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Meet the author: Raewyn Caisley

Posted on May 8, 2020April 29, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

Raewyn Caisley photo Raewyn Caisley was born in New Zealand but has lived in Western Australia for more than half her life. She’s the author of many, many books. You’ve probably read some of her books from the Aussie Bites and Nibbles titles, or perhaps her picture books Hello From Nowhere and Something Wonderful. Raewyn has two new books out in 2020 — Rocky and Louie (co-written with Phil Walleystack and illustrated by Dub Leffler), and Meet Eve in the Outback (illustrated by Karen Blair).

Today we’re chatting to Raewyn about Meet Eve in the Outback, part of the new Aussie Kids junior fiction series.

Meet Eve in the Outback (book cover)

Hi! I’m Eve.
I live at a roadhouse in the Nullarbor. We don’t get many visitors. But today my cousin Will is coming. We’ll have so much fun!

Eve is a character readers might remember from the picture book Hello from Nowhere. What was different writing about her for a junior fiction book?
Her personality had to change a tiny bit. Younger Eve wouldn’t have worried about Will not seeing the magic. She just assumed Nan would, (and of course she did), but older Eve knows a little bit more about the world. She knows Will has dolphins where he lives for example. Little Eve’s experience was only her own immediate surroundings.

Older Eve has had more experience of her own place too. She’s helped Doug with the chores on the sheep station and she is friends with Wally now. She knows about the space station and about telegraphs. It was important to include details bigger kids would be interested in.

Oh, and another thing! With junior fiction the words have to carry more of the story because there aren’t illustrations on every page but that meant I could really have fun describing all those new places, thoughts and people.

Were you in contact with the illustrator (Karen Blair) while you were writing Meet Eve in the Outback?
I wasn’t in contact with Karen while I was writing it and if she’d said ‘no’ or been too busy I would have been up the creek without a paddle. But I knew she’d love Wally …

Meet Eve in the Outback is part of a junior fiction series. Were you asked to write a particular story in the series, or did you come up with your own story ideas?
My publisher and I came up with the idea for the whole series together. I sent them this story. The original title was ‘Next to Nowhere’. They responded with, ‘What if we do a whole series of these set in all the different states and territories of Australia?’

It was a little bit of a bummer because I had five ideas for five books set out in the Nullarbor and starring Eve and Will, but being part of the Aussie Kids series has turned out really well. It’s the right series for the right time. When kids can’t get out and see Australia for themselves at least they can read about how other Aussie kids live and see our beautiful country on the pages of a book.

Do you have a tip for young writers about creating story characters?
My tip for creating characters is, decide what they’d have for breakfast! Would they cook? Would they grab a bowl of cereal? Would they spill the milk? Would there be any milk?! Would they gulp it down or would they set the table? Is there any cutlery? Has anyone done the washing up? Would they eat alone or with someone else? What time of day would they have it?

Once you know what your character would have for breakfast you probably know them well enough to start writing a story about them.

Can you tell us something about your next writing project?
My next writing project? I still want to do my own junior fiction series and I’ve got ideas for the first three. One is set in a doctor’s surgery, one is in a school, and one is set in an isolated community in the outback. More than that I cannot say … Watch this space …

Meet Eve in the Outback is out now! Available from book stores and libraries.

AWESOME EXTRAS!

Click here to download an Aussie Kids series activity pack

Click here for Teachers’ Notes for Meet Eve in the Outback (PDF)

Visit Raewyn Caisley’s website for more about her and her books.

Read an earlier blogpost about the settings in Raewyn’s books.

Book review: WeirDo 13

Posted on May 6, 2020April 26, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY KOBE, 9, WA

WeirDo 13: Weirdomania by Anh Do, ill. by Jules Faber, Scholastic Australia, ISBN 9781742997933

Kobe reviewed her own copy of this book.

Thinking of a book to read in May? WeirDo 13: Weirdomania is the right book for you.

This action packed book is filled with funny pictures and amusing jokes. In this book you’ll learn who’s the famous wrestler in the Do family and you’ll be surprised to find out who it really is! I hope you like the battle between the unbeatable Block and the mystery Do wrestler.

I hope you enjoy this amazing book and once you read it you’ll be attached to this best selling book written by Anh Do. Enjoy your reading journey!

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

competitions

Winners of the Young Book Reviewers’ Competition

Posted on May 5, 2020June 16, 2024 by Alphabet Soup

WINNERS

Junior section:
Kade Ennis, QLD.
Review: Magic Beach by Alison Lester

Primary section:
Harper Klein, NSW.
Review: The Beast of Buckingham Palace by David Walliams, with illustrations by Tony Ross.

SHORTLISTED

Kade Ennis, QLD

Harper Klein, NSW

Amelia Davis, QLD.

Lissy Dermody, WA

Kate Nicholas Edgar, VIC

Anya Arora, ACT

Molly Phillips, NSW

LONGLISTED

Those listed above and:

Mahlie Bond, VIC

Joshua Campbell, NSW

Kala Petronijevic, VIC

Kobe Wu, WA

Mira Nguyen, NSW

All these entrants’ reviews will be published here at Alphabet Soup over the coming weeks. If you are one of the longlisted or shortlisted reviewers above, we will be in touch soon to let you know the date that your review will appear.

Congratulations!

authors, interviews

Meet the author: Sharon Giltrow

Posted on May 4, 2020May 11, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

Sharon Giltrow writes humorous picture books and adventure-filled chapter books. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children, a tom cat and a miniature dog.

Sharon’s debut picture book is available in May 2020. Today we’re chatting to Sharon about Bedtime, Daddy!, which is illustrated by Katrin Dreiling.

From the publisher:

Have you ever tried to put Daddy to bed? It can be hard work! Full of heart and humour, Bedtime, Daddy! is for anyone who wants to try putting their grown-up to bed.

You wrote the text for Bedtime, Daddy! and Katrin Dreiling is the illustrator. Do the illustrations match the story you had in your head when you were writing the book?
Katrin Dreiling has done a fantastic job. I was very happy and excited when I saw her first sketches.
EK Books (the publisher) asked her to do sketches of people and bears. When I first wrote Bedtime, Daddy! I pictured the characters as people, so I was very surprised when the publisher suggested bears. However, when Anouska – the editor – explained that bears would make a more universal family, I agreed. The rest of the illustrations match the story perfectly. Placing Daddy Bear in the office for the first page spread was Katrin’s idea. 😊 I only had one illustration note which was for the last page … but I don’t want to spoil the ending.

Favourite pyjamas to wear today vs favourite pyjamas to wear when you were a kid?
My favourite pyjamas as a kid were actually nighties and I used to keep them in a zippered pyjama bag which was a bit like this one. Puppy pyjama case Now as Mummy Bear (aka: Bedtime Mummy!), my favourite pyjamas are my new dinosaur pyjamas. They are also Daddy Bear’s favourite pyjamas and my children have dinosaur pyjamas too.

Did you like to try to delay bedtime when you were a kid?
Most definitely! I was the youngest of eight children so my parents were a little more relaxed about bedtime. So, I used to fall asleep on the couch and my dad would carry me to bed. SShhhh!!! Don’t tell my children.

Can you tell us a bit about the book you’re working on next?
Well, my next book, which I hope will be published soon is called … Get Ready, Mummy! A sequel to Bedtime, Daddy! and you guessed it, it’s about how to get a mummy ready for the day. It starts with the line: ‘When you see your mummy roll over and open her eyes, announce, ‘Get Ready, Mummy!’

Do you have a tip for kids who would like to try writing a picture book themselves?
Be open to ideas. Ideas are all around you. Keep a notebook to write your ideas in. Once you have an idea, brainstorm it and then start writing. Don’t try and get it perfect the first time. Writing is like any skill it just takes practice. You can do it! Also, read lots of books!

AWESOME EXTRAS:

Watch the book trailer for Bedtime, Daddy!

Click here for Teachers’ Notes

Click here for a sneak peek inside the book

Visit Sharon Giltrow’s website to learn more about her and her books.

***WIN a copy of Bedtime, Daddy! ***

This competition has now closed and the winner has been contacted by email.

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Young Writers in Action: Maybe Someday

Posted on April 29, 2020July 25, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

MAYBE SOMEDAY
by Liora, 10, Manhattan, USA

Child reading newspaper. Photo courtesy pexels.com There is this thing called the coronavirus
It canceled my art class where we drew on papyrus
It canceled everything including school
I can’t even go swimming in my building’s pool

I can’t see my friends
Or get any books that they usually lend
It’s always in a newspaper or on the news
It really gives me the blues

Oh how I wish it would go away
Maybe someday

Read more creative writing from Liora here. To send us YOUR book review, poem, story or artwork: check out our submission guidelines.

authors, interviews

Meet the author: Elaine Forrestal

Posted on April 27, 2020April 23, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

MEET THE AUTHOR

Elaine Forrestal is a Western Australian author who grew up in Australian country towns and now travels all over the world. Her award-winning books have been published internationally and translated into other languages.

Elaine’s latest book is Goldfields Girl, set during the Gold Rush in Coolgardie, Western Australia.

From the publisher:

It’s 1892. Amid a fevered gold rush, 14-year-old Clara Saunders is in search of adventure in the new outback town of Coolgardie.

A friendship with cheeky young water carter Jack is a promising start, but the goldfields are a harsh place, where water is scarce, disease is common and where many men will never find the fortune they’ve come to seek.

With unforeseen tragedies on the horizon, Clara’s time in the dusty town will truly test the limits of her fierceness and determination.

How did you first hear of Clara Saunders and decide to write a story based on her life? Was Clara a relative?
We were almost at the end of the editing stage of the book before I knew that my sister-in-law’s husband is Clara Saunder’s grandson! So that’s obviously not why I chose to write about her. I was researching ‘children on the goldfields’ because I wanted to write a goldfields story, but felt that so many stories had already been written about it that I needed a new angle. Clara was the only child I found. Because of the harsh conditions —like lack of water and food, only tents to live in, heat, dust and flies — the women and children mostly stayed at home.

How did you go about your research for Goldfields Girl?
I tried Google first. Then I went to the Battye Library (on the 3rd floor of the State Library of WA). I felt like a detective because she wasn’t easy to find. And when I found the transcript of her ‘Memories’ I was so excited I virtually danced around the Library Reading Room. The librarian was a bit shocked.

How long did it take you to write the book?
It took about two years to write the book, then another two years to find the right publisher and go through all the usual editing and rewriting stages.

Did you have to leave anything out of the book?
I have only told the story of Clara’s life from 1892 to 1894, so I have left a lot out. but I didn’t change any of the facts — just added some dialogue to make the story more interesting to read.

How do you come up with the titles for your books?
I am hopeless with titles. I’ve lost count of how many Goldfields Girl had. I usually change them myself a couple of times, then the marketing team doesn’t like the one I have come up with so we work on it together. They know a whole lot more about what works for readers and bookshops, so I’m usually happy to go with what they suggest in the end.

Do you have a tip for young writers who would like to write stories based on real-life events?
You do need to do a lot of careful research when you base your story on real events. But I love doing the research. It’s fascinating to read about how people lived back then. I usually find out a lot more than I need to know, but that’s okay. Maybe I’ll get to use some of it in another book down the track.

AWESOME EXTRAS:

Click here to read a sample chapter Goldfields Girl by Elaine Forrestal (book cover) (thanks to Fremantle Press)

Click here for Teachers’ Notes

Click here for a Goldfield’s Girl crossword activity

Click here to see two 1894 photos of Clara Saunders (in a blog post by Elaine Forrestal)

Visit Elaine Forrestal’s website to find out more about her and her books: www.elaineforrestal.com.au/

Goldfields Girl is out now in bookstores and libraries!

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Young writers in action: A Corona virus poem

Posted on April 24, 2020July 25, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

The Terrible, Horrifying Pandemic of 2020
(commonly known as the Corona Virus)
by Anishka, 9, QLD

Leaves litter the ground
Untouched for many days
Weeks pass without a sound
Or talk of any sort.

The once busy streets
Are devoured by silence
Waiting for day to cease
Before they fill with lights.

Scurrying paws echo
When animals take what is theirs
Ants take refuge down below
Monkeys find trees suitable.

No smoke to get rid of
No rubbish in sight
Everyone wearing gloves
Everyday day to night

Together we will conquer
The thing that we fear
To restore the peace
Of the world.

Anishka is a regular contributor to Alphabet Soup’s site. You can read another of her poems here.

authors, interviews

Meet the author: Cristy Burne

Posted on April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

Cristy Burne disguised MEET THE AUTHOR

Cristy Burne is a science writer and children’s author. You might have read her adventure novels To the Lighthouse and Off the Track. If you love reading nonfiction keep an eye out for Zeroes and Ones: The geeks, heroes and hackers who changed history.

Cristy Burne’s brilliant award-winning Takeshita Demons series has recently been re-released as a series of e-books with new covers and a new series title: Hashimoto Monsters. Today we’re chatting with Cristy about the series!

Your Hashimoto Monsters series is quite different in style from your other junior fiction novels. What sort of readers will love this series?
These books are full of supernatural monsters, creepy chills and Japanese culture. They are scary, but they’re also funny and a little bit strange. They’re popular with kids who love fantasy adventure stories. I’d say if you’re aged between eight and twelve and you like the Goosebumps series, you’ll like to read these.

Hashimoto Monsters series by Cristy Burne

Why Japanese monsters? Did you read a lot of horror/scary books as a child?
I get scared VERY easily and I can’t watch scary movies, but I love action and adventure. And I *love* Japanese monsters. I lived for three years in Japan and studied Japanese monsters for even longer after that.

Japanese monsters aren’t always monstrous. Some are kind, some are sad, some are strange (like the one that sneaks up behind you to invisibly touch the back of your neck), some are insanely happy (like the Laughing Woman who just doesn’t stop laughing and laughing and laughing and laughing … which is a bit creepy, now that I think of it.)

Which is your favourite monster/demon? Why?
I love the aka-na-me, which translates directly to “Filth Licker”. This is the monster you really want for a friend. He’s loves to clean, so you don’t have to. In Japanese mythology, he comes out at night to lick dirty bathrooms till they sparkle … Seriously, could there be any better creature?

In my books, he also cleans laundries, kitchens, dirty faces, you name it. Plus his super-sensitive tongue can taste out clues. He’s like a detective in a frog’s skin.

I also love Betobeto-san, or “Mr Footsteps”. He’s Japan’s answer to that spooky feeling you sometimes get that you’re being followed. Because … drumroll … you ARE being followed. By Betobeto-san. The good news is Betobeto-san is a sort of oversized, invisible marshmallow on legs. He eats the sound of your footsteps (and then spits it out again), but he’s quite shy and not at all dangerous.

Do you have any tips for kids who want to write horror/scary stories?
Scary stories are scariest when you don’t let the reader know what’s coming next. So if there’s a zombie in the next room, don’t give away that information too early. Instead, drop little clues … Slow the action right down. Describe little details, so every creak and every moan, every scent and every sensation invades your reader’s mind. And let your character’s imagination run wild too… What we worry about and imagine might happen is often worse than what actually happens.

And most of all … have fun! Scary stories are so much fun to write because it’s fun to scare ourselves. Ghost story, anyone?

What is your current writing project (or what you might like to tackle next)? Can you tell us a bit about it?
I’m working on an authorised biography of Dr Fiona Wood, who is an incredibly inspiring person. She’s a doctor, a burns surgeon, the inventor of ‘spray-on skin’, and was Australian of the Year in 2005.

It is such an honour to work with Fiona on this book, and to learn about her life when she was a kid. Why did she decide to become a doctor? What was she like at school? What was it like to grow up on the coal mines of England and go on to become a famous Australian hero?

I’m also working on another adventure story for Fremantle Press (and this one’s going to have platypus, flash floods and lots and lots of LEECHES!), plus a fantasy-meets-science series I’m co-authoring with Denis Knight, called Wednesday Weeks.

So I’m super busy, but I try not to get overwhelmed. I just try to do little bits on each project each day.

Check out the Hashimoto Monsters series as ebooks here.
Contact Cristy Burne directly if you’d prefer physical copies of Takeshita Demons. (It’s the same series, but sports the original series title.)

AWESOME EXTRAS:

Get Book 1 in the series for FREE! (Available free from Smashwords if you order by 31 May 2020)
Learn more about Japanese Monsters or yokai (妖怪)
Read our 2009 interview with Cristy Burne here. (She talks about the head that inspired the books!)
Free Teachers’ Notes and activities
Visit Cristy’s website for news about her upcoming books!

Book reviews by kids

Book review: Hit for Six

Posted on April 13, 2020April 10, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY MEKAEEL, 7, NSW

The Kaboom Kid: Hit for Six by David Warner with JS Black, ill. by Jules Faber, Simon & Schuster Australia, ISBN 9781925030846

Mekaeel reviewed his own copy of this book.

Kaboom Kid: Hit for Six is a fiction book. This book is suitable for primary school kids. It is easy to read and understand. The plot is gripping and the story is interesting.

The story is about an 11-year-old child, David Warner, who is in year 6 and loves cricket. He plays for Sandhill Sluggers. A boy named Mo bets that he’ll treat the team if Warner hits six 6s in a match. But when Warner opens the treat box given to him by Mo, he learns a shocking secret.

Because Warner is always dreaming about cricket, he sometimes gets in trouble as well. Mr Mudge (the teacher) also banned him from playing cricket until he brings back his completed essay.

Most of the characters in this book are kind but some like Mo, are a bit rude.

I liked the excitement of finding out if David Warner hits six 6s in one match or not. Would he submit his homework essay on time? Would he get the big win for Sandhill Sluggers?

I really like this book but it could have been better — if David Warner hadn’t been banned from playing cricket.

Rating: ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡ ⚡

This is Mekaeel’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. (OR you might like to enter our 2020 book review competition! Happy reading.