or so Romans left defending the walls. The commander had fallen to the well-placed shot of an archer in the early stages of the battle. Now less than a dozen men were left. They fought to the bitter end and as the last one slumped forward, the British came in in overwhelming numbers. Knowing when to fight and when to run Lucius sprinted to the stables and saddled a horse. He then fought his way past some crazed British warriors and cantered out of the back gate until the fort was a speck in the horizon. The last foothold of Rome was broken and Lucius made his way to a port. He would go back to Rome but it would not be long until the Barbarians invaded it, too. This was the beginning of the end: the fall of Rome.

Alex FLINN (2007) Beastly, Harper Collins/

or free: http://www.onread.com/book/Beastly-1414237/

By Annvalery Escobar, 2º ESO B

Beastly is a re-make of Beauty and the Beast. The book is about a rude, good looking, rich teenager named Kyle Kingsbury, who would look down on people that were ugly and poor. In his high school there is a girl called Lindy who likes him (but he doesn’t even know she exists) and a mysterious Gothic girl named Kendra (who appears to be a witch) who one day cast a spell on him and he lost his second chance to become a better person. That night she turned him into what he really is underneath that good looking face: a beast. 

Kyle has two years to find someone that will love him for who he is, and, most important, to get her to tell him that she loves him. Eight months go by and he still hasn’t found a girl to love him. One night a thief breaks into Kyle’s house and...

This book is very interesting. It shows you how Kyle’s attitude changes slowly towards the end. It also tells a love story between a greedy boy who thinks he is the best and a girl called Lindy, who is poor but with a kind heart.

I would recommend it for people above ten years of age as it has some passages which may not be appropriate for under ten. There was nothing I did not like of the book.

In the unlikely case of being stranded on a deserted island...!

By Amira McQueen, 1º ESO B

If I were stranded on a deserted island for a month, and could only bring two things with me, they would have to be my parents. And technically no, this is not really cheating, but I suppose if this is insufficient, then I could understand.

I would take my father mostly because he is an ex-infantry soldier, therefore he could come very useful during the month. He could easily hunt animals and make weapons out of almost anything. Also, he would be able to provide fires and warmth. (I’m not calling him fat; I am merely saying he could skin animals.) He is basically like a Swiss Army Knife, but in person.

I would take my mother, not only because she can cook with almost anything, but because she is not flimsy either. She would probably stop us from going insane, which is one good thing. She is almost always positive, helping raise spirits. She is a counsellor, so she could basically even us out. Also, she cleans. I am not portraying women as slaves in the kitchen, cleaning after their husbands and children, but my mum really is OCD about things like that. Little imperfections bringing everything down. Initially, the more order and discipline somewhere. the easier it is to cope.

Those are the things/people I would bring. So, I would rather have a month laughing with my family even though we are missing some things, than spend a month crying to nothing about having nothing!

Stranded on an Island

By Marko Milanovic, 1ºESO B

If I were stranded on an island, the two main things that I would take with me are the following: a strong, good quality axe and a durable fishing rod.

On the first day in the island, I would take out my fishing rod and go fishing for a few hours until I got enough fish to feed myself for a couple of days. Then I would cut some wood into logs and make a shelter. I would make a rain collector out of wood for drinking water, and then attempt to find a stream.

On the island, I would always keep my axe with me in case I had to fight off some animals. Then with my axe and wood, I would make a spear to hunt. Successively, I would rest for a while and begin my search for animals and vegetables to eat. Later I would skin the animals and make the fur into winter clothes.

In the afternoons, I would rub two sticks together to make a fire. With the fire, I would cook the meat and the fish. The embers of the fire would keep me warm for the night. In winter, I would reinforce my shelter by adding a few more logs, a bigger fire and covering the walls with some layers of animal skins.

The two objects that I have chosen would help me to survive if stranded for a considerable amount of time. They would provide me with the tools to fulfil my basic human needs.

How to Survive on a Tropical Island

By Alex Constantin 1º ESO B

If I had to choose two objects to bring with me, the first one would be a machete. With it I would be able to cut through obstacles with no difficulty. You can chop and cut fruits you can find, like coconuts, and hunt animals. It can also be used for defending yourself if anything attacks you. Also, you can carve wood or stone you find to create more tools.

The second item I would take is a small mirror. With it, I would be able to make a fire faster with the reflection of the sun. That would provide me with heat at night, which is important in order to survive. Another useful feature of this object is that you can do the Morse code to contact boats in sight and inform them of your status.

Those are the two things I would take with me. The machete is a basic item that you would need to survive on a tropical island because you can cut through branches and other obstacles and you can hunt animals. In addition, the mirror can be a useful item at times, like when you are going to make a fire thanks to the reflection of the Sun.

Catherine Ryan Heart (2010), Second Hand Heart, Black Swan

Manny Lago, 2º ESO B

Second Hand Heart is an intriguing book which captivates your attention right from the start as it deals with a very sensitive topic. The storyline revolves around a nineteen year old girl called Vida who is very sick and has spent most of her life preparing for death. The sad situation is that for Vida to live, someone has to die.

In a parallel incident Richard loses his wife in a car accident. Vida inherits his wife’s heart. As part of the process of dealing with his wife’s loss Richard feels compelled to meet the girl who inherited his wife’s heart. In hospital, Vida sees Richard and immediately falls in love with him. The book explores how their feelings towards each other change over a period of time.

The book is written in the form of two diaries – that of Vida and of Richard.  It follows their lives from the day of the transplant and onwards for several months.  It deals with elements of life and death very sensitively. I would thoroughly recommend this book because I have enjoyed it immensely.

Michael BUCKLEY (2010), N.E.R.D.S, M is for Mamma’s Boy, Amulet Books

By Isaac Chicaiza, 2º E.S.O. A

The second book of the N.E.R.D.S series starts with Duncan Dewey, a chubby Afro-american boy who works for the national espionage, rescue and defence society. He has the ability to climb and stick on to any surface, hence his nickname “Gluestick”. In this adventure Simon is back and he has the help of a wannabe superhero named Albert.

The main character is Duncan, my favourite because he is smart and talented; the best agent in the team. He has a promising feature, but he has a weakness: he relies on technology too much. He has a super computer which does everything for him; it even helps him to get dressed! So, when his powers (which are created with nano bytes) he feels useless. However, throughout many situations, he learns that the best thing to do is to man up and stop relying on technology so much. I think this also shows that the writer is trying to connect with the real world, as most teenagers nowadays use mobile phones, mp3s, computers... too much.

This book helps you understand what a misfit feels in his relation with his classmates and even his family. It shows just how hard it is to fit in, just because of the fact that you are smarter than the rest of the average people.

If you want to see the writer, Michael Buckley, talking about this book in May 2010, go to TOP SECRET VIDEO - NERDS Book Two: M Is for Mama's Boy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh5H63p2x9o

For a general presentation of the series by Jay Johnson, see http://vimeo.com/9069265.

Joseph CONRAD, Heart of Darkness, Penguin Readers, B2, 2300 Headwords

By Daniel González Fernández, 1º Bachillerato EFL

Marlow is a seaman who tells a story about his adventures in Africa years ago. He went from London to the Congo River to arrive at an ivory station, and find a man, Kurtz. Kurtz was a crazy and racist person who died while he was on the ship fleeing from Africa.

I liked the part of the story where Marlow arrives at the Belgian company. There, the importance of Belgium during that period is explained. I like this book a lot because I'm interested in history. I didn't know anything about Joseph Conrad but I would want to read more of his books.

The story is a little bit hard because racism, madness and violence appear constantly. That is the reason why I would recommend this book to people older than me. For young people it is difficult to understand the historic context, the causes, etc.

John GRISHAM, The Client, Penguin Reader, B1, 1700 Headwords

By Odile Liquete, 1 Bachillerato B, EFL

The book is about  a Mafia lawyer, Jerome Clifford, who before killing himself - reveals to young Mark Sway where the body of the US Senator who was assassinated by the Mafia weeks before, is hidden.  Because of this revelation, Mark Sway will be in serious danger and he will need to find help before the Mafia finds him.

The passage I liked the best, and which the whole book is based on, is  when, before killing himself Jerome Clifford- talks to Mark and - tells him about the turbulent and mysterious activities of the Mafia. ‘’My name is Jerome Clifford, and I will be dead in five minutes.  Barry the Blade is a member of the Mafia in New Orleans and he killed a US Senator…’’

I recommend the book because it’s easy and fast to read. It is an entertaining book full of mystery.

Marc CERASINI (2008), Cinderella Man, Penguin Readers, B1 1700 Headwords

By Guillermo Momparler, 1º Bachillerato A, EFL

This is a tragic novel with shades of a love story. It tells the story of Jim Braddock , a successful New York boxer who lived at the time of the American crash. The story goes throughout his life and how he took his family out of poverty.

This is a contemporary book that talks about the boxing world and all the surroundings of the fame and luxury that turns poor and sad. It mixes historical events and lives of famous people.

I think the part I liked the best or I enjoyed the most is when Braddock told his wife, Mae, that he won the fight, and their little daughter, Rosy, started to punch her dad, smiling, because I think it's a very emotional moment when you're a dad and your little kids smile with happiness at you, saying that they love you with their eyes.

I would recommend this novel to students of English who are preparing their FCE exams because this kind of novel gives you a wide range of specific vocabulary about the boxing world.

Oscar WILDE, The Importance of Being Ernest, http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Importance-of-Being-Earnest.html

By Luis Cabrero García, 1º Bachillerato A, EFL

The book talks about Algernon, a man who lives in London. He has a friend called Jack. Jack moves between London and his country house. Jack invented a brother called Ernest, the name which he calls himself when he is in London. He falls in love with Gwendolen, Algernon’s cousin. She thinks his name is Ernest as well. He met another girl called Cecily. The plot of the book focuses around the two girls trying to marry Ernest. He was abandoned as a child and given the name Jack but he thinks his real name is Ernest.

The main character is Jack Worthing, who is a rich bachelor also known as Ernest Worthing. He’s the protagonist because the plot revolves around his attempt to marry Gwendolen. His aunt, Lady Augusta Bracknell, is the antagonist because she opposes the intentions of the protagonist. Her refusal to allow Gwendolen to marry Jack is where most of the plot comes from.

I think anyone could read this book. It’s very funny and easy to read because it is a play and the dialogues are easy to understand as well. There is also a film.