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.
Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion by Anna Branford, ill. Sarah Davis, ISBN 9781 922244369, Walker Books Australia
REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Do you know Rose from Violet Mackerel’s Possible Friend and Violet Mackerel’s Pocket Protest? Rose is going to go to Japan for six weeks. Violet is excited as well as Rose but it’s a particular sort of excited. Violet has a bad feeling. What if Rose forgets about her?
I think this is a very good book to lead on from Violet Mackerel’s Pocket Protest. I learned some Japanese words and at the back the activity is ‘How to make your own set of flashcards’ and I think I might try to do that for my spelling words.
My favourite part about this book is that Violet learns the Japanese word for smile (egau) and then she uses the Japanese word instead of the English word when she is talking about smiles after that.
I really like the illustrations in the Violet Mackerel books because I like the style of drawing. There was one thing I was thinking about: it is interesting how on the front cover Violet looks older than she does in the illustrations inside the book.
The Big Book of Old Tom by Leigh Hobbs, ISBN 9781743318447, Allen & Unwin
REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
In this book there are five Old Tom stories:
Old Tom
Old Tom at the Beach
Old Tom Goes to Mars
Old Tom’s Guide to Being Good
A Friend for Old Tom.
I liked how it looks like a novel but inside it’s more of a picture book style so there were lots of pictures. The illustrations are humorous black and white sketches.
Because it’s such a chunky book to hold, it makes you feel satisfied when you finish it. My overall favourite was Old Tom’s Guide to Being Good because it has an unexpected twist.
This book is most suited to ages 6 to 9 because it’s good for kids who aren’t quite ready for big novels but are looking for something longer than a picture book. But I’m 10 and I still really enjoyed it.
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Joseph is one of our regular book reviewers. His most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of The Cay. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!
Today we are thrilled to have Gabrielle Wang visiting Alphabet Soup again — we’ve talked to her before about her Poppy books (in the ‘Our Australian Girl’ series). Her latest ‘Our Australian Girl’ series is about a girl called Pearlie who lives in Darwin in the 1940s.
Our editor Rebecca was enchanted by one of Gabrielle’s books published in 2013 — The Wishbird. And Gabrielle was kind enough to take time away from her writing to talk to Rebecca about writing and illustrating the book.
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The Wishbird is woven like a fairytale or folktale. As a child did you have any favourite fairytales, folktales or fables?
My favourite fairytale was The Little Green Road to Fairyland by the Australian sisters, Annie R Rentoul and Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. They were born in the late 1800s. I loved and still do love Ida Rentoul Outhwaite’s illustrations. As a child I was forever copying them.
The pen-and-ink illustrations in The Wishbird are intricate — how long would it take you to do one of these drawings for the book?
At first I didn’t know what style to use. But then I saw some Indian folk art and I loved it.
I did many roughs in pencil on layout paper.
When I was happy with a drawing I traced it onto lunchwrap. This is much cheaper than buying tracing paper.
For the final illustration I used water colour paper, a rapidograph, which is a pen with a fine nib, and a lightbox.
The lightbox has a light inside it.
Mine is very old. I had it made when I lived in Taiwan many years ago.
I placed a sheet of water colour paper on top of the traced drawing and used a rapidograph to make the linework.
Because The Wishbird illustrations are so fine I had to look through a sewing magnifying glass.
Some illustrations took longer than others because when I made a mistake, I’d have to start all over again. Probably on an average, from concept to finished product, each one took about a week to complete.
Was it your own idea to include illustrations in The Wishbird or did the publisher suggest it?
I wanted to include illustrations not only because I like to draw, but also because these were the types of books I used to love reading as a child, especially books like The Magic Faraway Tree.
Do you sing or play an instrument yourself? What led you to write a book where music features so strongly?
I learnt the piano and took piano exams up to Grade 5. I began to love classical music then especially the works of JS Bach. In high school I took classical guitar lessons. I still play the guitar and used to compose my own pieces. When I was living in China, I also learnt the Chinese bamboo flute but I’m not very good at it.
Imagine if all the singers and musicians disappeared, never to be seen again. Music is outlawed. Even birds are killed because they sing. And because birds live in forests then the forests all around are burnt to stumps.
Music is an integral part of human existence. Every culture in the world makes music. Without it, the soul dies. This is at the heart of The Wishbird.
Did you write a plan before you began writing The Wishbird, or did you just start writing and see where it led you?
I hardly ever write plans for my novels. I like my story to grow organically. The only books I have written plans for were the Our Australian Girl books. Because they are historical fiction and in a series of four books I had to know where each story was going and how it fed into the next before I even sat down to write them.
Can you tell us a little about what you are working on now?
I’ve just finished the final edit for Pearlie’s Ghost, which is the fourth and final book in the Pearlie series.
I’m glad to have finished the series because they are hard work. But I’m also sad to leave Pearlie. Now she will have a life of her own out in bookshops and libraries.
I have started a new novel with another author. This is a new experience for me. It’s a very exciting way to write and we’re having lots of fun together. I can’t reveal much about it yet except to say that the working title is The Map of Tiny Coincidences and it will be filled with maps and drawings.
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Find out more about Gabrielle Wang and her books at her website and her blog.
And LOOK! LOOK! You can even LISTEN to Gabrielle Wang reading the first two chapters of The Wishbirdhere.
The Quicksand Pony by Alison Lester, ISBN 9781742378008, Allen & Unwin
REVIEWED BY KAILANI, 8, QLD
This book was a gift from Kailani’s Auntie Emma.
Biddy is ten years old and lives on a cattle farm near the headland with her Mum, Dad and Grandpa. Biddy wants to go on the cattle muster this year with her parents.
One day at school Biddy tells her friend, Irene about going on the muster and Irene tells her about the disappearance of her Auntie Joycie and her cousin Joe nine years ago.
Does Biddy get to go on the muster?
What will happen on the muster?
Will Jocyie and Joe be found?
To find out you will need to read this book.
I recommend this book for kids 4–14 (4–7 year olds might need someone to read it to them) and I rate this book 9 ½ out of 10.
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This is Kailani’s first book review for Alphabet Soup (thanks, Kailani!). If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!
Crooked Leg Road by Jennifer Walsh, ISBN 9781743316931, Allen & Unwin
REVIEWED BY PIPPA, 12, WA
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Andrea, Kitty, Martin and David are a group of friends but then David disappears. Strange men have been spotted and Andrea, Kitty and Martin all think David has been kidnapped. And there’s a new boy at school and he and his family have been acting suspiciously …
Will Andrea, Kitty and Martin ever find David?
This is the second book about these four friends but you don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one.
Crooked Leg Road is great for readers who like thrillers and adventure books. I was surprised at the ending and it made me see the story in a different way and want to re-read it.
Midsummer Magic Midwinter — Monday 7 July, 9am –12.30pm ($50)
A drama workshop for 8-12 year olds, focusing on the comedy and whimsy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Wishing Chair Comes to Beecroft — Wednesday 9 July ($30)
A workshop for younger readers: Ages 4-6.
Animal Heroes — Thursday 10 July, 9am — 12.30pm ($50)
A Writing and illustration workshop with the fabulous award-winning picture book team: Mark Greenwood and Frané Lessac
Creating Kooky Comics with Illustrator/Writer James Foley — Friday July 11, 9 — 12-30 ($50).
Creating kooky comics.
Today our team of keen readers share the first of their TOP READS — the best book each of them read during May. If you’re after a good book, they recommend the following titles!
Sometimes — when you can’t decide what to read next — a friend can recommend just the sort of book you’ve been looking for. Today we are introducing a group of keen readers who love to talk about good books. At the end of each month they’ll be stopping by to recommend a favourite read for the month.
INTRODUCING:
Matilda, 8, WA
Matilda has been writing book reviews for Alphabet Soup since 2011. When she’s not reading, she likes skipping (with skipping ropes), drawing portraits and writing poems. Her favourite books of all are the Kumiko books by Briony Stewart.
Jake, 7, VIC
Jake likes visiting jungles and he likes funny adventure stories.
Celine, 11, WA
Celine has been a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup’s magazine and blog since she was 6. Her favourite pastimes include writing stories, poetry and book reviews, but she will always make time for playing the violin and jogging with her dog.
Tess, 8, WA
Tess loves gymnastics and reading.
Céití, 5, WA
Céití likes the movie Frozen. Her favourite song is ‘Do You Want To Build A Snowman?’
Joseph, 10, WA
Joseph has been reviewing books for Alphabet Soup since 2011. When he’s not reading, he likes writing, and playing cricket and when he grows up he wants to be an author or a cricket player.
Pippa, 12, WA
Pippa has been reviewing books for Alphabet Soup since 2008. She loves to play viola, read books and write poems and stories. (She reads all kinds of books, but school stories are her favourites.)
Veronica, 11, NSW
Veronica loves all things nature, coin collecting, gaming, singing, and music that takes us on journeys. She likes reading a whole range of writing, especially fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction and poetry.
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Look out for their first book recommendations later today!
Matilda borrowed this book from her local library.
Ruby is turning 12 and she lives in Adelaide in 1930. After her party, Ruby’s dad loses his job and they can’t afford to send her to her school anymore. They have to sell their house because they don’t have any money. Ruby is really worried. Her classmate’s family decides to buy Ruby’s house. Ruby doesn’t want Brenda to have her room and her bed. Will it all turn out all right?
I knew the Our Australian Girl series already because I’ve read the first two books in the ‘Grace’ series. Meet Ruby is just after a war so it was a different sort of life from mine. I thought it was interesting and full of action. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Ruby series.
There was a quiz at the back of the book which helps you decide which Our Australian Girl character you are most like. I was most like Alice from the Alice series and my Mum and brother and sister were most like Rose. I haven’t read the Alice series yet. It’s set it 1918. I also want to read the Lina series set in 1956.
Girls aged 7 to 10 would like these books because they are full of adventure and hopefulness.
Today we are thrilled to have 
Sometimes — when you can’t decide what to read next — a friend can recommend just the sort of book you’ve been looking for. Today we are introducing a group of keen readers who love to talk about good books. At the end of each month they’ll be stopping by to recommend a favourite read for the month.
alphabetsoup.net.au 