A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Australian Kids Through the Years is an easy-to-read, informative, and beautifully illustrated picture book about Australia’s history. It is taken from the point of view of kids from different time periods.
The book has a different era every four pages — the first two include a brief description, and the next two are a setting from the era.
This book feels light in mood. The illustrations are much like colourful cartoons, with clear yet complex pictures. You might recognise the illustrator from Too Many Elephants in This House (a picture book written by Ursula Dubosarsky). My favourite pages in the book are the 1990s — everything seems modern but it’s still different from how things are now.
At the end of the book there is a summary of each time period, including photographs and paintings from each time.
I like that you can extract lots of information really easily. This is a great book for kids aged 7+ because of the easy language and because it’s fun to read.
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Joseph is one of our regular book reviewers. His most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of Ugly. If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines.Happy reading!
The Cleo Stories: A Friend, and A Pet by Libby Gleeson, ill. Freya Blackwood, ISBN 9781743315286, Allen & Unwin
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Cleo is a little girl who loves wearing animal ears and has a big imagination. I have read the first Cleo book in this series and I really liked it. This book also has two stories in it.
A Friend.
Cleo is bored and has nothing to do.
A Pet
Cleo really wants a pet but her parents keep saying ‘no’.
I like how Cleo always uses her imagination to find a solution. There are lots of illustrations that are very simple. They are colourful and they are on every page. I liked this Cleo book even more than the first one and I think they are getting better and better. I would recommend The Cleo Stories: A Friend, and A Pet for children who are 5+, and for people who have a big imagination.
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!
Along the road to Gundagai by Jack O’ Hagan, illustrated by Andrew McLean, Omnibus Books, ISBN 9781862919792
Aimee read this book in her school library.
A soldier remembers his home and his home town where his daddy and mother will be waiting for him.
He is yearning just to be returning along the road to Gundagai.
He’s gone off to war, but wants to be a kid at home again.
The pictures, not just the words, tell you some of the story.
This book is suitable for primary grade students from Year 1 to Year 6.
If you like picture books then you would love this book.
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Aimee 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, 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!
Max by Marc Marten, Penguin Books Australia, ISBN 9780670077434
Charlie read a copy of this book in his school library.
Bob, a fish and chip shop owner, is best friends with Max the seagull.
One day, Max comes to the shop but Bob is not there.
He waits, but when Bob doesn’t come, he flies high into the sky. Eventually, a salty and familiar smell comes over the air and he flies towards it. Does he find Bob?
I recommend this book for 6 year olds because the story is simple and fun to read.
I like it because it’s based on the reality that friends sometimes move away, but still like to reconnect and do what they did before when they meet up. Like Bob, I wouldn’t want my friend going away from me to live somewhere else.
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Charlie attends Oxley Christian College and this is his first book review for Alphabet Soup. 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!
Two more book launches — if you live in Victoria or WA, mark these dates on your calendar!
VICTORIA
Come along to the launch of Bob the Railway Dog by Corinne Fenton and illustrated by Andrew McLean. This picture book tells a heart-warming true Australian story. This is a well-known legend in SA and a statue of Bob can be seen in the Adelaide Station.
When: 11am, Saturday 1 August 2015
Where: The Railfan Shop, 4 Churchill St, Mont Albert, VIC (opp. Mont Albert Railway Station)
Come along to the launch of Sally Morgan’s new book Sister Heart, to be launched by Ambelin Kwaymullina. Sister Heart is a verse novel aimed at 10 to 15 year olds.
‘ [a] personal and approachable conversation-starter about the Stolen Generations for mature young readers.’ — Bookseller + Publisher.
When: 6pm, Wednesday 6 August 2015
Where: New Edition Bookshop, 41 High St, Fremantle WA (cnr Henry St)
RSVP: Entry is free but places are limited and must be reserved in advance by contacting admin[at]fremantlepress.com.au or 9430 6331. Only those who RSVP will be allowed entry on the night.
New Edition has pledged to donate a percentage of all books sold at the launch of Sister Heart to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Matilda reviewed her own copy of this picture book.
This is a story about how the world is changing. People live underground because they are ashamed about what humans have done to the earth. Most of the old people have disremembered the good things that happened on top of the earth.
When Peterboy looks for something that would make Grandpapa’s eyes light up and stay like that, he finds Idaduck. But ducks need to go on top of the earth and to have the wind in their wings, so she can’t stay with Peterboy and Grandpapa forever.
I know the names of the author and illustrator from the Kingdom of Silk series.
What’s interesting about this book is the way the author has fiddled with the words. It makes the book kind of like a poem and it feels like a different world.
Stephen Michael King does the illustrations and I like them because they show the dark and also show the light with shapes of hot colours. The last few pages are full of light and there is no dark. This leaves you feeling happy.
I think ages 7 to 10 would like this book. Little kids might not understand because of all the fiddled-around words, but older kids might like those.
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Matilda is one of our regular book reviewers. Her most recent review (if you don’t count this one) was of The Cleo Stories.If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines.Happy reading!
Harold and Grace by Sean E Avery, Fremantle Press, ISBN 9781925162295
REVIEWED BY CÉITÍ, 6, WA
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.
Harold and Grace is about a tadpole and a caterpillar. They hatch after the storm at the exact same time and on the exact same day.
Harold the tadpole goes exploring in the pond and meets two pretend friends. They’re mean to him at first, then they’re nice to him when he grows fins like them. Grace goes exploring on the tree and she makes two stick insects who make fun of her too.
Harold and Grace become friends but Harold spends more time with the fish than with Grace. When he grows legs, the fish are mean again. Harold goes back to the lonely leaf but Grace isn’t there. He sleeps on the sac and he’s sad. When he sticks his long tongue out, something says, “Harold! You big, green nincompoop!” The two friends find each other again.
I really enjoyed this book. I like how the story was about friends and how nice they were to each other. I’d give the story 8 out of 10. I’d give the pictures 7 out of 10. Anyone could read this book, even bigger kids. Anyone could enjoy it.
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This is Céití’s very first review for Alphabet Soup.If YOU would like to send us a book review, check out our submission guidelines. Happy reading!
Today we welcome Frané Lessac to Alphabet Soup. Frané is an illustrator and author — she’s the illustrator behind Ned Kelly and the Green Sash, Midnight, and The Greatest Liar on Earth (and many, many more books!).
We asked Frané if we could talk to her about A is for Australia: A factastic tour — her latest book. Here it is in all its glory:
What is the Fremantle Doctor? Where is Qui Qui? And why are some islands named after days of the week? You’ll uncover these exciting facts when you explore the A to Z of Australia — from Bondi to Kakadu and all the way to Taronga Zoo. Discover why Australia is one of the most amazing countries in the world …
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Frané Lessac
Can you tell us a bit about where you live?
I live in the port city of Fremantle in West Australia. From my front porch, I can see a sliver of the Indian Ocean and Rottnest Island. Our house is over 120 years old and we’ve built an art studio in the back garden where I paint.
When you were working on A is for Australia, what came first — the artwork or the text?
Location came first. We had to decide what locations would be depicted for each letter of the alphabet. There were incredible alternatives and that made it hard to choose, but what made it easier was the need to represent all states narrowing down the locations. Next came the text, then art.
How long did it take you to create the book?
I first approached Walker Books with the idea over seven years ago! They were familiar with my other alphabet books based on New York, Washington D.C., Texas and the Caribbean. They knew the format and the market. I wasn’t sure if I was going to write the book myself initially, but with a twist of the arm, I did it!
What do you like to do when you are not illustrating (or writing-after-your-arm-has-been-twisted)?
Over the years I’ve lived in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London and the Caribbean before settling in Australia twenty-five years ago. My closest friends and my family are spread right across the globe and l love to visit them as much as I can. When I’m home in Fremantle, I like to walk along Dog Beach.
What sort of books did you like to read when you were growing up?
My mother was an avid reader and placed an importance on reading and books. She took me to the library at an early age to pick out my own books. I started with Beatrix Potter and moved onto The Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew mysteries.
What led you to create A is for Australia? A is for Australia is a celebration of Australian people, places and culture. I wanted to create a book for children so they could discover why Australia is one of the most amazing countries in the world. I hope that visitors from overseas also grab a copy and share it back home.
Do you have a preferred medium?
I use gouache paint on watercolour paper. There’s an enormous range of colours and they are also easy to mix. The paint dries fast and I can paint in layers, which allow me to make any changes easily.
Do you have any advice for young artists?
Believe in your art and don’t compare what you create to anyone else’s. Everyone draws differently. Be confident. If I worried about what other people created, I never would have created one single book. I never went to art school and I was never the best artist in the class, but I always loved to draw and paint.
Are you working on any new projects at the moment?
I recently received a folktale from my UK publisher that’s set in India. It’s called Pattan’s Pumpkins and it’s right up my alley. Jungles and animals and bright pumpkins! Exciting to work with this publisher again — I met the editor over thirty years ago and we created three folktales together set in West Africa, Papua New Guinea and Polynesia.
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For a peek inside the pages of A is for Australia, visit Frané’s blog. And you can hear Frané talking about making the book on the book trailer:
You can find out even more about Frané Lessac and her books by visiting her website: www.franelessac.com.
Anton Can Do Magic by Ole Könnecke, ISBN 9781877467639, Gecko Press
Reviewed by Matilda, 7, WA
Anton is a boy with a hat that he thinks helps him be magic. He tries to make things disappear. Whenever he does magic, he wiggles his hands and the hat falls over his eyes and he can’t see what’s happening, so he thinks he’s done something magic.
Something interesting about the illustrations is that they use mostly hot colours like red, orange and yellow and reddy-orange. Only the bird is not orangey-red.
Can Anton really do magic? You will have to read this picture book to find out.
I would recommend this book to 5 to 8 year olds because it’s funny and it made me laugh.
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