Dear Junior readers,

The Junior Observer launches “Junior Readers’ Club” to which we invite all you Junior Readers to join up! The Junior Readers’ Club will have activities and competitions to encourage you to read and read and read more, for fun and to learn. Do join in!

One activity will be introducing books for you to read. We will introduce a book from Vijitha Yapa Bookshop and tell you about it in a 'book review'. You are also invited to write in and tell us about a book you have read and liked. Write up to 150 words and email your entries to [email protected] or post them to Lake House, 35, D.R. Wijewardane Mawatha, Colombo 10.

NOTE: Vijitha Yapa Bookshop will give prizes for a write up about a book available in their bookshops. The best book review will receive a book as the first prize, and the second prize will be a gift voucher from Vijitha Yapa Bookshop. Contact 2429721 to collect your gifts.

Castle of secrets

Reviewed by Ryhanna Salie

The Castle of Adventure by Enid Blyton is about a group of children Lucy-Ann, Dinah, Philip and Jack, and their pet parrot Kiki who stumble on an adventure. A castle on a hill frightens many people because of strange lights which are flashed from its towers. The children become curious and venture into the castle. They are caught by a gang of spies who are using the castle as a hiding place. The dangerous spy Scar-Neck is a wanted criminal with a gift for disappearing. His real name is Mannheim.

The novel paints a picture of childhood in England. The images of secret passages, underground dungeons, hidden rooms and mysterious towers heighten the sense of suspense in the novel. The children being captured by spies forms the climax of the plot. Their narrow escape from death through the secret tunnel gives the novel a happy ending. The reader is taken through a series of events which build suspense as to whether the children would finally be able to escape from the spies.

First Prize

Five run away together

My favourite story series is the Famous Five. It is an adventure series and wherever the five go, adventure is never far behind. The main characters are George, Julian, Dick, Anne and Timmy, George's dog. Julian, Dick and Anne are George's cousins. George is a girl but she tries to act like a boy and is awfully good at acting like a boy. Her full name is Georgiana and Timmy is her dog who helps them to deal with the bad people in their adventures.

I have the whole Famous Five collection. My favourite story is Five Run away Together. Famous Five is written by Enid Blyton. She is an excellent author who has written marvellous stories including Secret Seven.

In Five Run away Together, a new cook called Mrs. Stick comes to Kirrin Cottage along with her son Edgar and little dog Tinker whom the five call Stinker. She is a kidnapper and they kidnap a girl called Jenny and hides her in Kirrin Island which belongs to George. But it doesn't take long for the five to solve the mystery.

I love this book because it's so exciting and I couldn't put it down until I finished the story.

Senesa Thinolie Jayadeva,

Grade 6,

Vidura College,

Colombo.

Second Prize

A story of a little boy

David Copperfield is my favourite book. It is a story about a little boy who faced difficult experiences in his life. The author is Charles Dickens. The publisher is Longman Classics. David's father died before he was born. His mother married another man when he was seven years old. His step-father was so unkind to him. They send David to a school. When David's mother died he was sent to a work house which was owned by his friend.

He ran away from his work house and stayed with his aunt. She was so kind and treated him well. She sent him to school. David stayed with her friend called Mr. Wickfield. Her daughter Agnes was a beautiful young lady.

Their servant Uriah Heep was so cunning and Mr. Wickfield was under his power. At the end David rescued Mr. Wickfield and married Agnes.

The story tells us how to face troubles and face society.

This is a good book to read and we can learn many lessons through David's life.

Aroshi Randeniya,

Mahamaya College,

Kandy.