Young Fiction Review Panel

(Maintained and edited by Sophie Barkerwood)

Welcome to the Panel (sounds mysterious and Hunger Gamesy, bear with); where young readers are presented with the opportunity to give their opinions on books they’ve read and loved, and share them with the world. Every few months a free book is selected for each member, and their thoughts on it are published here. If you’re below 19 and live nearby, or visit Scarthin Books in Cromford regularly, and are interested in joining, please visit in store and email youngfictionreviewpanel@gmail.com with your details and a review of a book you’ve read recently and you could be amongst the wonderful reviews we have on show. *witty goodbye pun involving books*

Click below to read the Panel’s reviews:

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OUR LATEST REVIEW PUBLISHED 24th May 2018

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The Hate U Give | Angie Thomas
Reviewed by Abby Green, age 17

There is only one word which can accurately and adequately describe Angie Thomas’ The Hate
U Give: powerful. This is a novel which is entirely rooted in story, context and humanity, and
these three aspects have been expertly woven together by Thomas to create a truly incredible
piece of fiction.

The Hate U Give challenges many of the – sadly – lasting prejudices and stereotypes which
cause a great deal of the strife and conflict in our own world today. It’s a story of racism in the
United States, and of the preconceived notions that people have of those who speak in a certain
way, live in a certain place or have a particular shade of skin.

It focuses on Starr, a black sixteen year old girl who is the sole witness to the murder of her black
childhood friend by a white police man, when neither of the friends was doing anything wrong.
Thomas writes a tale of injustice which so shockingly and specifically mirrors hundreds of other
cases from across the globe in the last few years, never mind throughout history.

There is very little that The Hate U Give does not have to offer, it jumps between action, politics,
human nature and nurture and even philosophy. I, for one, found myself rethinking the way that I
viewed the world even as a person who prides herself on not judging until I understand a
situation well enough to have an opinion based on fact and comprehension. Even before I had
made it half way through, I knew that Thomas had written something that is incredibly important
all over the world, no matter what walk of life you come from – especially in the current social and
political climates.

Somehow, in spite of the fact that she’s writing fiction, Thomas has managed to create
something thrilling, gripping and even inspirational and educational without covering the story in
the glitz and glam that most stories which attempt to do similar do. The Hate U Give does not
glorify anything. Not the murder of Khalil, not the struggles that Starr has after witnessing it, and
not even the morality of the characters. It shows people as they would be in reality; flawed, but
still capable of being both great and undeniably good.

Whilst The Hate U Give is not the most entertaining read that I have had, it was a remarkable
experience. I found that slipping into the pages of Thomas’ novel awoke a part of me that will
stay with me for a long time, and will affect my every interaction for the better.

It’s authentic. It’s accessible. It’s powerful. It’s the book that everyone, no matter how young or
old, no matter the colour of their skin, and no matter how rich or poor should read the second that
they get the chance because the issues that it raises are relevant and we will not find a solution
until we understand them from every perspective, but the perspective given in The Hate U Give
is probably the most important, and the most overlooked perspective to understand.

If this is Thomas’ first novel, I’m practically quivering in anticipation of what she’ll do next.

Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell

April 4

Scarthin Books welcomes Jo Bell for two poetry-writing workshops. Each session will last three hours and include tea or coffee. If you’ve read How to Be a Poet, her book with Jane Commane, you’ll have a flavour of Jo’s teaching style – entertaining, intensive and aimed at getting the best new poetry out of every participant. Jo is running two sessions for us: one for all comers, one for women only.

In this session open to men and women, we use the treasure trove of source material stacked all around us in the shelves of Scarthin Books. We’ll dive into books of technical or specialist language, steal other poets’ phrases and draw on the riches of historical and fictional text to refresh your own writing. Expect the unexpected – drawing on the arcane and absurd to generate new work. This session will include some forms like the golden shovel and the cento, and you should leave with four or five new drafts to work on.

£20 to attend. Booking required. Please contact us at the Bookshop to book your place via 01629 823272 or click here to book on via Eventbrite.

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Reading and Signing with Richard Lumsden

April 7

We are very excited to announce that Richard Lumsden will be giving a reading of his debut novel ‘The Six Loves of Billy Binns’ at Scarthin Books.

This will be followed by a Q&A and signing and is a free event. No booking required.

‘This uplifting and powerful debut is beautifully written, full of emotion and will tug at your heartstrings. A book about love, self-forgiveness and redemption, this is a must-read and will appeal to fans of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry’ Sarah J Harris, author of THE COLOUR OF BEE LARKHAM’S MURDER

Richard Lumsden has worked as an actor, writer and composer in television, film and theatre for 30 years.
As an actor his films include Downhill, Sightseers, Sense & Sensibility and The Darkest Hour, as well as
numerous television shows and theatre productions. THE SIX LOVES OF BILLY BINNS is his first novel.

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Poetry Writing Workshop with Jo Bell - Women Only

April 18

*** Women only workshop ***

As Feminist Book Fortnight approaches, Jo Bell offers a women-only poetry writing workshop. This session will generate new work from poets at all levels, and if you want to read the results at our evening event on May 4th you will be welcome to do so. We will use classic texts by and about women from Mary Wollstonecraft to Caitlin Moran. Channel your wit, wisdom rage and hope for the future into new poems. This women-only session gets the best writing out of the richest source material – your own experience.

£20 to attend. An eventbrite will be set up for this but if you can’t find it yet, contact the bookshop to book your place on 01629 823272 or click here to book via Eventbrite.

Poetry Portraits with Jo Bell

April 27

Local, acclaimed poet Jo Bell will be in our Art room from 11am onwards writing tailor made poems for you!

Come and have a chat about what you’d like her to write about and go away with a poem no one else has.

This is a free, open event to all.

Jo’s books include ‘Kith’, ‘How to be a poet’ and ’52. Write a poem a week’. She’s actively involved in The Poetry Takeaway, writing tailor made poems at Festivals and was featured on Nationwide’s advert ‘Voices Nationwide: Building the Building Society’.

Our new Artist-in-Residence for 2018 is……… Jan Flamank

“I am so delighted to be Artist in Residence at Scarthin from March 2018, and am buzzing with ideas about what I want to do. I will spend time each month in this fabulous bookshop, and make new work that is inspired by the place, the people and the wild array of books! I use mixed media in my artwork, and having time in the shop will give me further incentive to include text and stories in my work, and be influenced by the treasure that fills every room there. Some of this artwork will be visible in the shop, but there will also be work that is hidden, awaiting discovery as people browse the shelves and corners of the shop…..

Please come and find me in the art room, I will be there monthly throughout the year. I look forward to meeting lots of lovely Scarthin people in the year ahead.”