Comment from Anonymous

Secrets made me cry. It is such a brilliant book. It will change lives, because it shows what it feels like if you can't read, and best of all, it shows us all that we can learn to read.

Review by Phillip and Wilbert

Title of book: Sam the Man
Author: B L Hinde
Plot: The story is about Sam the man this is a crime story with robbery and shooting.
Main characters: The main characters are Sam and Bob Liz Deb and Sam boss.
The setting: The story is set in Hackney London.
Anything you would have changed: We would change the letter by not sending one. We would not send a letter and that would make a big change. Who is this book most suitable for?: This book is most suitable for people who just started learning to read.
Your opinion: THINK THE STORIES ARE VERY GOOD AND ADVENTUROUS.
Our rating is 4.

Review by Cass and Doris

Title of book: Sam the Man

Author: B L Hinde
Plot: The story is about Sam is a bad man. He take the money and run.
Main characters: The main characters are Sam Bob Liz Deb.

The setting: The story is set in East London.
The best bits: The best bit when he went to Brazil.
Anything you would have changed: We would not change anything.
Who is this book most suitable for?: This book is most suitable for help people learning to read.
Your opinion: The opinion is enjoy.
Our rating is 4.5 Stars.

Dear Catherine
I am writing to tell you about the book. It is very nice please B L Hinde continue writing.
From Cass and Doris

Review by Karen and Leroy

Title of book: Sam the Man
Author: B L Hinde
Plot: The story is about Sam and his dad who gone bad.
Main characters: The main characters are Sam and Bob.
The setting: The story is set in London.
The best bits: The best bit is Liz getting a letter from Sam and you know something is going to happen.
Anything you would have changed: We would change the ending. We would like to see Liz go to Brazil and collect her share of the cash and have a good time in Brazil.
Who is this book most suitable for?: This book is most suitable for people learning to read.
Your opinion: This was a very good book to read. It was a good story because it keeps you thinking about what’s going to happen next.
Our rating is 5 Stars.

Dear Catherine
We are sending you a review on the book Sam the Man.
It was a very good story and good reading.
Best wishes
Karen and Leroy

Review by Bevan and Devon

Title of book: Sam the Man
Author: B L Hinde

Plot: The story is about robbery shooting.

Main characters: The main characters are Sam and Bob Liz Deb and Boss.

The setting: The story is set in Hackney London.

The best bits: The best bit is Liz wright Sam a letter about her feeling.

Anything you would have changed: We will change nothing.

Who is this book most suitable for?: This book is good for us who learning to read.

Your opinion: I think Sam going to change his mind when he see the thing that going on in jail.

Our rating is 5.

Review by Emmerson Dottin

Title of book: Pam’s Secret
Author: Margaret Adams.
Plot: It’s a story about a woman telling her secret and thinking if she can trust her friend.
Main characters: Pam, the boss and Jenny.
The setting: Asco supermarket.
The best bits: I liked what was happening in the supermarket because it was full of secrets love and mistrust.
Anything you would have changed: I wish Pam could have got her man. I would have changed it so that Pam got her man.
Who is this book most suitable for?: Adults.
Your opinion: My opinion this book is a very good reading because of a girls secret shared with a friend who betrayed her trust.
My rating: I give this book 5 stars.

Written by: Emmerson Dottin

Review by Rita

Title of Book: Pam’s Secret
Author: Margaret Adams
Plot: Supermarket Secrets
Main characters: Pam and Jenny and the boss
The setting: Asco supermarket.
The best bits: She was beginning to feel good that she found a friend in Jenny.
Anything you would have changed: If the boss would be honest with everyone from day one none of this would happen.
Who is this book most suitable for?: I think this book is for anyone to read because it is not explicit.
Your opinion: These things do happen all the time it is not any thing new. But anyone can read it. It is interesting to read and find out what it is all about.
My rating: 5 stars

Rita.

Review by Karen J

Title of book: Getting Better
Author: Marie McNamara
Plot: Getting better in later life at reading and writing and having a bit of get up and go.
Main characters: Marie
The setting: UK
The style: This book was easy to read and understand.
The best bits: Marie got herself a education in her later life to help herself and her children. And now look at her.
Anything you would have changed: No
Who is this book most suitable for?: I think this book is more suitable for people who are learning to read and write .
Your opinion: This was a very good story. It shows there is help out there you have just got to help yourself. What you put in life you get out.
Your rating: 5 stars

Comment from Susan

Open your eyes. Want to read about real people who have spent most of their lives without reading a book, feeling a book, being seen with a book? Come and read a Gatehouse Book – books for first time readers. Feels good.

Comment from Donna-Marie

If you read a Gatehouse Book every day, you will be surprised how much knowledge you will gain. Reading a book will open your mind, inner confidence you will find. Gatehouse makes learning easy.

Comment from Simon

Gatehouse – your partner in reading and learning for developing your life.

Comment from Ivan

Open up the gate in your life. If you’ve got a problem with reading and writing, read Gatehouse Books.

Poem from Teresa, inspired by 'Secrets'

Shout it Out

What’s it about

You can learn to write

And not feel the fright

When your child asks

To help with homework tasks

You can learn to read

And feel freed

From the restrictions

And have some fun

You can meet new friends

Comment from S Timothy

Gatehouse Books is for people who want to open a door. A door that will change the way you feel about reading. Every book takes you on a journey of the mind.

Comment from Gina

If you can’t read very well, go and get some Gatehouse Books to read because they are easy to read and very good books. It will help new readers learn. So come on people. Get your head down into Gatehouse Books. It will help you with your confidence and it will make you feel better about yourself. If you want to learn to read, go and get some Gatehouse Books for yourself. You will find them very nice and easy and some pictures in them as well.

Comment from S Johns

If you’re just starting off in reading, have some trust in Gatehouse Books. They will help your reading a lot. They are very interesting and very good and very nice pictures in these books. I have read two books already and I had found them being good stories behind them. I enjoyed reading them. One was called Pam’s Secret and Me and My Shadow.

When I left school, my reading was very poor, but I find that Gatehouse Books are helping me to read better.

Review by Robin Butler

Title of book: Getting Better
Author: Marie McNamara
Plot: This is a story of someone’s journey and their road to learning through education.
Main characters: Marie McNamara is a person who wanted to learn and found some help through going to the Job Centre. I started my road to learning in a very similar way.
The setting: The setting takes place in her personal life and the illustrations helped tell the story.
The style: It was written in a very easy way for others to understand. It also goes into detail about her personal life through her road to learning.
The best bits: The story line was very easy to understand and the illustrations were really nice.
Anything you would have changed: Acronyms (NIACE) should be explained.
Who is this book most suitable for?: I think this book is suitable for anyone who have problems with reading and writing.
Your opinion: I felt that I connected with Marie as I myself have started the same journey. It was nice to find at the end of the book that Marie is a real person and is now studying to become a nurse.
Your rating: 5 stars

Review by Paul

Title of book: Mudlake
Author: B L Hinde
Plot: The story is about people on an estate in gangs and taking drugs. They have no hope for work and better things.
Main characters: Rob is telling the story of him and Jake, his best mate and of Dale’s gang.
The setting: It took place on Mudlake, an estate at the end of a town. For me, the images give you an idea of the type of place it is.
The style: It was written in a simple way with images for more effect. It was written in the first person which I think is more effective. Feelings and thoughts were explored by Rob about his best mate, Jake.
The best bits: It gives you an insight into someone else’s world, and makes you think how hard it is for some people.
Anything you would have changed: A few less pictures and a few more words.
Who is this book most suitable for?: It is best for anyone who is learning to read.
Your opinion: It was quite easy to read. For some people being on the dole, taking drugs and smashing things up may be a way of life.
Your rating: 3 stars

Review by Jaye Glee

Title of book: Pam’s Secret
Author: Margaret Adams
Plot: It’s about a woman called Pam who works in a supermarket called Asco. She puts the bread on the shelves. She works with another woman called Jenny. Pam has a fixation on her boss.
Main characters : Pam who is very secretive; Jenny who sometimes works alongside Pam and is nasty and manipulative; Dan, one of the workers who was able to tell Pam the truth. I could identify with him.
The setting: A supermarket called Asco.
The style: The book was written in simple language because it would be easy to read. It wasn’t very descriptive but the conversation was fine. Many emotions were explored – friendship turned to betrayal; jealousy; anger; loneliness; secrecy; stealing and cheating; playing on someone’s emotions; being demeaned and laughed at.
The best bits: I enjoyed the part of Jenny – she played up to Pam and pretended to be something other than herself.
Anything you would have changed: I would like to put Jenny in Pam’s place and watch her reactions.
Who is this book most suitable for?: I think it would be good for younger people and older people, especially if they find reading difficult.
Your opinion: I did enjoy the story very much. I enjoyed Pam, holding her fantasy of belief and I also liked Jenny, who was pretending to be interested, yet robbed someone else’s fixation. I would recommend it to men or women who have a lot of emotional difficulties. It comes across in a simple way. I would be interested to read another book by the same author.
Your rating: 5 stars

Review by Bill

Title of book: Bob’s Problem
Author: Margaret Adams
Plot: Bob works in a supermarket. He has a secret and has to reveal his problem.
Main characters: Bob, the boss, Jenny, Mary and Lily.
The setting: It takes place in a supermarket.
The best bits: When Bob revealed his secret.
Anything you would have changed: Nothing!
Who is this book most suitable for?: Any young people.
Your sentences: Bob works in a supermarket and enjoys working there. But he has a secret and his boss lets him down. A courageous act changes his life. I liked the ending and outcome.
Your rating: 4 stars

Review by Amanda

Title of book: Pam’s Secret
Author: Margaret Adams
Plot: It is about people who work in a supermarket. Pam was in love with her boss.
Main characters: Jenny, Pam and the manager of the store.
The setting: The Supermarket
The best bits: When Pam found out her boss’s secret.
Anything you would have changed: no
Who is this book most suitable for?: adults, women
Your opinion: The pictures, story and ending were good.
My sentences: This book is set in a supermarket and is about Pam’s secret and the boss’s secret. Pam was very upset. She was crying. There were good pictures and a good story. The story had a good ending.
Your rating: 5 stars

Welcome to our new book review blog

In response to a growing number of requests from tutors, we have created this blog to allow you and your students to get involved and start writing your own Gatehouse Book reviews. We know how significant it is for our writers to get their stories published, now you can tell us how the experience of reading a Gatehouse Book has been for you.

If you or your students need a little help to write your review, you can download a writing frame (see the right hand side of this page).

You can email your review to us at info@gatehousebooks.com and we'll post it on this blog. You are welcome to send us your comments too. Good luck! We look forward to hearing from you.