Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Pippa

Book review: Crooked Leg Road

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Crooked Leg Road by Jennifer Walsh, ISBN 9781743316931, Allen & Unwin

crooked leg road

REVIEWED BY PIPPA, 12, WA

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Andrea, Kitty, Martin and David are a group of friends but then David disappears. Strange men have been spotted and Andrea, Kitty and Martin all think David has been kidnapped. And there’s a new boy at school and he and his family have been acting suspiciously …

Will Andrea, Kitty and Martin ever find David?

This is the second book about these four friends but you don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one.

Crooked Leg Road is great for readers who like thrillers and adventure books. I was surprised at the ending and it made me see the story in a different way and want to re-read it.

I recommend it to readers aged 10 to 14.

—

Pippa is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one!) was Verity Sparks, Lost & Found.  If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in info

July school holiday activities (NSW)

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

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.

Posted in info

Introducing … our new Soupsters

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

stack of booksSometimes — 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.

—

Look out for their first book recommendations later today!

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review – Our Australian Girl: Meet Ruby

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Meet Ruby by Penny Matthews, ill. Lucia Masciullo, Puffin Books, ISBN 9780143307426

meet ruby

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

Matilda borrowed this book from her local library.

Ruby is turning 12 and she lives in Adelaide in 1930. After her party, Ruby’s dad loses his job and they can’t afford to send her to her school anymore. They have to sell their house because they don’t have any money. Ruby is really worried. Her classmate’s family decides to buy Ruby’s house. Ruby doesn’t want Brenda to have her room and her bed. Will it all turn out all right?

I knew the Our Australian Girl series already because I’ve read the first two books in the ‘Grace’ series. Meet Ruby is just after a war so it was a different sort of life from mine. I thought it was interesting and full of action. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the Ruby series.

There was a quiz at the back of the book which helps you decide which Our Australian Girl character you are most like. I was most like Alice from the Alice series and my Mum and brother and sister were most like Rose. I haven’t read the Alice series yet. It’s set it 1918. I also want to read the Lina series set in 1956.

Girls aged 7 to 10 would like these books because they are full of adventure and hopefulness.

–

Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of The Princess and the Goblin. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by kids

Book review: Cicada Summer

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Cicada Summer by Kate Constable, Allen & Unwin, ISBN 9781741758283

cicada summer

REVIEWED BY JEMIVIEVE, 11, VIC

Cicada Summer by Kate Constable falls into my ‘Best Book Ever’ category. It is about a girl called Eloise, who never speaks, and her dad, who are both moving to the country, near where Eloise’s grandma lives. Before going to see her grandma, they stop at an old house her dad wants to turn into something else. Eloise walks into the house and suddenly hears a girl a bit younger than her calling, “I’m coming!” Then this little girl runs down the stairs and at the sight of her Eloise runs out of the house. This is where the story really begins.

After staying at her grandma’s for a while, Eloise finally goes back to the creepy old house again on her bike. She notices a summerhouse and walks in with her eyes shut. Some cicadas that were singing suddenly stop, and Eloise opens her eyes in confusion. She’s in another time, in another place.

She soon meets Anna, who looked just like the girl in the creepy house. But when Eloise meets her, she is confused. Two years ago her mother died, and her name was Anna. Because of this, Eloise thinks she has gone back in time.

But when her dad finds his new girlfriend Lorelei Swan, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Can Eloise fix everything? Will she ever talk again and find out what was really happening with the summerhouse?

I reckon this book is quite amazing and everyone should have a go at reading it. The questions above are what kept me going. I loved the mystery and the intrigue of the book and just couldn’t put it down until I had finished! The language is fairly easy, and I bet you’ll fall in love with it by the first sentence.

—

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

Posted in Book reviews by Joseph, Book reviews by kids

Book Review: The Cay

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Cay by Theodore Taylor, ISBN 9780140366204, Puffin Classics

The Cay

 

REVIEWED BY JOSEPH, 10, WA

Joseph’s mum borrowed this book from the library.

In The Cay, a young boy called Phillip lived in Willemstad. Because the war is on, Philip and his mother go on a boat to sail back to their old home in the USA but their ship gets bombed. The next thing Phillip remembers, he was stranded on a raft with a few biscuits, some chocolate, some water, a cat (called Stew Cat), and an old black man called Timothy. The raft lands on a cay where they have to fight for survival, hoping there’ll be a rescue.

I didn’t know this book existed until my mum pulled it out and started reading it to me. I don’t normally read books like this. The start of the book was very slow but once we’d read about three chapters the story started to run along and it was very interesting.

I liked how Timothy used his survival skills to help Phillip learn how to survive on the island. Timothy has a strong accent and it didn’t say he did but the author wrote his speaking parts the way he spoke. I thought that was a good way to imagine how he spoke.

After reading this book I’d learnt a few things like what langosta is (a type of lobster) and that you don’t need a knife to get coconuts off a tree but you do need to be able to climb.

Boys and girls aged 10 to 14 would enjoy this book, especially if they’re into books about survival. Out of 10 I would give it 8.5.

–

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

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Book reviews by Matilda

Book review: The Princess and the Goblin

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, ill. Arthur Hughes, ISBN 9780141332482, Puffin Books (Penguin Group)

the princess and the goblin

REVIEWED BY MATILDA, 8, WA

Matilda borrowed this book from her local library.

A princess named Irene has a nurse who doesn’t let her go out after dark because she’s afraid the goblins will get Irene. Irene goes up a mysterious staircase and there is a woman at the top of the stair — her great-great grandma. But only Irene knows she’s there. This is an adventure story and it’s a bit like a fairytale with magic inside.

I loved this book because it got more exciting every night I read a chapter. I liked that Irene was 8 like me. There’s a picture at the start of most chapters and they made me think of the olden days.

It’s a very, very, very, very, very, very old story because it was first published in 1872. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series which is The Princess and Curdie.

I think 7 year olds to forever on would enjoy this book.

–

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

Posted in illustrator

Bob Graham exhibition

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

A Bird in the Hand - Bob Graham retrospective

If you love picture books and you can get to Canberra — here’s an exhibition you really must see!

Bob Graham is one of our favourite illustrators. You’ll recognise his artwork from picture books like  How to Heal a Broken Wing, Let’s Get a Pup, Max … and heaps more. Now you can see his work in an exhibition, including sketch books, manuscripts, memorabilia and illustrations. Items in the exhibition have been selected from his studio and from the Lu Rees Archives at the  University of Canberra.

Where: Canberra Museum and Gallery, cnr London Circuit & Civic Square, Canberra City

When: From Sat 17 May until Sunday 24 August

Over the next few months, you can meet Bob Graham, take art workshops and sign up for school holiday workshops. Find out more at the Museum and Galleries website.