Category: Book reviews by kids

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: Meet Nellie

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Meet Nellie by Penny Matthews, ill. Lucia Masciullo, ISBN 9780143306238, Puffin

Meet Nellie

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

Matilda borrowed this book from her school library.

This book is set in 1849. An Irish girl (Nellie) and her friend (Mary) are on their way to South Australia from a workhouse in Ireland and they have to look for jobs. If Nellie does get a job, will she ever see Mary again?

I borrowed this book from the library because my friend is from Ireland and she said she really liked it. I learned that in 1849 it was really hard to find jobs and that even kids had to find jobs or they’d starve. Also, it was very easy to get ill and there was no-one to help you if you did and lots of people died.

Meet Nellie is a mixture of happy and sad. There are four books in this series and this is the first book. I want to read the others because this one was so interesting.

I recommend this book for ages 8 to 14.

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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 How to Make Small Things with Violet Mackerel. 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: How to make small things with Violet Mackerel

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

How to make small things with Violet Mackerel by Anna Branford, ill. Sarah Davis, photography by Cath Muscat, ISBN 9781922179401, Walker Books Australia

how to make small things

 

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

Matilda borrowed this book from her local library.

When I saw this book I got really, really excited because it’s based on the small things that Violet Mackerel likes to make and it tells you how to make them yourself. My favourite thing in the book is the leaf necklace with a secret pocket.

It gives you very good instructions for how to make everything. I wanted to make the shining sun ring except I don’t have a darning needle yet. But I made some of the other things like a wrist warmer and I made my Mum one of the pouches for a Mother’s Day present and she loved it. I also made one of the matchbox drawers, it was really cool. I also made a seasonal pencil topper, dangling day-counter using butterflies, and the notebook.

The matchbox drawers I made
The little pouch I made

My favourite thing I made from the book was the pouch.

Ages 6+ will like this book. You should read it if you like small things and if you’d like to know more things about Violet Mackerel.

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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 Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion. 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: Bully on the Bus

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Bully on the Bus by Kathryn Apel, ISBN 9780702253287, UQP

bully on the bus

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA

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

This book is a cross between a kids’ novel and a poem book. (This means it’s a verse novel.) This is the first verse novel that I’ve ever read.

It’s about a young boy called Leroy who is getting bullied on the bus by a high school student called DJ. Leroy is getting scared of DJ and doesn’t want to go to school on the bus any more because of DJ. Leroy is left shattered after he makes a special green monster cupcake for his teacher and DJ finds it in his lunch box, starts eating it, and smashes it on the floor of the bus. He needs to do something about DJ. But what?

I liked how each chapter was a poem and had its own title. I forgot it was a verse novel halfway through and I was very worried for Leroy and couldn’t stop reading. I will definitely read it again.

After reading Bully on the Bus I would like to read more verse novels and maybe try writing one too. I would recommend this book to kids in years 1 to 4 and their teachers — especially the kids because it teaches them about bullying.

I give this book 8 1/2 out of 10.

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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 Big Book of Old Tom. 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: Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Violet Mackerel’s Helpful Suggestion by Anna Branford, ill. Sarah Davis, ISBN 9781 922244369, Walker Books Australia

Violet Mackerel's Helpful suggestion

 

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.

This book is recommended by me for ages 6 to 9.

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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 Our Australian Girl: Meet Ruby. 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: The Big Book of Old Tom

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Big Book of Old Tom by Leigh Hobbs, ISBN 9781743318447, Allen & Unwin

old tom

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:

  1. Old Tom
  2. Old Tom at the Beach
  3. Old Tom Goes to Mars
  4. Old Tom’s Guide to Being Good
  5. 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!

Posted in Book reviews by Kailani, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Quicksand Pony

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Quicksand Pony by Alison Lester, ISBN 9781742378008, Allen & Unwin

the quicksand pony

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!

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Pippa

Book review: Crooked Leg Road

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Crooked Leg Road by Jennifer Walsh, ISBN 9781743316931, Allen & Unwin

crooked leg road

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.

I recommend it to readers aged 10 to 14.

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Pippa is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one!) was Verity Sparks, Lost & Found.  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 – Our Australian Girl: Meet Ruby

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Meet Ruby by Penny Matthews, ill. Lucia Masciullo, Puffin Books, ISBN 9780143307426

meet ruby

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

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.

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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 Princess and the Goblin. 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: Cicada Summer

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Cicada Summer by Kate Constable, Allen & Unwin, ISBN 9781741758283

cicada summer

REVIEWED BY JEMIVIEVE, 11, VIC

Cicada Summer by Kate Constable falls into my ‘Best Book Ever’ category. It is about a girl called Eloise, who never speaks, and her dad, who are both moving to the country, near where Eloise’s grandma lives. Before going to see her grandma, they stop at an old house her dad wants to turn into something else. Eloise walks into the house and suddenly hears a girl a bit younger than her calling, “I’m coming!” Then this little girl runs down the stairs and at the sight of her Eloise runs out of the house. This is where the story really begins.

After staying at her grandma’s for a while, Eloise finally goes back to the creepy old house again on her bike. She notices a summerhouse and walks in with her eyes shut. Some cicadas that were singing suddenly stop, and Eloise opens her eyes in confusion. She’s in another time, in another place.

She soon meets Anna, who looked just like the girl in the creepy house. But when Eloise meets her, she is confused. Two years ago her mother died, and her name was Anna. Because of this, Eloise thinks she has gone back in time.

But when her dad finds his new girlfriend Lorelei Swan, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Can Eloise fix everything? Will she ever talk again and find out what was really happening with the summerhouse?

I reckon this book is quite amazing and everyone should have a go at reading it. The questions above are what kept me going. I loved the mystery and the intrigue of the book and just couldn’t put it down until I had finished! The language is fairly easy, and I bet you’ll fall in love with it by the first sentence.

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This is Jemivieve’s first book review for Alphabet Soup (thanks, Jemivieve!). 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: The Cay

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Cay by Theodore Taylor, ISBN 9780140366204, Puffin Classics

The Cay

 

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA

Joseph’s mum borrowed this book from the library.

In The Cay, a young boy called Phillip lived in Willemstad. Because the war is on, Philip and his mother go on a boat to sail back to their old home in the USA but their ship gets bombed. The next thing Phillip remembers, he was stranded on a raft with a few biscuits, some chocolate, some water, a cat (called Stew Cat), and an old black man called Timothy. The raft lands on a cay where they have to fight for survival, hoping there’ll be a rescue.

I didn’t know this book existed until my mum pulled it out and started reading it to me. I don’t normally read books like this. The start of the book was very slow but once we’d read about three chapters the story started to run along and it was very interesting.

I liked how Timothy used his survival skills to help Phillip learn how to survive on the island. Timothy has a strong accent and it didn’t say he did but the author wrote his speaking parts the way he spoke. I thought that was a good way to imagine how he spoke.

After reading this book I’d learnt a few things like what langosta is (a type of lobster) and that you don’t need a knife to get coconuts off a tree but you do need to be able to climb.

Boys and girls aged 10 to 14 would enjoy this book, especially if they’re into books about survival. Out of 10 I would give it 8.5.

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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 Don’t Look Now! series. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!