Youngsters from Westfield Primary Community School in Acomb, York, kick off a page of summer reads for children.

Blue John by Berlie Doherty, illustrated by Tim Clarey (Puffin, £5.99)

A QUEEN of darkness falls down a cavern and takes the purple/blue heart of a glacier and the gold of the sun. She makes a child and names him Blue John. He sleeps for 1,000 years. One day he wakes up and hears children laughing and is curious. The children come into the cavern and dance and play with Blue John. But his mother scares them away. Blue John is lonely so he follows them but his mother calls him back. He falls asleep again and one of the children finds a stone, purple/blue like the heart of the glacier and gold like the sun. A great book, sad in some places, happy in others.

Amber Wardley, age 11

Granny Nothing by Catherine MacPhail, illustrated by Sarah Nayler (Scholastic, £4.99)

A BRILLIANT book from award-winning author Catherine MacPhail. The choice of words and the illustrations by Sarah Nayler bring the book to life. Granny Nothing is the Grandmother of Stephanie, Ewen and Baby Thomas who arrives unexpectedly one dark stormy night, looking like a rhinoceros in a frock - and that's where the fun and the adventures begin. Granny Nothing has knickers the size of a tent, she eats worms and has a shrunken head in her suitcase. What will the children find out next? Stephanie's parents are disgusted when they hear Baby Thomas' first words, "hells, bells and buckets", Granny Nothing's motto! Granny Nothing has grappled with tigers, learnt to sumo wrestle, how to belly dance and travelled all over the world.

Cassie Sinclair, age 9

Helping Hercules by Francesca Simon, illustrated by Tony Ross (Orion Children's Books, £6.99)

I HAVE never known much about the Greeks, or their Gods, but this book has enlightened me. The illustrations by Tony Ross really bring the text to life as well as Francesca Simons' excellent choice of words. My favourite chapter was about Orpheus, the great musician losing his love (Eurydice) and having to go into the underworld (Hades) to rescue her. I was heart-broken when they finally retrieved her only to lose her again, but this time for ever. A wonderful book.

Marie-Kate Malloch, age 11

Inside Mary Elizabeth's House by Pamela Allen (Puffin, £4.99)

ON MONDAY, Mary Elizabeth's friends didn't believe her when she told them about a monster in her house. On Tuesday they still didn't believe her. So Mary Elizabeth got fed up and told the boys to go to her house. When they arrived they got a shock. They never went there again!

Bryony Cox, age 6

There was a monster in Mary Elizabeth's house. No one believed her until they saw it! The book looks exciting. My favourite bit is when the monster chased the boys.

Jonathan Atkinson, age 5

Tramp: Facing The Flames by Chris Cooper (Puffin, £4.99)

A Dog called Tramp saves young runaway Hailey, who is fleeing a forest fire and a venomous snake. Hailey's dad is lost in the burning forest. Luke the fire fighter and Tramp find him trapped in a ring of fire, but they too become trapped. When they get out of the foil shelter Luke has provided for them, the rain is falling and the fire has weakened. Luke takes Hailey's Dad to his family. We think the book is very well written. On a scale of one to ten we would give it eight.

Karl Marsden and Rosie Balla, both age nine

Updated: 09:23 Wednesday, July 16, 2003