Tag: Historical fiction

Posted in authors, interviews

Bethany Loveridge on Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer
Bethany Loveridge, author

Bethany Loveridge is an author-illustrator who has always loved storytelling and the natural world. She has been a youth worker, a film and television teacher, a curriculum specialist and a museum nerd (not the official title). Today we’re chatting to Bethany about her novel Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer.

From the publisher:

Harper Wells finally gets a bedroom of her own, away from her annoying big brother. But on the first night in her new bed, she wakes up in the past and meets a troubled young girl named Edie. Harper is thrown into a world of time-travelling spies as she risks her life to find a missing girl before time runs out.

The publisher provided a reading copy of this book.

If you found a way to time travel, which time in history would you choose to travel to?

If I found my own Wollemi Bed, I’d love to travel back in time to meet a thylacine (Tasmanian tiger). They think the thylacine went extinct in the 1930s, which was a miserable period called the Great Depression. So I would go back, smuggle a thylacine pup in my hoodie, and hightail it back to the present. Imagine how many species I could save!

What gave you the idea for a bed to be the device that enables Harper (Harrie) to travel through time?

The story idea started with a dream I had about the Wollemi Pine; a native Australian tree sometimes called the ‘dinosaur tree’ because it was thought to be extinct. So my time travelling ‘device’ needed to be made from a tree, and I thought a bed would be more exciting than a chair (though I do know a brilliant story involving a magical wooden wardrobe)! I also liked the idea of falling asleep and falling back in time.

Can you tell us a bit about why you chose Edie to be the first person from history that Harper is assigned to keep watch on?

Once I had dreamed up a time-travelling bed, it was time to choose an historical person for my main character to visit. I knew I wanted a female character from the past, someone brave and kind who could help Harrie develop the same attributes. I didn’t know much about Edith Cowan (except she was on our $50 banknote), so I had to research! Pretty soon, I knew Edie was the right character. I discovered she was passionate about improving children’s heath, the rights of women (she brought in an act that allowed women to be lawyers), and social welfare. Edith Cowan (nee Brown) had a rough childhood but an IMPRESSIVE impact. Even though lots of people gave her a hard time, she became the first female elected to an Australian parliament – how awesome is that?

Did you have any favourite time travel (or time slip) books you read when you were growing up?

Not really! When I was a kid, I liked reading fantasy stories best. Fantasy is still my favourite, but now I have read MANY time slip and time travel books, and I love almost too many to list! My favourites include Elsewhere Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman, Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park, The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, Howl’s Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones, and the World Between Blinks stories by Amie Kaufman and Ryan Graudin (these aren’t strictly time slip, but feature a world of lost historical places and objects). Also, I have always enjoyed ‘portal fantasy’ books and television shows, and time travel is pretty similar – you just end up in another time rather than another universe.

Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?

Harper Wells: Time Walker (book two in the trilogy) comes out in September! This time, we’ll meet Constance Stone, who was Australia’s first female medical doctor. I’m also over-the-moon excited for my new junior fiction (for readers 6–9) series that starts next month with Josie Mack and the MEGA Division. Illustrated by the delightful Jade Goodwin, it’s about a nine-year-old girl who joins an underground (literally and metaphorically) agency of talking animals. So. Much. Fun.

Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.

AWESOME EXTRAS

Download the Teachers’ Notes for this book

Visit Bethany Loveridge’s website for more about her and her books

Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer

Posted in Book reviews by kids, Petersham Public School NSW

Book review: We Are Wolves

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
The cover of We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad.

We are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad, HarperCollins Publishers, ISBN 9780733341229

REVIEWED BY MARGOT, 9, NSW

We Are Wolves is a beautiful war fiction novel by Katrina Nannestad. It will leave you crying, laughing and grieving for the characters, living through WWII. 

Liesl and her family have fled from their home in East Prussia at the end of the war. They are scared, confused and hungry but all of that is amplified when the siblings, including their 2-year-old baby sister Mia, get separated from their parents. They must learn to fend for themselves and to realise that family is more important than anything in the world.

We Are Wolves brings out so many emotions, I laughed and cried, sometimes at the same time! I love this book because of the children’s hope, persistence and survival skills. The kids never give up, they eat slugs and frogs but they are grateful that they are not hungry. 

I think kids that love the Morris Gleitzman Once series and kids that love sad war stories will love this! This book is best suited for ages 10 to 15 – even my dad enjoyed it. 

I give this book 5 stars out of 5 because of the characters’ persistence, hope for finding happiness, and the love they have for each other. 

After a long wait, happiness breaks through at last. Crying, laughing, grieving, this book will leave you full with a smile.

We’re pleased to be sharing a series of book reviews by Petersham Public School students, NSW. This is Margot’s first review for Alphabet Soup. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Aashi, Book reviews by kids

Book review: The Riding Gallery

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The cover of a children's verse novel: The Riding Gallery

The Riding Gallery by Sally Murphy, illustrations by Martina Heiduczek, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781760657345

REVIEWED BY AASHI, 10, VIC

Alphabet Soup provided Aashi with a review copy of this book.

The Riding Gallery is a beautiful book that is written in verse. It is historical fiction with poems that bring it to life. The book, written by Sally Murphy, is set in St Kilda. St Kilda is a busy place, in Melbourne,  that is right by the sea shore. When you read the book you can almost feel the sand grind between your feet, and the sea roar. 

The book features a German engineer, Anton, with a dream. His dream is to build a steam powered merry-go-round. He works on it day and night, carving wood and painting the horses. As he works on it, he realises not everyone trusts him since he’s German.

Evelyn, is the daughter of a newsagent. She wrinkles her nose when her dad tells her they are moving to St Kilda. She is quite reluctant to move to St Kilda untill she hears that her neighbours have a son, her age.

There is also a boy named Rory. He is Evelyn’s neighbour. Rory has a hard time choosing what is right. He wants the Allies (Australia’s side) to win especially because all three of his brothers are fighting. Rory also thinks all Germans are bad, unlike Evelyn.

Soon Anton’s ride is complete. At first, everyone is excited about the new ride. But when the war starts, things change. People get scared. They think Anton is bad, even though he has done nothing wrong. Evelyn tries to understand. Rory feels confused and worried about his brothers. Some people are still kind, but others are not. 

Will Anton’s ride become a hit or go down in flames? Will Rory’s brothers make it home? Will Evelyn find friends?

The book is beautifully written. It gives insights for all the characters and their feelings. The pictures by Martina Heiduczek give a great visual interpretation.  I would recommend the book for anyone in upper primary school. 

Aashi is a regular book reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her book reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines.

Posted in Book reviews by Elizabeth, Book reviews by kids

Book review, 11 Ruby Road: 1900

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11 Ruby Road: 1900 by Charlotte Barkla, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781760657949

REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH, 12, NSW

Elizabeth received a review copy of this book.

Dorothy raised the key to the lock, but the door creaked open before she could insert it. 

When ten-year-old Dorothy opened the door to her new home, she also opened the door to a new adventure at 11 Ruby Road. Dorothy insisted to everyone that the door opened by itself which made her feel curious, but no one in the family seemed to pay attention. She had a vivid imagination and was always noticing minor details.

This book is about Dorothy and her family moving from a farm to the city, Brisbane, also known as the new Sydney. Starting school, Dorothy already knew it was not going to be easy. Will she enjoy her new life there?

I am impressed that Dorothy is determined and tenacious. She is an inspiring person to me because she is always eager to share what is right and to include others.  I rate this book 10 out of 10 because it grabs my attention and is thought provoking. This book shows how much a little 10-year-old can do.

This is Book 1 in a historical fiction series with Walker Books Australia.

Elizabeth is a regular reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Aashi, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Outlaw Girls

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The cover of a children's novel: Outlaw Girls

REVIEWED BY AASHI, 9, VIC

Outlaw Girls by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman, Text Publishing, ISBN 9781922790231

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Outlaw Girls is a great adventure story by Emily Gale and Nova Weetman. It is about two girls. Ruby, who only trusts her closest friends and family, and Kate, a sibling of Ned Kelly who lives in 1878. These two girls are up for an adventure and are ready to break the rules.

Ruby and her friends shoplift chocolate bars regularly. Kate brings supplies to her brother, Ned. When a surprise comes to Kate in the mountains, their two worlds collide. Kate does not want trouble when she meets Ruby so she lies about her identity. As these two girls become friends, they realise they share a common interest: horse riding. They soon are bound to a ride of friendship, courage, and adventure.

Outlaw Girls takes you through the interesting lives of Kate and Ruby. It is interesting to see how they live more than a hundred years apart yet share similarities. This book is never dull and keeps you on your seat. I highly recommend Outlaw Girls to anyone who enjoys adventurous and heartwarming stories. The bond of friendship that develops between Kate and Ruby is truly inspiring, and the way their lives intertwine despite living in different periods is fascinating.

The authors – Emily Gale and Nova Weetman – have created an exciting narrative that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. The themes of courage and adventure are beautifully woven into the story, making it a must-read for anyone looking for an exciting and adventurous story.

Read our earlier interview with the authors of Outlaw Girls!

Aashi is a regular book reviewer for Alphabet Soup. You can read more of her book reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, read our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Gabriel, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Jack’s Island

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The cover of a children's book: Jack's Island by Norman Jorgensen

REVIEWED BY GABRIEL, 13, NSW

Jack’s Island by Norman Jorgensen, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760992958

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

Jack’s Island is a short novel by Norman Jorgenson featuring a boy named Jack. Along with his friends Banjo and Dafty, Jack finds himself causing mischief on their small island village off the coast of Australia during World War II. One day, whilst exploring near the cliffs, Jack and Banjo stumble across a Japanese helmet and a rifle. Could this discovery be the invasion they have been anticipating? With Pearl Harbor already bombed just north of their tight-knit island, they possibly face a dangerous situation.

The book is hard to put down due to its ability to capture the reader’s attention and hold onto it for the duration of the book. The characters from the Japanese soldier to trouble-maker Jack, adds an engaging storyline for the readers. Because of this, I confidently rate this book 4 stars out of 5.

I would recommend this book for children ages 8-12 as it is a fun read and suitable for their reading level.

Read the first chapter of Jack’s Island.

Jack’s Island is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookstore or local library or order it online.

Gabriel is a regular book reviewer at Alphabet Soup. You can read more of his reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in authors, interviews

Emily Gale and Nova Weetman on Outlaw Girls

Posted on by Alphabet Soup

Emily Gale writes for children and for teenagers – you might know her novels I am out with Lanterns and The Other Side of Summer. Nova Weetman also writes for children and teenagers and you might have read some of her books, such as The Secrets We Keep and Sick Bay. Emily and Nova previously collaborated on Elsewhere Girls. Their latest book collaboration is Outlaw Girls, the second co-authored book by these authors. We’re thrilled to chat to them about Outlaw Girls today.

A head and shoulders photo of a woman with hair blowing in the wind
Emily Gale
A head and shoulders photo of a woman smiling broadly
Nova Weetman
The cover of a children's novel: Outlaw Girls

The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Outlaw Girls.

From the publisher:

Kate and Ruby live in the High Country in Victoria. They’re both daring, quick-thinking and prepared to break the rules, and they’re both brilliant horse riders –they’d probably be great friends. But they live in different times, 145 years apart.

Two authors, one novel. How do you go about writing a story when there are two writers?

Nova Weetman: Outlaw Girls is a blend of historical research and fiction, so for the research part we spent several months visiting the sites of our ‘real’ character Kate Kelly and learning all that we could about her. Because Kate was Ned Kelly’s sister there was a ton of material to read and study.

We each wrote one character: Emily wrote Kate and I wrote Ruby. Before we started writing the chapters, we had to develop our own characters as well as plotting the entire book as a partnership. I started the Ruby story, then I sent my chapters to Emily and she wrote some of the Kate story, and then we went back and forth like that all the way to the end, giving and receiving chapters. Then we did the editing to make sure it flowed well. It’s important that the main story works but also that each character has their own storyline with its own satisfying ending.

Ned Kelly is a familiar name for most Australians. Can you tell us a bit about how you went about your research for the character of his sister? Did you both collate information?

Emily Gale: We did loads of research, all different kinds. Nova already knew a bit about Kate Kelly but I didn’t so I was starting from scratch. I read or listened to a lot of books. I looked in the index of even more books to see if they mentioned Kate and I read all of those bits too. I watched all the Ned Kelly movies, listened to podcasts, read books about horses, watched YouTube videos about young people taking care of their horses or going riding, and read old newspapers from 1878 on the website Trove, where it’s easy to look up articles from the past.

Then I made a Google Doc of all my research and shared it with Nova so that she could add to it.

A fun part of the research was going on the train with Nova to The Kelly Gang areas in Victoria. We saw the old chimney which is all that is left of the house where Kate Kelly grew up, and we walked around Glenrowan where The Kelly Gang came to an end.

If you could time-slip to any time in history, what year would you choose?

Emily Gale: If I could guarantee that I could come home any time I would take a quick trip to ancient Italy, the first century AD, when the Romans had a time of not fighting anyone – it’s a period called Pax Romana. It would be very smelly, and I wouldn’t like to be a slave forced to participate in gladiatorial games, but I think it would be incredible to go that far back in time.

Nova Weetman: I’d like to take a whirlwind trip through important historical moments, watching them like an eagle from above and then time slipping into the next one once all the drama was complete. I’d meet Cleopatra, visit the Colosseum to watch a gladiatorial battle, and eat Marie-Antoiniette’s cake.

What you are both working on next?

Emily Gale: I am working on a new story which instead of going back in time goes forward a generation. I’m only halfway through it so I can’t say much more but it’s interesting and challenging to make myself think about the future instead of the past.

Nova Weetman: I have just delivered the first draft of a new middle grade novel that is much lighter than the books I usually write, and I’m also working on a middle grade graphic novel with illustrator Renee Treml.

Do you have a tip for young writers who’d like to collaborate on a story?

Emily Gale: It helps to plan your story a little bit first so that you both know where you’re going. But you don’t have to plan every detail and it’s amazing when a story takes you somewhere unexpected, so you should both stay open to that. Choose a story idea that you are both very passionate about and listen to each other’s ideas carefully. If there is something the other person has written or suggested that you don’t like, you must be careful about how you say this: be very kind to each other always and don’t forget to tell them the things that you love about their writing – encouraging each other will get the most out of collaborating.

Nova Weetman: I think you need to be in agreement about how long and how complicated the story is before you start. It’s important that you are both thinking about the same sort of genre and tone, and that one of you isn’t imagining a murder mystery while the other is writing a romance. Have some really honest discussions before you start so there are fewer surprises when you begin to write.

Outlaw Girls is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop, library or order online.

AWESOME EXTRAS:

The cover of a children's novel: Outlaw Girls

Take a sneak peek inside the book (look for ‘Preview this book’ under the book photo on the publisher’s website)

Watch a video of the authors talking about Elsewhere Girls and Outlaw Girls [This link will take you to Facebook]

Download the Teachers’ Notes for Outlaw Girls

Visit Emily Gale’s website for more about her and her books

Visit Nova Weetman’s website for more about her and her books

Posted in Book reviews by Gabriel, Book reviews by kids

Book review: Lizard’s Tale

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Image shows the cover of a children's novel: Lizard's Tale by Weng Wai Chan. The cover illustration shows a building in Singapore prior to World War II.

REVIEWED BY GABRIEL, 12, NSW

Lizard’s Tale by Weng Wai Chan, Text Publishing, ISBN 9781925603910

Gabriel received a copy of this book to review.

Lizard’s Tale is written by Weng Wai Chan and is set before WWII in Singapore, featuring a young boy named Lizard and his best friend, Lili. Lizard’s guardian, Uncle Archie, disappears without explanation. As an orphan, Lizard barely scrapes by as he has to buy food and rent a tiny apartment, so he does odd jobs for random people and theft for Boss Man Beng.

Lizard had almost choked on his noodles. One hundred dollars! Nearly one year’s worth of rent and food.

Lizard had just got himself the dream job. All he had to do was to steal a teak box from the Raffles Hotel which belonged to a British army visitor and deliver it to the train station at 10pm. Otherwise, he would expect the worst. It couldn’t be that hard, could it?

Lizard soon dives into a world where conspiracies and secret codes thrive, buzzing around concerning the next war. How will Lizard deal with all these problems, especially since his best friend isn’t who he thought she was? Can Lizard reveal the plot in time and save his friends and other people he loves? Will he be able to succeed in foiling his enemy’s plan by himself?

I recommend this book for preteens or young kids who love history and exciting adventures. I would rate this book 9/10 as there are great themes and it’s also a family friendly book. You can find this book online on Amazon as a kindle copy or a paperback, or even in your local bookstore. Have fun reading!

Gabriel is a regular book reviewer at Alphabet Soup. You can read more of his reviews here. To send us YOUR book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!

Posted in Book reviews by Joshua, Book reviews by kids

Book review: When the War Came Home

Posted on by Alphabet Soup
Image shows the cover of a children's historical novel: When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr. The cover illustration shows two girls and a boy running across a field with blue skies above and the scene is framed with red poppies.

REVIEWED BY JOSHUA, 13, NSW

When the War Came Home by Lesley Parr, Bloomsbury Publishing, ISBN 9781526621009

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

World War I has ended. Twelve-year-old Natalie is outraged at her mother, Ffion, who was fired from work and is a month overdue on rent. On top of that, they are moving away to Ysgol Ynysfach, to her uncle’s smallhold. Her mother is an advocate for the underdog but she gets herself into trouble. Natty meets her cousins Nerys, who is a know-it-all and Huw, a seventeen year old, who was in the war. In the park, Natty meets two other war veterans, Johnny and Charles. Johnny has lost his memory, known as hysterical fugue, and the doctors tried everything they could think of to help him. Natty wants to help. But how can she?

I enjoyed this novel because I can relate to Natty and how she feels emotionally and personally. It also shows the growth and development of Natty’s mind and beliefs. The author relates to the audience, making it personal, bringing the story to life. As it is a historical fiction novel I really appreciated getting an inside view of the lifestyles back then.

In this captivating book, follow Natty’s adventure in finding her purpose and her confidence. I rate this five out of five, for ages 9 to 15.

Joshua is a regular contributor to Alphabet Soup. Read more of Joshua‘s reviews here.  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 Saskia

Book review: The Rat-catcher’s Apprentice

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Image shows the cover of a children's novel: The Rat-Catcher's Apprentice by Maggie Jankuloska. The cover illustration shows a silhouette of a girl in a skirt going into a rounded hollow in what looks like a dark forest. The centre of the hollow she's walking towards is pale blue. In the bottom right of the illustration is the silhouette of a small rat. The title is in large gold letters.

REVIEWED BY SASKIA, 12, WA

The Rat-catcher’s Apprentice by Maggie Jankuloska, MidnightSun Publishing, ISBN 9781925227949

The publisher provided a review copy of this book.

The Rat Catcher’s Apprentice (by Maggie Jankuloska) is a gripping novel about a young girl, Marie, sent to catch rats during the Middle Ages, where the plague was always near.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it shed a light on what children would have to deal with during an epidemic in a time where beliefs and technology were so different from today. I also think this book is very relevant to today and was easy to relate to because we are dealing with a similar problem as Marie.

I think this book would be suitable for 10 to 14 year olds, but could be enjoyed by older people too. Out of five stars, I would give this book a four.

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