Posted on: 19/01/2023Book of the Month - January Fake by Ele Fountain GENRE: Near-future dystopia; speculative fiction/science fiction In a digital world it’s hard to know what’s real. In this near-future dystopia, antibiotics no longer work, so children are educated at home until the age of 14, after which they attend boarding school. This is the fate of Jess and her friend Finn, but not Jess’s sister Chloe who is too ill to go to school and needs regular medication which her parents struggle to afford as they strive to gain credits from their meagre commercial practices, such as selling honey and produce from their garden. Jess, however, is an expert computer hacker, and with the help of her enigmatic online friend JP, she seeks to hack the pharmaceutical company that supplies Chloe’s medicine. A short, but very eventful and satisfying read if you like stories based in virtual worlds, AI, computers and dystopias. This is ideal for KS3 readers.
Posted on: 2/12/2022Book of the MonthGENRE: Dystopia, fantasy, historical, political drama When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill is a feminist dystopia set in the past rather than the future. It comprises a well-constructed and immersive plot with a charming, precocious protagonist. The story is situated within the backdrop of the Joseph McCarthy trials in the USA in the 1950s, and reads like a junior Handmaid’s Tale. The main character Alex is a complex character, well executed, suitably angry at the submissive nature that women are forced to adopt, and curious about their transformation into dragons when they are pushed to the limit emotionally. Alex serves as our narrator and chronicles her investigations into the metamorphosis of women into dragons. She uses past studies on this phenomenon, many of which have been suppressed by the McCarthyite authorities. We see Alex grow from 11 years old to adulthood, taking on more responsibility as she goes along, following the death of her mother, after which she is abandoned by her cold and distant father. The book is well paced and packed with events too numerous to mention. Linguistically and conceptually this provides a challenge for readers aged 14 and over and covers a mixture of genres, part dystopia, part feminist fable, and part fantasy. Bursting with originality in both its narration and plot, this book deserves a place on awards shortlists.
Posted on: 7/11/2022Youth Council Election CandidatesThis week, voting opened for the Islington Youth Council candidates. We have a number of EGA students standing as candidates. They intend to campaign on a range of topics including fair access to school trips, social media and body image and healthcare for young people. This is a very important role because the 14 successful candidates will support the young mayor to decide how money is spent on services for children and young people in the borough. Voting opened on Tuesday 1st November and closes on Thursday 10th November. We will keep you updated on the outcome.
Posted on: 16/05/2022School Uniform with Price & BucklandAll items with the EGA logo can be purchased from Price & Buckland. Call: 0115 694 0827 Website: https://price-buckland.co.uk/ All details available HERE:
