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The Home Imaginarium Writing Competition

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

Photo of child writing in a notebook with a pen. Photo courtesy pexels.com We’re excited to announce our second big competition for 2020! Alphabet Soup is partnering with Paper Bird Children’s Books and Arts to bring you:

The Home Imaginarium Writing Competition (Entries close 5 May 2020)

This writing competition is open to Australian residents aged 7 to 12. Write a short story up to 800 words long (shorter is fine). Your story can be on any subject but you must include the words PAPER and BIRD (separately or together) somewhere in your story.

At the end of your story you must include the following details:

Entrant’s full name
Entrant’s age (as at 5 May 2020)
Australian postal address (for receiving books in the mail)
Parent’s email address
Parent’s mobile number
The statement: “This is my own unaided work, and it has not been published elsewhere.”

Parents/guardians should email entries to: editor@alphabetsoup.net.au

ENTRY: FREE

PRIZES: The winner will:

have their story read aloud by an Australian author or illustrator as part of the Paper Bird Books Home Club videos AND
receive a 6-month subscription to Paper Bird Books’ Home Imaginarium. (This means the winner will receive a new-release children’s book each month, for 6 months.)

Make sure you read the Terms and Conditions before entering! Good luck!

competitions

Alphabet Soup’s Young Book Reviewers’ Competition

Posted on April 3, 2020April 6, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

Alphabet Soup’s Young Book Reviewers’ Competition (Entries close 2 May 2020)

Announcing our book reviewing competition. This comp is open to Australian residents aged 12 or younger.

To enter: Review a children’s book from any genre, fiction or nonfiction. You can choose to review any book you own or borrow, but you cannot enter a review of a book if that book was provided to you or a family member as a review copy.

There is no word limit for reviews.

ENTRY: FREE

PRIZES:

All longlisted reviews will be published at Alphabet Soup’s website: http://www.alphabetsoup.net.au.

Junior category (Kindy, Preprimary and Year 1): Winner will receive 6 postcards from various children’s authors and illustrators (one postcard per month for 6 months)

Primary category (Year 2 to Year 6): Winner will receive 6 postcards from various children’s authors and illustrators (one postcard per month for 6 months)

Check out these awesome authors and illustrators who could be sending you a postcard!

Find out HOW TO ENTER here.

Book review: KID ARTISTS

Posted on April 2, 2020March 30, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY KOBE, 9, WA

Kid Artists: True tales of childhood from creative legends by David Stabler, ill. by Doogie Horner, ISBN 9781594748967, Quirk Books

Kobe reviewed her own copy of this book

This book is my favourite book in March because you can learn about famous artists’ lives from childhood to adulthood, even Leonardo da Vinci! The most important part is that it tells you how they work hard to become famous artists.

In the book you can learn how Frida survived polio in her right leg, how Dr Seuss made super funny books and how Leonardo da Vinci made such a scary shield. It’s so interesting reading this FABULOUS book.

I am certain that you should at least take a look at this picture-filled book and your mind will be lost in time and the past. It was a very interesting inspiration. I hope you’ll enjoy reading this amazing book.

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!

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Young Writers in Action: My Shirt is Gone

Posted on March 30, 2020July 25, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

MY SHIRT IS GONE
by Liora, 10, Manhattan, USA

Person half in half out of a laudromat washer. Photo courtesy pexels.com

My shirt is gone
I checked everywhere, including the lawn

I checked in the freezer
And in my favourite game called Brain Teaser

I checked under my bed
Even on my Barbie’s head

I checked in my laundry and in my closet
And in my bank account where I put money to deposit

I checked in the shower in the bathroom
But only ended up making it look like a lagoon

My mum screamed at me because I went through her clothes
And ruffled in her bathroom through all the bows

Oh my shirt, where can it be?
I checked everywhere and then realised it was right on me!

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

Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Tyrant’s Tomb

Posted on March 16, 2020March 11, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ISAAC, 13, WA

The Tyrant’s Tomb (The Trials of Apollo Book 4) by Rick Riordan, Puffin, ISBN 9780141364049

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

The Trials of Apollo: The Tyrant’s Tomb is a fascinating book. It is a fiction novel about mythological creatures, gods and other beliefs. Rick Riordan writes every one of his books with care. The initial storylines of these books are all set in the same world, but his stories and plots get more sophisticated as they continue on from the other stories within the series.

I really enjoyed this book, as it plays along with the main storyline of the series and refers to mythological elements from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

Overall, Rick Riordan’s books are all highly recommended!

This is Isaac’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids

Book review: Moonfish

Posted on March 12, 2020March 10, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY LUCAS, 9, WA

Moonfish by Graeme Base, Puffin, ISBN 9780143791409

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Moonfish is about a fish who wants to know more about his life and why he is different.

I like Moonfish because the drawings are very realistic. I especially like pages 5 and 6 when the main character appears. The story is sad to begin with but the ending is very good.

This is Lucas’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids

Book review: Matilda

Posted on March 10, 2020March 5, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY GIANNA, 10, VIC

Matilda, by Roald Dahl, ill. by Quentin Blake, Puffin Books, ISBN 9780141365466

Gianna reviewed her own copy of this book.

This book fascinates me. It is about a young girl whose parents think she is a twit. Mr and Mrs Wormwood are rare parents who don’t think about their child. Their child, Matilda, was an extraordinary child. She could easily recite the alphabet when she was only two. Matilda could spell words at the age of three and was able to read novels at the age of four.

Matilda got to know that she could move things with her eyes when she started going to school. Miss Honey, her teacher adores her. But Miss Trunchbull is furious when somebody speaks good about Matilda. Miss Honey and Matilda together face some difficulties.

To know about the happenings please read this famous book by Roald Dahl. This book is one of my favourites because it is an inspirational story that tells children that they should trust their abilities, fight back and face the challenges in their lives.

Read another book review by Gianna. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids

Book review: No one Likes a Fart

Posted on March 6, 2020March 5, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY CHARLIE, 4, WA

No one Likes a Fart by Zoë Foster Blake, ill. by Adam Nickel, Penguin Australia, ISBN 9780143786603

The publisher provided a review copy of this book and a fart plushie.

Fart and Burp artwork by Charlie

Charlie says, “The best part is when Fart and Burp make friends”.

This is Charlie’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Kobe

Book review: 3D Explorer: Oceans

Posted on March 3, 2020March 3, 2020 by Alphabet Soup

3D EXPLORER: OCEANS by Jen Green and illustrated by Laszlo Veres REVIEWED BY KOBE, 9, WA

Oceans by Jen Green, illustrated by Laszlo Veres

Silver Dolphin, ISBN 9781684123346

Kobe reviewed her own copy of this book.

Oceans is a very good book to read because it is filled with facts about the ocean, like we know more about the surface of the moon than the deep ocean.

It’s also full of fun pop-ups! Jen Green uses 3D see-through sections to make an illusion that it’s the surface of the water. She also includes layers upon layers of bits of the ocean habitat.

BUT be careful, please don’t rip or break her hard work! She probably spent a lot of time on it! TOP TIP: To not break it, you must open the book carefully and not quickly stretching the book.

My favourite part of the book is that she provides facts about the animals and plants she put in the scenes. After a fun pop-up, she includes facts about the environment they live in.

That’s why I encourage youth to read my recommended book of February. I’m sure you’d like this AMAZING book. If you like it you should introduce it to your friends!

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!