Category: Book reviews by kids

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Thunderstorm Dancing

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY LILLIANNA, 9, VIC

Thunderstorm dancing

Thunderstorm Dancing by Katrina Germein, illustrated by Judy Watson, Allen and Unwin, ISBN 9781743314593

Lillianna borrowed a copy of this book from her school library.

Thunderstorm dancing is a story that you won’t see every day. It has lots of clues that keep it fascinating.

A family is at the beach and there’s a storm coming, but is it really a storm after all?

The book has very detailed illustrations and the pictures have been created with great care and respect.

Each page is about a different character.

I recommend Thunderstorm Dancing for 3–9 year olds because there are more pictures than words.

I give Thunderstorm Dancing a 5-star rating.

This is Lillianna’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

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Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Island of Dr Libris

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 12, WA

The Island of Dr Libris

The Island of Dr Libris by Chris Grabenstein, Random House Children’s Books, ISBN 9780553538434

Joseph borrowed this book from his public library.

I really enjoyed Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library (another book by the same author) so I was excited to find this book at the library. Although I enjoyed it, it wasn’t as good as Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library, which was my favourite book this year.

In this book: In the holidays Billy has to go to a boring cabin with his mum instead of staying at the apartment with his dad. Billy’s mum rented the cabin from Dr Libris, her university professor, for a very good price and she’s going to sit and work on her dissertation all holidays. Billy has to entertain himself, so when he smashes his iPhone and there is no other technology he has to amuse himself by reading books from Dr Libris’ giant collection. But as he starts reading he can hear strange sounds coming from the island in the middle of the lake. It’s almost as if the stories he’s reading are coming to life. Together with Walter — a boy he met around the cabins — he goes to investigate what’s happening on the island.

This is a fantasy adventure I would recommended for ages 10+ because it has quite a lot going on in the book and you need to be able to follow it. You’ll appreciate it best if you already know about well-known characters from classic literature like Robin Hood, Tom Sawyer and others.

Joseph is one of our regular book reviewers. His most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

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Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 12, WA

ESCAPE FROM MR LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY by Chris Grabenstein

Escape from Mr Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein, Random House Australia, ISBN 9780857988232

Joseph borrowed this book from his school library.

Mr Lemoncello is the greatest game-maker that has ever been. When Kyle learns that his public library has been bought and redesigned by Mr Lemoncello he is desperate to win a place on the Library Lock-in this Friday. Then the children who win a place at the Lock-in discover the rules have changed. They will be racing against the clock to escape from Mr Lemoncello’s library and there will only be one winner with a cool prize.

The redesigned library is now full of awesome stuff like holograms, a domed roof covered in electronic screens, and interactive electronic ‘games’. (It makes me jealous — that library is so much better than any libraries I know.)

The story is well-written and you have to think of two or more paths for a puzzle to make all those parts slide together. I’ve reread this book lots of times since I first read it a month ago. This book hooks you from the start and keeps you wondering. It reminded me of the Encyclopedia Brown stories in parts because it gave you the opportunity to solve the clues yourself as you read along. There are also references to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and a range of other classic and modern books and authors.

This wacky, intriguing read is my favourite book this year. I can recommend it for readers 10+ (and advanced readers of 9+) because it makes the book more enjoyable if you understand the references and literary in-jokes.

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

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Posted in Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Frog Finds a Place

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY BREANNA, 8, VIC

Frog Finds a Place

Frog Finds a Place by Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, ill. Dub Leffler, Omnibus Books, ISBN 9781742990231

Breanna read a copy of this book in her school library.

Frog wants to fly to the moon and stars to make friends.

One night Frog has a dream, He is with the moon and stars up in the sky, playing games telling jokes, until Old Crow comes along and ‘caws’ at Frog. Frog wakes up from his dream just as Old Crow flies away into the darkness.

Spider thinks that Frog could make a web to reach into space. Possum suggests that Frog could swing from a high vine in the woods. Crow reckons that Frog needs some feathers to fly high into space. Will Frog ever get to the moon and stars?

This book is about a frog who has a dream that he can’t achieve on his own. However, when he finds help, his hope grows like ours does when we have faith in an opportunity to try and achieve.

This is Breanna’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

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Posted in Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Adelaide’s Secret World

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY GABRIELLA, 9, VIC

Adelaide's Secret World

Adelaide’s Secret World by Elise Hurst, Allen and Unwin, ISBN 9781743313350

Gabriella read a copy of this book in her school library.

Adelaide’s Secret World is a wonderful fantasy book.

Adelaide is a lonely ginger coloured rabbit.

The setting is a town that was once a bustling place but is now a lonely place. Adelaide watches the sun rise every morning and the stars come up every night.

Will she find a friend?

The story could be confusing for young children, but is fabulous for children aged 7–11 who love to visit imaginary places when reading.

This is Gabriella’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

 

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Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Wonder

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 12, WA

WONDER by RJ Palacio.

Wonder by RJ Palacio, Random House Children’s Books, ISBN 9780552565974 

Joseph borrowed this book from his school library.

August is born with a facial deformity and people think he’s ugly. He has always been home-schooled but now he has to go to school and face first impressions and bullies. There are 8 parts of the book (or 9 if you count the Julian chapter). In parts 2–5 you can read everyone else’s point of view before continuing with the rest of the plot. This meant you had background to the other people in the book and I liked that. It doesn’t have a standard plot and it was different from other books I’ve read.

Wonder reminded me a lot of the book Ugly by Robert Hoge (one of my Top Reads choices in 2015), and it makes me wonder if Wonder was based on a true story too.

This was a good read, well-written and engaging — and I wanted to keep reading it all in one run.

I would recommend Wonder for advanced 10-year-old readers and above.

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

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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 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!