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!
Escape From Marigold Manor by Rachel Jackson, Riveted Press, ISBN 9781763526068
REVIEWED BY ELLA, 9, WA
The publisher provided a review copy of this title.
Escape from Marigold Manor is a detective book with lots of cases, which the reader sometimes has to help solve.
This is not the kind of book I would usually read, but I enjoyed the surprising endings and interesting challenges. I did find some of the challenges a little bit tricky!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and puzzles, and choose-your-own-adventure books!
Teams of kids on an alien planet competing to get into Starquest Academy, three clues and only three days to find their way to the finish line. Today we’re chatting with HM Waugh about her latest book: The Surface Trials. HM Waugh is a children’s author, educator and environmental scientist with a long-term love of wild places and outdoor adventures. She has handled dragons for a job, and dreams of one day blasting into space. Her books mix humour, danger and friendship with a dash of science and imagination.
From the publisher:
An epic page-turner full of twists you won’t see coming, set on an alien planet where, under the watch of a galaxy-wide TV audience, Ammy Antares and her fellow competitors must complete a challenging quest to gain entry into an elite interplanetary academy. Welcome to the Surface Trials.
In your novel, squads are groups of children competing and the groupings are assigned. If you were in The Surface Trials, what talent/knowledge/skills wouldyou bring to your squad?
I love the idea of a squad, because when I’m in an escape room there’s no way I’m getting out without other people’s ideas and points of view.
I think I’d offer my squad some halfway decent analysis of clues to try and break codes – I love pulling things apart searching for hints and patterns … Sometimes I’m even successful! I have a vast array of potentially unhelpful facts about science, gardening, and my favourite fantasy and sci-fi books. I can read maps and building plans like a pro, thanks to an early love of architecture and an ongoing commitment to epic fantasy novels. And I think I’d be pretty good at navigation and survival. I ought to be, since I teach that stuff as part of my job. Plus, every time I’ve become lost in the wilderness, I’ve made it out again!
I am also very good at eating chocolate …
The squads face some pretty hairy scenarios. How do you go about writing a scary scene for your characters? How do you let go of those ideas at night so you can sleep?
Hairy, huh? I think I know exactly what scene you’re referencing there! Scary scenes are so much fun to write! They’re important for making a story exciting, and they give my characters a chance to work out how awesome they are – which is kind of the purpose of a story, I think. For me, making words on a page capture a reader is the result of lots of little things added together.
First, I need scary subject matter. I like to get inspired by freaky science, weird facts, mind-blowing history and mouldering industrial ruins. I make sure the stakes are high – failure has to mean something bad, so the reader is on the edge of their seat. To have this work, I need to connect the reader to the characters before I launch into a big scary scene. I want the reader to see the characters as real people, people they care about. People they don’t want eaten alive by a newly-hatched alien.
Next I need rising tension – that ever-increasing sense of impending doom. This is what keeps a reader hooked to the page. I keep raising the tension throughout my books, but every big scene is a tension peak. Increasing tension in a scary scene is about shorter, sharper sentences. It’s about concentrating on what the characters would be noticing in that moment – they’re not going to be giving a monologue on the colour of the sunset if they’re being chased by a ravenous monster. They’ll be more concerned about where their friends are, where they can hide, and how hot the monster’s breath is on the backs of their legs. I also often add in little elements of humour, right smack bang in the middle of the scariness. Honestly, I don’t want my readers terrified! Plus, that dash of a laugh makes the rest of the scene seem even scarier.
Finally, to make it feel real I inject real emotions. I may not have been in any of the exact situations I put my characters in, but I think of the times I’ve been terrified and I try to write those emotions onto the page.
How do I sleep at night afterwards? Blissfully. Once a scene is written down, my mind knows it doesn’t have to keep thinking about it. It’s time to start dreaming about what my characters might face next! But if I’m partway through writing a scary scene? Yeah, that can sometimes mean a bit of a sleepless night, but that also gives me lots of great ideas about what could happen when I continue writing the next day.
The storytelling offers multiple points of view in this book; we hear from several of the squad members. Why did you decide to tell the story this way, rather than choosing to tell the story through the eyes of one character only?
Choosing points of view (POVs) is always difficult. Two of my main characters, Deneb and Ammy, are both drafted into the same squad but they’re very different people. So I felt we needed to hear from both of them. For instance, how Ammy sees herself is not always how others perceive her, and I wanted some of that vulnerability and self-doubt to show. Deneb’s POV provides this.
And, of course, I have a disguised character. Nobody in the Surface Trials knows which contestant is actually Rian Amalthea, the uber-famous and mega-rich heir to two massive space Dynasties. He could literally be anyone. I didn’t even know at first! Having Rian’s POV deepens that mystery. Where is he? Which squad is he in? Who could he be?
Do you have a tip for young writers who would like to write their own page-turner?
First off, rising tension is your friend. It works (like I’ve talked about already) with scary scenes. It also works across an entire story. Rising tension keeps the reader hooked. So … keep ratcheting it up. The stakes need to keep getting higher, the mystery more mysterious, the dangers more dangerous. But beware! Too much continuously rising tension weirdly means it stops being tense. The reader gets used to it, and it loses its impact. To avoid this, I drop the tension slightly after each peak scene so the reader can sigh in relief, before I crank it back up and they realise things are actually worse than ever! <evil laughter>
Secondly, experiment with ending your chapters on mini-cliffhangers. I like to picture all the kids out there (my own included) who have been told they can read to the end of the chapter and then it’s lights out. My aim is to have them still reading many chapters later because they just have to know what happens next. I hope they’re so deep in the book they don’t even realise they’ve read past the chapter end. If this is you, feel free to tell your responsible adult that it’s not your fault, the author (me!) did it on purpose 😊.
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
I have three things I’m working on at the moment, and I’m in love with each of them for very different reasons. None are contracted to be published. Yet!
The Surface Trials is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
Little Bones by Sandy Bigna, illustrations by Tamlyn Teow, UQP, ISBN 9780702268878
REVIEWED BY MARLEY, 9, WA
The publisher provided a review copy of this book.
Little Bones is about a girl called Bones and she loves collecting animal bones for her collection. She doesn’t have many friends at school and people think she’s a freak. She ends up finding a little skeleton of a bird at the wetlands, she brings it back to her house and wishes the bird would come alive again. And guess what? He came alive.
The book is very different to other books I’ve read. It’s way more heart-warming and has different formatting. And I love the front cover.
I liked how there was always a cliff hanger and you could never stop reading the book without finding out what happened next.
My favourite character was Tenny, because Tenny is really sweet and kind. They are the perfect match for Bones as they are kind of Bones’ happy shadow. I liked the inclusion of diverse characters.
I liked the setting because it has very big home cosy vibes and it makes it feel more realistic.
I found the story very interesting because there aren’t many stories about people dying in kids books, but i think more should because you can’t just hide away what’s sensitive from kids. I didn’t find myself being sad, but intrigued to see how Bones would overcome her own sadness and regret.
I think people that are not super sensitive would enjoy this book. Its a mix between fantasy and adventure and about overcoming your fears. Also people that don’t feel like they belong might be intrigued to find out what’s in this book.
Funny, scary, a dash of magic – Rise of the Witch is the first book in the new Everglade series by Kitty Black, with illustrations by Rebecca Crane. Kitty is already the author of numerous picture books and today we’re chatting about the creation of her first novel.
The publisher provided Alphabet Soup with a reading copy of Rise of the Witch.
From the publisher:
Everglade loves to hate witches. And as the daughter of the last witch, Wren Westerly is the most hated person in town. She can only imagine what would happen if the townspeople found out she can actually see magic … even if she has no idea how to use it.
Rise of the Witch is funny, and a bit scary in parts, with a large dash of magic. Often authors say they set out to write the sort of book they always wanted to read when they were growing up, what were your go-to books as a young reader?
Ha! This was exactly my motivation! My favourite book as a young child was The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton, and once I was older, I was basically obsessed with all of Terry Pratchett’s books. I also remember being thrillingly frightened by Emily Rodda’s Rowan of Rin and learning sections off by heart. Fantasy/Adventure has always been my favourite genre, and if it’s funny or a little bit scary (or both!) then so much the better.
What makes the perfect villain?
I love a villain with a backstory. I think there has to be some scariness initially, but then as you get to know the character you learn more about their motivations. The perfect villain might be one where their behaviour becomes the tiniest bit understandable – but, of course, they take it to a terrifying extreme. I also love a hidden villain (spoilers!).
This is book one of a series. Did you plot out the entire series before you began writing book 1? Or will you tackle each book as you get to it?
I had no idea what I was doing when I started writing Book 1. I was 50,000 words into the first book when I realised that there was no way that everything I wanted to happen was going to happen in a single book. Thus, a series was born! I know the major plot points for each book, but I like to keep some room for creativity and surprises (for both myself, and the reader!).
Do you have a tip for young writers who would like to write stories set in a magical world?
Magical worlds are so much fun! I have two tips. The first is to chuck whatever you love into your magical world, and that way you’ll love your story. I have a soft spot for big, beautiful trees, and I’ve always wanted to be able to talk to animals, so both of those feature in Everglade. My second tip is to make sure that whatever magic you use in your world has a cost associated with it – whether that’s physical, emotional, or in unforeseen consequences.
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
At the moment I’m deep into working on the second Everglade book, and I cannot wait for everyone to read it. I can’t say more, or I’ll give away all my secrets!
Rise of the Witch is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
Crunch by Kayla Miller, Walker Books Australia, ISBN 9781760655181
REVIEWED BY AASHI, 10, VIC
Aashi reviewed her own copy of this book.
I recently read Crunch and I LOVED it! It is a must read for any avid readers from the age 8 to 12. This graphic novel is part of the Click series. The whole Click series is about Olive, a smart and kind sixth grader.
Olive loves to try new things with a positive attitude, so she signs up for many things. Between film making, homework, scouts and even a fashion show, Olive feels overwhelmed. Olive begins to wonder if she really can juggle all of her actives or will she fail at everything?
One of the best things about Crunch is the pictures. They are full of colour and pop. It makes you want to keep reading. The pictures look really good and make you feel like you are in the book.
Olive is not perfect, no-one is, and this made me really like her. She is really brave and outgoing. By the end of the book she learns how to say No and how to juggle her life.
I think that anyone who loves friendship and school stories will enjoy Crunch. Be sure to check out the rest of the Click series.
The Secret of the Stone by Kathryn Lefroy, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781760994648
REVIEWED BY AASHI, 10, VIC
The publisher provided a review copy of this book.
The Secret of the Stone is an exciting book about adventure and loyalty, packed with surprises. When Olive and her friends discover a mysterious stone, they realise it has the power to grant wishes. They know that they should use it for good purposes. However, they can’t resist having a little fun with it first!
Since the stone is so powerful and magical, other people with malicious intentions want to possess it. Olive and her friends must protect the stone no matter what.
I really liked Olive who was always kind and sympathetic to her friends. She was a good friend who tried her best at everything.
This book is great for people who liked the books Keeper of The Lost Cities or The Sugarcane Kids and the Empty Cage. Kathryn Lefroy used lots of exciting vocabulary and great imagery.
The book is amazing as it teaches you about loyalty and friendship. The book is suitable for ages eight to ten. I recommend the book to anyone who loves adventure and excitement.
Penny Draws a Class Trip by Sara Shepard, Text Publishing, ISBN 9781922790712
REVIEWED BY AASHI, 10, VIC
The publisher provided a review copy of this book.
Sara Shepard has written a great story about Penny Lowry, a girl who loves drawing and writing. Penny is 11 years old and in 5th Grade. She was delighted to find out that her class is going to meet and work with a best-selling author, Billy J Plumberry.
Penny is thrilled that she will be spending the weekend in the big city. Penny is also nervous about the different things in the city like falling pianos or aggressive pigeons.
The thing that worries Penny most is being Violet’s buddy. This means she will have to spend the whole trip with Violet. Violet Vance is her ex-best friend.
The story is very funny and heartwarming. I loved how Sara wrote the story through Penny’s eyes and how the doodles connect with the words.
I would recommend this book for 7–12-year-olds. I think this would also be a good class novel. I hope you read the book.
Twisted Trails: Camp Crypt by Fionna Cosgrove, published by Fionna Cosgrove, ISBN 9780645723342
REVIEWED BY AASHI, 10, VIC
Aashi received a review copy of this title.
You pull off a prank, only meant to teach a boy a lesson, when the boy almost dies. The next thing you know, you are on a bus to a camp for youths who have committed crimes. You have no idea why your parents sent you to this camp, but you know you were not supposed to break someone’s neck.
At this camp, you notice some weird things, like why does the bus driver have horns or the camp director shimmer and glow? You have many ways to escape, others where you die.
Camp Crypt has twelve possible endings. I kept on trying to find a possible ending where everyone lives happily ever after. Whether you read very little or a lot you will still find satisfaction. The book keeps you on your seat and is a thriller.
I would rate the book 5 out of 5 because I thought it was great whether you made it out alive or not. It was a fun book and I would recommend 9-12-year-olds to read it. Fionna Cosgrove has once again created such a wonderful book about wishes and pranks, vampires and criminals, and most importantly friendship and loyalty.
Sally Murphy is an author, poet, speaker and educator based in the South West of Western Australia. Sally has published more than 40 books, and we’re thrilled to be chatting to Sally about her verse novel: The Riding Gallery, illustrated by Martina Heiduczek.
From the publisher:
In Melbourne’s St Kilda, as World War 1 begins, Anton (a German immigrant) fulfils his dream of creating the most beautiful steam-driven “riding gallery” – a merry-go-round – in the world. Evelyn, who has just moved to the city, befriends a local boy, but the war, and anti-German sentiment, soon takes its toll on the children, Anton, their families, and the riding gallery itself.
This is your sixth verse novel, and you also write prose novels. When you sat down to write this story, how did you come to choose to write it as a verse novel?
For my previous verse novels, they were always going to be in that form – that is, they came to me as stories in verse. This one was a little different. I stumbled across the piece of history (a merry go round tracing back to World War 1) and when I researched its origins and saw the story behind it, I thought it might make a historical picture book. I wrote it that way, but feedback from publishers was that it didn’t work – there needed to be more story to really make clear why things happened around that merry-go-round. It took me a while, but I finally realised they were right – and that I needed characters other than Anton, the ride’s owner. That is when I realised multiple voices, in verse, would be the ideal format. Verse novels allow for those multiple viewpoints, and the depth of emotion a story like this one needed.
The Riding Gallery is historical fiction. How did the story find you?
The story found me in Canberra one very cold July, when I was there for a month courtesy of the May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust. I walked every day, and often walked past the merry-go-round that is located in the city centre. I got curious about that merry-go-round, read an interpretive sign, and had to know more. It was a hard story to piece together, but the more I learnt the more I knew it needed to be told.
Could you tell us a bit about the newspaper poems included in book?
The story takes place against the backdrop of World War 1, and I wanted to be sure to include some of the major war events, even though the story is set on the home front, in St Kilda. Most of what people knew about the war was dependant on the reporting in the papers, so it seemed a good way to know what was reported was to look at the papers of the day. The poems that resulted are all found poems – that is, they each use only words from a single news report from 1915.
Have you been able to ride on the merry-go-round (the riding gallery) from the book yourself?
I have indeed ridden it – along with my publisher, Clare Hallifax. But I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t remember the name of the horse – I was pretty overwhelmed by actually riding on Anton’s ride.
Sally Murphy at the riding gallery, Canberra.
Can you tell us a bit about what you’re working on next?
I always have multiple projects on the go, at different stages of completion. I’ve recently sent the manuscript for a war-themed picture book to my publisher – I think that will be out in 2026. And I am trying to edit another historical verse novel, set in WA in World War II. I’ve also got other projects waiting (im)patiently for me to get back to them.
The Riding Gallery is out now! Ask for it at your favourite bookshop or local library.
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