Top 30 Reads: Balfron Pupils

This is a list of the top 30 titles which have been most-borrowed by our S1-3 pupils, between February 2007 and January 2008. Many of them are written by authors whom our pupils have been able to hear and meet during events arranged by the librarians, such as author visits (Keith Gray, Catherine MacPhail, Philip Pullman), attending the Edinburgh Book Festival (Geraldine McCaughrean, Bernard Ashley), or whose writings they've been able to encounter and review through the Carnegie Award Shadowing Scheme or the Royal Mail Book Award Scheme (Catherine MacPhail, Anne Cassidy, Meg Rosoff, Cathy Cassidy), which is run by library staff during the spring and summer term for all pupils

How many have you read?

New feature: rest your mouse on the book cover image to see a brief summary.

  Boys   Girls
Rank Author Title Cover   Author Title Cover
1 K Gray Creepers Written when the author was only 21 years old. A group of friends creep through back gardens, and create big, better and more dangerous challenges for themselves. This book has been a top favourite at Balfron High School for a few years.   C MacPhail Roxy's Baby Roxy is wild, fearless and wilful. After running away to London, she places her trust in the wrong people. When she finds herself in danger, she learns how brave and strong is. Based on a shocking and true story.
2 L Sachar Holes An award-winning novel about a desert camp for bad boys whose only job is to dig holes. When Stanley Yelnat is convicted of a crime which he didn’t commit, he’s sent to the camp. Serious and funny.   C Cassidy Scarlett A story of second chances. Scarlett's red with rage. Her mother is sending her to summer in Ireland with her father. New friend Kian helps her to grow up.
3 K Gray Warehouse A group of young people with problems form a community in an abandoned warehouse at the dockyard.   L  Rennison Angus, Thongs & Full-Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Georgia Nicholson is fourteen and lives with her parents, a three-year old sister, her wild cat Angus. She’s forced to wear a beret to school. She would, however, rather be blond, have a smaller nose, slimmer eyebrows, and a boyfriend.
4 R Rigby Goal! Official Novelisation The story of a young boy who wins a try-out with one of England’s premier clubs. Can he cope with all the pressures?     J Wilson Best friends Gemma and Alice have always been best friends. They’re inseparable, until Alice moves to Scotland. Can some one help?
5 F C Boyce Millions When a bag stuffed full of money drops out of the sky, two boys find themselves rich, but something is still missing.     S Limb Girl 15, Charming But Insane The story of Jess. Life can be trying when your best friend is a goddess, you’re a woeful underachiever, and Ben Jones won't even look in your direction.
6 E Updale Montmorency A thriller set in Victorian times. Is Montmorency a villain or a hero? You decide. This is the first is a series of four novels about Montmorency.   K McCombie Friends,
Freak-outs and Very Secret Secrets		 Another instalment in the Ally’s World series. Ally's seems to have developed a Siamese twin - Sandie. Sandie copies everything Ally does and never leaves her side. As if that wasn't enough, Ally now has a Nightmare School Project to worry about.
7 K Gray Malarkey  John Malarkey is the new boy in school. Without intending to, he gets into trouble and attracts the attention of all the wrong people. Can he prove his innocence before it’s too late?     L Rennison “…and that’s when it fell off in my hand”: Further Confessions of Georgia Nicolson Follow Georgia's hilarious antics as she desperately muddles her way through teenage life: make-up disasters, school, friends, family life, pets and boys.
8 T Deary The Frightful First World War  Part of the Horrible History series. Interesting facts, rhymes and dire details.   M Hooper Megan 2 The compelling sequel to Megan, who, at age 15, has discovered in her PSE class that she is pregnant. The first book in this series ended with Megan giving birth. This sequel describes how she copes in her first six months as a young mother - as her life is completely turned around.
9 A Horowitz Evil star  Part of the Raven’s Gate series. Fourteen-year old Matt Freeman thinks his days of battling evil are over, but then he realises there’s another gate.   J Wilson Vicky Angel The story of how Jade copes with the accidental death of her best friend Vicky, and how she learns to finally get on with her life.
10 N Arnold Killer Energy  Part of the Horrible Science series. This book contains fun & weird facts about heat and cold, nuclear power, recycling and how the human body powers itself.   C MacPhail Worse Than Boys The story of two girl gangs, and what happens when you’re no longer part of the gang. Hannah finally learns what if feels like to be targeted by an enemy.
11 E Colfer Artemis Fowl Book 1 in the Artemis Fowl series. Artemis Fowl is an ingenious criminal mastermind, who, with his sidekicks, Butler and Juliet, hatches a cunning plot to divest the fairyfolk of their pot of gold.    J Wilson Girls Under Pressure Another story about best friends Ellie, Nadine and Magda, and their lives.
12 D Shan Cirque du Freakt Book 1 in the Sage of Darren Shan series. The first gruesome and horrible tale of Darren Shan, an ordinary boy who visits a freak show and gets caught up in some freaky adventures.    C MacPhail Another Me A spooky thriller…..does Fay have an identical twin or is she just imagining things?
13 R Muchamore Maximum Security  Book 3 in the Cherub series. Cherub is a secret organisation that uses children as spies. James Adams an his sister infiltrate a prison in the Arizona desert.   C Hopkins Mates, Dates and Sole Survivors The further adventures of Lucy and friends.
14 C Paolini Eragon (film tie-in) Part of the Inheritance Trilogy. A young boy, Eragon, finds a stone and enters a fantasy world of adventure and danger. With his dragon, they face many challenges.     L Harrison Revenge of the Wannabes: A Clique Novel The adventures of girls at Octavian Day School.
15 R Muchamore The Mission     A Cassidy Looking for JJ A story of death and retribution. Six years later, JJ has now been released, and has a new identity. But is there any way that she can lead a "normal" life?
16 A McNab Boy Soldier  Danny Watts is the centre of this fast-moving action-packed adventure, which includes SAS procedures and surveillance techniques.   S Westerfeld

Pretties

 Tally has everything she wants, but something doesn’t feel right. Then she needs to fight for what she learns is truly important.
17 P Pullman  The Subtle Knife Book 2 in the His Dark Materials series. Lyra goes to an eerie city where she meets a mysterious boy whose fate is linked with hers. Together they must find a powerful and secret object which many people are seeking.     L Tuttle Love On-line

When Rose moves away, the Internet allows her to keep in touch with friends, but she then learns that not every one on the Internet is a friend.  
18 A Horowitz Stormbreaker  The first book in the Alex Rider series. Fourteen-year-old Alex is forced to join MI6, and take part in gruelling SAS training exercises.   J Wilson Bad Girls The story of Josie Lawrence, and how she deals with being bullied.
19 C Ryan Desert Pursuit The third book in the Alpha Force series, written by ex-SAS officer Chris Ryan. Action-packed adventure.    C Hopkins Mates, Dates and Chocolate Cheats Lizzie copes with weight and self-image issues.
20 C MacPhail Wheels  James has been paralyzed in a car accident, and now uses a wheelchair. This doesn’t stop him from doing some detective work, and forming new friendships.   N Streatfield Dancing Shoes Rachel and Hilary become orphans, are sent to live with their aunt, and enrolled in a ballet school. Rachel is happy there, but Hilary has other ideas!
21 A Horowitz Ark Angel  Book 6 in the Alex Rider series. Alex is recuperating in a London hospital. He becomes friends with Paul, who is the son of a very wealthy man.   M Hooper Zara Zara and Ella are friends. Together they ups and downs of school life, until Goths and psychic powers change their friendship.
22 J Clarkson  The World According to Clarkson  Cricket, Playstations, Eton and more, Jeremy Clarkson shares his Opinions on everything.   M Rosoff Just In Case The dream-like, surreal story of David Case (who changes his name to Justin Case!).
23 A Horowitz Scorpio

Number 5 in the Alex Rider series. Alex is now in Venice, searching for answers to long-buried secrets.

  M Hooper Megan 1 Megan, at age 15, discovers that she is 5 months pregnant in her 'Personal Development' class. How she copes, the decisions that she has to make, how her family and friends react are all told in a powerful tale of growing up and becoming responsible.
24 R Muchamore The Killing  Cherub is a secret organisation that uses children as spies. Leon is a crook and the police want to know what he’s up to.   M Hooper Megan 3 Megan’s son Jack is now 1, and it looks at though her home life with her mother will change once again.
25 C Higson Silverfin

Volume 5 in the Cherub series. The Cherub team of young spies discover a link between an eco-terrorist group and a wealthy religious cult.

  K McCombie Dates, Double Dates and Big, Big Trouble Another Ally’s World book. Ally learns more about school life, friends and boys.
26 R Muchamore Divine madness

Volume 5 in the Cherub series. The Cherub team of young spies discover a link between an eco-terrorist group and a wealthy religious cult.

  J Wilson Midnight A story of friendship, adoration and sibling worship.
27 R Rigby Goal: Living the Dream  2nd in the Goal series. The adventures of Real Madrid playing in the Champions League.   M Haddon The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time Christopher is intelligent and autistic. The story of his pursuit of the truth, using his unique and valuable skills.
28 B Ashley Little Soldier The story of Kaninda, a former child solder from East Africa, who is Relocated to an inner-city London housing estate.   C Hopkins Mates, Dates & Sleepover Secrets When her best friend Hannah moves away, TK feels lonely and friendless, unless Lucy comes onto the scene.
29 B Powell Skateboarding Part of the Extreme Sports series. Guidance & tips on skateboarding safety, skills and stunts.   D Caletti Wild Roses Being in a step-family is hard, especially if your step-dad is a creative genius.
30 W Nicolson The Wind Singer Part of the Wind on Fire trilogy. This is fantasy adventure story set in the city of Aramanth where everything is based upon exams and family ratings.   J Spinelli Star Girl Stargirl is a unique heroine; a story of nonconformity and kindness.
 

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