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 Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: The Silver Donkey

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 10, WA

The Silver Donkey

The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett, Penguin Australia, ISBN 9780143301578 

Matilda borrowed this book from her school library.

Two sisters called Marcelle and Coco discover a soldier in a French forest. He’s blind and he’s trying to go home across the Channel. If anyone discovers him he might be shot because he has run away from the war and so the children need to help him without telling anyone.

The silver donkey is a lucky charm that was given to the soldier by his little brother. Coco likes to hold it while the soldier tells the sisters interesting tales about donkeys. In every tale a donkey is spending its life pleasing or helping someone else. Coco was my favourite character in the book because she had a lot of enthusiasm and she was very determined. It was different from other books I’ve read. It was a very calm and gentle book even though it was about children planning to help a soldier escape.

This book will suit readers aged 9 to 12 because it talks about war. It’s a good book for readers who like a realistic story with a historical setting.

Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of  The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 10, WA

THE REMARKABLE SECRET OF AURELIE BONHOFFEN by Deborah Abela.

The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen by Deborah Abela, Random House Australia, ISBN 9781741660951

Matilda borrowed this book from her school library.

This story is set at a pier where Aurelie’s family owns and runs a ghost train. But the pier is now becoming broken down and old and the family can’t afford to fix it up. Someone is trying to pressure them into selling the pier — but they really don’t want to sell their beloved home because it’s been in the family for generations …

On the cover Aurelie is wearing strange clothes so I expected she would be a strange girl. I liked her because she was honest and proud of being different. I like books with lots of adventure and excitement and The Remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen was a fast moving story and also had mystery, ghosts, family, friendship and hope. You will have to read the book yourself to find out what the remarkable secret is.

Readers aged 9+ will enjoy this book — especially readers who like fantasy elements in their books.

Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of  Song Bird Superhero. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: Song Bird Superhero

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 10, WA

Song Bird Superhero

Song Bird Superhero by Karen Tyrell, Digital Future Press, ISBN 9780994302168

Matilda received a review copy of this book from the author.

This book is about a girl called Rosella Ava Bird whose big dream is to fly. In her nightmares she is trying to save people while she’s flying and in those nightmares she always fails. She also lives next door to Frank Furter the school bully. Rosella’s singing shatters windows, she can’t fly, and she has been banned from the science fair. What can she do?

When I started reading Song Bird Superhero I thought it would be an adventure story. It turned out not to be my style of book but readers who love science fiction and fantasy might enjoy this book. The overall theme is friendship and family and finding what you are good at. It would suit 6 to 11 year olds best.

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Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of  Steve Goes to Carnival. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in poetry

Young Writers in Action: Snowing Everywhere

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Snowing Everywhere

by Anishka, 6, QLD

The snow is white,
the air is quiet.
The snowflakes are dazzling,
the snowman is singing.
The snow covers paths, streams, parks and markets
like a blanket.
The sun comes up to take winter,
the snowman melted and became water.

Anishka has been published on Alphabet Soup previously — you can read her earlier work here and here.

If YOU would like to send us a story, drawing, poem, or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy writing!

Posted in info

Young Writers in Action: The Wolf Girl

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THE WOLF GIRL

by Ella, 10, VIC

Mia is a girl who has been raised by wolves, the only family she remembers. She has learnt many things from her wolf family, such as hunting, climbing, stalking and pouncing. In her spare time, Mia collects stars to help with her fear of the dark. Mia enjoyed her life with the wolves, until one day, the unthinkable happened. While Mia was out sailing to catch fish for her and the wolves to eat, a boat sailed alongside her. The man on board was tall. Mia was terrified, but was alone and had nowhere to run.

The man grabbed her arm.
“ What are you doing?!” shrieked Mia.

The man didn’t answer her, but instead said,
“ Ya comin with me little girl!”
“I belong here!” screamed Mia.
“ Pfft!” said the old man, “so ya live in the woods, do ya?”
“For as long as I can remember!’ cried Mia.

The man didn’t care, and continued to pull Mia onto his boat.

For two years the man and his wife held her captive. Dirty and dressed in rags, she was taught how to make medicines to sell at the local town nearby. She was their slave. Every night Mia would cry and clutch her one star she still had from years ago, longing for her wolf family. Mia spent everyday making medicine, and waiting on the humans. Her lunch was nothing more than dry bread and curdled milk, while they feasted on salad and fresh fish that Mia caught. They would yell at Mia to hurry to the market in and sell the medicine. When she returned they would snatch the money, leaving Mia with nothing.

Meanwhile, in the woods, the wolves had never forgotten their Mia. Although they believed Mia had run away for another life, they never stopped searching for her. Finally, their search had come to an end. One night, as exhausted Mia lay sleeping, the wolves gently took her from her bed, and carried her onto their boat. Mia woke confused and dazed. She didn’t know what was going on. Had she been taken prisoner again?

The wolves were also confused and hurt, thinking that Mia had abandoned them all those years ago.

‘Why are you angry with me?’ shouted Mia.
‘You left us,’ growled the sad and angry wolf, slamming the door behind him.

Mia thought long and hard, and then it all began to make sense. She pieced it together in her mind. The day Mia was taken, the wolves believed she had run away. They didn’t understand she was taken from them, her canine family.

“ I was captured!” screamed Mia through the closed door.

The wolf returned, ready to listen.

“ I wouldn’t swap you guys for the world!” cried Mia.

The wolves embraced Mia and vowed to always protect her. Mia no longer felt scared of the dark. The pack remained on guard and hoped the evil humans would never return. Guess what …

THEY NEVER DID!

This is Ella’s first story published with Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a story, drawing, poem, or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy writing!

Posted in info

Young Writers in Action: The Little Girl Who Lived Down the Street

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THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVED DOWN THE STREET

by Caitlin, 11, VIC

The little girl who lives down the street
My sister says she’s a creep
Mum says don’t go near
I reckon she thinks I fear
I wish I could explain why
But all my father does is sigh
One night I go down the street
I make sure that I creep
I see the little girl who lives down the street in a car
I can’t see why she’s looking so far,
Until I see a shooting star
The little girl who lived down the street
Maybe she isn’t such a creep

This is Caitlin’s first poem published with Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a story, drawing, poem, or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy writing!

Posted in info

TOP READS: August 2016

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

August is our favourite month at Alphabet Soup. August means Children’s Book Week in Australia and that means celebrations of authors, illustrators and children’s books! (And often a Book Week dress-up parade — which our editor really adores.)

Meanwhile, our Top Reads team has been reading as if reading is a new Olympic event — so it’s time for some book recommendations. Go team!

You’ll find a recommended list from our Top Reads Team on the last day of every month (February to November). If you missed last month’s, don’t forget to check out the July Top Reads.

*All our Top Readers are kids aged 13 and under. No grownups allowed!

Posted in info

Young Writers in Action: Summer

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Summer
by Tanishkaa, 8, NSW

Travelling to different beaches
Eating ice cream and peaches
Renting a holiday house
Finding a new pet mouse
Exploring an enormous cave
Surfing on the largest wave
Flying the most colourful kite
Chasing a lorikeet in its flight
The endless joys of summer
Certainly break the winter slumber.

This is Tanishkaa’s first poem published with Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a story, drawing, poem, or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy writing!

Posted in info

Young Writers in Action: A Walk with Nature

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

A walk with Nature

by Anishka, 6, QLD

A walk with Nature:

I walked into the meadow. The leaves were flying in the wind as the sun was reflecting on the pond.
I saw a squirrel looking for some nuts for him to eat.
The grass was long like weeds as it covered a flatbed full of flowers.
I saw a rabbit hopping with joy in the long grass, and atthe same time, a bird was dancing in a beautiful green tree.
Soon, it was afternoon and I saw a rainbow appear in the sky due to a little rain. A little lady bird was flying in the wet rain and frogs were hopping out of the pond.
Frogs croaked at me, and I croaked to the frogs.
Soon it stopped raining before the sun settled into the sun’s bed.
I saw the beautiful sunset, it was better than a reddish rose.
I saw the birds going to their nest, full of beautiful eggs.
Soon I saw the twinkling stars in the sky.
I knew it was time to go home and say good night to the beautiful nature.

Anishka has been published on Alphabet Soup previously — you can read her poem, ‘Spring’. If YOU would like to send us a story, drawing, poem, or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy writing!

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: Steve Goes to Carnival

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 10, WA

Steve goes to carnival

Steve Goes to Carnival by Joshua Button and Robyn Wells, Magabala Books, ISBN 9781925360219

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

This is a picture book set in Rio — and that’s one reason I was interested in reading this book, because the Olympics are in  Rio this year.

Steve is a gorilla who lives at the zoo and he is lonely when Antonio leaves at the end of the day. (Antonio is the zoo keeper and Steve’s best friend. Antonio is also a jazz band member.) Steve escapes from his cage and catches a tram to the city. He travels ‘past the favelas’ and through the carnival streets until he reaches the Blue Jaguar Jazz Club. I liked that the story includes some words in Portuguese. There’s a mini glossary at the back of the book.

The illustrations are very bright and splotchy, which gives the story an energetic feel. As the story moves from the zoo into the streets, the pages get more busy and more colourful to show the carnival mood. My favourite page is the last page, which shows a new day starting in the zoo grounds. I like the illustration style of the animals, and the details on that page.

When I first read Steve Goes to Carnival I was a bit confused, because could a gorilla really take a bus? And why did no-one notice he was a gorilla? Then I thought the adventure might be in Steve’s imagination. Maybe he was imagining joining Antonio at the jazz club because he was lonely in his cage at the zoo. It’s an interesting book to read whether you believe Steve really goes to carnival, or whether you think it’s just in his imagination.

I recommend this book to readers who like books about places that are different, and to children who want to be artists (because of the style of the illustrations).

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Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of  Raymie Nightingale. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!