Brilliant Books of 2008

Theresa Breslin

Here Lies Arthur by Phillip Reeve A startling, at times shocking, but utterly believable new take on the legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Sir Kay, and all those other well known dramatis personae of the Round Table. The language shivers and sparkles as the writer explores the power of story over men's minds.

Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray
The author made his fans wait for this book but it was worth it for this wise-cracking, fast-paced, on-the-road (and rail and bus), coming-of-age, right-of-passage story - perceptive and plenty smart.

Cathy Cassidy

Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks
Dark, dramatic and frightening... a nailbiting thriller for older teens.

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine
Quirky and different, with real warmth, emotion and soul... I loved it.

Lari Don

Bag of Bones by Vivian French
Because the baddies are grotesque, the goodies are several steps behind all the way, the pictures are fantastic, and we got oddly attached to the rats.  Also because my children are still walking round the house quoting Loobly Higgins (if no use, can Loobly keep he?)
 
Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
The best retelling of the Arthur story ever, with a violent unlikeable Arthur and a very cunning Merlin and no magic at all.  Unless weaving stories is magic.  Perhaps it is...

Keith Gray

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Heart-breaking, funny, profound, funny, life-affirming.  And very hilarious too.

The Love Curse of the Rumbaughs by Jack Gantos
The most brilliantly twisted story of love and taxidermy you'll ever read.

Nicola Morgan

The Ostrich Boys by Keith Gray
Because it's simply told, yet powerful and moving; I think it's the best of Keith Gray's books.

The Reckoning by Jamie Jauncey
Because it has action and emotion in equal measure, with a well-controlled literary style.