Posted in competitions, info

Winter 2009 issue OUT NOW!

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Winter issue 2009

Doesn’t a serve of delicious alphabet soup sound like just the thing for this cooler winter weather? The winter 2009 issue of Alphabet Soup is out now!

Inside Alphabet Soup magazine this issue:

  • Q&A with Jo Oliver (author-illustrator of Pilgrim)
  • interview with an Air Traffic Controller
  • Stories, poems and good books
  • Kids writing (poems, stories and book reviews)
  • winners of our autumn writing competition
  • details of our winter writing competition
  • details of our design-a-cover competition
  • and more!

Where can you buy a copy? If you live in Western Australia, you can buy copies at Westbooks children’s bookstore (396 Mill Point Rd, Victoria Park) and   Zero to Ten (330 South Tce, South Fremantle).

You can also order single copies (or subscribe!) from our website www.alphabetsoup.net.au, where you can order online with a credit card, or print off an order form to post in to us with a cheque or money order.

Get reading (and writing)!

Posted in illustrator

24 May: Kids Day Out

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

KIDS DAY OUT AT ‘THE PLACE’!

Just another quick plug for the new children’s library (aka The Place) at the State Library of WA. The Place will be launched on Sunday 24 May (from 10am until 3pm). Events are FREE! Here are some details:

CELEBRITY STORYTIMES at 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm in the Family Reading Centre

SNEAK PEEK TOUR OF THE LIBRARY (Surprises on every floor – the Library’s smelliest book, Treasures from the past, and more!)

MUSIC SESSIONS ON THE SECOND FLOOR at 11 am, 12 noon, 1 pm and 2 pm

DIGITAL STORIES online all day!

TOTEM BOOK SCULPTURE (How many have you read?)

BUTTERFLY STILT WALKER ALL DAY!

ORIGINAL PICTURE BOOK ART

BALLOONS to take home!

Then from 24 May – 19 July 2009: MY FAVOURITE CHILDREN’S BOOK Do you know what Rove’s favourite book is? What about the Prime Minister’s? Take a booklist home!

Refer to the LISWA Website for further updates: http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/whats_on/the_place

See you there!

Posted in competitions, info

Winter issue out soon!

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Winter is the season to snuggle up under a blanket with something good to read – and maybe something good to nibble on at the same time. Don’t miss the winter 2009 issue of Alphabet Soup magazine – out in mid-May!

Inside you’ll find:

  • a Q&A with Jo Oliver (author-illustrator of Pilgrim)
  • info about what an Air Traffic Controller does
  • book reviews, stories, poems and writing tips
  • the winning entries in our autumn 2009 writing comp
  • the details of our winter 2009 writing comp
  • kids’ writing: book reviews, stories and poems!

You can subscribe (or order your copy of the winter issue) online via the ‘subscribe’ tab on the magazine’s website.

If you haven’t got your hands on a copy of the magazine yet, you can also download a sample copy of an earlier issue from the website’s homepage.

Happy reading!

Posted in authors, illustrator

Author website: Hazel Edwards

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

book cover
book cover

There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake Answering Questions!

There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake (by Hazel Edwards and illustrated by Deborah Niland) celebrates its 30th birthday this year. Do you have a question you’d like to ask the hippo? You can ask away on Hazel’s website! (You can also find out the answers to to questions from other kids, like: What kind of cake is it? and Do you talk?)

The site also has news about Hazel’s latest picture book Flight of the Bumblebee, which comes with a CD of Antonia Kidman reading the story, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s famous music Flight of the Bumblebee.

Posted in info

New Children’s library in Western Australia!

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

FREE EVENT! The State Library of Western Australia is launching its new children’s library, known as ‘The Place.’

Come along to the Kids Day Out at The Place, State Library of WA on Sunday 24 May 2009, 10am to 3pm. Celebrity readers, original picture book art, family reading centre, famous people’s favourite books and a sneak peak tour of the library.

You’ll find the State Library of WA at 25 Francis St, Cultural Centre, Perth City. (3 minutes walk from the train station.)

For further details, refer to the State Library of WA website.

Posted in Book reviews by Rebecca

Pancakes and Painted Eggs (Jean Chapman)

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Pancakes and Painted Eggs
Pancakes and Painted Eggs

This book is an old favourite of mine. It may not be in print now (correct me if I’m wrong, and I’d love to be wrong), but still seems to be available from many libraries and you could try finding second-hand copies through Amazon (or perhaps ebay).

Pancakes and Painted Eggs is a book for Lent and the Easter Season. It has stories, poems, songs (even sheet music, arranged by Margaret Moore), explanations of customs and festivals from a variety of cultures, recipes, craft activities, and fun illustrations by Kilmeny Niland. There’s something for everyone!

So get yourself down to your local library!

This book was selected for review from the Editor’s own collection.