Author: Alphabet Soup

This post was added by Rebecca Newman. Rebecca is a children's writer and poet, and the editor of the Australian children's literary blog, Alphabet Soup. For more about Rebecca visit: rebeccanewman.net.au.
Posted in authors, interviews

Ashleigh Barton on Solomon Macaroni and the Vampire Vacation

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

A head and shoulders photo of Ashleigh Barton, author
The cover of a children's novel: Solomon Macaroni and the Vampire Vacation

Ashleigh Barton lives in Sydney, Australia. As well as writing the Solomon Macaroni novels, Ashleigh is the author of several picture books. Today we’re pleased to have Ashleigh visiting Alphabet Soup to talk about the second book in the Solomon Macaroni series: Solomon Macaroni and the Vampire Vacation, illustrated by Sarah Davis.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of this book.

From the publisher:

The world’s friendliest vegetarian vampire and his six mischievous cousins are going to Paris with Uncle Dracula. They can’t wait for the fine food, fabulous fashion and fang-dangled art. But Uncle Dracula is not himself. When the kids see the Mona Lisa, they get an idea to cheer him up … and it’s their naughtiest one yet.

Uncle Dracula takes Solomon and all the cousins on a holiday to Paris. If you were heading off to Paris yourself, what would you be most looking forward to?

I’m like Elvis – I would definitely be most looking forward to the food! The other thing I’d most be looking forward to is seeing the Bouquinistes of Paris (the booksellers of Paris), which are green wooden boxes along the Seine that hold hundreds of thousands of books, including second-hand and antique books. These open-air bookstores have been there for more than 500 years. I’d originally included a scene revolving around the Bouquinistes in Solomon Macaroni and the Vampire Vacation but it got edited out for pacing reasons. If I ever go to Paris again, I can’t wait to see these – I bet there would be so many amazing treasures to discover.

The Catacombs played a big part in this story and I haven’t seen them in person either, so I’d have to add that to my list too, along with a lot of other things I discovered in my research.

Have you seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre?

I have seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre but it was a very long time ago! I was lucky enough to go to the Louvre when I was nine years old. It was quite incredible knowing how long ago the painting was made and how revered it is. When I was researching for the book, I watched a lot of videos and read a lot of accounts to see how other people felt when seeing the Mona Lisa in person and one thing I read a lot was how surprised people were by the size. It’s actually fairly small (which made it much easier for our characters to steal!).

Unfortunately I didn’t make it back inside the Louvre when I visited Paris again many years later, but I will have to add it to my wish list above!

The cousins are big fans of ice-cream … which ice-cream flavours would be in your own multi-flavoured ice-cream tower?

If someone gave me a multi-flavoured ice cream tower I would have to try one of everything. When else would you get the chance to try every flavour in the shop and have no regrets about choosing the wrong one?

This book involves a careful plan being carried out with precise timing. Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing about planning a heist?

I think I’m a mix of both! I’m pretty terrible at admin generally and for me plotting feels a lot like admin. I also find that one idea leads to another, so things take unexpected turns for me along the way when I’m writing. But I do try to have some kind of plan in place, whether that’s a point A and point B with nothing planned to get from one to the other, or something more detailed. When I plotted this particular heist, I knew exactly what was going to happen once they pulled it off but I didn’t plan every step or the things that went wrong along the way until well into writing it.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’m not sure what will be happening next with Solomon, but in the meantime, I have two picture books and a brand-new series coming out next year. I’m not sure I can say too much about this new series yet, but it’s completely different to Solomon Macaroni and for a slightly younger audience. It is contemporary fiction with a bit of a non-fiction twist and another amazing illustrator on board!

Solomon Macaroni and the Vampire Vacation is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Read our 2022 interview with Ashleigh Barton

Watch Ashleigh Barton’s quick introduction to the book [YouTube]

Download the Teachers’ Notes for this book

Download a Solomon Macaroni activity pack on the author’s website

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Rory

Book review: Mermedusa

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY RORY, 11, WA

Mermedusa by Thomas Taylor, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781529502138

Rory received a review copy of this book.

Prepare for a wild, mysterious and funny adventure in Mermedusa, the final book in the Eerie-on-Sea book series. Join Herbie and Violet as ghostly things begin happening in the seaside town of Eerie-on-Sea. First podcasters coming to investigate the creepy myths of the town and next giant sea-monsters from the deep depths of the ocean trooping through the town!

When an eerie, hypnotic hum begins to resonate around the town and when Sebastian Eels – the friends’ worst enemy – starts driving his boat out into the stormy ocean at midwinter time, the most dangerous time of the year, Herbie and Violet instantly know something is up.

Suddenly everything starts coming into place: could the deepest secret of Eerie-on-Sea be close to getting revealed?

I rate this book a 10/10! It’s just so good with descriptive language, cliff-hangers, mysteries and more. There’s literally nothing bad about it! I think this book would be great for 9-year-olds and above. I read this book all night long and I know that you will too!

Rory is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of his reviews here. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Aashi, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Ghosts

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY AASHI, 9, VIC

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier, Scholastic Inc, ISBN 9780545540629

Aashi reviewed her own copy of this book.

Ghosts is a graphic novel written and illustrated by an outstanding author Raina Telgemeier. The main character is Catrina who doesn’t want to move to the coast of Northern California. They move because of Catrina’s little sister, Maya, who has Cystic Fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis is a breathing and digestion condition, so they move to Bahia de la Luna which is on the coast of Northern California for cleaner air.

When Catrina and her family get to Bahia de la Luna they move into a little green house.  Wild Maya wants to go on the ghost tour run by their next-door neighbour, Carlos. Catrina can’t say no.  Will this end well … ?

I rate this book four out of five stars for it uses more perspectives of what other people think besides Catrina, though overall the book was great. It would make a spectacular read for ages 8–11.

Ghosts was a fabulous book, so in 2017 it won an Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids (ages 9–12), and the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids’ Comics.

I hope you read Ghosts.

Aashi is a regular book reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her book reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Aashi, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Third Form at St Clare’s

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY AASHI, 9, VIC

The Third Form at St Clare’s by Enid Blyton, Hachette Children’s Books, ISBN 9781444930030

Aashi reviewed her own copy of this book.

School days at St. Clare’s are never dull for Patricia and Isabel O’Sullivan.

When the mistresses announce that the third form shall be running their production, trouble starts. However, that’s only the beginning of their problems! Will the show still go on? But despite all the chaos pranks are still being pulled on poor Mam’zelle, the French mistress.

I adored The Third Form at St. Clare’s, a fantastic book. The book is full of surprises, mischief, jokes, and mysteries. I rate it a five out of five.

However, I wasn’t the only person who thought so. Here are some quotes from other readers …

'A great story with some new characters along the way.'
by Felicity

'A great book. Never bores you.' 
by Phoenix

'I loved this series, it's one of my childhood favourites.'
by Bhavya

I enjoyed this great book and it made for a spectacular read. I hope you read it too and like it.

Aashi is a regular book reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her book reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in authors, interviews

Chenée Marrapodi on One Wrong Turn

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

Author and journalist Chenée Marrapodi, sits on marble steps with a book on her lap.

Chenée Marrapodi is an author and journalist who has danced ballet and jazz her whole life, loving the stories that can be created through movement. Today we’re pleased to be talking to Chenée about her debut novel One Wrong Turn.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a review copy of One Wrong Turn.

From the publisher:

Amelia is a ballerina on the rise — she’s talented, dedicated and set to star in the lead role of the annual production. But when Valentina arrives from Italy and joins the ballet academy, the competition gets fierce. Can Amelia outshine Valentina and keep her place in the spotlight?

At your book launch, you mentioned going to ballet classes in Australia and in Italy. Do you have a memorable ballet performance you were in when you were young?

My first ballet performance was definitely a standout. I was a sheep and two farmers had to shear our wool on stage! 

It’s funny to look back at now, but at the time I was so disappointed because in the previous year’s concert the girls got to be fairies.

What is your all-time favourite ballet production? ( … Would it be Cinderella?)

Cinderella is definitely one of my favourite ballet productions, which is one of the reasons it features in One Wrong Turn. There’s something special about seeing a familiar story brought to life on stage. I find it easier to get lost in the beauty of the dance because I already know the narrative so well. 

I particularly love WA Ballet’s production of Cinderella, which is described by Amelia in my novel. Amelia talks about getting to ride on Cinderella’s coach as a young child, which is something that kids actually get to do in WA Ballet’s performance. It’s really special to watch!

In particular, I love watching the Step Sisters. They are hilarious and always steal the show. I once saw one of the sisters do tap dancing on her toes in pointe shoes. I still don’t know how she managed to do it!

Did you need to do any research while you were writing One Wrong Turn? Or did your experiences growing up cover everything you needed to get your story down?

Most of the story was inspired by my own experiences in dance classes. Some of Miss Lily’s funny corrections were things I’d heard my own teachers say over the years. Given I was never training for a career in ballet, I did chat to a couple of professional dancers to make sure the amount of training my characters were doing was realistic. 

Valentina’s Italian family and traditions were also inspired by my own experiences. I’m Italo-Australian and grew up with big family meals and traditions like sauce and sausage making days. Valentina’s house is actually based on my Nonna’s and features some of the quirky pictures that used to hang on her walls.  

I also lived in Italy for a while and danced at a small school while I was over there. Like Valentina, I couldn’t translate my teacher’s corrections while I was dancing. I found it too hard to remember choreography, listen to music and translate corrections in a foreign language at the same time. It took my teacher a whole year to figure out my secret!

Despite being fluent in Italian, I got one of my good friends in Italy to double check the Italian phrases in the novel. I don’t speak the language as much as I used to and I’m a little bit rusty. The last thing I wanted was an error forever printed in my book! 

What’s the worst writing tip you’ve ever been given?

“Edit the story as you go.”

It might work for some people, but it doesn’t work for me. If I edit as I go, I get too fixated on trying to make every sentence perfect. It makes the whole task feel too overwhelming and I never make it to the end. Instead, I find it better to write a messy and fast first draft. I don’t reread my work until I make it all the way to the end of the story. It’s much easier to edit a messy page than a blank one.

Can you tell us a little about what you’re working on next?

I’m really excited to be working on a sequel to One Wrong Turn. It’s great fun being back at the ballet academy. You can expect the same characters, with a couple of new additions. There’ll also be lots of dancing (including a different style), fun, friendship, a tiny bit of romance and some very big challenges for everyone to overcome.

One Wrong Turn is out now! Ask for it at your favourite local bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Read a sample chapter of the book.

Watch/listen to Chenée Marrapodi reading the first chapter of her book. [Youtube]

Download the Teachers’ Notes for One Wrong Turn.

Download these cool activity sheets to keep you on your toes.

Visit Chenée Marrapodi’s website for more about her and her books.

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: One Wrong Turn

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY HANNAH, 11, WA

One Wrong Turn by Chenée Marrapodi, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760992439

Hannah received a review copy of this title.

Amelia wants to get the lead role in a ballet concert but there’s a new girl (Valentina) who’s really good, so it will be harder for Amelia to get the lead role. Valentina’s family doesn’t really understand ballet and when rehearsals start it might be a problem for the show if Valentina has to stop ballet. 

The book had a few Italian words. I thought it was cool because in Valentina’s family they were talking to each other in Italian. Sometimes when Valentina was talking to her family the book didn’t tell us what they were saying. But if Valentina used Italian words when she was speaking with her friends, she would give the words in English as well. So if I kept reading it told me what she said.  

I liked the book because, even though it was a long book with small writing, the more I read the easier the book got. I still really liked it because I really like dancing and I wanted to get to the showcase at the end! I don’t do ballet but I do hip hop and jazz. Kids who like ballet, or any kind of dancing, will enjoy this book and see how hard it is to do ballet well. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.   

Take a sneak peek inside chapter 1 of One Wrong Turn!

This is Hannah’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: Meet Me at the Moon Tree

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
The cover of a children's novel: Meet me at the moon tree by Shivaun Plozza. The cover illustration shows a child in tshirt and long pants sitting under a large tree and gazing out at the evening sky

REVIEWED BY MILLA, 11, WA

Meet Me at the Moon Tree by Shivaun Plozza, UQP, ISBN 9780702266171

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Carina promised her Dad that they would find a Moon Tree together. Sadly Carina’s Dad passes away before they get to do so, so Carina is more determined than ever to find it herself.

After moving to the Otaway Ranges, Carina believes that there is a Moon Tree in a nearby forest. Carina has a strange and mystical encounter with a black cockatoo in the forest who she thinks may be magical. Will the magic lead Carina to find a Moon Tree?

I rate this book 7/10 because I really enjoy stories about nature, love and the power of family connection. It’s suitable for ages 9+.

Read our September 2023 interview with the author.

This is Milla’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in authors, interviews

Dianne Wolfer on Scout and the Rescue Dogs

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

Dianne Wolfer, author
The cover of a children's novel: Scout and the Rescue Dogs. The cover illustration shows Scout (a girl with red hair) and six dogs of various breeds. In the background is a blue truck.

Dianne Wolfer lives on the south coast of Western Australia, but she grew up in Melbourne, Bangkok and Albury. Dianne writes picture books, novels for children and teenagers, and nonfiction for all ages. Today we’re chatting to Dianne about her latest novel Scout and the Rescue Dogs, illustrated by Tony Flowers.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Scout and the Rescue Dogs.

From the publisher:

The summer holidays have finally arrived and Scout can’t wait for her adventure in the big rig with Dad. They’re on a mission to deliver donations of dog food to animal rescue shelters right across the state. But Scout and her dad get more than they’ve bargained for. It’s bushfire season – and it’s not just the dogs who need rescuing …

You have a rescue dog yourself, can you tell us a bit about Harry?

I’m always happy to talk about our beautiful rescue boy. His personality inspired aspects of a previous book, The Dog with Seven Names, and now he has inspired another! 

We saw Harry on the SAFE rescue site ten years ago. He was huddled in a corner with a plastic cone around his head looking very sad and lonely. Harry was found running in the street. He’d been badly treated and was a terrified, little fellow. He had many fear triggers. When we were driving to collect him, another dog attacked Harry, so when we first met him, he had a nasty gash across his neck. We brought him home and truckloads of love soon helped him settle and trust people again. He’s had a good life since then, being walked, and spoilt. This past winter he enjoyed a road trip to Broome where he swam at the beach every day. Our grown-up kids reckon Harry is the favourite child.

Is the character Scout based on anyone you know?

No, however aspects of myself, my friends and family have found their way into the story. Like Scout, I love dogs and animals and was distressed by the impacts of the 2019/2020 bushfires on wildlife and our forests. 

I’d completed a read-through draft of the story when terrible fires broke out in many of the towns Scout visits. It happened around Christmas, the same time as my novel. I had to decide whether to change my settings or include the fires. My family was impacted by ‘Black Summer’, so I did the latter. Like Scout I experienced hellish orange skies and weeks of toxic air when I stayed with my mother in Albury. My sister evacuated her home in the Snowy Mountains. Before leaving she put out dozens of water trays for the birds and insects. My cousin’s husband and daughter fought huge, horrific walls of flames at Corryong, and the truck convoy taking hay to starving cattle was inspired by true events. I grew up near Scout’s Beechworth home and swam at Woolshed Falls and Lake Hume. My friends lived in Howlong and Burrumbuttock. The places in Scout’s story are all very familiar to me.

Have you been in a rig?

Not properly. I do a lot of country driving and was inspired by truckies during Covid, the unsung heroes who kept our country functioning. I’ve often parked beside big rigs and peered up into the cabins. Creating truck-driving characters was fun. Whenever I see a dog in a truck, I ask the driver if I can take a photo for my collection. There are some very cute truck dogs on the ‘Scout’ page of my website.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

Books take a long time from idea to publication, so I usually have a few things on the go. In Feb 2024, a new edition of Granny Grommet and Me will be published (illustrated by Karen Blair). It’s been out of print for several years so I can’t wait for the grannies to surf again. I’m also looking forward to the publication of a picture book with my friend and fabulous illustrator, Frané Lessac. It’s about cattle mustering in northern Australia and was inspired by the lovely Brahman cattle I saw in the Kimberley. A longer project: this year I’ve been researching an inspirational Australian aviator who achieved many things in her short life, but I don’t want to say more until I finish a read-through draft. I’ve written about 12,500 words and so I’m getting closer … It’s due for release late 2024 or early 2025. And I’m also thrilled to have a set of haiku coming out in the 2024 poetry collection Right Way Down and Other Poems. 2024 looks like being an exciting year.

Do you have a tip for young writers who would like to write a story set in real life?

Real life inspires many of my stories. I often take a story spark from history or my life then use my imagination to weave a story around it. That can vary from surfing grannies in Albany (Granny Grommet and Me) to a wartime air raid (The Dog with Seven Names) or the only horse to return from WWI (The Last Light Horse). Or Scout!

My advice for writers is make time to write. Take lots of notes and get down a first draft, no matter how rough, without questioning yourself or overthinking it. Write the beginning and end, with dot point chapters in between, then join those dots. Once you have that first draft you can edit and rework it. Your characters might even take you in another direction. I do dozens and dozens of drafts. If you get stuck, put that story aside for a few weeks and work on another one. Don’t give up.

Scout and the Rescue Dogs is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

The cover of a children's novel: Scout and the Rescue Dogs. The cover illustration shows Scout (a girl with red hair) and six dogs of various breeds. In the background is a blue truck.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Check out the truck dogs’ photos on Dianne Wolfer’s website

Visit Dianne Wolfer’s website for more about her and her books.

Read our 2020 interview about another of Dianne Wolfer’s books: a biography of Munjed Al Muderis

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: It’s the Sound of the Thing

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
The cover of It's the Sound of the Thing by Maxine Beneba Clarke

It’s the Sound of the Thing by Maxine Beneba Clarke, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing, ISBN 9781761212123

REVIEWED BY NINA, 10, NSW. Nina received a review copy of this book.

Maxine Beneba Clarke’s book It’s the Sound of the Thing is a stunning collection of 100 poems that features limericks, haikus, sonnets, tongue twisters, funny poems, serious poems any type of poem you could think of. The ideas for the poems are creative and fantastic! They are about all sorts of things (a messy room, your grannies dancing, phones, teenagers and more).

Good for readers of all ages but best suited for ages 8-12 years old. It makes you wonder what type of poem will come next.

I personally rate this book 10/10. I would highly recommend reading it. 

This is Nina’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in authors, interviews

Shivaun Plozza on Meet Me at the Moon Tree

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

The cover of a children's novel: Meet me at the moon tree by Shivaun Plozza. The cover illustration shows a child in tshirt and long pants sitting under a large tree and gazing out at the evening sky
Shivaun Plozza, writer

Shivaun Plozza is an award-winning writer for children and young adults. She lives in Geelong with her cat, Fenchurch. Today we’re thrilled to chat to Shivaun about her latest book Meet Me at the Moon Tree.

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Meet Me at the Moon Tree.

From the publisher:

For Carina Sugden, nothing is more special than a moon tree – a tree grown from the seeds taken on the Apollo 14 mission into space. Her father taught her everything she knows about them. But he passed away before they found one together. When Mum relocates the family to the Otway Ranges, Carina becomes determined to find a moon tree on her own. After a mysterious encounter with a black cockatoo, Carina realises there’s magic in this forest. And if magic exists, anything is possible, like seeing her dad one last time…

How did you first hear about moon trees?

I was researching the world’s strangest trees for a story when I came across a reference to ‘moon trees’. Just the name ‘moon trees’ sounded so fascinating to me so I knew I had to discover everything about them. When I learnt their history I threw away my original idea and began working on Meet Me at the Moon Tree. It just goes to show how helpful research is (as well as allowing yourself to follow whatever sparks your curiosity!) to creative writing. 

Trees (many kinds!) feature strongly in the story. Were you already knowledgeable in this area or did you need to do some research?

I’ve always been interested in trees but I wasn’t at all knowledgeable about the different species or the many interesting facts I learnt about them along the way (such as the fact that they talk to each other!). I definitely had to do a lot of research. If anyone is interested in learning more about trees I’d highly recommend Can You Hear the Trees Talking by Peter Wohlleben.

Grief is at the centre of this story. Was this part of your plan for the book when you sat down to write the first draft or did it arise during the writing?

From the beginning I knew that I wanted to write a story about a girl looking for a moon tree so I asked myself why she was looking: why did finding a moon tree matter so much to Carina? I wanted the reader to desperately want her to find one, as much as she wanted to find one herself, so it made sense for it to matter because of a promise she’d made to her much beloved father. 

Do you have a tip for young writers who’d like to write stories with real-life settings?

One thing that helps is to treat your setting like it’s a character. Often we think about how we can bring our characters to life but we don’t always think about bringing the setting to life—we just assume our readers will know what we’re talking about when we write that our characters walked down a street or entered the kitchen. But does every street look the same? How about every kitchen? All settings, like people, are distinct so find out what makes that setting distinct and bring it to life on the page.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the shift from childhood into the tween years and how it can create tension in friendships if each friend is moving at a very different pace. So I’m writing about that.

Meet Me at the Moon Tree is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

The cover of a children's novel: Meet me at the moon tree by Shivaun Plozza. The cover illustration shows a child in tshirt and long pants sitting under a large tree and gazing out at the evening sky

Visit NASA’s website for more about the history of Moon Trees.

Download the Teacher’s Notes for Meet Me at the Moon Tree.

Visit Shivaun Plozza’s website for more about her and her books.