July sped by. We hope you had time during the school holidays to hide away with some good books. Since it’s the last day of July, it’s the day for our team of keen readers to share their TOP READS for the month — the best book each of them read during July 2014. If you’re looking for a great book to read, our team recommends these titles!
Category: info
Four bookish events! (NSW, VIC, QLD)
You are invited to celebrate the publication of Rescue on Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr!
When: Saturday 26 July 2014 at 2pm
Where: Petersen’s Bookshop, 103 High St, Hastings VIC 3915
RSVP: info@teachersresource.com.au by Wednesday 23 July 2014
Three cities, three book launches for Hasel and Rose by Carline Magerl!
Caroline Magerl will be demonstrate her watercolour technique, accompanied by clarinetist Janet Brewer. (And you could win the demonstration watercolour as a door prize!)
Here’s where to go.
Sydney:
Thursday, August 7 at 6 pm
Books Kinokuniya,
level 2, The Galleries,
500 George St, Sydney
Melbourne:
Saturday August 9 at 3 pm
Little Book Room
759 Nicholson Street, Carlton North
Brisbane:
Friday, August 22 at 6 pm
Black Cat Books
179 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington
July school holiday activities (NSW)
A Magic Midwinter at The Children’s Bookshop!
In the July 2014 School holidays, The Children’s Bookshop is offering workshops for kids.
Midsummer Magic Midwinter — Monday 7 July, 9am –12.30pm ($50)
A drama workshop for 8-12 year olds, focusing on the comedy and whimsy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Wishing Chair Comes to Beecroft — Wednesday 9 July ($30)
A workshop for younger readers: Ages 4-6.
Animal Heroes — Thursday 10 July, 9am — 12.30pm ($50)
A Writing and illustration workshop with the fabulous award-winning picture book team: Mark Greenwood and Frané Lessac
Creating Kooky Comics with Illustrator/Writer James Foley — Friday July 11, 9 — 12-30 ($50).
Creating kooky comics.
E-mail The Children’s Bookshop to request a full brochure.
Picture Book launch (Victoria)
BOOK LAUNCH — The Croc and the Platypus by Jackie Hosking, illustrated by Marjorie Crosby- Fairall
When: Friday 4th July, 11am
Where: Great Escape Books, 75 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet, Victoria
Cost: FREE! (but bookings appreciated)
Bookings: myevents@greatescapebooks.com.au
TOP READS
Today our team of keen readers share the first of their TOP READS — the best book each of them read during May. If you’re after a good book, they recommend the following titles!
Introducing … our new Soupsters
Sometimes — when you can’t decide what to read next — a friend can recommend just the sort of book you’ve been looking for. Today we are introducing a group of keen readers who love to talk about good books. At the end of each month they’ll be stopping by to recommend a favourite read for the month.
INTRODUCING:
Matilda, 8, WA
Matilda has been writing book reviews for Alphabet Soup since 2011. When she’s not reading, she likes skipping (with skipping ropes), drawing portraits and writing poems. Her favourite books of all are the Kumiko books by Briony Stewart.
Jake, 7, VIC
Jake likes visiting jungles and he likes funny adventure stories.
Celine, 11, WA
Celine has been a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup’s magazine and blog since she was 6. Her favourite pastimes include writing stories, poetry and book reviews, but she will always make time for playing the violin and jogging with her dog.
Tess, 8, WA
Tess loves gymnastics and reading.
Céití, 5, WA
Céití likes the movie Frozen. Her favourite song is ‘Do You Want To Build A Snowman?’
Joseph, 10, WA
Joseph has been reviewing books for Alphabet Soup since 2011. When he’s not reading, he likes writing, and playing cricket and when he grows up he wants to be an author or a cricket player.
Pippa, 12, WA
Pippa has been reviewing books for Alphabet Soup since 2008. She loves to play viola, read books and write poems and stories. (She reads all kinds of books, but school stories are her favourites.)
Veronica, 11, NSW
Veronica loves all things nature, coin collecting, gaming, singing, and music that takes us on journeys. She likes reading a whole range of writing, especially fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction and poetry.
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Look out for their first book recommendations later today!
Book review: Darcy Moon and the Deep Fried Frogs
Darcy Moon and the Deep Fried Frogs by Catherine Carvell, ill. Michael Scott Parkinson, ISBN 9781922089717, Fremantle Press
REVIEWED BY BRIDGET, 10, WA
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Darcy Moon and the Deep Fried Frogs is about a girl who discovers she’s an Earth guardian. She meets a turtle named Wizen and frog called Jumpy. Darcy must save the swamp from the famous Sid Bellows the owner of Skippety Chips, while keeping her embarrassing parents under control.
Darcy Moon and the Deep Fried Frogs was very enjoyable, and had a great plot. It is a fantastic book for those searching a quick, humorous read, or a beginner looking for a challenge. It would also be quite a good book for teachers to read to their class.
It is a great book, but a little predictable. Overall, I think it is a very enjoyable and exciting read. I’d definitely read it again and recommend it to all my friends.
I give it 4 ½ stars. Apart from the book being a little predictable, it was perfect.
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Guess what? You can read sample chapters of this book on the publisher’s website and you can check out our interview with the author.
Bridget had book reviews published in Alphabet Soup’s print magazine, and this is her first book review for us online. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!
Young Writers in Action: A Misunderstanding
A Misunderstanding
by Jemivieve, 11, Victoria
I frowned at Sophie and pulled on my mask. We were about to do sword fighting (only with fake, plastic swords, of course) at our summer camp.
“Bring it on, Dumb Darcy,” Sophie said. I hated how she called me that.
“Fine, bring it on, then, Stupid Sophie.” I shot back. Everyone knew how much we hated each other.
“Three, two, one, go!” the lady announced.
With our plastic swords we fought. We ran a long way and eventually came to the edge of a cliff. The others had stayed behind. I gasped as I slipped and fell. I heard Sophie scream too, as I had accidently hit her with my sword and bumped her off the cliff. I hopped up, as soon as possible, and ran to her in fright.
“Are you OK?” I asked.
“Yeah — I think,” she called, clutching a branch that stuck out of the cliff with her hands.
“Hold on — I’ll help you up.”
I lay down on the muddy grass and reached my arm out to her. I held my other hand on my sword I had dug deep into the ground. But before I could even start to pull she pulled me off the cliff and down with her. I screamed, fell and cried out in pain as I bruised my leg.
“Oops,” Sophie said sarcastically.
“Hey! I was only trying to help you! Listen, I’m sorry that we’ve fought for so long, and I’m really sorry for all the things we’ve done to each other — but please forgive me, because the only way we can get back up is by helping each other.”
She smiled at me for the first time. “So, you’re saying that if I help you, the war is over?”
“Yes.” We smiled at each other and I heaved Sophie up onto the ground, and she then pulled me up.
“Thanks,” I began. “Hey, you know, if we really hated each other, then we wouldn’t have helped each other up — right?”
“Oh yeah,” Sophie looked guilty. “In fact, I’ve been so busy worrying about hating you that I’ve forgotten to make friends, but it would be nice to have one.”
“Yeah, same here. You know, we might have a lot in common — why don’t we try to be friends?”
“Okay.” Holding hands we made our way back to the others.
“Did you hate me, all that time?” I asked.
“Only because I thought you hated me.”
“Really? I hated you for that same reason!” We laughed. We had spent so long hating each other — all because of a little misunderstanding.
WA book event: book launch
Happy International Book Giving Day!
Today is International Book Giving Day (and Valentine’s Day — but we’re all about the books!). We’ll be donating books today and our editor will be giving books to family and friends.
If you plan on giving a book to someone (or leaving a book in a waiting room or lobby) you might like to include this cool IBGD bookmark inside the book. It’s free to download and print it.
Happy International Book Giving Day!
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