After using the Firework Makers Daughter for some of her English work she asked for her own copy so she could finish the story (they hadn't managed to in her class). She has enjoyed reading it at her own pace.

The writing was light, descriptive and dealt with lots of different emotional situations. I liked all the different situations that arose and together they made for an interesting story. There was a darkness and tension to the story that also gave it an extra layer. The words used varied in difficulty, which meant that all ages could enjoy the story. The chapters were fairly long so you could get a good chunk of the story before moving on. There was a good flow to the book and I was able to easily follow the main character's journey in a couple of sittings. Throughout the story there were black and white illustrations to break it up. They were quite detailed and each time you looked at them you could see something new. They added an extra layer to the story and complemented it well. The characters were great. I loved all of them and particularly enjoyed the loyalty, friendship and love between some of them that exuded from the story. I also enjoyed reading about the bravery of the main character even though she was quite naive. Lastly the settings. I loved the surroundings and being on the journey with the main character. The descriptions were well balanced, allowing the reader to picture what was going on, but not taking anything away from the story. Overall an enjoyable story, full of great descriptions and with a lovely message at the end.