Uchay Writes

I was the biggest bookworm as a child/teen. When my parents gifted me a Kindle when I was 12 (the same Kindle which I still have now at 24), I would use any spending money I had buying books for my Kindle. Even now, I still love rereading all those books from my childhood. There are sooo many favourites but here are just a few I recommend reading for you or a child you know:

1. My Sister Jodie by Jacqueline Wilson

Genres: Contemporary, school

Jacqueline Wilson was my number 1 favourite author as child (still in my top 3 now). Reading her stories now is so different because I realised how tragic and shocking the story is, as most of the character in her books have broken homes or experience some sort of crisis.

In My Sister Jodie, the narrator is Pearl, aged 11, who is quiet and shy but adores her 14-year-old sister Jodie who is rebellious and mischievous. Their parents find a new opportunity in a boarding school which requires the family to move and the girls enrol there. They explore the new environment meet new people but Jodie’s rebellious nature is not suited to this new world. This is the first sad book I read as a child.

2. Book Series: The Power of Five by Anthony Horowitz

Genres: Fantasy, thriller, suspense

This book series is about 5 teenagers, 4 boys and a girl, who are situated in various places in the world, discover they possess certain gifts/powers. In each book you are introduced to a new character(s). Book 1 – Raven’s Gate– starts with Matt Freeman, aged 14, a boy in England who discovers an evil power, the Old Ones who he comes to realise want his power. They must be defeated or all will be destroyed.

My Year 6 teacher introduced these books to me. I never had a chance to finish the series until I recently purchased the whole set. Currently, I am on the last book in the series Oblivion. These books are packed with adventure and amazing storytelling. The name of the 5 books are listed below:

Book 1: Raven’s Gate

Book 2: Evil Star

Book 3: Nightrise

Book 4: Necropolis

Book 5: Oblivion

3. The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

Genres: Mystery, fantasy, adventure, detective

This book is actually also part of a series. It is the first of five books which I am currently reading (I am currently in book 3 and thoroughly enjoying it). This book with an unnamed author who is just as secretive with his characters. It’s such a fun read with puzzles to solve and humorous inserts from the narrator throughout the book. It follows the characters Cassandra and Max-Ernest who come to know an evil organisation the Midnight Sun who are seeking immortality.

4. I Know What You Did Last Wednesday by Anthony Horowitz

Genres: Murder mystery, detective

This is the first murder mystery book I read. It’s the shortest book in this list of recommendations. Tim is invited to a school reunion on an island and is accompanied by his younger brother Nick. Nick doesn’t feel good about this reunion and is proved right as a series of murders take place.

I remember the first time I read the way each character is murdered and the reason why they were murdered in a certain way blew my mind and thought it was so clever. There is a film from 1945 called And Then There Were None on YouTube which is similar but is an adaptation from Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel of the same name.

5. The BFG by Roald Dahl

Genre: Fantasy

Roald Dahl was one of my top favourites from childhood, I even owned a complete collection of his books which I loved (though in university I learnt problematic things about his books – in particular the origin of the oompa loompas in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which I will definitely discuss in a separate post).

Each World Book Day in primary school I’d put on my PJ’s and claim I was Sophie from The BFG – such a cop out. A story about a a friendly giant who created dreams but lives among murderous, child-eating giants. Sophie, the protagonist, befriends the friendly giant and together go an adventure, creating dreams and finding a way to stop the giants from their evil doings.

So there you have it. There are still so many that I will need to mention for next time but these books really shaped my childhood. Immersing myself into the world of literature as a child is what developed my love for creative writing and appreciation for film and art.