Maggie's Top 15 Reads of 2018

I'm delighted to hand over the blog to my eleven-year-old daughter, Maggie today as she shares her favourite reads of 2018 with you. Some of her choices have been published this year and some are old favourites. We read a few together and a couple also featured on my own Top Reads of 2018 post but most are books she read herself. And now I'll hand you over to Maggie...

The Mirror of Pharos by J.S. Landor

The Mirror of Pharos was one of my absolute favourite books of 2018. I loved it because the writing painted pictures into my mind and I could imagine just what happened almost as if I was there. Alpha was my favourite because he was a beautiful, wild wolf who roamed free.

Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

Hercule Poirot's Christmas was an early read of 2018. I absolutely loved this book and it was my first Agatha Christie book - and it won't be my last!

Moon Bear by Gill Lewis

Moon Bear was an amazing book. It is an emotional story about Sôok-dìi, a bear cub and it expresses the pain of bears that are milked for bile, locked up and treated badly. Tam is horrified by how they are treated and is determined to help them. I loved this book which is a darker story than most children's books.

        Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Wolf Brother is a brilliant start to a series. It contains lots of conflict and action and is an exciting read. It is about a boy called Torak trying to save the world alongside his wolf. I enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the rest of the series.

The Cry of The Wolf by Melvin Burgess

The Cry of the Wolf is a dark, exciting book. It is about a man who aims to kill every wolf in the world. It is sad, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The conflict between Greycub and The Hunter is tense and exciting.

Summer's Dream

Summer dreams of being a dancer, and when she gets the chance to audition for one of the best dance schools in the world, she has no time for fun. I loved this book because it shows that you must put yourself first, and always have time to go out with friends and to party. It has a very deep message that is only revealed later in the book.

The Land of Neverendings by Kate Saunders

The Land of Neverendings is one of my all time favourite books that I've ever read. It shows feelings of grief and desperation. Emily's sister, Holly, died at a very young age. Emily desperately misses Holly but also grieves for her sister's toy, Bluey which was cremated at the same time as her. It is a magical book with a deep message about accepting loss.

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

My mum recommended this book to me because it had been one of her favourites when she was younger. I really enjoyed it too and really liked how it shows a gritty side of life much different than my own. 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Meltdown by Jeff Kinney

The Meltdown came out in late 2018. I read it shortly after it came out, and I fell in love with it. It was such a funny book. I think it might be the best one yet. I reread it multiple times because it was so good.

The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig

The Truth Pixie was one of my favourite characters in previous books, so I was delighted when The Truth Pixie came out. I got the book for my birthday and read it with my mum that very night. It is about feelings and loneliness. I really like the message about how it's okay to be sad because things will get better.

War Horse by Michael Morpurgo

War Horse is about a horse called Joey. I read this book at school with my classmates. It is very descriptive and brought the horrors of war home to me. 

Running Wild by Michael Morpurgo

Running Wild is about a boy, Michael who was riding an elephant, Oona, during a tsunami. Michael and Oona get lost in the jungle with no way to escape. It is an exciting and emotional read.

Time School by Nikki Young 

Time School is a really enjoyable story which helped me understand how hard it was for the people left at home during the First World War. I really liked the humour in the book too which comes from how confusing it can be when words have different meanings at different times in history.

A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

A Skinful of Shadows is a fantastic book and is definitely one of my favourite books of all time! It is a clever, intriguing ghost story. It is packed with tension but also has some very humorous moments. 

The 1000 Year Old Boy by Ross Welford

The 1,000 Year Old Boy is about Alfie, who took a life-pearl when he was eleven which means he can never age. He is now actually over 1,000 years old but doesn't want to live forever. This is a very moving story about love and friendship. It's another book I read many times this year.

These are my top 15 books and are in no particular order, I loved them all! I hope you've enjoyed reading my post and it's given you some suggestions for your next read. Happy New Year!