animals

Book review: D-Day Dog

Posted on August 29, 2025August 23, 2025 by Alphabet Soup

D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer, illustrations by Clohosy Cole, HarperCollins, ISBN 9781781128688

REVIEWED BY Arjan, 11, NSW

Arjan reviewed his own copy of this title.

D-Day Dog is a book that teaches kids about the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944. Eleven-year-old Jack has an admiration for war heroes, particularly men on D-Day. But his beliefs are questioned when his dad is called up for active service in Afghanistan. Out of the blue, Jack’s class is taken on an excursion to Normandy. There he learns the true story about D-Day and how one paratrooper took his dog with him at the airborne landings. Sadly neither of them survived.

I loved the shared dialogue between the different characters as well as the descriptions of the characters and the places. I liked the dream sequence, it showed Jack’s emotional turmoil.

The book teaches kids that war is not a good thing and empathises with different characters and their common traits.

This is Arjan’s first book review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book review: One Careless Night

Posted on June 20, 2019June 17, 2019 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY HANNAH, 12, QLD

One Careless Night, written and illustrated by Christina Booth, Black Dog Books, ISBN 9781925381856

Hannah received a review copy of this book from the publisher.

“They hunt, but they are also hunted. Carted away. Sold for bounty. And then, one careless night – the last thylacine is gone.”

This beautiful picture book portrays the story of the last known living thylacine. The thylacine has been an endangered species since the year 1936. It begins with the basic life of the featured young thylacine and her mother, listening to the whispers of the night and running to keep up with them. Hunting, playing, growing. They are living a normal life, that is until they become the hunted. She’s kept captive in an unknown forest, one of concrete and cold floors.

The illustrations in the book are absolutely stunning. They perfectly show the expression of pain and agony of the two thylacines, as well as the pure elegance and beauty of the wild and silent nights that they are sharing together. The writing of the book is also wonderful. It makes you feel like you’re right in the moment, running with the thylacines, amongst the mist of the mountains and the cold night air.

It is definitely a good book to read to older children, aged 10 to 12. It didn’t seem to be a book aimed at smaller children as the overall themes were quite dark and scary. I believe smaller children (aged 4 to 9) may find the book overwhelming, so I do not recommend the book for that age group.

Get excited for the release of One Careless Night, written and illustrated by Christina Booth, this month!

Hannah is a regular book reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read all her reviews here. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Book reviews by kids, Oxley Christian College

Book review: Mopoke

Posted on October 24, 2018October 11, 2018 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY CHARLIE, 8, VIC

Mopoke by Philip Bunting, Scholastic Australia, ISBN 9781742991658

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

Mopoke discovers new ways to be an everyday owl. That’s hard for an owl to do when all you do every day is sit on a branch.

Come along on a journey. High in a tree.

The imaginary life of Mopoke, a Southern Boobook, is amazing. Characters include other mopokes, other animals and everyday objects. They try different ways to annoy Mopoke.

The illustrations are amazing as they help the reader really get to know Mopoke and his friends. My favourite character is the ‘fropoke’ because of the clever rhyme with an unusual word. Read this book to find out more about the interesting vocabulary.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 definitely because Philip Bunting has alternated pages with text and pictures in perfect balance.

I recommend this book for children aged 3-9 years old because it’s easy for them to copy and draw their own versions of mopokes.

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: Snail and Turtle are Friends

Posted on November 2, 2015October 20, 2015 by Alphabet Soup

REVIEWED BY CHARLOTTE, 9, VIC

Snail and Turtle are friends (cover)

Snail and Turtle are Friends by Stephen Michael King, Scholastic Australia, ISBN 9781743620236

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

Snail and Turtle are Friends opens with the greeting:

Good morning Snail, Good morning Turtle.

Set outside in both the garden and open space, this story shows us that friends can be different, but still have fun.

The cover illustration is colourful. It caught my interest and made me wonder. This book is for ages 3+ because it is short, easy to read and very colourful.

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Charlotte 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!