The Bunker Diary

[punygod]

Anyone read it?

Jesus. No words.

My 13 year old nearly got it out the school library but he needed my signature to do so. After I'd read the Amazon reviews for it I refused. Is it bad?

Well, I'm a school librarian and am normally very liberal, think kids can find their own level, etc, but I'm thinking of putting a y10 and 11 restriction on this.

It's compelling, sure, but so, so bleak.

Yes I'm glad it needed my permission after reading the reviews. Thought I'd wait til he's 15/16 if he still wants to read it. He's reading iboy by the same author at the moment which he says is brilliant.

Kevin Brooks is a great writer - I just can't see why this was marketed as a children's book.

And I speak as someone who thought The Road had an overly optimistic ending

Kevin Brooks tends these days towards darker fiction - the days of "Lucas" are a long time ago. iBoy was great but this should come with a serious warning - even for adults, it's unremittingly bleak. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 15, to be honest. I do think it was very well written but it shouldn't have won the Carnegie: younger children or even young teens wouldn't access this very easily.

I'm a school librarian and I usually let kids find their own level, as they all mature at different rates, but where this book is concerned... I intend to put a Y11 only restriction on it.

Those last few pages where he is dying and resorts to cannibalism will stay with me for a very long time.

Oops, forgot I mentioned my job already.

Should I mention it again in case anyone missed it?