Category: Book reviews by Rory

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 kids, Book reviews by Rory

Book review: Stellarphant

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY RORY, 9, WA

Stellarphant by James Foley, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760990732

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Stellarphant is an inspiring story to teach young children about persisting. Stella the elephant wants to become an astronaut but there are many things that hold her back such as she needs a spacesuit, a rocket, space education and crew!

It’s an ordinary Monday at 9am when suddenly an elephant bursts into Space Command asking to be an astronaut! Stella doesn’t understand when the recruiter says she can’t. Stella then sets to work trying to become an astronaut but along the way she faces many challenges. Once again, she asks the recruiter one more time to get his response …

My favourite part in Stellarphant is when Stella is determined to become an astronaut by working hard because if you work hard, you can get anything! Also, I liked the timeline at the end of the book listing all the animal things that have been into space. Did you know that in my birthyear (2011) a bobtail squid was sent into space! Also, the weirdest one I read was in 1989 fertilised chicken eggs were sent into space!

Overall, I’d rate Stellarphant ten out of ten because it’s inspiring, funny and reaching for the stars!

Take a sneak peek inside Stellarphant!

Read our interview with the author-illustrator, James Foley

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 kids, Book reviews by Rory

Book review: Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY RORY, 9, WA

Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus by Steven Herrick, University of Queensland Press, ISBN 9780702263002

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus is a book written in different people’s points of view as well as it’s written in verse

which means the writing
is like a big poem
that goes for the entire book. 

It's like the writing above.

 Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus is a book about eight kids and one teacher (and also a crossing guard, but he doesn’t ride his bike to school) who all love to ride their bikes to school, but each day when they ride to school the cars on the side of the road get closer and closer to the bike lane they all ride in. Can they all stop the cars getting closer in time or is it too late?

My favourite part in the book is when they decide to ride their bikes to school, rather than a car, because cars can pollute the environment.

My favourite character is actually all of them since they work together all the time! Overall, I’d recommend this book to anyone age 9+. I’d rate it nine out of ten, just because with 10 people it’s a bit hard to keep track of the characters!

Zoe, Max and the Bicycle Bus is a funny and inspiring story that I strongly recommend.

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 kids, Book reviews by Rory

Book review: Order in the Court

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY RORY, 8, WA

Toffle Towers Order in the Court by Tim Harris and James Foley

Toffle Towers: Order in the Court by Tim Harris, illustrated by James Foley, Penguin Australia Pty Ltd, ISBN 9780143795445

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Toffle Towers: Order in the Court is the third book in the Toffle Towers series. It is about a young manager for a hotel and his name is Chegwin. It is set in a place called Alandale where there are two hotels – Toffle Towers and Braxton Hotel. Chegwin Toffle is the young manager of the hotel Toffle Towers. Chegwin has to figure out what to do when some of the guests’ belongings … disappear! To catch the thief Chegwin makes a talent show and lets everyone know that there is $2,000 to win at the back of the room! Chegwin and his friends go to the back of the room, tie a string to Chegwin’s finger and then tie the string to the prize money (Chegwin will feel a tug on the string when the thief tries to steal the money). But what will Chegwin find out in the end … ?

I like all the funny pictures and strange things in this book. For example there are these funny conversations where there are lots of spelling mistakes (put there on purpose!).

I think this is a good book for you if you are 7–10 years of age and like funny things. I rate this book 10 out of 10.

Read a sample chapter on the publisher’s website. 

Rory is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. Read his previous review of The Australia Survival Guide by George Ivanoff. 

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Rory

Book review: The Australia Survival Guide

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

THE AUSTRALIA SURVIVAL GUIDE by George IvanoffREVIEWED BY RORY, 7, WA

The Australia Survival Guide by George Ivanoff, Penguin Australia Pty Ltd,
ISBN 9780143796572

Rory received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

The Australia Survival Guide is a nonfiction book about how to survive in the outback. I liked the book because it has lots of fact boxes about different animals. I think this book would suit both boys or girls aged 7 to 11.

My favourite thing about the book is that there is the guide, called Avatar.  Avatar says things to you like,

“So, the Sydney Opera House isn’t really dangerous. Not unless you try to do something really stupid … like climb its roof and fall off.”

I think you should buy this book because I think it would help you survive outdoors in the bush. Three words to describe it are:

  • helpful
  • cool
  • funny

This is Rory’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!