*Shortlisted

Review by Emmet, Thomas Telford School 
Over the past couple of days, I have been reading a book called The Dawn of Adonis.  From this book I have learnt that it was set in the mid 1900s.  This is very interesting and makes the book seem a lot more real and realistic. I found Goliath Deeds was my most interesting character since I love books with a main bad guy and this person was the baddest in the whole book!  After reading this book I have learnt that back then nasty people would do anything to make money such as stealing exotic animals, just like this particular story. 

I absolutely loved the plot of this book since it was combination of criminality, seriousness and even a touch of horror.  I think that this plot really made the book an exciting read.  The thing that stands out most for me is that Nettie could have easily left that monkey to die but since she loved him, she risked her own life to save his.  This shows us that love and having each other’s back is very important in life and you should stand up for what is right not matter what.   

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I would highly recommend it to all readers out there. Thank you for taking the time to read my review and I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did. 

Review by Hana, Stanground Academy 
I just finished reading "The Dawn of Adonis," and it was pretty awesome! My absolute favourite character has to be the gorilla, of course! He's so heartwarming and, like, a little bit mysterious. I kept wondering what he was thinking. And that kid character... he's got a lot of courage, facing down a gorilla and all! The most exciting part for me was definitely when the kid and the gorilla first met. It was so tense, but also kind of magical. You could just feel the adventure starting! I would totally recommend this book if you like stories about adventure, unlikely friendships, and maybe a little bit of mystery. It's got a great pace and keeps you hooked! I think it's perfect for anyone who loves a good story that makes you think and feel.  

Review by Syeda, Riverside School 
The Dawn of Adonis, written by Phil Earle, is a touching yet influential historical book. I really loved the story line as it was so entertaining and heartfelt at the same time. I loved Netties sweet and innocent personality as her kindness left me to believe that there is still warmth left in the world. Toff’s tragic backstory made me feel sympathy for him as he went through so much at sum say young age. His love for Adonis slowly grew more as the story went on. Seeing Toff leave his villainous family for the safety of Nettie and baby Adonis made me feel as if I was one of their friends watching someone escape a treacherous beast. The most shocking moment was when Toffs uncle, Goliath, murdered someone in front of Toff as I was only just introduced to the book and violence was already being portrayed. I really adored the plot because it was so sweet seeing the 2 teens leaving the life they lived to protect to Baby gorilla (Adonis). The book taught to me to be more resilient and that there will always be a happy ending no matter how you were brought up or where you are heading. I enjoyed this book so much and I will recommend “The Dawn of Adonis” to my friends and family who I know would like this genre of books.