Thank you to everyone who entered our picture book + CD giveaway.
We put all the names in a basket and drew the winner this morning. And the winner is … spog 777. We’ve emailed you, so please check your inbox and email us a postal address so we can post your prize!
Merry Christmas everyone! We’ll be back in 2013. (In the meantime, if you know any young writers or artists who would like work published in the kids’ work section of the magazine, you can download the guidelines from our website.)
The Twelve Days of Aussie Christmas by Colin Buchanan ill. Glen Singleton, Scholastic Australia, ISBN 9781742833675
This picture book is an Aussie take on well-known Christmas song ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’—and all set in the Australian summer with illustrations jam-packed with Australian flora and fauna. The picture book comes with a bonus CD of Colin Buchanan singing the familiar tune. (Of course, it gets stuck in your head, but that’s what makes it so sing-along-able.)
FIVE RUSTY UTES! FourfootyfansThreemeattraysTwojackaroosAndaplatypusupagumtreeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
A fun Aussie Christmas book that family members of all ages will enjoy (and possibly groan about) together. (There’s a page at the back of the book with a list of things to look out for, too.)
Merry Christmas!
—
THE GIVEAWAY (IT’S EASY TO ENTER!)
We have one review copy of The Twelve Days of Aussie Christmas to give away. (The twelve days of Christmas start with Christmas Day, so you’ll still have plenty of days to belt out the tune and read the book even if the copy doesn’t arrive before Christmas Day!)
Just leave us a comment with the name of your favourite Christmas carol in the comments section of this post. (Make sure your email address is in the details section when you leave your comment—or email us after you’ve commented so we can contact you if you’re the winner). Entrants outside Australia welcome—but we will only post the book to an Australian address, so you’ll need to nominate an Australian address for us to post it to if you win.
The giveaway ends 6am WST (that’s when it’s 6am in Perth, Western Australia) on 24 December 2012. We will announce the winner here on Soup Blog by noon on 24th and attempt to get it in the mail to the winner on the same day. Immediate family members of Alphabet Soup magazine employees are not eligible to enter. This is a random draw.
So—you have a friend who likes to write. And you’d like to give them a gift befitting a writer but you’ve checked your money box and there’s only 25c rattling around in there.
Here are some low-cost or even cost-free gift ideas.
JAR O’ PROMPTS (for writer’s block)
Put all these things in a jar or small box. Next time your writer friend is a bit stuck, they can pull one item out of your jar and write about that to get the creative juices flowing again. (Ask your parents if you can have a pasta or jam jar when they’ve finished with it, or there might even be a few covered in cobwebs at the back of the shed. Or use an empty cocoa box and decorate with the comics page from the newspaper … )
A READING LIST
All writers need to read LOTS of books to keep those booky ideas cooking. Write them a list of cool books you think they should definitely read. List the books and their authors, and a sentence or two about why you think they’d love each one. Roll it into a scroll and secure with a bit of string, ribbon or a rubber band. Your writer friend can take the list to the library and work their way through the books. Brilliant!
AN APP LIST
If your writer friend has an iPad or iPod, write them a list of cool apps, websites, e-books or comic-creators you think they would love and should try out. (Know of any free ones? Even better!)
A COMPETITION LIST
Some writers love to enter writing competitions. If your friend is like this, they might like a list of current competitions they can enter. (You can start by checking out the Alphabet Soup ‘Comps for Kids‘ page right here on Soup Blog. You can thank us later!)
A LISTENING EAR
Create your own gift voucher—good for one (or three) sessions of listening to their story or poems read out—and giving an honest opinion if they’d like one. (If you have some suggestions about things that might need fixing, make sure you comment on some parts you did like, too. It’s hard to read your work out to someone.)
A GAME
Create another gift voucher—promise to play one (or three) games of Scrabble or Boggle or any of their other favourite Word games even if you know they consistently win. You know they’ll love it!
BOOKMARKS
As we said before, writers are readers … why not make a bookmark gift? You can use your own artistic skills to decorate a rectangular piece of card. Personalise it with their name or their favourite word or poem. Or try making these simple bookmarks below. (Ask your parents’ permission before checking out these other websites—and while you’re there asking permission, check about using a cutting blade because some of these involve cutting and you’ll need a parent to help if you are little.)
Owl bookmark (scroll down the page halfway for instructions in English)
Monster Bookmark using an old envelope
BOOKPLATES
We might have mentioned that writers like to read. And readers don’t like their favourite books to go missing. On the State Library of WA website, you’ll find bookplates you can download for free with artwork by some fabulous Australian illustrators, like Shaun Tan, Rebecca Cool and more! You just download them, cut them out and your writer can glue them into the covers of their favourite books. Excellent!
Got any other low-cost gift ideas for writers? Let us know in the comments below!
—
Heipparallaa! by Liliana Stafford, ill. Elina Järvinen, ISBN 9781921136306, Windy Hollow Books
Reviewed by Matilda*, 6, WA
* Matilda is a member of our Undercover Readers Club. (Download information about the club on the magazine’s website.) Matilda reviewed her own copy of Heipparallaa!??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
If you were about to write a mystery story, what would your first line be? Send us only the first line of your story—make it irresistible!
You can send us as many first lines as you like. You can write your first line(s) on the back of your entry form. An entry form may be printed from the website (see competition rules), photocopied, or contact us to have one emailed or posted to you. (If you send us an entry and a few days later you send us some more first lines, you will need to include another entry form to go with your extra lines. We get quite a few entries and we can’t always match up stray writings with their entry forms!)
Your entry can be handwritten or typed. Make a copy of your entry as we cannot return entries.
A $20 book voucher is awarded to the winner in three age categories: Under 7s, Under 9s, and Under 12s.
Find more writing and art comps on the Comps for Kids page.
From today until 21st December 2012 all orders to Australian addresses will be sent via Express Post at no extra charge.
Prices: Single copies are only $8.20, a 1-year subscription (4 issues) costs $29.80 and a 2-year subscription (8 issues) costs $50.00. All prices include postage and handling.
Order online with a credit card on the magazine’s website.
Your shipping will be upgraded to Express Post at our office automatically, you do not need to enter a code when you order.
IT’S FRIDAY!
And you know what that means … it’s time to announce the winners of the 2012 Alphabet Soup Creativity Award!
*drumroll*
MOST OUTSTANDING ARTWORK—Daniel Hayes, 10, WA
The judge’s comments: This painting captures the drama of a long, dark arctic winter. Imagine this lonely polar bear waiting months and months for the sun to rise again! Despite being immersed in the freezing gloom, the artist has given the bear and her iceberg a magical inner glow.
Daniel wins $50 from the Book Chook, an art appraisal with James Foley, and a copy of James Foley’s book In the Lion.
—
MOST OUTSTANDING STORY—Simon Bird, 11, WA
THE STRANGE CLOUD OF MIST
It’s night time, thought Jake. I hate night time. Jake was lying on his bed, looking out the dark window. He was 11 years old and had brown hair and eyes.
CRASH!
Jake heard some spray and saw the window cover in water drops.
‘What was that?’ he asked himself. He jumped out of his covers and sneaked towards the window. It wasn’t rain because it was only a quick burst of misty water. Jake opened the window and stuck his head out. He saw a large cloud of mist swirling around his neighbourhood.
Strange … Jake thought. It must be a dream … I’ll pinch myself. Jake pinched himself hard and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was in his bed and it was morning, yet the window was still covered in misty water.
Jake hopped out of bed and hobbled down the stairs. His breakfast was already waiting for him at the table.
‘I’m not hungry right now,’ Jake said to himself. ‘Something’s not right.’ Jake dressed himself and stumbled out the door. He jogged to the nearby beach and saw that most of the beach parasols had been washed into the ocean, plus mounds of seaweed were piling on the shore.
I knew something was wrong, Jake thought to himself. The beach has been wrecked.
Jake jogged home to tell his parents, but something captured his eyes. His parents’ car was gone! He panicked. Where were his parents? Surely they wouldn’t be gone at this time of the morning. The front lawn of Jake’s house was wet and ruined.
Jake heard a windy sound from behind him. He turned around and saw a massive cloud of misty water! The mist was swirling around at high speed, ripping out plants and pulling pots and cars. One of the cars Jake saw was his parents’ car!
‘No!’ Jake yelled. Jake ran as fast as his legs could carry him, but he was too slow …
The judge’s comments: This story carefully builds suspense, and Jake’s feeling of foreboding pulls the reader through the story. Abandonment is an age-old theme in storytelling and this story leaves us guessing what is to come. We sense that Jake is capable but his fear is real.
Simon wins $50 from the Book Chook, a manuscript appraisal with Dee White, and a copy of the e-book Ten Top Writing Tips for Kids—What to Write About.
—
MOST OUTSTANDING POEM—Rose Thorpe, 11, NSW
RACCOONS
Smart and clever,
Cunning and quick,
The raccoon darts,
Weaves and dips
Between the buildings,
In the night,
Guided by
The silver moonlight.
The sun is rising,
Night is away
Hurry my friend
Before the brand new day.
The judge’s comments: Line breaks and well-chosen words reflect the movement of the raccoon at night. The poet conveys a lot of action in this brief poem.
Rose wins $50 courtesy of the Book Chook, a poetry appraisal/mentorship with Lorraine Marwood, and a copy of A Ute Picnic.
—
SECOND PLACES
Second Place (Artwork)—Caspian by Benjamin Woo, 6, Malaysia.
Second Place (Story)—UFO by Harry Cordingley, 10, WA.
Second Place (Poem)—The Sun, Ellie Rose Fisher, 11, WA.
Benjamin, Harry and Ellie Rose each receive a runner-up medal.
—
If you’d like to submit writing and/or artwork for Alphabet Soup‘s 2013 issues, check out our submission guidelines.
James Foley is visiting today to tell us about how he came to be an illustrator—and the details of the fabulous prize he is donating for the winner in the Most Outstanding Artwork category of the Alphabet Soup Creativity Award. (You can read about the prizes for the Most Outstanding Story and the Most Outstanding Poem categories in earlier posts this week.)
I write and illustrate children’s books. I’ve recently released my second picture book, In The Lion, through Walker Books. It’s a little like The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly but darkly funny and set in a zoo. My first book, The Last Viking, came out last year. it was written by Picture-Book-of-the-Year winner Norman Jorgensen.
Most illustrators will tell you they’ve been drawing for as long as they can remember. I started my career in primary school, drawing cartoons for the school newspaper. The paper only lasted one issue, probably because my class faked a fire in the school hall using a smoke machine to get our front page story. In year 7, I won third prize in a state-wide ‘Make Your Own Storybook’ Competition. I later worked on a regular comic strip for my high school paper; political cartoons for a Curtin University paper; and a full-page comic for Notre Dame University’s Quasimodo magazine.
But my professional career really began in 2003, when I drew my first covers for Western Australia’s weekly Quokka newspaper. By the time I finished in 2010 I’d drawn nearly 300 full-colour cartoons.
I like working in pen and ink, pencil, charcoal and watercolour. I also use digital tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Painter and a Wacom graphics tablet.
I have a website and you can also visit The Last Viking blog which goes behind-the-scenes of the picture book.
—
THE MENTORING
My assessment/mentoring will contain feedback on your illustration, suggestions for drawing activities, advice on books to look at and artists to look up, and general tips for illustrating books. The winner will need to email me a scan of their artwork for appraisal. I will email back my feedback and tips.
I will also provide a signed copy of my latest book In the Lion.
I remember being encouraged at a young age to follow this dream, so hopefully I can do the same here.
—
We can hardly wait to announce the winners on Friday. While you’re waiting, you can check out the book trailer for In the Lion. It’s really cool.
Today we are so pleased to have Lorraine Marwood here to tell us a bit about her poetry writing, and the prize she is donating for the winner in the Most Outstanding Poem category of the Alphabet Soup Creativity Award. (We’ll be announcing the winner on Friday, so stay tuned!)
Yesterday we announced the Alphabet Soup Creativity Award—for outstanding work published in Alphabet Soup magazine in 2012. Today we welcome Dee White to share some ideas for what to write about, and to tell us about the prize she has donated for the winner in the Most Outstanding Story category.
Over to Dee!
A House Can Tell A Story
There are so many potential stories hidden inside your home.
You just have to use your imagination and look for them.
- What if you opened a drawer and found a secret letter hidden there?
- What if something in your house came to life and started chasing you or wanted to be your friend?
- What if your house could talk and told you a story about the people who used to live there before you did?
- What if your house got blown away like Dorothy’s in The Wizard of Oz and you ended up somewhere completely different?
- What if there was a treasure chest hidden in your garden?
- What if there was a secret compartment in the wall of your bedroom and it led to another world?
One of my favourite things to do when I can’t think what to write about is to look around a room in my house and pick an object. It could be a wall, a door, a light switch, anything.
Next I imagine what it would be like to be that object sitting there day after day. I think about what that object can see and do and how it might feel. Then I write a piece about it.
It’s fun to do this with a writing friend and see if they can guess which object in the room you are writing about.
This excerpt is from Dee’s new e-book, 10 Top Writing Tips For Kids: What to Write About.
Dee is donating a free copy of this book and one hour’s mentoring (a manuscript appraisal) to the winner of the Most Outstanding Story category of the 2012 Alphabet Soup Creativity Award.
THE MENTORING
Here’s how it works.
The winner will send a 500-word piece of writing to Dee. If it’s part of a longer story they’ll need to also send in a plot summary or information about what happens in the rest of the story. Dee will give tips on how to improve the piece of writing and the winner’s skills in general. She’ll also answer questions they might have about the piece or writing in general.
ABOUT 10 TOP WRITING TIPS FOR KIDS
Dee has written this series to encourage and inspire kids who love to write. 10 Top Writing Tips for Kids: What to Write About was released in November 2012.
Other books in the series coming in 2013 are:
More about the 10 Top Writing Tips books can be found at http://10topwritingtips.wordpress.com
—
ABOUT DEE
Dee White has worked as an advertising copywriter and journalist, but wanted to be an author from the time she was seven. Her first book for young adults, Letters to Leonardo, took more than ten years to research and write. Dee’s other titles include Hope for Hanna, A Duel of Words and Harry’s Goldfield Adventure.
Dee is passionate about encouraging young readers and writers, and her blogs Writing Classes for Kids and DeeScribe Writing are full of career and writing tips for students and new and emerging writers.
She runs writing workshops for primary and secondary students across Australia with sessions focusing on story ideas, plotting and character development. She also runs them online at Writing Classes for Kids.
She is honoured to be providing the prize for the inaugural Alphabet Soup Creativity Award, and hopes that it will help encourage young writers.
For more information on the 2012 Alphabet Soup Creativity Award, visit the Award page (there’s a tab at the top of this blog).
alphabetsoup.net.au 