Noughts and Crosses

The nail-biting beginning to a wonderful series of books

An eye-opening book, flipping the script on racial tensions. Full of twists and turns to keep even the most reluctant readers hooked. Definitely worth a spot on your classroom bookshelf (UKS2)!

Brilliant book! Love Malorie Blackman.
Book 1 in the Noughts and Crosses series
Would love to read the rest.

A book that will certainly stick in my mind. I enjoyed reading the others in this sequence too.

Very interesting book which makes you question society and societal norms. The two main characters, Callum and Sephy present as unsure of their views and challenging their opinions, while other characters have extremist opinions.

Would definitely recommend to older readers. It's a very original story although covers some mature topics.

What a powerful book. Easy to read whilst being difficult and uncomfortable to read all at the same time. Easy to read because the writing is sharp and straight-forward, but obviously difficult because of the subject matter. A modern classic.

Book raises mature themes of social prejudices. Very interesting book that absorbs you as a reader.

I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone!!

I would recommend this book to everyone and anyone!!

I was led to read this book by my friend who is a Secondary English Teacher. I was discussing Ghost Boys and Two Sisters: A Story of Freedom and she suggested this book next (followed by the BBC drama for the visuals). I read this book in two days - I had the ability to get immersed in it and it is one of those books where you keep wanting to read to find out what will happen to the characters next. There is a lot in the context to absorb and think about. Most striking to me, was how I struggled to see the Noughts as white and the Crosses as Black- this was a hard hit home about the power of what I have watched, read and seen all around me since growing up- how it is part of my subconscious, whether I like it or not. Whilst I could read about this in an informative, intellectual way, to actually experience that inbuilt stereotyping in myself was very powerful. This book really drums home the freedoms that we should all have a right to, but don’t. The simple freedom of all humans being seen and recognised as equal, as the same whilst of course celebrating our uniqueness!

The character I liked the best was Persephone as she is really caring and is nice. It interest me as it reflects on the world we all live in today. I would recommend it to someone as it show even thought Noughts and Crosses should not be together Persephone( a cross) and Callum(a noughts) are friends and the book tells the journey of their lives.

I didn't enjoy reading this book at all because it made me feel really uncomfortable, and the content was violent and scary. Saying that, it was thought provoking and very well written, but just not the feeling I want to have when I'm reading a book.

It was an AMAZINGLY SAD book. I LOVED IT. It makes you understand that colour isn't a barrier. You can do whatever you want and be whatever you want in life and, your colour doesn't define who you are.

An interesting concept with a fascinating twist. Heartbreaking ending.

This book was fiction and I liked lynette the best. i really enjoyed reading it.

Engaging and challenging ideas set in an alternate reality. A difficult love story between the two protagonists presented through a dual narrative, allowing the reader to to actively understand each others' views on the world they live in.
A book (whole works in fact) I would recommend to teenage and adult alike.

Thought provoking concept. Strong characters and lots of suspense.

It is a good book but has a few 'scenes' and has a very good topic. I think this book was fiction and i didnt really like anyone in the book exept callums mum because i feel so sad for her that her family has left her just to join an illegal gang but she also has cross blood which means that they shouldnt even be doing what they were doing.

What a great pleasure to have an insight into how modern world shapes the life and delicate mindsets of younger generation. I love the theme of tragic love story and letters areangement in the novel reminds of long forgotten Tristan and Isolde story. Absolutely worthy to read!

Every young person should read this book; It is important. It’s about love and friendship and so much more. It is a book which explores discrimination in society by reversing traditional racial stereotypes so we see prejudice from a different perspective. It’s a great love story, a little bit like Romeo and Juliet.. Malorie Blackman is one of our greatest writers and I would recommend this, and any other book she has written.

An excellent series of books. Would recommend for KS3. Lots of resources available online including a useful PDF from Amnesty International and a booklet of resources from the RSC.

Absolutely amazing. Finished it in only 6 days

It was a great book, emphasising the effects of racism. The world is split into two groups, the white noughts and the black crosses. The crosses are 'superior' to the noughts and this is shown continuously throughout the book, using capital for Crosses but not for noughts.

Noughts and Crosses certainly has a gripping storyline, and explores ideas of race and class in a fresh and original way. However, I felt that the quality of the writing was at times poor, and the dialogue in particular was often unnecessarily simplistic in a way that jarred with the complexity of the subject matter. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this book to students as a pleasurable read.

The book is fiction and set in a dystopian future where black crosses are the superior race in the world where as the white noughts live in poverty and cannot afford education for themselves. The story is based around Callum, a nought going to a cross school because they can't afford singular schooling for noughts, and Sephy, a cross who is the daughter of the richest man in the city. Sephy and Callum always grew up in inequality but they break the barriers and keep their friendship together through the whole book.

Wow! This book stayed with me for days after finishing it. It's a really powerful reimagining of racism, discrimination and privilege and it really made me think much more deeply about my own personal and emotional responses to each of these issues. It's not an easy read so I would probably recommend it for 16 years and upwards. I found the first few chapters quite slow going initially but it hits its stride about a third of the book in and from then, I couldn't put it down. Would love to read the next books in the series but I'm almost afraid to do so after the impact of this. Just brilliant!

This is one of the best books I’ve ever read! Such a powerful story, which you are thoroughly taken on with both of the characters. Heartbreaking and utterly unfair.

It was an amazing book with a lot of drama, I would definitely recommend it to a friend

I really enjoyed this book, which was set in an alternative universe where people with black skin are in charge of most of the money and power. Because I liked this book, I think that I would really enjoy reading the sequel, however my parents believe that it is inappropriate.