Three titles for readers of different ages book review

For younger readers

Blanksy the Street Cat – Gavin Puckett – Paperback: £7.99

When Blanksy the cat discovers a talent for painting murals he uses it to draw bigger and bigger crowds to help his friend, Pete the busker, become rich. But will money really make Pete happy?

An entertaining story with fabulous illustrations by award-winning illustrator, Allen Fatimaharan. Perfect for early readers with black and white illustrations on every page and a dyslexia-friendly font and layout specially designed for children starting on their reading journey.

Teenage wellbeing

Game Over: One Teen’s Guide to Kicking Video Game Addiction – Tomer Shaked

17-year-old high school student, Tomer Shaked, struggled with video game addiction from an early age after receiving his first Xbox. He spent years living in a virtual world, choosing video games over almost everything else in life.

It’s common for children to think grownups are overreacting to the surge in video game consumption, which makes Shaked’s perspective of self-awareness that much more compelling, and worth sharing with other young gamers.

In the book, Shaked outlines his relationship with gaming, which began innocently enough as a hobby before it escalated into an unhealthy obsession – an account that will likely sound familiar to many parents and teenagers.

Shaked also shares practical advice to help others who want to break free from gaming’s grip. He says his goal in writing this book was to “inspire and influence kids and teens to put down the game controller, cut the cord and live life to the fullest.”

Game Over: One Teen’s Guide to Kicking Video Game Addiction is an important read that will help teenagers and their parents recognise what video game addiction looks like.

Shaked aims to inspire his generation to step outside of the game and thrive in the real world.

Available for purchase on Amazon.

Learning resources for older readers

The Anglo-French Exchange – Dr Allswell Eno

If you want complete command of the French language, and you’re tired of being stuck at the intermediate level, then The Anglo-French Exchange is here to help you. It’s a reference book like no other for a complete understanding of – and full confidence in – the use of the French language at the highest level for Englishspeakers and vice versa for French-speakers.

The book is a comprehensive toolbox that provides everything you need to be as fluent in expressing yourself in various ways in speech and writing in French as you are in English (or perhaps more!) in any situation. It’s a must have for Francophiles!

The Anglo-French Exchange tackles both languages at the most advanced level, disentangling and explaining the intricacies of sentence structure, context, culture and the quirks of language, in particular those encountered in French, with detailed explanatory notes and footnotes. Language is explored through a range of themes, packed with true-to-life examples from all areas of life.

Readers will find all tenses and moods covered, including the subjunctive in both languages. Le ne explétif, locutions figées, and other areas where non-native speakers of French often struggle, are all dealt with in this book. It’s an easy-to-use textbook. Readers can delve into any section of the book to address specific queries on vocabulary, grammar or self-expression.

Get equipped with all you need for true mastery of French! Dr Eno’s book is a unique and invaluable resource for A-level students, university students and professionals alike.

Available on Amazon.