Bernard Ashley

In 1912, Lizzie Parsons is a scholarship girl at a prestigious south London girls' high school. Her teachers are encouraging her to enter a poetry competition on something she feels strongly about - and one of them has given her a copy of the suffragette newspaper Votes for Women to read. Her parents are very proud of their clever daughter. However, at home, Lizzie is worried that mum and dad are not only arguing - her father is hurting mum. Lizzie wonders if she can talk to one of her show more favourite teachers about it, but what could school do?

This is a story about a young girl learning that politics is not just about Parliament or about the men there, and getting caught up in a campaign for the vote. She is also connecting the struggles outside the home with what is going on inside. How can she help the women in her life - her teacher, her mother? How can they help her?

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Cleversticks is about a boy named Ling Sung that struggles to fit in with his classroom peers. This book is excellent for students having trouble fitting in or adjusting, or come from a different cultural background. We see Ling Sung use what he knows and makes best use of it by turning his paint brushes around and eating his cookie as if they were chopsticks. The class and teacher are amazed, making Ling Sung feel as if he is apart of the classroom dynamic and culture. Every race and show more culture is included in this book, and can be related to everyone; not just minority students. The illustrations show children of all sizes, shapes, ability, and colors. show less

After the death of her young brother from a fall, Amber takes it upon herself to find her brother’s murderer. Could her father’s non compliance to fill full his debt pay-back be the reason for Connors death?

Befriended by a cop and a journalist, Amber uncovers the motive for her brother’s death and she wants to take maters into her own hands. A meeting is set up but things take a turn for the worse, leaving Amber in grave danger.

An edgy crime thriller for teens, filled with show more tough-talking and a no-nonsense writing style. Protagonist, Amber is a gutsy and bold character from London’s tower block estates, giving her a colourful, although sensitive nature. Ashley has a way with story endings and this one will have you on the edge of your seat. show less

This is one of the best teen thrillers I've ever read. The writing isn't "dumbed down" and it's not written "just for kids". Bernard Ashley's writing reminds me much of some of the most popular mystery writers today. His writing isn't quite as smooth as Iris Johanson or Brock and Bodie Thoene but the level of detail and the research involved was wonderful and very easy to follow.

Bernard Ashley takes a situation that could really happen (and possibly has) and tells it from the kid's point of show more view. Pax, a 15 year old boy, stranded on an island with total Amnesia. He remembers nothing about life before the island. Mike is a grandfather who has lost his entire family to a tragic war crime that sinks a cruise ship attempting to rescue war victims in a Africa Civil War. Not believing that his grandson is dead he launches a search for his grandson and when a report comes of a blond boy hiding on an island he hires a boat captain to take him to the island after he's forbidden to fly there. It turns out that Pax isn't who Mike hoped he'd be and from there follows a rescue, a search for Pax and his identity, a huge surprise ending (that I actually figured out a few chapters before it was revealed).

I encourage you to leave this book lying around. Your kids 13+ will definitely pick it up and I'm sure you'll find them reading it when they have a spare moment. It's fast paced, attention grabbing action is enjoyable. All the little details are completed by the end of the book and to be honest I'd love to see a sequel.

I saw a few other books of Bernard Ashley's that I intend to find that were listed on his website. You can check out the details of just a few of the over 20 books that he has had published. All seem to be fast paced thrillers for teens and adults and I noticed he also has a few picture books for kids. Check out his website here. No Way to Go and Ronnie's War both look very interesting to me. show less