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Masterton Intermediate

16,683 pages read and 4,950 team points

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    RLM

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    Ruth

    6,235 pts
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    Russ

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Ruth

6,235 pts
(3,485 pages read)

  • Arrowtown - The Time Detectives Club

    By Peter D. Tutty
    3 stars

  • Shuriken

    By Vincent O'Sullivan
    4 stars

  • Orbital

    By Samantha Harvey
    5 stars

    Absolutely beautiful!!!

  • Below

    By David Hill
    4 stars

    Below by David Hill is a gripping, suspenseful story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Liam and Imogen are on opposite sides of a heated debate: Liam supports the new tunnel his dad is helping build, while Imogen fears its environmental impact. But when Liam sneaks her into the tunnel for a tour, disaster strikes—a collapse traps them underground with no one knowing where they are. As hours stretch into days, the two must work together to survive with limited supplies and dwindling hope. Hill masterfully builds tension, making you feel every moment of their fear and desperation. The story’s pacing mirrors their experience, with a slower middle section capturing their isolation, followed by a nail-biting finale. The stunning cover art enhances the book’s appeal, making it an easy recommendation for Year 5-8 readers. Perfect for independent reading or a thrilling classroom read-aloud. Watch out Room 10 - this will be coming your way in Term 1!

  • Peace Is Her Song

    By Anne Manchester
    4 stars

    Peace is Her Song celebrates Shirley Murray, one of the world’s most influential hymn writers. Her hymns, address themes like peace, social justice, inclusivity, and ecology. Shirley’s work reflects her New Zealand identity, blending cultural awareness with advocacy for change. This biography offers a heartfelt look at Shirley’s life, hymns, and collaborations with musicians like Colin Gibson, revealing her warmth, compassion, and visionary spirit. Full of personal anecdotes and vivid reflections, it highlights her lasting legacy and invites readers, and singers like me, to consider how their voices can contribute to a better world. I loved reliving some of the Shirley Murray hymns I sung in my youth while reading this book.

  • Marilyn Waring : The Political Years

    By Marilyn Waring
    4 stars

  • Enemy Camp

    By David Hill
    3 stars

    David Hill’s Enemy Camp is a page-turning young adult novel that relives the story of a young local boy and his connections with the Japanese prisoners held at the Featherston camp. The diary-format story follows a young boy whose life is entwined with the tensions and cultural clashes of the era. Themes of loyalty, prejudice, and understanding create an educational and emotionally engaging story. This story resonated with me as someone with a personal connection to the Wairarapa, where the Featherston camp was located. I will definitely use this novel with my class this year. Enemy Camp is not just a story about war but about humanity, making it a highly recommended read for young adults and anyone interested in New Zealand history.

  • Ash

    By Louise Wallace
    4 stars

    Ash follows Thea, a rural vet and mother of two in small-town New Zealand, as she navigates the relentless demands of parenting, household responsibilities, and a demanding career in a male-dominated field. Despite being on maternity leave, Thea is pressured to fill in for a younger colleague, highlighting societal expectations of women’s sacrifices. Her exhaustion and isolation intensify when a volcanic eruption smothers the community in ash, shutting down businesses and forcing families to adapt amidst shortages and health concerns. The novel’s first half evokes emotional intensity and the eruption adds a striking metaphor for the weight mothers carry—especially during crises. Combining themes of parenting, misogyny, climate disaster, and rural life, Ash delivers a powerful, poetic exploration of survival and sacrifice that resonates deeply. The clever merging of poetic prose and fiction is stimulating.

  • The Life of Dai

    By Dai Henwood
    3 stars

    The book chronicles Henwood's journey with incurable stage-four bowel cancer, announced publicly in 2023. It’s neither solely a comedy memoir nor a “cancer book,” but a blend of both, sharing Henwood’s early life, comedic rise, and the realities of his diagnosis and treatment. Henwood’s humour shines throughout, balancing candid reflections about everything from pillow mist to Uber Eats debates. His story also offers practical insights for those with illness, alongside gentle reminders to take on and action health warning signs—something Henwood admits he ignored for too long. Grounded in his Buddhist-inspired outlook, Henwood reveals a deeper side, capable of comedy and vulnerability. This brave, generous memoir invites readers to appreciate the man behind the humour and leaves them smiling through the tears.

  • By Any Other Name

    By Jodi Picoult
    4 stars

    Jodi Picoult’s By Any Other Name is a light-hearted and enjoyable dive into the world of Shakespeare with a modern twist. Blending drama, romance, and literary charm, the novel follows characters whose lives become intertwined with the Bard’s works. Picoult masterfully weaves Shakespearean references into the story, introducing readers to famous lines and themes in an accessible and enjoyable way. You don’t need to be a Shakespeare buff to appreciate this book—Picoult makes his plays feel relevant and relatable, exploring timeless questions of love, identity, and destiny. While some parts of the story lean into predictable tropes, and sometimes you feel that you are reading the likes of a Mills and Boon book, the clever integration of Shakespeare makes it a tonic read. Perfect for anyone curious about Shakespeare or just looking for an easy, heartwarming story.

  • Ōkiwi Brown

    By Cristina Sanders
    4 stars

    Christina Sanders spins an intriguing story in *Ōkiwi Brown*, imagining what could have happened if the infamous Scottish body-snatcher William Hare ended up in Wellington. The book flashes back to Hare’s gruesome crimes while tying them into the lives of the settlers in Port Nicholson during the 1840s and ’50s. The story revolves around two suspicious deaths—a child in 1846 and a drowned man in 1852—while introducing a cast of whalers, soldiers, and struggling settlers. Ōkiwi Brown himself is a mystery, seen only through the eyes of those around him: a widowed drunk, two lost soldiers, and a Māori woman stuck in tough circumstances. Sanders brings history to life by blending fact and fiction, creating a gritty, believable world that sticks with you long after you’ve finished reading.

  • This Is The F&$%king News

    By Patrick Gower
    5 stars

    A candid, entertaining dive into Aotearoa journalism and politics through the eyes of one of its most recognisable reporters. With sharp insights and raw honesty, Paddy shares behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on the role of media in our lives, and personal struggles, blending humour with vulnerability. Engaging and thought-provoking, it’s a must-read for anyone interested in the news, politics, or authentic storytelling.

  • Grand: Becoming My Mother's Daughter

    By Noelle McCarthy
    4 stars

    Grand: Becoming My Mother’s Daughter by Noelle McCarthy is a memoir about her life, focusing on her relationship with her mother, who had struggles with addiction. It’s very emotional and honest, and I can feel how much she loves her mother, even when things are hard. What stood out to me was how Noelle talks about the Wairarapa, a place in New Zealand where she spent some time. She describes it so beautifully, and it seems like a peaceful and healing place for her. The way she wrote about it connects with my home in Masterton, Wairarapa. I describe my hometown to my friends - "It has no traffic lights." I think that sums it up! This book made me think about family, forgiveness, and how hard it can be to figure out who you are.

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