Alphabet Soup

Book Review: The Apothecary

Posted on February 6, 2014January 6, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

The Apothecary by Maile Meloy, ISBN 9781921758171, Text Publishing

Reviewed by Celine, 11, WA

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

14-year-old Janie lives in a world where war is very common. Her parents are communists, which means they are on a different side to most people. To avoid being put in prison, Janie and her parents have to leave America and move to London. When she arrives, a boy called Benjamin befriends her. However, being friends with Benjamin wasn’t a very smart move. Benjamin’s father is the apothecary, and owns a shop with potions. One day, while Benjamin and Janie were in the apothecary’s shop, the Russian spies turned up, and the apothecary thrusts them a magical book (the Pharmacopeia) and hides them in the cellar. When they go back upstairs, the shop has been ransacked and Benjamin’s father had disappeared. Will Benjamin ever find his father, the apothecary? Can Janie and Benjamin hide from the Russian spies? Is anyone trustworthy?

This was a spellbinding novel, with irresistible characters. Although the cover wasn’t very captivating, I was enthralled from the very first paragraph. I would highly recommend this book to children from ages 10–14, with a vast imagination. This novel receives 110% approval from me.

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Celine is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of The 26-Storey Treehouse. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

International Book Giving Day (February 14)

Image• Posted on February 4, 2014February 3, 2014 by Alphabet Soup

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We’re back! (A note from our editor)

Posted on February 3, 2014 by Alphabet Soup

Most of you will be back at school by the time you read this. I hope you have lots of exciting plans for 2014.

Here are some of mine:

launch our new website (which will incorporate this blog — stay tuned)
share heaps of book reviews, artwork and fabulous writing by young writers (that’s you!)
read lots of books (OK that’s the plan every year)

Even though the blog has had a holiday during January, we’ve been working away gathering bookish news, reviews and interviews. And I know quite a few of you love entering writing and art competitions, so you’ll be pleased to know that I’ve also updated the Kids’ Writing Comps page with the first of the writing competitions for 2014.

Did you read any good books over the school holidays? (Send us your review!)
Rebecca

Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Alphabet Soup

Merry Christmas to all you readers and writers out there. We’ll be taking a break now until just after Christmas …

But don’t go too far away. From 27 December until 31 December we’ll be posting lists from some of our Junior Reviewers — their favourite reads from 2013.

May you find books and creativity in your Christmas Stockings! Merry Christmas from Alphabet Soup.

~ Rebecca

Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Don’t Look Now series

Posted on December 9, 2013January 6, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

Don’t Look Now: Book 1 by Paul Jennings, ill. Andrew Weldon, ISBN 9781743311233, Allen and Unwin

Don’t Look Now: Book 2 by Paul Jennings, ill. Andrew Weldon, ISBN 9781743311400, Allen and Unwin

Don’t Look Now: Book 3 by Paul Jennings, ill. Andrew Weldon, ISBN 9781743311417, Allen and Unwin

Don’t Look Now: Book 4 by Paul Jennings, ill. Andrew Weldon, ISBN 9781743311424, Allen and Unwin

Series reviewed by Joseph, 9, WA

A copy of these books were provided by the publisher

This funny series is all about Ricky (the boy who can fly), Samantha (Ricky’s friend), Ricky’s mum and dad, and Jack (Samantha’s guide dog). Everyone calls Ricky a dork—once he tried to join the freckles on his nose like a dot-to-dot. (It didn’t work, he just got a face covered in pen.) Every book has one page with a single giant word on it: FAMOUS.

In book 1 Ricky learns that he can fly and there are good and bad things he can do with that skill. He’s trying to get back the kangapoo keyring his grandad gave him after an owl stole it from him.

In Book 2, Riley wants to show everyone he can fly but whenever he does he falls down.

In book 3, Ricky really wants to make friends with Samantha, the car wash girl. But all his strategies seem to fail.

In Book 4, Ricky’s problems continue. A flood is preventing Samantha and her school friends from getting their stuffed toys for the show’s exhibition. The toys are on the other side of the river …

This series is exciting—sometimes you can guess what will happen next but most of the time I have to keep reading to find out. Each book is very funny. There are lots of pictures (black and white sketches) and so many pictures makes it fun to read and extra interesting. The series reminds me of the ‘Treehouse’ series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton but instead of fantasy adventures this series is more everyday funny happenings.

I like that there are maps at the beginning and end of each book. You can find things like Samantha’s yard, and the Tower and Surrounding Areas. I also liked the lists of things like ‘Things to Know about People,’ and ‘Things to Know About Samantha.’

Boys and girls aged 9 to 12 would enjoy the ‘Don’t Look Now’ series. (Books 2 and 4 are my favourites.)

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Joseph is one of our regular Junior reviewers. His most recent review was Figaro and Rumba and the Cool Cats.