Category: Book reviews by kids

Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The 52-Storey Treehouse

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The 52-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths, ill. Terry Denton, ISBN 9781742614212, Pan Australia

The 52-Storey Treehouse

 

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA

Joseph is reviewing his own copy of this book.

I had to wait a whole year for this book. When it finally came out I read it from cover to cover in one sitting and I’ve read it many more times since.

This is the fourth book in the Treehouse series and once again 13 new storeys have been added, including a watermelon smashing room. But Andy and Terry soon remember something important — Mr Big Nose has forgotten to remind them about the deadline for the new book and he has gone missing. Could it be related to that book Fun with Vegetables by Vegetable Patty? They take off on an advegetable story (an adventure with vegetables) with the help of a little caterpillar with a surprising secret. And what has happened to Jill? Why won’t she wake up when Andy and Terry explode in?

I liked lots of things about this book. Firstly, the unexpected plot. My little sister kept wrongly guessing the next step of the plot. I liked the characters — some minor characters from earlier Treehouse books are back, and there are some new ones as well. My favourite part was the craziness of everything in the book, especially Terry’s ninja snails.

My special tip for reading this book is that you should read the other books in the series (like The 26-Storey Treehouse) first because then the jokes are funnier and they make more sense.

The illustrations in this book are by Terry Denton (like in the earlier books). They are just perfect for the Treehouse series because there are lots and lots of them and they’re the sort that you don’t get bored with. His drawings are like first drafts, it’s like you’re seeing them when he’s just finished drawing them. I like that.

I would recommend this book for 7 to 13 year olds and all adults who like a bit of humour. My special warning: if you’re scared of spiders, skip over Terry’s spider pictures — they are pretty scary. Both boys and girls will enjoy reading this book.

I rate this book 9.5/10 and it’s my favourite book in the series.

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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 Our Village in the Sky. 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, poetry

Book review: Our Village in the Sky

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Our Village in the Sky by Janeen Brian, ill. Anne Spudvilas, ISBN 9781743318140, Allen and Unwin

Our Village in the Sky

 

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA

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

This is a book about kids living in a village in the Himalayan mountains. Our Village in the Sky is a book of poems and each poem talks about what the kids do during the day. They have to do chores like take care of the animals, wash clothes and scrub dishes, carry water from a water pipe, and more.

I found it interesting because I didn’t know much about this sort of life and it’s very different from the lives of Australian kids. The kids in this book don’t have the technology that we have, they spend their days doing chores so their families can live, and they make their own fun outdoors. My favourite pages are the ones about the children washing the dishes in summer and winter. But my favourite poem (as a poem) is the one about playing knucklebones.

The illustrations are realistic, serious pictures and they help you to see what the kids in the village are like. It helps you to understand the emotions in the poems.

The book also has a QR code — it takes you to a website with audio. This is especially good for young kids who can look at the pictures and listen to the poems be read to them.

This book is good for kids aged 6 to 12. I would recommend this book especially for grades 3 and 4 in their classrooms because it teaches you about life in another country while enjoying a good read at the same time. I give it 7.75/10 — it’s not the sort of book I would normally pick up but I was glad that I did read 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 Bully on the Bus. 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: Taronga

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Taronga by Victor Kelleher, ISBN 9780140326314, Puffin Books

Taronga (cover)

REVIEWED BY JULIA, 11, QLD

 Julia is reviewing her own copy of Taronga.

From the first page of the book Taronga, Ben is uncovered as a boy who can communicate with animals. In this futuristic story, Ben is struggling to survive in the ‘new’ unrecognisable city of Sydney. Horrible events happen leaving Ben in a tight position, will he take the chance or give up?

Along the way Ben makes enemies and friends. Elle helps Ben and together they do what they think is right. But is it the right choice?

I didn’t like this chilling story but I felt compelled to finish it, as I wanted to see if Ben and Elle made the right or the wrong choice. I found the story line worrying and distressing. It is a story of a war — a war going on between the people in Taronga Zoo and the people on the outside of the walls surrounding Taronga Zoo.

What will happen to Ben and Elle and all the animals? Will they survive or will the ‘outsiders’ take over Taronga Zoo?

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Julia is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of  The Dog Who Loved a Queen.   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: Meet Daisy

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Our Australian Girl: Meet Daisy by Michelle Hamer, ill. Lucia Masciullo, ISBN 9780143307631, Puffin

Meet Daisy

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

Matilda borrowed this book from her local library.

Meet Daisy is set in 1930. Her dad can’t find a job and they’re poor, so she gets sent to the city in Melbourne to live with her Aunty May. Her little sister Flora goes as well.

Aunty May loves Flora but she really doesn’t like Daisy and Aunty May gets meaner and meaner every day. Daisy is scared that her aunt might throw her out if she doesn’t earn some money. She’s very disappointed that she can’t go to school and she really misses her dad.

I like stories with adventure and where something tragic happens and the characters have to find a way out of the situation. This is a really adventurous story and once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I’m up to book three in this series already (Daisy and the Mansion).

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  Roses are Blue. 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: Roses are Blue (+ giveaway)

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Roses are Blue by Sally Murphy, ill. Gabriel Evans, ISBN 9781922244376, Walker Books Australia

roses are blue

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

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

This is a book about a girl called Amber who loves her mother but her mother has changed after an accident. Amber doesn’t want her mum coming to the Mothers Day party at school because she’s very embarrassed about her.

I really liked this book because at the start it made me feel very sad and then at the end I was happier. It was quite quick to read and had some interesting words.

The style of the drawings was the sort I like. They were black and white and there were lots of them. When you look at the pictures you can understand what’s happening in the story even better.

I would recommend Roses are Blue to my friends because it’s a change from the other sorts of books we read and it could be a true story.

This book would be good for ages 6 and older.

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

Matilda (8) reviewed Roses are Blue as part of Sally Murphy’s blog tour launching the book. We have one copy of this book to give away to an eager reader (yay! yay!).

HERE’S HOW TO ENTER:

Roses are Blue is Sally Murphy’s third verse novel. As well as nonfiction and fiction, Sally has had many poems published. You can read some of her recent poetry on the Poetry Tag blog.

1. Visit the Poetry Tag blog and check out the poems there.
2. Choose your favourite poem by Sally on the Poetry Tag site.
3. Email us and in 50 words or fewer let us know the poem you’ve chosen and why. Include your name and postal address. (If under 18 ask a parent or teacher to email your entry to us.)

Some fine print:

  • Entries are open to adults and children. Children will need to ask a parent or teacher to email their entry to us.
  • Entrants outside Australia welcome — but we will only post the book to an Australian address, so you’ll need to nominate an Australian address for us to post it to if you win.
  • You may only enter this giveaway once.
  • This giveaway ends 10am WST (that’s when it’s 10am in Perth, Western Australia) on Wednesday 6 August 2014.
  • All entrants’ names will be put into a soup bowl and one name will be drawn out to be the winner.
  • We will announce the winner on the blog within a week of notifying the winner.
  • This competition is not open to immediate family members of Alphabet Soup employees.
  • The prize includes one copy of Roses are Blue by Sally Murphy — mailed to one winner.
  • The winner will be notified via email.

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This giveaway is part of a blog tour to celebrate the launch of Roses are Blue. For more about Sally Murphy, verse novels and Roses are Blue, check out the other stops on the blog tour:

Tuesday, July 22nd Karen Tyrrell (includes a giveaway)
Wednesday, July 23 Alphabet Soup (includes a giveaway)
Thursday, July 24 Kids’ Book Review
Friday, July 25 Write and read with Dale
Saturday, July 26 Diva Booknerd
Sunday, July 27 Children’s Books Daily
Monday, July 28 Boomerang Books Blog
Tuesday, July 29 Australian Children’s Poetry
Wednesday, July 30 Sally Murphy

Posted in Book reviews by Celine, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Secret Abyss

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Secret Abyss by Darrell Pitt, ISBN 9781922147967, Text Publishing

The Secret Abyss

REVIEWED BY CELINE, 11, WA

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

Imagine living in a world where an infamous villain could be around the corner. One of your long lost friends comes bleeding and gives you a message but because he is dying the messages are shuffled. Jack Mason and his allies are on a mission to capture the Chameleon, a dangerous assassin, who has escaped from prison. Somebody else, however, is involved in the case. Charles Ashgrove, who is apparently linked to an infamous terrorist group, helped the Chameleon escape to achieve numerous crimes. The first on their list is to kill the president. They have already captured an ingenious inventor to build their deadly weapon “The Whip of Fire”.

Will Jack and his allies be able to save the president? Can they catch the Chameleon and punish Charles Ashgrove in time?

Second in the series to The Firebird Mystery, The Secret Abyss was an enjoyable book with hilarious jokes, and scary villains. I was tied to the book from start to finish, experiencing the same story as the characters.

I would recommend this book to hungry bookworms who love a twist of dare and mystery. This book ended surprisingly, and I was both sad for the characters, yet happy for them as well. I would rate it a perfect score: 10/10.

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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 Shadow Sister. 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: 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!