Category: Book reviews by kids

Posted in Beaconsfield Primary School, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The White Ship

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The White Ship by Jackie French, Harper Collins Australia, ISBN 9780207197987 The White Ship (cover)

REVIEWED BY MILLIE, 11, WA

The all time favourite writer is back again with another wonderful story. The White Ship, by Jackie French, focuses on a story about a religion, friendship, and fairness, but more than anything, freedom. This book reflects on how we should behave today. The book faces us with real life challenges that we should handle the right way. Once you start reading this book, it will become impossible to put the book down.

The story-line of this novel is the desperation of a search for a place to call home. Michel lives off the coast of France. Rachel lives on an island too, off the coast of Australia. Forced to flee, with the the threat of murder, Michel and the other children of the Island escape on the White Ship, in search for a place to call home. As they sail, Michel realises something. the gentle blue-green waves of the sea are not what they’re sailing on. The White Ship is sailing on time itself. Through countless dreams, Rachel and Michel uncover a special bond, friendship. Over time, the bond becomes stronger; so strong that it could convince the White Ship to come ashore, and live in Australia. After all, Australia is a free country, right?

As you can guess, Michel and the other children and crew of the White Ship are refugees. But they are not the only refugees seeking a home in Australia. In fact, a couple of thousand refugees come into Australia every year! With numbers like these, the Australian government sends the refugees to detention camps, where they are kept, until they’re dealt with. After a long and tough journey, like Michel’s, the refugees deserve a better greeting. This book makes us realise this in such a way, it feels like you’re in the situation.

Rachel is definitely not a city person. Although Rachel boards at Sydney, she isn’t sucked into the latest technology. She can’t wait to get home, to the island, full of nature. People shouldn’t be so addicted to technology these days, but be addicted to nature. Michel lives on an island, and cares for his family more than anything. People, today, should care a lot more about other things.

What makes this book so special is its unique features. Out of all the books I’ve ever read, there has never been a plot as creative and imaginative as in this novel. Jackie French uses her stunning ability to describe scenes and events throughout the story. It is amazing how the words of the story created pictures in your mind as you read this thrilling book. It really feels like you’re there. Another unique feature of this book is the way Jackie French wrote; she has written the story from different views. Sometimes the way the characters say things, it can be hard to understand what they mean, but after a while you will get the hang of things. If you don’t, the other qualities of this book will make up for it!

I would recommend The White Ship for ages 10+, or people who can deal with emotions and death. The genre would be drama, and maybe some murder, adventure and mystery, too. This novel is definitely an award winning book.

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This is Millie’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. 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: Harriet the Spy

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh, Collins Modern Classics, ISBN 0007155026

harriet the spy (cover)

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 9, WA

Matilda borrowed a copy of this book from her local library.

Harriet is 11 and she likes to know everything about people, so she watches them without them knowing (and writes all about them in her notebook). Her best friends are Sport (whose name is really Simon) and Janie.

One day Harriet is playing chasey with her classmates — they run around knocking books out of each other’s arms. One of her books is her notebook and a classmate picks it up and starts reading it. (Harriet hasn’t only written good things. This is a disaster.)

There were some interesting old-fashioned things in this book, like a dumbwaiter.

I liked how Harriet never gives up. Some of the book was funny, like the school play and the way Harriet’s dad talked (and sometimes how Harriet copies him) and when her dad joins Harriet in trying to act like an onion.

I like this book because Harriet wasn’t like anyone else I’ve met.

People aged 9 to 14 will like this book because it’s about kids at school, friendship and how writing mean things can break a friendship.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

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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  Alice-Miranda at the Palace. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: Loyal Creatures

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Loyal Creatures by Morris Gleitzman, Viking (Penguin Australia), ISBN 9780670077427

Loyal creatures (cover)

REVIEWED BY HAYLEY, 10, VIC

Hayley borrowed Loyal Creatures from the library.

The story is set in 1914, World War One. It is about a boy, Frank, and his loyal horse, Daisy. They enlist in the light horse brigade after Frank’s dad receives a white feather. I had never heard of a ‘white feather’ or what they did with them, before I read this book, so I was in shock after I’d found out. They face the abomination of war and some utterly unjustifiable things happened.

I enjoyed reading it because it gave me a real insight as to how ghastly war was! The book is so sad it made me cry at some points knowing it was based on a true time in Australian history. I felt so sorry for Frank.

I would recommend this book for grade 5/6 and up because it has very mature themes. This is my first Morris Gleitzman novel and I am eager to read another.

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This is Hayley’s first ever book review for Alphabet Soup. (Thanks, Hayley!) Would YOU like to send us a book review?  Check out our submission guidelines. For some great book-review writing tips, visit The Book Chook’s website.)

Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Lennie the Legend

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony by Stephanie Owen Reeder, NLA Publishing, ISBN 9780642278654

Lennie the Legend (cover)

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 11, WA

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

This is about a nine-year-old boy in 1932 who has a dream to ride his pony to Sydney for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. (He lived in Victoria.)

This book is based on a true story and when I heard about the book I thought it sounded adventurous. I also wondered why Lennie would want to do that? Because when I was nine, I wouldn’t want to be away from my parents and I would have been homesick. No nine year olds I’ve ever known could have done this spectacular feat. He was obviously a brave person with a goal he was determined to achieve.

For people who want to know about Australian history, it gives information that’s not normally known by Australian kids. Lennie the Legend has a glossary, photos of old-fashioned flyers and advertisements and certificates and things, old photos of places and people, maps and newspaper articles from the time. I didn’t think it was as good as some other historical books I’ve read — like Light Horse Boy by Dianne Wolfer. Because in Light Horse Boy I felt more like I was there at the time watching everything happen but Lennie the Legend isn’t like that, it’s a different style of book.

Lennie the Legend is a real piece of history. This book would suit kids Lennie’s age and up.

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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 Dropping In. 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: Alice-Miranda at the Palace

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Alice-Miranda at the Palace by Jacqueline Harvey, Random House Books, ISBN 9780857982728

Alice-Miranda at the palace

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 9, WA

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

In this book Alice-Miranda is invited to Queen Georgiana’s silver jubilee (Queen Georgiana is her great-aunt). There’s going to be a ball, a dinner and outdoor games, but when Queen Georgiana and her workers find threatening notes from an anonymous person, they try to keep Alice-Miranda at the palace as long as they can.

Will they be able to stop the culprits before they take over the crown, and kidnap Alice-Miranda?

This is the eleventh book in the Alice-Miranda series and I enjoyed it because it was a mystery story. Fans of Alice-Miranda will like this book because it’s got the usual — Alice-Miranda in another stranger-than-usual adventure.

I recommend this book for girls aged 7 to 12 who like a mystery — and for girls who are already fans of Alice-Miranda.

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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  The Duck and the Darklings. 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 Duck and the Darklings

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Duck and the Darklings by Glenda Millard, ill. Stephen Michael King,    A & U Children (Allen and Unwin), ISBN 9781743312612

The Duck and the Darklings (cover)

 

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 9, WA

Matilda reviewed her own copy of this picture book.

This is a story about how the world is changing. People live underground because they are ashamed about what humans have done to the earth. Most of the old people have disremembered the good things that happened on top of the earth.

When Peterboy looks for something that would make Grandpapa’s eyes light up and stay like that, he finds Idaduck. But ducks need to go on top of the earth and to have the wind in their wings, so she can’t stay with Peterboy and Grandpapa forever.

I know the names of the author and illustrator from the Kingdom of Silk series.

What’s interesting about this book is the way the author has fiddled with the words. It makes the book kind of like a poem and it feels like a different world.

Stephen Michael King does the illustrations and I like them because they show the dark and also show the light with shapes of hot colours. The last few pages are full of light and there is no dark. This leaves you feeling happy.

I think ages 7 to 10 would like this book. Little kids might not understand because of all the fiddled-around words, but older kids might like those.

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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  The Cleo Stories. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Celine, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Toppling

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Toppling by Sally Murphy, ill. Rhian Nest James, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781921529429

Toppling (cover)

REVIEWED BY CELINE, 12, WA

Celine reviewed her own copy of this book.

I attended a Literature Centre session last term where Sally Murphy was teaching us how to write poetry. She showed us some of her books she had written, and this was one of them, so when they announced that they were selling some of Sally’s books, I jumped at the chance to buy my very own copy of Toppling.

John loves to play with dominoes; they are his passion. He plays with them in his spare time, and when his mother is not looking. Coincidentally, his best friend’s name is Dominic, which sounds a lot like domino. Dominic and John and have a group of friends, which consist of Joseph, Christian and Tran. They hang out together at school all the time, so when Dominic is suddenly sick, John, Joseph, Christian and Tran become very worried. Dominic has to go to hospital, and John and his friends have not seen him for quite a while. They hope he won’t pass away. Will John, Joseph, Christian and Tran ever see Dominic again?

This was a unique book, where the whole story was in verse. It is not rhyming poetry, but it was very entertaining, telling the story of a group of friends, and how they coped with their friend’s absence. I absolutely adored this book, and I felt so sorry for John, Dominic and their friends. I really hoped Dominic would get better soon.

I would rate this book 105%, and it is recommended to a very wide audience, especially people who have had a sick friend or family member.

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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  Pharaoh, the boy who conquered the Nile. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Dropping In

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Dropping In by Geoff Havel, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781925162219 dropping in (cover)

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 11, WA

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

This is about two mates — one who is called Ranga and is very hyperactive and gets into trouble a lot, and one called Sticks. One day there’s a new student at school. His name is James and he’s in a wheelchair because he has cerebral palsy. They all live near each other but James can’t join in with everything the others do after school, like when they do skateboarding tricks. When James has to go into hospital for an operation, Ranga wants to make a welcome-home surprise. He has an idea that involves two skateboards and a beat up old couch. What could go wrong?

By looking at the cover, I didn’t think it was a book I would like, because I’ve never been skateboarding and this looked like a book all about skateboards. I decided to read it mostly because of the blurb and it turned out to be a really good book. I liked how these mates got along. Once I started reading Dropping In, I really, really, really didn’t want to put it down.

Most kids would enjoy this book and I think boys will particularly enjoy it. I recommend this book for kids aged 10+.

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

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: Harold and Grace

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Harold and Grace by Sean E Avery, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781925162295

Harold and Grace

 

REVIEWED BY CÉITÍ, 6, WA

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

Harold and Grace is about a tadpole and a caterpillar. They hatch after the storm at the exact same time and on the exact same day.

Harold the tadpole goes exploring in the pond and meets two pretend friends. They’re mean to him at first, then they’re nice to him when he grows fins like them. Grace goes exploring on the tree and she makes two stick insects who make fun of her too.

Harold and Grace become friends but Harold spends more time with the fish than with Grace. When he grows legs, the fish are mean again. Harold goes back to the lonely leaf but Grace isn’t there. He sleeps on the sac and he’s sad. When he sticks his long tongue out, something says, “Harold! You big, green nincompoop!” The two friends find each other again.

I really enjoyed this book. I like how the story was about friends and how nice they were to each other. I’d give the story 8 out of 10. I’d give the pictures 7 out of 10. Anyone could read this book, even bigger kids. Anyone could enjoy it.

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

Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review — Refugee: the Diary of Ali Ismail

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Refugee: The Diary of Ali Ismail by Alan Sunderland, Scholastic Press, ISBN 1865049190

refugee (cover)

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 11, WA

Joseph borrowed this book from his school library.

Refugee is the diary of a 14-year-old boy who leaves his parents in Afghanistan to get freedom in Australia. He arrives on a boat that almost sank during the journey. It’s not easy for Ali when he gets to Australia either — he’s sent off to Woomera, which is a detention centre. Will he ever be free from Woomera and live a normal Australian life?

I didn’t know much about refugees other than bits I had heard on the news and I was interested in this story. I’d read some other My Australian Story books and when I was looking for some more on the library shelf I came across this one. I like books written as a diary because it feels like it’s really from that person’s point of view and it seems like Ali’s story is actually true. This was a great book. It was quite a long one too, and I learned that sometimes children are refugees all on their own and it’s so hard for them.

This book is pitched at boys and girls who don’t mind books that aren’t humorous. Kids that like history, current affairs and books about human rights would like this book. It’s best for readers aged 11+.

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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 Celebrating Australia: A Year in Poetry. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!