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Book review: The Soldier’s Gift

Posted on October 28, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ATLANTA, 9, VIC

The soldier's gift)

The Soldier’s Gift by Tony Palmer, illustrated by Jane Tanner, Penguin Books Australia, ISBN 9780670077571

Atlanta read a copy of this book in her school library.

The Soldier’s Gift is about a young girl, Emily, who is desperate to do anything to stop her brother, Tom, from going to World War I in Turkey.

She tries her hardest to stop Tom, but when the time comes for Tom to leave the farm, she knows he needs to.

Tom faces the Turks in battle!

What will he write in letters home to his family?

What are his family thinking about while they wait for news?

This book can increase our learning about the Anzacs and life on the home front during a tragic time of war.

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Atlanta attends Oxley Christian College and this is her first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book review: A House of Her Own

Posted on October 26, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY JOSHUA, 8, VIC

A house of her own (cover)

A House of Her Own by Jenny Hughes, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley, Little Hare Books, ISBN 9781742974620

Joshua read this book in his school library.

Audrey tells Dad that she’s bigger than she was yesterday and that their house is too small. Dad gives her some ideas about relocating to a new house like the garage, the shed and even the chook shed.

Then Audrey finds the perfect place … up a tree. Dad helps to build a treehouse. When it’s finished, she loves it.

Will she ever want to come down? But Audrey has some scary thoughts and worries when her dad returns to their old house for the night.

I like this book because I always wanted to build my own tree house that only I could go into.

I recommend the story for children aged 7+.

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Joshua attends Oxley Christian College and this is his first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Along the Road to Gundagai

Posted on October 23, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY AIMEE, 9, VIC

Along the road to Gundagai (cover)

Along the road to Gundagai by Jack O’ Hagan, illustrated by Andrew McLean, Omnibus Books, ISBN 9781862919792

Aimee read this book in her school library.

A soldier remembers his home and his home town where his daddy and mother will be waiting for him.

He is yearning just to be returning along the road to Gundagai.

He’s gone off to war, but wants to be a kid at home again.

The pictures, not just the words, tell you some of the story.

This book is suitable for primary grade students from Year 1 to Year 6.

If you like picture books then you would love this book.

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Aimee attends Oxley Christian College and this is her first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Max

Posted on October 21, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY CHARLIE, 9, VIC

Max (cover)

Max by Marc Marten, Penguin Books Australia, ISBN 9780670077434

Charlie read a copy of this book in his school library.

Bob, a fish and chip shop owner, is best friends with Max the seagull.

One day, Max comes to the shop but Bob is not there.

He waits, but when Bob doesn’t come, he flies high into the sky. Eventually, a salty and familiar smell comes over the air and he flies towards it. Does he find Bob?

I recommend this book for 6 year olds because the story is simple and fun to read.

I like it because it’s based on the reality that friends sometimes move away, but still like to reconnect and do what they did before when they meet up. Like Bob, I wouldn’t want my friend going away from me to live somewhere else.

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Charlie attends Oxley Christian College and this is his first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Emu

Posted on October 20, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY ANTONY, 9, VIC

Emu (cover)

Emu by Claire Saxby, illustrated by Graham Byrne, Walker Books Australia, ISBN: 9781922179708

Antony read a copy of this book in his school library.

Emu is a very interesting combination of fiction and nonfiction. It’s about an emu’s birth and its life. There are lots of fun facts, predators like lizards and adventures like running away from circling eagles.

Did you know that:

emus will only fight if cornered. They will peck with their strong beaks or strike out with their clawed feet.

The story is set in the outback in spring. The main character is a male emu who is protecting his chicks. Will they survive?

The detail and illustrations are mind blowing. Readers will wonder how the illustrator made the drawings so realistic.

I think this is a really astonishing book for children aged 6 and up who want to learn more about emus and their lifestyle in a fun way.

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Antony attends Oxley Christian College and this is his first book review for Alphabet Soup. If you’d like to read more book reviews by Oxley Christian College students, you can click on ‘Oxley Christian College’ in the grey categories box in the right column of this blog. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

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Check out more reviews of Emu in earlier posts.

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Book review: Adam Spencer’s Big Book of Numbers

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 11, WA

Adam Spencer's big book of numbers

Adam Spencer’s Big Book of Numbers: Everything you wanted to know about the numbers 1 to 100 by Adam Spencer, Xoum Publishing, ISBN 9781921134326.

Joseph reviewed his own copy of this book.

Do you know what a narcissistic number is? Or a Leyland Prime? Or a Cunningham Chain? These are three number concepts that you’ve probably never heard about before and they are explained in this book.

When I first saw this book I thought it would be way too complicated and I wouldn’t be able to understand any of it but Adam Spencer turns out to be a very chatty writer. And so this book is very easy to enjoy and it is not like a textbook.

Inside you will find detailed facts about the numbers 1 to 100 with some quiz questions/activities along the way. The 5X5 magic squares were my favourite because I found them challenging but do-able and satisfying to finish.

Anybody aged 10+ would love this book. It doesn’t matter if you are good at maths or not, it’s informative and interesting.

If you can’t sleep at night, reading this book is better than counting sheep.

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Joseph is one of our regular book reviewers. His most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of Sister Heart. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

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Young writers in action: A Bird on the Loose

Posted on September 15, 2015July 25, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

Today we have a talented young writer from The Glennie School in QLD visiting Alphabet Soup. Bailey is the author of a picture book about minibeasts in peril. To read Bailey’s picture book (PDF) click here:

A BIRD ON THE LOOSE

poetry

Young writers in Action: The Fantasy Land

Posted on September 11, 2015July 25, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

THE FANTASY LAND

by Shristuti Srirapu, 8, India

I stepped through the pink and purple magic

And found myself in the land of beauty

Where fairies splash in crystal water

And unicorns play above.

I stare at playing pixies

Among blooming flowers

And gleaming red apples

Along orchids of blazing color.

As I plunge into water

Where dolphins shriek for food

And mermaids dive deeper

Into rays of colourful fish.

I step out and the world is dark

And look through iron bars

Where dragons breath fire

And watch with piercing eyes.

As witches cackle mercilessly

Giants come storming in

Throwing whatever is in their way

Dragging giant clubs.

I touch the floor and murmur

And then it disappears

I fall from the magical world

of differences.

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Book launches in WA, VIC, QLD, and NSW

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

It’s time for some spring book launches — here are a few to get the season started:

WA, VIC, NSW BOOK LAUNCHES

My Dead Bunny

This is a hilarious rhyming tale about a zombie bunny who comes back to visit his owner. Sketches and illustrations will be exhibited at the WA launch and The Dead Bunny will also be in attendance at all three launches.

WA Launch

When: 6pm for 6.30pm start, Wednesday 30 September 2015.

Where: The Place”, Mezzanine Level, State Library of WA.

RSVP essential: email James Foley.

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VIC Launch

When: 12–3pm, 10 October 2015.

Where: Federation Square Markets (Books Illustrated Stall), VIC

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NSW Launch

When: 3.30pm–3.55pm, 27 September 2015.

Where: Illustration Annex at Writers in the Park Festival (Free entry!) at Centennial Park, Sydney.

Includes ‘illustrators duel’ with three illustrators.

NSW BOOK LAUNCH

Forest Wonder

Forest Wonder is a rhyming picture book for 0 to 6 year olds and celebrates nature, magic and imagination. Come along for a storytime session and meet the author and illustrator.

When: 10.30am, Wednesday 9 September 2015.

Where: Snowprint Bookshop, Shop 6–8, 141 Snowy River Ave, Jindabyne NSW.

QLD BOOK LAUNCH

Meet Sidney Nolan

Come along to the launch of picture book Meet Sidney Nolan. There will be kids’ craft and art activities, too.

When: 10am, Sunday 4 October 2015.

Where: The Mad Hatters Bookshop, Shop 3, 7 Day Markets, 50 Cambridge Pde, Manly Harbour Village, QLD.

RSVP: (07) 33935130

Why go to a book launch? Here are ten reasons why you should!