Category: Book reviews by Elizabeth

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Ajay Rane

Alphabet Soup
Image shows the cover of a children's book: Ajay Rane, Global Crusader for Women's health by Deb Fitzpatrick. The cover illustration shows a hand drawn illustration of Prof Ajay Rane standing in blue hospital scrubs with hands on his hips and a stethoscope around his neck. Ajay has brown skin, short dark hair and wears glasses. Around him are doodle style drawings of the symbol for woman, a pelvis from a skeleton, and a glowing light bulb.

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 9, NSW

Ajay Rane: Global crusader for women’s health by Deb Fitzpatrick, Wild Dingo Press, ISBN 9781925893595

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

‘Who is Ajay Rane and why should Australians know him?’ I hear you ask curiously. He is Dr Rane and he is an advocate for women’s health. He saves women’s lives by helping women who suffer from fistula after giving birth.

It all started with Ajay’s paternal grandmother. She told Murli, Ajay’s father, to remember the work he learnt at school. Murli tried his hardest and eventually became a doctor. Then he started a hospital in his home town. This is when Ajay comes into the story. Ajay followed his dad’s footsteps and became a doctor.  

One of Ajay’s patients made me cry. She was a nurse until she had a baby and she could not go to work because she had fistula after giving birth. Then her husband kicked her out of the family. What will happen to her now?

I love this extraordinary book because it takes us back to Ajay’s ancestry. I have learnt so much about Ajay Rane and his family, like when Ajay was younger he celebrated the Diwali Festival with his family. Another section that was funny was when Ajay’s brother went to the toilet in his grandmother’s place in India only to find a pig in the toilet pit.  

I rate this excellent book 10/10.

Take a look inside the book at the publisher’s website!

Read our 2022 interview with the author, Deb Fitzpatrick.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Veena Sahajwalla

Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 9, NSW

Veena Sahajwalla: ‘Green’ engineer and recycling champion by Julianne Negri, Wild Dingo Press, ISBN 9781925893250

The publisher provided a review copy of this title.

Veena is an inspiring person to the next generation because she changed the world by inventing green steel. When Veena was little she just liked to ride on her dad’s scooter around Mumbai all the time. But she did not think that she would become the recycling champion in the future. 

From reading this book, I  learnt that Veena is a very diligent, persistent and resilient person. When she was in school she did extra work because she loved doing homework. She was the only girl in the class in her  university studies and she tried her best.

I rate this book 10/10 because this has even inspired me to be an engineer.

Veena Sahajwalla: ‘Green’ engineer and recycling champion is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Team Trouble!

Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 9, NSW

Team Trouble! by Eddie Woo & Dave Hartley, illustrated by Mitch Vane, Pan Macmillan Australia, ISBN 9781760983000

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Have you ever had a mystery to solve with your friends?  Well, then you should read this book. Team Trouble! is written by Eddie Woo and Dave Hartley and illustrated by Mitch Vane. This book is about Eddie and his sidekicks (DT and Rusty) who all love skateboarding.

In this book, the mystery is about Mr Appleby. Mr Appleby helped Eddie’s Mum and Dad when they arrived in Australia from Malaysia in the 1990s, but now Mr Appleby is old. Mr Appleby’s aged care home is closing down. What do Eddie and his friends do? What will happen next?

I like this book because it has mental and physical challenges for Eddie and his friends. I rate this book 10/10. This book is suitable for age kids 8 and over. 

Read the first chapter of this book on the publisher’s website.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Creswell Eastman, the Man Who Saved a Million Brains

Alphabet Soup
The image shows the cover of a children's biography: Cresswell Eastman, the Man who Saved a Million Brains by Penny Tangey. The cover is predominantly orange and shows a hand drawn illustration of Cresswell Eastman in a white surgical coat, holding a microscope. He's surrounded by doodle style illustrations of a stethoscope, a needs and a glowing lightbulb.

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 9, NSW

Creswell Eastman, the Man Who Saved a Million Brains by Penny Tangey, Wild Dingo Press, ISBN 9781925893526

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Creswell Eastman was the smartest child in the class. One day, Sister Francis asked Creswell to follow her in the hall. They walked through the senior school, into the classroom and he saw his older sister. He was tested to see if he was better at maths than anyone else. That afternoon a boy punched him for being better at maths. The next day at lunchtime his teacher, who was a nun, taught Creswell to defend himself. The following day the boy was waiting for Creswell. What would Cres do?

The thing I enjoyed the most about the book by Penny Tangey was learning how Creswell used medicine to help people. It is amazing that he saved so many people’s lives in Asia.

I recommend this book to 8 years old and up because it is wonderful and interesting. I rate this book 10 out of 10.

Read chapter one on the publisher’s website.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Bella and the Voyaging House

Alphabet Soup
Bella and the Voyaging House by Meg McKinlay illust. Nicholas Schafer

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 8, NSW

Bella and the Voyaging House by Meg McKinlay, illustrated by Nicholas Schafer, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760990695

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

The book I am reviewing is Bella and the Voyaging House. The author is Meg McKinlay and the illustrator is Nicholas Schafer.

In the book, I love how Bella’s grandad made the house so it is like a boat. Merry Annie is a statue which the grandad moulded and polished. Then he tied it on the front of the  house boat but it fell off when they were sailing. So Bella decided to sail with the house and look for Merry Annie. Will they find Merry Annie? Will the house go back home? 

I recommend seven year olds and up to read this book because it is funny and emotional.

I give this 10 out of 10.

Read our interview with the author of Bella and the Voyaging House

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo

Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 8, NSW

Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo by Kylie Howarth

Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo by Kylie Howarth, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781760652548

Elizabeth received a review copy of this book.

‘Go, Hermie! go’ I whispered.

‘No, mine is going to win,’ said my best friend Emely.

This is Fish Kid and the Turtle Torpedo and it is about Bodhi and Emely. They are on a vacation in the Maldives and they find a turtle that is sick because it can’t swim underwater or dive.

Bodhi (Fish Kid) cannot carry Emely and the turtle back to their island to show Bodhi’s dad who could help. So Bodhi just takes the turtle and leaves Emely behind at the beach island. 

Is the turtle going to survive? Will Emely get home?

I love this book! That is why I give this book 10/10! I love when they help the turtle.  I like that the author introduced real animals in Fish Kid Fact pages such as the spinner dolphins and black tip reef sharks.

Read an interview with the author-illustrator of the Fish Kid series.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth

Book review: Beneath the Trees

Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 8, NSW

Beneath the Trees by Cristy Burne and illustrated by Amanda BurnettBeneath the Trees by Cristy Burne, illustrated by Amanda Burnett, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760990411

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

The book Beneath the Trees is by Cristy Burne and it is very entertaining. 

Cam and Sophie want to see a platypus. They go with their cousins Jack and Liv to try and find a platypus in the rain forest. Jack tells Cam and Sophie that if they wear the bright yellow ponchos the platypus won’t come to them, but then one tiny platypus does appear! 

The platypus is in trouble because something is stuck around its neck. Then Jack tries to save the platypus but then he gets into trouble because he falls into the river, and Sophie falls in, too. Cam tries to help Sophie, but they all get stuck in the river and need to be saved. Liv tries to save them by going to find the parents. 

I give this book five stars out of five because this is a realistic and amazing story. I like the section when the leeches crawl up the legs of the cousins and they had to try to get them off to survive! I recommend this book for ages 8 and up. 

Read our interview with the author.

Read the first chapter of Beneath the Trees on the publisher’s website. 

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read another of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Elizabella breaks a leg

Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 7, NSW

Elizabella Breaks a Leg by Zoë Norton Lodge and illustrated by Georgia Norton Lodge

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

Elizabella Breaks a Leg by Zoë Norton Lodge, illustrated by Georgia Norton Lodge, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781760652555. 

The story starts when Elizabella goes to a theatre where she watched Rapunzel. She adored the show. Now she wants to put on a show in her school, but Mr Gobblefrump said no, unless she could make the entire play free. Elizabella was not discouraged and she decided to do the play. The other problem she faced was that her best friend Minnie was going to New York for good. Elizabella was thinking how to stop Minnie’s parents. 

I like when Elizabella and her class went to  the Rapunzel play because they talked about it and she wanted to do the play. Also, I like how Elizabella likes to do pranks such as putting undies on the flag pole. Another funny part was when Elizabella caught her brother kissing a girl. Elizabella also has a cousin called Isabeth who helps her by encouraging her. 

I give this book 4.5 stars. I recommend this book for 8 and up. 

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read another of her reviews here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!