First, the buildings fell. Then the people on the streets. No one could explain why until they found the Bluchers. The action starts in the ordinary, urban world, and is recounted in the past tense. At this stage I was thinking the story reminded me of one of Jacqueline Wilson's stories: a child dealing with a challenging contemporary domestic situation. The familiar setting of school and home highlights the difficulties that Ade faces. His life is far from ideal with his Mum unable to leave the flat very often; but we learn that his neighbours are looking out for him.

As the danger to Ade grows, and the sinister nature of the bluchers becomes more scary,we see what he's really made of. All the time we are wondering how on earth he is going to escape the inevitable doom unscathed. When Ade faces his most dangerous fate, we are terrified with him, knowing what an ordeal he has endured to survive to that point. The suspense is almost suffocating, and not only do we care about Ade and Mum, but also his new found friends who have helped each other. This a perfect book for young people to read alone, but would also be an excellent choice to read aloud to Year 5 or 6. Spelling Seeds have been designed to complement Writing Roots by providing weekly, contextualised sequences of sessions for the teaching of spelling that include open-ended investigations and opportunities to practise and apply within meaningful and purposeful contexts, linked (where relevant) to other areas of the curriculum and a suggestion of how to extend the investigation into home learning. Well my school teacher is reading it in class and it's really good because it's got a lot of information and it's really deatailed as well. My class is at the bit when the blutchers come and ade,obey,dory and the other boy from the flashlight. When they are having dinner and ade stops at Dory door my opinion of the book is brilliant and spectacular you have done a really good job on the book and a lot of effort When I began reading The Boy in the Tower I wasn't hooked like I thought I would be. Honestly, I carried on reading to find out more about these strange plants, and wondered what would happen to Ade and his Mum. I felt like the lead up and introduction to these plants and what was going on felt too long, and when the 'real stuff' starts to happen it felt over far too fast. I wanted to know more about the plants, the reason for their appearance, and why they did what they did. But I didn't get any of that, just that the plants are there, that they damage building and kill people.This book sounds like a straightforward science-fiction tale, in which Day of the Triffids style plants consume buildings and cast out deadly spores. In fact, it reads more like a fable about friendship, loyalty and bravery, beautifully told in the voice of a lonely young boy struggling to make sense of all that is going on around him - from the extraordinary events he sees from his window, to his mother's illness. Taking place in a believable urban, multicultural environment that will be familiar to many young readers, Polly Ho-Yen's debut is an impressively moving and thought-provoking story that will touch children and adults alike.

This is above all a story about friendship, about resilience and loyalty. Old-fashioned values in a daunting world. I think you'd like this if you enjoyed Valentine Joe by Rebecca Stevens or The Last Wild by Piers Torday.This is a delightful, heartfelt, well-observed, kids' sci-fi novel set in Camberwell, which if you're anything like me will make you cry quite a lot. Ade, the little boy at its heart, is already bravely dealing with acting as a carer for his mum and feeling left out at school, and things get much worse when 21st-century Triffids turn up. A whole English teaching sequence linked to the fantastic book Boy In The Tower by Polly Ho-Yen (Short-listed for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize and the Blue Peter Book Awards 2015).

They tell each other everything and Ade loves how much Gaia knows about the plants and world around them. Their lives begin to change when the Bluchers arrive. She’s still writing stories and though she doesn’t teach now, she still visit schools … only now they’re all over the country.Now their tower isn’t safe anymore. Ade and his mum are trapped and there’s no way out . . . Links: First read: Arguably the best book I've ever read with a class. My Year 5/6s loved it and I very nearly cried (which would have been a first) Lots to discuss for readers of all ages. What caused his mother's withdrawal (there are hints)? Is there anything either Mum or Ade could have/ should have done earlier? Would you, dear reader, have been one of the first evacuees, or one of the holdouts? Would your decision depend on how well or poorly other refugees were being treated in your country? What does keep one going in the face of such overwhelming challenges? Etc. etc.

I really enjoyed this book as it is a very exciting and moving book. It is set in a modern-day London and it’s about survival, loneliness and friendship. Emmett J Scanlan as DI Kieran Shaw and Michael Karim as PC Arif Johann in The Tower 2: Death Message. ITV When the Bluchers, a plant-form that dissolves buildings and releases fatal spores into the air, take over the city, everyone is forced to evacuate and Ade is left alone to face them. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations, language practise activities and additional online resources, the Penguin Readers series introduces language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction. Ideal for Year 4, Year 5 or Year 6 children. The plot is set in a dystopian future and is a well written story about friendship and overcoming adversity. It also sensitively covers the subject of mental illness (at an appropriate level for primary children) in one of the characters.Thank you for your kind words. I'm using this book again with my own class in the new year and always look forward to sharing it with them. I hope that your class enjoy the scheme of work. Hide replies When they first arrived, they came quietly and stealthily as if they tip-toed into the world when we were all looking the other way.