Book Reviews.

The Ragwitch Garth Nix Harpercollins pounds 5.99 WHEN Paul's sister Julia finds an old, ugly ragdoll at the beach neither of them can possibly imagine the terror it will cause. Possessed by the spirit of the ragwitch, Julia is carried off to an alternate fantasy land. Will Paul be able to save her - and the entire nation - from its evil magic? This is a very believable fantasy. I could really picture the ragwitch as I read.

The plot is fast-moving, the characters varied and the atmosphere genuinely scary.

SARAH BLYTHE Zara Mary Hooper Bloomsbury pounds 5.99 ELLEN and Zara have been best friends since they started school and do everything together. Zara starts dressing like a Goth and experimenting with her psychic powers to try to get noticed by the popular girls in school.

Ellen is less sure but goes along with her at first. Soon Zara is taking things too far and is even prepared to risk their friendship to be the centre of attention. This is the kind of story you can really imagine happening in your school about teenage girl friendships, peer pressure and power games. It's a real must-read.

SAM STEWART Gone Michael Grant Egmont pounds 12.99 GONE is a great book about what would happen if all the adults in the world suddenly disappeared.

When that actually happens Sam and Astrid find a wall has suddenly gone up around their town trapping all the children inside it. Some of the children develop mysterious powers, some help each other out, some will stop at nothing to survive.

Will Sam and Astrid manage to defeat the bullies and restore order before they turn 15 and disappear too? This story will leave you on a cliffhanger until the very last page.

I'd definitely recommend this book.

BRADLEE CONNELL