Posted in Book reviews by Rebecca

Book review: Eco Warriors to the Rescue!

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Eco Warriors to the Rescue! by Tania McCartney, ISBN 9780642277800, National Library of Australia

Reviewed by Rebecca Newman. (A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.) This post is part of a Blog Tour celebrating the publication of Eco Warriors to the Rescue! You’ll find other stops on the tour here. 

eco warriors to the rescue!

Take a sneak peek at some of the pages inside the book, over at the author’s blog.

Banjo, Ned and Matilda are eco warriors looking for the best ways to care for Australia’s native plants. They consult their favourite book on the subject, and then find themselves falling into the book. (Now they can take us on a tour of Australia’s native plants!)

The pages of Eco Warriors feature photos of the children popping into, through and out of historical botanical paintings sourced from the archives of the National Library of Australia. Would you recognise a Kangaroo Paw, a Wattle or a Flame Tree? The three friends point out favourite plants and share tips on protecting Australian flora. There’s also a green moth to search for on every page. (Test your observation skills!)

At the back of the book you’ll find Flower Facts and a map of Australia showing the Australian floral emblem, and the floral emblem for each state/territory. Over the page you’ll find a chart with the native flower assigned to each month so you can learn what your birthday flower is — Alphabet Soup’s birthday is in October and we discovered that the native flower for that month is the Red Bottlebrush. (Excellent! We love the Red Bottlebrush!)

The artwork is bright and fun to look at and when you’ve finished following these three eco warriors, you’ll look at the plantlife in your neighbourhood with new eyes. (Follow the tips in the book and become an eco warrior too — Australia needs more eco warriors.)

Would you love to own this picture book? We have some good news — we have one copy of Eco Warriors to the Rescue to give away — thanks to the National Library of Australia. Here’s what you need to do to enter the giveaway:

  • email our editor with three details —  your first name, postal address and your state’s floral emblem
  • Put ECOWARRIORS in the subject line of your email
  • Get your entry in by 9am EST on Monday 9 September 2013.

We will put all the entries into a hat and draw one winner on Monday 9 September 2013, and announce it here on the blog.

Some fine print:

  • Entries must be emailed by 9am EST on 9 September 2013.
  • We will announce the winner (first name and state only) here on the blog on 9 September 2013.
  • We will email the winner on 9 September 2013 and post the book to them by the end of September.
  • We will post the book to the winner even if we have no response to the email.
  • Entries that do not include a postal address will not be eligible for the draw.
  • Entries that do not include the correct floral emblem of the entrant’s state will not be eligible for the draw. (Double check!)
  • We will not pass your details on to any third party except when required by law.
  • This giveaway is open to Australian residents only. Schools are welcome to submit an entry.
  • You may only send one entry in per person for this giveaway.

ATTEND THE LAUNCH OF THE BOOK!

If you live in Canberra, you can Join Tania McCartney and her three real-life eco warriors — Banjo (Riley), Ned (Andrew) and Matilda (Claire) — as they launch Eco Warriors to the Rescue! at Canberra’s National Arboretum Gift Shop, Saturday 5 October 2013, at 11am.

Posted in poetry, Soup Blog Poetry Festival

Time for a poem – Mulga Bill’s Bicycle

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Today is the LAST day of the Soup Blog Poetry Festival.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the blog to read and listen to poems and meet some of Australia’s amazing children’s poets.

We thought we’d close the festival with one of our favourite poems — ‘Mulga Bill’s Bicycle’ by AB (Banjo) Paterson.

—

What’s your favourite poet or poem?

Posted in poetry, Soup Blog Poetry Festival

Visiting poet – Lorraine Marwood

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Lorraine Marwood
Lorraine Marwood

Today we welcome Lorraine Marwood to the blog — Lorraine writes verse novels and poetry and you would have read several of her poems in Alphabet Soup!

note on the door (cover)

Stary Jumps (cover)

When did you first start writing poetry?

I began as a teenager, so probably 15 years old, but before that I was writing down ideas and little stories for many years.

What sort of poetry do you like writing best of all?

Poetry that doesn’t rhyme but shows in different ways a moment in time or an emotion, and still has all the strong features of poetry, like rhythm, strongest words, images, sensory details, emotion.

What sort of poetry do you like reading?

Contemporary poetry written by Australians; poems in The School Magazine, NSW; anthologies like 100 Australian poets, so I read many poets in the one book. Also poetry by young writers and I enjoy reading the results of the Dorothea Mackellar poetry competition.

Where can we read your poetry?

I have had six collections of poems published — the most recent one is Guinea Pig town and other animal poems with Walker Books Australia. I’ve had lots of poems published in magazines, here in Australia, UK, USA and Canada. And I always love to be published in The School Magazine and of course Alphabet Soup — well, I wish that was still going.

guinea pig town

Here’s one of the poems from Guinea Pig town and other animal poems:

A peek inside Guinea Pig Town and other animal poems

[click on the image to enlarge it]

How often do you write?

I’d like to say everyday — well I do write but some days its emails, administration or reworking a piece, then other days it’s intense writing, but always I’m thinking about my poems, an idea, a story, what happens next …

Do you prefer to write with a pen and paper or straight onto the computer?

That’s a good question. I like to write poetry with a pen in one of my current notebooks. I often write when traveling or out for the day. I can jot down ideas I see or an idea that strikes. Poetry to me needs this special touch, but for stories I type right onto my laptop.

What’s your number one tip for budding poets?

Keep a notebook you can take with you.  Jot down anything that catches your eye. Train yourself to be observant, because the strongest writing uses those details that others skim over.

—

Lorraine’s Poetry Prescription

IF YOU’RE HAVING A RUSHING, BUSTLING DAY — read the following poem:

‘Wilderness’ by Carl Sandburg.

—

To find out more about Lorraine Marwood and her books and poetry, check out her website and read an earlier post featuring Lorraine.

Interview with Lorraine Marwood © 2013 Lorraine Marwood and Rebecca Newman https://soupblog.wordpress.com

 

Posted in poetry, Soup Blog Poetry Festival

Tuesday Challenge – haiku

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means? It’s time for this week’s Tuesday Challenge. And this is one we know you’ve probably been expecting ever since we announced that there would be a tiny poem challenge every Tuesday …

Write a haiku.

A haiku is a short poem, usually inspired by nature. At school you might have been taught that a haiku is a 3-line poem with 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line and five syllables in the third line. That’s one way to write a haiku. Modern writers of haiku (in English) don’t always worry about the syllable count — they just keep their poem very, very short. Some say that it should be able to be read in a single breath.

A haiku is like a brief snapshot or image. Like a word-photograph. It doesn’t rhyme.

Here’s one I wrote a few days ago:

Weary crickets creak

A light floats in the pond —

August moon rising

If you write a haiku — will you share it with us in the comments below? (Check with a parent or teacher first.) Grownups are also welcome to post a haiku but please note that we are G-rated!

~ Rebecca

—

Until the end of August, we’ll have a new poetry challenge every Tuesday.

Read these earlier Poetry Challenges from the 2013 Soup Blog Poetry Festival. (You can still add your poems in the comments at each post if you like!)

Poetry Challenge & haiku © 2013 Rebecca Newman https://soupblog.wordpress.com
Posted in poetry, Soup Blog Poetry Festival

Visiting poet – Duncan Ball

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

duncan ball

As you can probably guess from the photo above, today we have Duncan Ball visiting. You might have read books from his Selby series or the Emily Eyefinger series — did you know Duncan also has a book of poetry published? It’s called My Sister Has a Big Black Beard. Read on!

When did you first start writing poetry?

When I was twelve.

What sort of poetry do you like writing best of all?

I like writing funny poetry that rhymes, for kids.

What sort of poetry do you like reading best of all?

I like lots of different kinds of poetry for both young people and adults.

Where can we read your poetry?

My good friend and fellow poet Selby (the Talking Dog) writes poetry and I help him with it. But I’ve also written a collection of my funny poems called, My Sister Has a Big Black Beard.

My sister has a big black beard

Here are some videos featuring poems from My Sister has a Big Black Beard:

How often do you write?

Almost every day.

Do you prefer to write with a pen and paper or straight onto the computer?

Straight onto a computer although I do keep a notepad on my desk and scribble things down.

What’s your number one tip for budding poets?

Do it and enjoy it!

Duncan’s Poetry Prescription

ARE YOU HAVING A BORING DAY? When I have a boring day I like to read funny poems such as Allan Ahlberg’s ‘The Girl Who Doubled’ from his poetry book The Mighty Slide.

—

Duncan's books

Find out more about Duncan Ball, his books and poetry — visit his website and his blog. He’s visited before, so be sure to check out this earlier post about Duncan, too.

Interview with Duncan Ball © 2013 Duncan Ball and Rebecca Newman https://soupblog.wordpress.com
Posted in poetry

Recommended poetry books

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

We’ve had questions from readers asking where they can find good poetry books. A good place to start is your school library or your local library. (It’s free to join your local library and you can borrow quite a few books at a time.) If a book is out of print, you will often find it at your local library or you can try ordering the book in through a good bookshop.

Here are some poetry books that we love, in no particular order. (And there will be lots more in the poetry section of your library or bookshop!)

The ABC Book of Australian Poetry – a treasury of poems for young people compiled by Libby Hathorn, illustrated by Cassandra Allen.

"ABC Book of Australian poetry"

Big Book of Verse for Aussie Kids compiled by Jim Haynes

Big Book of Verse for Aussie Kids

By Jingo! By Janeen Brian

By jingo!

A Kick in the Head – an everyday guide to poetic forms, editor: Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka

A kick in the head

Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Quentin Blake

Don't put mustard in the custard

Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake

Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes

Guinea Pig Town and other animal poems by Lorraine Marwood

guinea pig town

Honey Sandwich by Elizabeth Honey

honey sandwich

100 Australian Poems for children edited by Clare Scott-Mitchell & Kathlyn Griffith, illustrated by Gregory Rogers

100 Australian poems for children

Sea Dream: poems from under the waves, compiled by Nikki Siegen-Smith, illustrated by Joel Stewart

Sea Dream poems from under the waves

Well, that’s a few to get started with, though we love lots of others, too!

Do you have a favourite book of poetry?

Posted in poetry

The Reading Hour 2013

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

The Reading Hour is officially 5 to 6pm on 24 August 2013.

Alphabet Soup’s poetry festival continues until the end of August, so we thought we’d pick some poetry books to read together during The Reading Hour. Here are the books we will be reading together tonight:

the man from snowy river illustrated by freya blackwood

 

Big Book of Verse for Aussie Kids

 

Have you chosen the books you’ll be reading tonight? Will you read any poetry during Reading Hour? (Say yes! Say yes!)

~ Rebecca, Editor

Posted in poetry, Soup Blog Poetry Festival

Visiting poet – Janeen Brian

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Janeen Brian

Today we have Janeen Brian visiting Soup Blog to talk about her poetry and poetry-writing. (Janeen also writes picture books, short stories, nonfiction and novels. She’s a busy writer!)

When did you first start writing poetry?

I can’t remember writing anything much at all as a child, so I’d guess I began writing poetry in my late twenties or early thirties.

What sort of poetry do you like writing best of all?

Both rhyming and free verse. I tend to use rhyme for more of my humorous pieces, but not exclusively. I love the word-manipulation, the struggle and the joy of creating rhyme. Free verse excites me too, but for a different reason. There, I aim to convey something to the reader by way of a new point-of view, a twist at the end, a particular rhythmic pattern, or a feeling. I love selecting the right word. It can take hours, or longer. But when it does — oh, what a feeling!

What sort of poetry do you like reading?

I love reading ballads, humorous, quirky, clever verses, verse novels, free verse and rhyming verse. I prefer reading children’s poetry because that’s the main area in which I write, but I also read adult poetry and have also written in that field.

Where can we find your poetry?

My poetry has been included in the following anthologies:

  • 100 Australian Poems for Children
  • There was a big fish (limericks)
  • Christmas Crackers
  • Fractured Fairytales and Ruptured Rhymes
  • Four and Twenty Lamingtons
  • Petrifying Poems
  • Stay Loose Mother Goose
  • Off the Planet
  • Vile Verse
  • Putrid Poems
  • Side by Side
  • Machino Supremo

(Tadpoles in the Torrens due for release September, 2013. Our Home is Dirt by Sea due for release 2014)

By jingo!Books of my own poetry:

  • By Jingo!
  • Silly Galah!
  • Nature’s Way A-Z of biodiversity.

(Our Village in the Sky due for release 2014)

Rhyming picture books:

  • I’m a dirty dinosaur
  • Meet Ned Kelly
  • I Spy Mum!
  • I Spy Dad!
  • The super parp-buster!
  • Shirl and the Wollomby Show
  • Columbia Sneezes.

Over 150 poems have been published nationally and internationally in the following magazines:

  • The School Magazine
  • the Victorian Education Magazines
  • Spider
  • Ladybird
  • Ladybug
  • Contagious.

Comma Dog © Janeen Brian

There’s a comma
of a dog
lying on the mat.
Dozing belly and
curl of tail
ears no longer
playtime exclamation marks
eyes closed as hyphens
and soft brackets of sighs
snuffling from
that comma of a dog
sleeping
in a circle
of sun.

Published in The School Magazine: Orbit. May 2012

—

How often do you write?

I write every day. It might be my diary, my ideas book, some research notes, a page of practice writing, a draft of a poem or story or rewriting earlier drafts of work.

Do you prefer to write with a pen and paper or straight onto the computer?

Note-taking, ideas gathering, early paragraphs or lines of poetry are mostly done by hand with pen and paper (an exercise book), but I gradually take the work onto the computer and work from there on.

What’s your number one tip for budding poets?

Choose a book of poetry. Write out several poems that you like and then work out how the poet has written them. Think and discover. And practise.

—

Janeen’s Poetry Prescription corner

IF YOU’RE HAVING A SHAMBLY DAY — read the following poem:

‘Cat Burial’ (from Note on the Door by Lorraine Marwood).

—

Some books by Janeen Brian

For even more about Janeen Brian and her books and poetry — visit her website!

Interview with Janeen Brian © 2013 Janeen Brian and Rebecca Newman https://soupblog.wordpress.com