How the Birds got their Colours, told by Mary Albert, compiled by Pamela Lofts, illustrations adapted from paintings of the story by Aboriginal children living in Broome, Western Australia. Scholastic Press, ISBN 978-1865046242
REVIEWED BY ISLA, 7, NSW
How the Birds got their Colours is a lovely book told by Mary Albert, compiled by Pamela Lofts.
This is an Australian First Nations story from The Dreaming. It tells the story of how the birds in the beginning had no colour. They were all black. Then one day a little dove changed everything forever.
I loved this book because there’s a happy ending. It made me feel inspired with the marvellous colourful illustrations.
I give this book five out of five stars and recommend it for all ages, but especially for ages 4 to 8.
We’re pleased to be sharing a series of book reviews by Petersham Public School students, NSW.This is Isla’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!
Bethany Loveridge is an author-illustrator who has always loved storytelling and the natural world. She has been a youth worker, a film and television teacher, a curriculum specialist and a museum nerd (not the official title). Today we’re chatting to Bethany about her novel Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer.
From the publisher:
Harper Wells finally gets a bedroom of her own, away from her annoying big brother. But on the first night in her new bed, she wakes up in the past and meets a troubled young girl named Edie. Harper is thrown into a world of time-travelling spies as she risks her life to find a missing girl before time runs out.
If you found a way to time travel, which time in history would you choose to travel to?
If I found my own Wollemi Bed, I’d love to travel back in time to meet a thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). They think the thylacine went extinct in the 1930s, which was a miserable period called the Great Depression. So I would go back, smuggle a thylacine pup in my hoodie, and hightail it back to the present. Imagine how many species I could save!
What gave you the idea for a bed to be the device that enables Harper (Harrie) to travel through time?
The story idea started with a dream I had about the Wollemi Pine; a native Australian tree sometimes called the ‘dinosaur tree’ because it was thought to be extinct. So my time travelling ‘device’ needed to be made from a tree, and I thought a bed would be more exciting than a chair (though I do know a brilliant story involving a magical wooden wardrobe)! I also liked the idea of falling asleep and falling back in time.
Can you tell us a bit about why you chose Edie to be the first person from history that Harper is assigned to keep watch on?
Once I had dreamed up a time-travelling bed, it was time to choose an historical person for my main character to visit. I knew I wanted a female character from the past, someone brave and kind who could help Harrie develop the same attributes. I didn’t know much about Edith Cowan (except she was on our $50 banknote), so I had to research! Pretty soon, I knew Edie was the right character. I discovered she was passionate about improving children’s heath, the rights of women (she brought in an act that allowed women to be lawyers), and social welfare. Edith Cowan (nee Brown) had a rough childhood but an IMPRESSIVE impact. Even though lots of people gave her a hard time, she became the first female elected to an Australian parliament – how awesome is that?
Did you have any favourite time travel (or time slip) books you read when you were growing up?
Not really! When I was a kid, I liked reading fantasy stories best. Fantasy is still my favourite, but now I have read MANY time slip and time travel books, and I love almost too many to list! My favourites include Elsewhere Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman, Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones, and the World Between Blinks stories by Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin (these aren’t strictly time slip, but feature a world of lost historical places and objects). Also, I have always enjoyed ‘portal fantasy’ books and television shows, and time travel is pretty similar – you just end up in another time rather than another universe.
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
Harper Wells: Time Walker (book two in the trilogy) comes out in September! This time, we’ll meet Constance Stone, who was Australia’s first female medical doctor. I’m also over-the-moon excited for my new junior fiction (for readers 6–9) series that starts next month with Josie Mack and the MEGA Division. Illustrated by the delightful Jade Goodwin, it’s about a nine-year-old girl who joins an underground (literally and metaphorically) agency of talking animals. So. Much. Fun.
Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
Cats by Kathryn Walker, Wayland Publishers, ISBN 9780750268578
REVIEWED BY FRANKIE, 7, NSW
Cats by Kathryn Walker is an information book about many different types of cats.
This book has adorable, cute photographs that kids would love. The more you read the more you can learn about cats.
The best thing about this book is learning about how cats act so if they behave a certain way you know if they are happy or angry.
In the book cats there are little facts about cats. For example, there is one that says “Most cats love to climb. Their strong muscles and sharp claws make them good climbers.” There are many other amazing facts you can learn from this book. This book is quite old but you can find similar information books about cats at your library.
The only part I disliked in this book was a photograph of a cat and a crow because the cat could fall or the crow could eat the cute kitten.
On the contents page, it has cool headings like ‘A Kitten is Born’ which sounds really cute and interesting. At the end it has an interesting index to look for topics in the book.
Cats made me interested in getting a cute little cat. I am rating it 5 out of 5!
Zanni Louise has been writing stories since she was little, growing up in country NSW. She’s written over fifty internationally published books for kids including picture books, chapter books and books for 10–12 year-olds. Today we’re chatting to her about the latest books in her Handbooks for Little Humans series. You can see the two latest books in the series above – Fairness and Friendship – both illustrated by Maja Veselinovic.
From the publisher:
Phew. There’s a lot to know about being a human, right? You have so many things to learn, like: swimming in the big pool, spelling your name and the words and actions to your favourite song. This is a series to guide meaningful conversations about the things that count most.
Simon & Schuster provided reading copies of these books.
So far in this series you’ve written handbooks for Compassion, Confidence, Inclusion, Integrity, Fairness and Friendship. What brought you to write the Handbooks for Little Humans series?
I have been talking with kids in classrooms for years about important topics like honesty, integrity, creativity and persistence. I wanted to make fun, engaging guidebooks that built on these conversations and gave classrooms and families a structure, so that they could continue this dialogue with their little people. We have guidebooks for how to light a fire and use a vacuum cleaner. Why not a guidebook for how to be human?
The books include information, guidance and tips for readers. How did you gather your information? How do you decide what to put in … and what to leave out?
It’s a tricky finding the balance between enough information and making it concise and simple enough to be engaging. I think hard about the topic, like “What is integrity? To me?” I think of examples in my own life and how the topic impacts me. I research online. I talk with kids. I talk with teachers and librarians. For Inclusion, I spoke with a disability advocate. Once I form a clear idea about the topic, I experiment with the best way of articulating the theme so it appeals to kids.
The illustrators across the series – Maja Veselinovic, Kim Drane and Jingting Wang – have included brightly coloured illustrations, comics, diagrams and checklists. Did you meet with your illustrators to work on the books? When you send the text for the comics sections do you present it differently from the text of the main pages?
I’ve never met any of these illustrators. I send my text to my editors, then they brief the illustrator. I am sent ‘roughs’, which are sketches of the whole book. I give feedback on these. We go back and forth a couple of times. I want to give the illustrators plenty of freedom to play with the concepts as much as they’d like to. I want it to be fun for them and for the illustrations to have their personality. They’re the creative talent behind the visuals. For the comics, I lay out the text and give a few stage directions. I suggested the animals once or twice, but also said, “Feel free to pick your own.” It’s important that the illustrator feels ownership over the project.
How do you hope these Handbooks are read and used?
I hope they are conversation starters. I hope they plant a seed in kids’ minds, and give homes and classrooms accessible ways of talking about complicated themes. I hope they can lay a pathway for being kinder and better to one another, so we can create a more harmonious society. It sounds lofty, but I truly believe books have this power. I had many messages from readers of my earlier series, Human Kind, telling me how kids electively pulled the books from the shelves and read them in their own space and time. Later, they would chat about the topic with their parent, and reflect on how they were persistent, honest, etc.
Having spent lots of time with kids over the years, I’ve learnt never to underestimate their interest in and ability to talk about big topics. Nor should we every underestimate their capacity for humanness. Us adults could learn a lot!
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
A lot! This week, I am jumping between drafts of two novels (I have never done that before, but it’s fun, and it’s working, so I’m not going to complain!). I have several more books coming out later this year that I’ve been editing and proofing. I’m just happy to go wherever the ideas take me.
The Handbooks for Little Humans series is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, Puffin (Penguin UK), ISBN 9780141325491
REVIEWED BY STEFAN, 9, NSW
Heroes of Olympus: The Lost hero is a fantastic book that I recommend. Rick Riordan has done a fantastic job writing adventures with heroes, monsters, and brilliant battles. Heroes of Olympus connects to the Greek Myths, with gods, demigods, and secrets for how to solve the puzzles.
One of my favourite parts is the twist. Some parts are scarier than others and some are funnier than others. This book made me feel happy when reading it and sad when I finished it.
The main character, Jason Grace is brave, powerful, and funny once you get to know him. He has woken up on a school wilderness bus with a psycho coach. He and his new friends must go on a serious mission to save the wonderful Camp Half Blood but if you want to find out all the serious secrets of this mission, you must read this awesome book.
I recommend this book for people who are into mystery, solving puzzles, fantasy, and the Greek Myths. But still, in my opinion, anyone would love this book. I give this book 5 out of 5. It is suitable for ages 8+, but again, anyone could read this amazing book.
The Famous Five: Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton. Graphic Novel retelling by Béja and Nataël, Hachette Children’s Books, ISBN 9781444963670
REVIEWED BY JACK, 7, NSW
This adventure graphic novel is about five amazing friends on a treasure island by the famous author Enid Blyton and illustrated by Béja and Nataël.
I like this book because it has lots of action, drama and it makes me feel emotions. The youngest kid cried for her mum when she got dropped off at her aunty’s house. But then they travel far and wide, and explore new places no one has discovered before – they find valuable things too.
If you like this book, you should read the rest of the series. There are some illustrated versions and some non-illustrated versions.
This book makes me want to read the rest of the series. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and over. I am rating it 4.5 out of five.
Today we’re chatting to the three creators of this stunning picture book, In the Kelp Forest, written by Aunty Patsy and Reena and beautifully illustrated by Belinda.
Aunty Patsy Cameron grew up on Flinders Island and can trace her Aboriginal heritage through her mother’s line to four Ancestral grandmothers; Pleenpereener, Wyerlooberer, Teekoolterme and Pollerelbrener. At the head of her family is Teekoolterme’s father, the revered Pairrebeenne/Trawlwoolway Clan leader, formidable warrior and seer, Mannalargenna.
Reena Balding grew up in Tasmania and left to travel the world where she worked for a newspaper in Turkey and became a yoga instructor in Bali. Now living with her family in Hobart, Reena publishes books for the Australian government and writes for children and adults.
Belinda Casey is a proud great granddaughter of legendary Tasmanian Aboriginal woman, Fanny Smith, whose traditional homeland is Tebrakunna Country in North Eastern Trouwerner/Tasmania. Belinda’s art practice honours the legacy of her ancestral grandmother and the strength and resilience of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people, their culture and connection to Country.
In the Kelp Forest explores the beauty and strength of Country beneath the waves and celebrates the living kelp forests, their creatures, and deep Cultural knowledge of Tasmania’s First Nations people. Kelp forests have intricate lives and play a key role in the balance of our oceans and seas. Myerlee, the giant kelp, sways beneath the waves, her forests alive with creatures that make her their home. Myerlee lives with the elements, shelters life, provides sustenence to those on the land and in the ocean and whispers her secrets to those who will listen.
Magabala Books provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of this book.
How did you collaborate on the writing of In the Kelp Forest? Did you work on it together or was there some back and forth between you on the text?
Aunty Patsy and Reena: We started by meeting on Country on a beach on the east coast of Tasmania. Aunty Patsy pointed out which parts of the kelp are good to collect. Then we talked about kelp and the different properties and importance of kelp. We also made various things out of kelp. Reena researched the different species of kelp and the life cycle of kelp and talked to kelp experts about what to include. Aunty Patsy researched the historic records of how kelp had been used and the different words for sea animals that lived in or around kelp forests. Then we put it all together.
What’s one thing you would like kids to know about kelp in Australian waters?
Aunty Patsy and Reena: Tasmanian Aboriginal people have used bull kelp (myerlee) for many, many years to make into useful things. The kelp is washed up onto beaches where it can be collected. When it is still wet and pliable it can be cut and made into baskets to carry water in. And also made into … shoes! There are historic records of people wearing a kelp shoe when they had a sore foot. We experimented with a piece of kelp and some string to see if a shoe really could be made from kelp, and it worked!
When fresh, kelp can be roasted over coals and eaten as a rich source of nutrients. This includes medicinal uses such as iodine that is good for your thyroid.
The book includes words from Oyster Bay nation language, Coastal Plains nations language, and Tyereelore language. How did you gather these words? Do you speak any of these languages yourselves?
Aunty Patsy: I grew up on Flinders island in eastern Bass Strait where Tyereerlore language was passed down across the generations for some shells and resources. I also have direct ancestral connections with Oyster Bay and Coastal Plains nations and use their words recorded in the 1800s in my writing and on occasions such as presenting Welcome to Country and when referring to place names and names for plants and animals.
Can you tell us about the watercolour illustrations for In the Kelp Forest?
Belinda: I had a marvellous time creating the illustrations for In the Kelp Forest. I’m a painter and usually work on quite large-scale canvases in oil paint and mixed media … I hadn’t really painted with watercolours before, so I more or less taught myself how to use them throughout the creation of the book. I chose watercolour for their portability but also their suitability to the book’s watery theme. I also love bluey greens, so I relished the opportunity to go crazy with my favourite colours! I broke my painting hand four weeks into the project, so while I was out of action I went and stayed at Bicheno on the east coast of Tassie for a few nights and photographed the kelp washed up on the beaches. I also videoed the kelp holding fast to the rocks and observed how it moved in the water. I then took my research material (plus a few specimens that I had collected) back to my studio and created the drawings partly from these images and partly from my imagination!
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
Aunty Patsy: I am currently working on ideas for another children’s story about the moon and its significance to the lifeworld of Tasmanian Aboriginal people from deep time to the present day.
Reena: I would love to write a book about Tasmania’s weird and wonderful facts and stats. I also think there need to be more books about fascinating plants. Basically, there are too many ideas for non-fiction kids books and not enough time to write them all!
Belinda: I’m currently working on a series of large-scale mixed-media paintings inspired by objects found along the coastline of Bruny Island, so in a way I’m continuing with the watery themes of In the Kelp Forest. ☺️
In the Kelp Forest is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
Matilda by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Puffin (Penguin UK), ISBN 9780241558317
REVIEWED BY ARA, 8, NSW
Matilda is a funny fantasy story for every age even if your parents are reading to you. It is a story that stands out because it teaches you an important lesson to stand up for yourself.
Matilda is also very entertaining. It is good for bed time stories and helps kids from ages 3 to 6 get to sleep quicker. It has scary bits and funny bits for everyone.
Matilda is brave when she stands up for herself in front of the head mistress. She is also charming and likeable and what’s more, she has special powers. The author Roald Dahl and illustrator Quentin Blake did an excellent job of making Matilda come to life.
I give this book five stars because I laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The BFG by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Penguin UK, ISBN 9780241677261
REVIEWED BY ABBY, 8, NSW
The BFG is a humorous adventure book by Roald Dahl that will have you laughing every page.
I love The BFG because it’s about Sophie meeting the Big Friendly Giant and saving the world. It’s so entertaining and makes you never want to put it down.
I think it’s a great book because it teaches you about being different and even if you are different you can make a big difference. It’s also awesome because it’s all about teamwork and trying hard.
It makes you emotional but has a happy and funny ending. It teaches you that the littlest (or biggest) things can make a big difference.
I give the book five stars and suggest it for kids aged 7–12.
Sharon Dalgleish has over 50 published books for children and worked for many years as a librarian, and then as a teacher. She now spends her days writing stories, non-fiction and poetry for children.
Sharon lives in Sydney with Maisie, her rescue dog/office assistant. Today we’re chatting with Sharon about her picture book with Amandine Thomas: Saving Shark Pup: The Incredible True Story.
From the publisher:
When a great white shark pup washed up on Manly Beach, the local community rushed to the shark’s rescue, eventually releasing it back into the ocean. Great white sharks are vital for the ocean ecosystem, and yet despite this, their beauty and mystery are rarely celebrated. This glorious picture book is a lyrical and emotive account of the shark pup’s journey back to the ocean, interspersed by fascinating facts about great white sharks.
The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of this book.
Saving Shark Pup is based on an actual rescue. How did you first hear about the shark pup that washed up on Manly Beach?
I was living in Manly when the shark pup washed up on the beach, so it was like it happened right in my own backyard. My daughter and her friends were at the beach and saw it all. They phoned to tell me – but I was at work and couldn’t rush to the beach. So, they sent me video updates!
The shark (nicknamed Fluffy) made me think differently about sharks and stayed in my heart for years. As I walked along the beach up to the headland lookout each morning, I would scan the ocean, wondering if it had survived and where he might be now. Great whites can live for over sixty years, so I’ll be looking for a long time!
I was sure someone would write Fluffy’s story. But no one did. Eventually, I sat down to try to capture his story on the page myself … hoping my words would inspire others to think differently about sharks, too.
The book includes facts about great white sharks as well as the tale of the shark pup’s rescue. How did you do your research about great white sharks?
I read everything I could find about great white sharks, in books and on scientific websites. It was particularly hard to find information about how great white sharks are born! Scientists are still trying to discover this. The best part of the research was making contact with and interviewing one of the aquarists who rescued the shark. She stayed by his side throughout the rescue – over twenty-four hours in the water with no sleep and wearing heavy equipment. She also read my final manuscript to make sure all the facts were correct. And she was VIP guest at the book launch party!
Did you work with the illustrator Amandine Thomas in the creation of the book? Or did you each work on the text and illustrations separately?
Amandine created her amazing art after my text was completed. When I first saw her art, I couldn’t believe how she had captured the colours, emotion, movement and even the sounds of the rescue. And how she has added so much to the story with every spread showing a different angle or perspective. We have never met in person (she is in Melbourne and I am in Sydney) but she did come to the book launch party via video! It was so special.
You’ve dedicated the book to the Sea Life Sanctuary Rescue Team. Can you tell us about that?
They worked with extraordinary teamwork, trying different ideas and never giving up. By the end of the rescue, they were overwhelmingly exhausted but also in awe of being in the presence of such a majestic animal. Great white sharks can be dangerous. And this one was stressed and in a confined space. But not once during the rescue did any of the divers feel threatened by Fluffy. They felt honoured to be able to help this magnificent wild creature. To me they are heroes!
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
I’m working on another nonfiction picture book. I adore poetic, lyrical writing. But I love silly humour, too. So, I’m having loads of fun working on a few funny picture books. I’ve also drafted an outline for a Chapter Book series. It’s about a character who always gets things wrong. I’ve written the first book and now planning the next two books.
Saving Shark Pup: The Incredible True Story is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
alphabetsoup.net.au 