Sabrina, age 11 from Barnstaple library sent me a winning review of The Prison Runner by Deborah Ellis

Brief Synopsis: Diego lives with his Mum and little sister Catrina in a prison cell. He works as a taxi doing errands to earn money to pay rent for the cell, and to buy food. Then one day his friend Manda tells him a way of earning lots of money, Diego isn't sure as he doesn't want to leave his family. But when the men come for Manda, Diego goes with them because he needs the money. They are given drugs to make the work easier and they have to stamp on coca leaves to make coca paste for cocaine. They try to run away, but Manda falls over a bridge and dies, and Diego is caught. He is sent away with some other men. He runs away again and someone runs after him, but falls in quicksand. Diego finds some coca leaves and eats them, but a girl stops him and she takes him to her home, where he is given food, and put to bed.

I give this book a score of 8 out of 10 because... It's a brilliant book, really imaginative and original. You can vividly imagine what's happening because everything is described so well. The only bad thing is that the ending is rather abrupt. He is caught by a girl, taken to her home, and that's it. I think that a bit more should happen and it's a cliffhanger ending, but I doubt that there is going to be a sequel to this book.

I would recommend this book for children aged 12+.

James, age 5 from Ivybridge Library sent in a review of Roald Dahl's Charlie and Chocolate Factory.

This book was really good. My favourite bit was when Charlie found the golden ticket because I thought he was going to get lots and lots of sweeties! Another of my favourite bits was when the other children disappeared because it was very very funny and I didn't think they were going to disappear! The Oompa Loompas songs and rhymes were very funny too. Other children should read this book because it is a bit funny and there are some very silly bits in there! When I finished reading this book I wanted to start reading Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator the next night!

Lost in the Snow is a lovely story, children will love it. There is a kitten called Fluff and she was born in Rosebridge Farm. All of her brothers and sisters get new homes, but unfortunately no one wants to give Fluff a home. Until Ella turns up with her Mum to buy some holly wreaths as it's coming up to Christmas. She fell in love with Fluff straight away she pleaded her mother to let her have Fluff but she is too firm and doesn't want a cat. Ella is heart broken and Fluff is scared. What do they do to kittens nobody wants? Fluff runs away from the Farm looking for Ella. She has to go through freezing nights and looking for food in bins. In the end Fluff falls through a car window luckily the car belongs to Ella's Dad, and Fluff and Ella get reunited.