Name of Reviewer: Emma Hancock

Title of Book: Noughts & Crosses

Author: Malorie Blackman

Publisher, date and price: Published by Corgi Books in the Years 2001-2002. The Price is £5.99 for a paperback edition.

Reviewed on: 19th June 2005

The main character of this book is...: Persephony (Sephy) Hadley. A Cross and daughter of one of the most powerful men in the country.

The other main character is...: Callum McGregor. A Nought, therefore being a second-class citizen in the world.

The story is...but I couldn't possibly tell you the ending because it would spoil the book for you: Callum and Sephy are best friends they talk to each other and play together all the time but as they grow older things begin to change. The world is run by crosses and the friendship between the two characters is easily frowned upon by others.

Noughts and Crosses just don't mix but Callum and Sephy are desperate to try and find a way that they can be together. Then everything goes wrong, Callum and Sephy find themselves facing challenges that will keep them separated forever....

Until, Sephy is kidnapped and thrown back into the arms of Callum, but not her Callum, this Callum is cold and heartless towards the race of the Crosses. It's not long before Sephy is running for her life, closely followed by the man she used to know.

I would give this book a Mark out of 10 because...: This book deserves a definite 8 out of 10. It combines all the challenges in the world today brought about by racism and discrimination into a gripping novel that will make you read on and on, and take you right into the thoughts and feelings of the characters.

I would recommend this book to...: I recommend this book to everybody, especially those whom have experienced racism. It helps the reader to understand the cruelty of life and shows that everything isn't just black and white.

I liked/disliked this book because...: I really liked this book. It was dramatic and moving a great novel. It was emotional and imaginative and it will grip every reader.

Anything else I would like to say...: This book was the winner of the Lancashire Children's Book Award.