Reviews

Selected Book Review Extracts :

The Fishmonger And The Pastry Chef

The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef’ has to be one of my favourite picturebooks of the year. It is absolutely gorgeous. @sophievmasson knows how to tell a tale and this is a beautiful tale about two people who connect. Indeed, It’s a sweet and romantic tale that is perfectly paced and perfectly structured. And the artwork by @cherylorsini is exquisite ( as we would expect from @cherylorsini ). Congrats @hardiegrantkids Congrats Sophie. Congrats Cheryl. Excellent publishing. This is the perfect gift for young ones. (Paul’s Book Trail, The Children’s Bookshop, Instagram).

Cakes, a love story, kindness and destiny – perfect ingredients for a delicious BOOK! (oh and did I mention cake – do not read this book when you are hungry)….I am certain The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef will be a CBCA 2026 notable Picture Book title and possibly even on the shortlist. You could borrow this book from your local or school library but even better the beautiful book design, tactile cover, gentle colour palette, delightful illustrations of cakes and the warmth of this sweet love story make this a book you will want own or perhaps give as a gift at Christmas. (Momo, Momotime to Read blog)

Lucas’ favourite two places in the world are his aunt Violette’s patisserie and the bustling market where he helps fishmonger Cyprien at his poissonnerie. Although both adults adore Lucas, he can’t help noticing a flicker of sadness behind their smiles. Curious, he asks each of them about their favourite memory… and when their stories unexpectedly echo one another, Lucas wonders whether a long-ago childhood meeting might be the key to bringing two lonely hearts together again.

‘The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef’ (Le Poissonnier et la Pâtissière) is an utterly charming, happy-sigh-inducing picture book that stole our hearts. Inspired by author @sophievmasson’s childhood in Biarritz, it explores connection, memory, and the quiet power of small acts of kindness. Cheryl Orsini’s illustrations brim with the quaint beauty of a French seaside village — the kind of spreads you want to linger over.

Two small downsides: it made me starving… and it made me long for the beautiful Pays Basque (made all the worse knowing my sister lives just two hours south in Spain!).

(Lucy, loveoureading, Instagram)

My goodness! 🥹 What an absolutely beautiful story of a gentle nudge in the right direction to help two hearts come together and find happiness with one another. The setting, the French and the overall atmosphere, it’s the stuff of love stories. (Alyssa, our.bookish.days, Instagram)

Sophie Masson (The Giant) draws inspiration from her family history in the seaside town of Biarritz for The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef. Set in a charming coastal village, this picture book is for readers aged 3 to 7. The story follows Lucas, a young boy who enjoys visiting his tantine (aunty) Violette at her patisserie and his friend Cyprien, a local fishmonger. When Lucas realises both adults are lonely, he devises a plan to bring them together. This heartwarming book celebrates curiosity, connection and kindness, as readers see how asking questions can reveal unexpected stories from the past and how small acts of care can make a difference. Through Lucas’s gentle choices, the story beautifully illustrates how empathy helps relationships flourish. Cheryl Orsini’s whimsical illustrations bring the seaside town to life in delicious detail, from the cakes and pastries on display to the nostalgic double-page spreads of Violette’s and Cyprien’s memories. Simple French words and phrases are woven naturally through the English text and the artwork, adding warmth and authenticity to the story. The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef is an endearing tribute to love, community and the importance of truly seeing the people around us. (Jess Lomas, Books+Publishing)

In The Paris Fashion

Style and substance: Paris is the perfect backdrop for a fashion mystery. Vintage dealer Isabelle Bernard finds a cryptic letter from late designer Elisabeth Fontaine, hinting at sketches of a superlative gown she designed before her premature death in 1930. The letter leads Isabelle to design student Romy and author Audrey, and the three piece together the puzzle of the ‘Paname’ dress. On planes, trains and the streets of Patis, the women unravel threads that weave together history, their families and love lives. Aside from a treacherous professor, the sensitive male characters, and love interests, are refreshing. Just like the book Audrey is writing in this story, ‘Both in the past and the present is a beautiful twin image: the glory of creativity, and the warmth of friendship, reflected in each other.’ (Australian Women’s Weekly, December 2025 issue)

What happened to the perfect evening gown designed by Elisabeth Fontaine before her sudden death in 1930 is fashion’s greatest mystery. So when vintage fashion dealer Isabelle comes across a letter mentioning the sketches, she sets out to try to find the dress in Paris. (Who magazine, November 10)

Beaumont has a beautiful writing style, her words are elegant, soft and gentle, and I easily settled into the story. In The Paris Fashion is clearly a love letter to Paris, capturing fashion, art, people, delicious food, love, legacy and the pursuit of dreams. Beaumont writes stories that comfort, engage and satisfy. (Nicola Skinstad, Good Reading Magazine, December edition.)

I was lucky to be sent an ARC copy of this book, the third in a series, and I just absolutely loved it. Sophie Beaumont is a natural-born storyteller and spinner of tales that comfort, engage, enlighten and satisfy. This is my favourite one in the series – it is all about people and love and delicious descriptions of food, fashion, and, of course, Paris! A terrific, frothy, fun read! Five stars. (Brenton Cullen, Goodreads)

In the glittering heart of 1930s Paris, a fashion secret has been buried for decades… until one letter brings it back into the light. A mystery of lost sketches, couture dreams, and the women determined to uncover the truth — In the Paris Fashion is elegance, intrigue, and passion stitched together.  (Kim Watson, Hundred Acre of Books, Instagram)

Another delightful, atmospheric and elegant Parisian inspired story to add to the series. As an avid gardener it was going to be hard to beat A Secret Garden In Paris but this couture inspired story captured my imagination.

Fashion, love and fine cuisine are all synonymous with Paris. The fashion industry in the 1920s was alive as Parisian designers led the charge. Legend Elizabeth Fontaine was about to create an evening dress to out do any other. Tragically dying before it was made. The design was captured on sketch and heavily secured. A letter by Elizabeth reveals details of the pattern.

Bringing together modern day fashionistas including Australian Audrey. Piecing the threads together and bringing the period alive again. The finesse and colour of Paris comes alive once again.

Although ignorant in the world of fashion I appreciated the beauty and descriptions of fine couture and was written in a way I could imagine the finery.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5 stars (Phil, Happy Valley books Read, Instagram)

The historical scenes the novel depicts are authentic and intricately detailed…Beaumont uses France as her setting to inspire readers, revealing her intimate knowledge of the country to create a vivid canvas for her characters.’ (Kirsten West, Bookotober, Westwords)
 

Ah, mes amis, another enchanting Parisian story from Sophie Beaumont, steeped in silk, secrets, and the faint perfume of a bygone glamour. In 1930s Paris, couture muse Elisabeth Fontaine dreamed up the perfect evening gown. A creation so divine it vanished like the fashion legend that she was, leaving whispers of what became of Fontaine’s final masterpiece?  Isabelle Bernard, vintage fashion dealer and sleuth stumbled upon an old letter, laced with the aroma of Joy by Jean Patou referencing Fontaine’s elusive “evening sketches.” Isabelle decided to let the letter lead her to Paris to Romy, a couture apprentice with a passion for fashion, and Audrey Oliver, a celebrated fashion journalist tracing her great-grandmother’s Parisian past through the heady days of Fontaine’s atelier.

This is a story following Isabelle, Romy and Audrey, and not to mention Elisabeth Fontaine across several timelines, all captivated by the same Parisian rhythm, in a city that hums with history, beauty, and the promise of discovering memories. The stories, whilst predictable yet plausible, glided together. They were dazzling, full of colour and life, paying homage to the great designers of the 20th century, and gentle nods to the fashion stars of today.

I was lucky to receive a #gifted copy from #ultimopress of Sophie Beaumont’s third novel in this Parisian  series. Beaumont wrote this book as though she were painting with flowy fabric, lightly scented in Chanel: the words were elegant, tender, and extravagant like the classic designers she was describing, including the elusive dress by Elizabeth Fontaine. Her prose was a love letter to Paris, capturing fashion, art, love and legacy, and the pursuit of dreams. (Marlene Henry, Instagram)

 

The Giant:

Carrington’s artwork is phenomenal, using photography and digital design to create breathtaking double-page spreads rich in detail and emotion. The scale and intricacy of her images, combined with the book’s distinctive typography, draw readers in and evoke a powerful sense of wonder. Masson’s lyrical text promotes hope and love, gently weaving themes of memory, friendship and connection into the narrative. Her words invite readers to find their own meaning in the story’s quiet strength. The Giant gently explores the pain of being forgotten and the joy of being remembered, offering a comforting message about belonging and resilience. (Brenton Cullen, Books+Publishing)

Just as with the award-winning Satin,  Masson and Carrington have given readers of all ages a story with so many layers to explore as well as new leads to follow as students read more stories, legends and folklore about giants and pierce the stereotype.  (Barbara Braxton, The Bottom Shelf)

This story explores themes relating to memory, connection, belonging, friendship, compassion, xenophobia, passing down stories from one generation to the next and it celebrates community. There are many elements that make this book a standout masterpiece. The rich, atmospheric and detailed illustrations that sprawl the double page spreads are astonishing and unique. Lorena has employed several techniques including photographs of nature montaged together, paper collage and drawing to create the striking artwork….The playful typography adds to the meaning and drama of the story. The Giant is a breathtaking book; it is a story both adults and children will treasure with its timeless and universal themes and innovative design elements. (Elise Ellerman, Reading Opens Doors)

This gorgeous picture book embraces inclusion and friendship. Sophie Masson is a multi-award-winning author of many children’s books. Her compassionate story is perfectly reflected in Lorena Carrington’s stunning pictures. Carrington creates her montage illustrations using photographs. She photographs small objects on a light-box to turn them into silhouettes, and human figures against a lit backdrop. The backgrounds are often layered with several images to give them some depth. She often makes fantastical figures (dragons, goblins, impossible castles) out of many pieces of sticks, bone, lichen, leaves and flowers; often hundreds of them… One recent illustration has 300 image layers. It is easy to lose oneself in the intricacies of these luminous pictures. If you look closely at the figure of the giant, you can see these many elements. This fable feels as old as time and reminds me of children’s stories written by Oscar Wilde  – there’s sadness, but ultimately it’s a celebration of friendship and community. (Gaby Meares, Reading Time)

Those readers who are familiar with the CBCA 2024 Notable book Satin will be thrilled to read this latest picture book by talented creatives, Sophie Masson and Lorena Carrington. This story, that very strongly emits the tone of a fable, is wondrously told with the striking illustrations and endpapers, visual delights….Throughout this narrative, the large full page images provide the reader with so much to take in and the text is perfectly positioned to provide greatest impact on each page. The silhouette of the giant across the pages is a brilliant tool to further enhance the stunning backgrounds, often showcasing a magnificent collage of photographic images. The final image of the giant embracing the town in the darkness provides an outstanding ending. (Kathryn Beilby, Read Plus)

The magnificent simplicity of this latest picture book by Sophie Masson and Lorena Carrington belies its profound complexities. Which is exactly what you want in a picture book for kids that conveys some pretty big notions….This superlative book demonstrates that in the absence of fear, true understanding and acceptance prevails. Perceptive and cleverly portrayed, the giant’s story will appeal to older readers who might look further into themes of compassion, caring for country, and the continuation and passing down of knowledge to ensure true nirvana….This level of nuanced intricacy does not, however, exclude younger readers who will find delight in the exquisitely rendered portrayal of the giant, his surrounds and his emotive quest to ‘find a friend’, acceptance being a global desire after all….Just how is this enlightened message made accessible to young readers? Through Masson’s astounding ability to weave abstract concept into clear lilting narrative and Carrington’s unique blend of collaged artwork. This combination is nothing short of breathtaking. Light and shade collide with real world glimpses of colour: a moss-covered valley, a rock-gnarled hillside, a grey slated roof. The giant appears in darkened silhouetted form, rough and ragged around the edges conveying enigmatic emotion, sadness and fear. This incompleteness smooths to more solid assured lines once the dawn of realisation bathes the town.This is a masterpiece of story telling dressed uniquely by the creative duo who brought us, Satin yet stripped back to reveal the very essence of humanity. I loved it. (Dimity Powell, Kids Book Review).

Masson’s narrative explores themes of memory, belonging, and inclusion. The story cleverly reimagines the ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ trope, and makes heroes of the children, whose curiosity and wisdom opens the hearts and minds of the adults.Carrington’s illustrations are vivid and richly detailed. Her signature photographic montage style brings this world to life with sweeping mountains and skyscapes juxtaposed against textured built environments. The giant himself is constructed from photos of natural objects, like sticks, leaves and moss. In addition to being visually arresting, this is guaranteed to inspire creative extension activities around foraging and collage.

The Giant is a moving, layered picture book for readers 3+, perfect for shared reading, and ideal for exploration at any age of fairy tale revisions and intertextuality. (Lara Cain Gray, Storylinks)

Bold Ben Hall:

‘Our History: Bold Ben Hall’ is a vivid, human and accessible work that brings a complex era in Australian colonial history to life in a way that treats its young readership with respect, inviting them to interrogate the historical figure of notorious bushranger Ben Hall from the dual (and conflicting) perspectives of travelling theatre kid Lily and stable boy Sam, giving readers the freedom to ask more nuanced questions, such as whether Hall was a criminal, a victim, a rebel or a hero. Centred around a true event from 1863, during the height of the Gold Rush era in NSW, the work is well researched, informative, absorbing and engagingly written in era- and age-appropriate language, using a mix of narrative fiction, newspaper articles and letters, and including useful facts from the era that are sure to spark more discussion and investigation. (Judges’ comments, 2025 NSW Premier’s History Awards)

Ben Hall railed against injustice, having been the victim of it more than once, and Sophie Masson has done a grand job of underlining that. This is the first in a new series called Our History, and I’m certainly looking forward to future titles. This makes for a terrific start and of course, would slot in well as a serial read during those ubiquitous gold rush units. There are extensive teaching notes, of which, I think you would need to selectively cherry pick to be useful in your curriculum. And the entire concept lends itself beautifully to some discussion on ethics, right & wrong, heroes and villains, which is where I would be putting my focus. (Just So Stories blog)

This is a riveting story told in three parts, with a background rich in Australian history and the human condition. Thrilling sub-stories and interesting leading characters, engage the reader. Bold Ben Hall, from the Our History series, explores amongst other powerful themes, how, based on conjecture, people’s assessment of others is governed by perception, for without knowledge of a whole situation, the truth cannot be known. (Anastasia Gonis, Kids’ Book Review)

Wow- so much in this book which I never knew about our bushranger and gold rush history! I love adventure stories and how the story of Ben Hall was portrayed in this child-friendly tale. Love the inclusion of what makes a hero / what makes a villain- and it’s interesting to know this book aligns with the VIC / NSW upper primary curriculum as an extension of class learning. Fascinating read! (‘Kat Bookworm’ on Instagram)

The novel explores the nuances of the issues around Ben Hall without turning him into a folk hero or contributing to that narrative. It allows both sides to tell their story, because it is one of those topics where people are always going to have different opinions… It shows both sides to Ben Hall, and how his actions affected class debates, or frictions between families, and what people thought was right and wrong. The nuanced approach to showing that dealing with Ben Hall may not always have been as straightforward as people thought. (Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse blog)

A Secret Garden in Paris:

This book is a complete delight. The author carries us with her characters through their trammels and triumphs, and provides hopeful and happy endings (thank you!). There is nothing trite about this story, though. We are ever conscious that fixing things requires work, intention and sweat playing equal roles in each of these stories and the correlation to our own reality is very clear. (Barbie Robinson, Living Arts Canberra December 15)

Francophiles who adored Sophie Beaumont’s previous novel, The Paris Cooking School, can look forward to her latest offering. It follows the lives of three women. Australian Emma Taylor seeks solace in the home of her Parisian grandmother; garden designer Charlotte Marigny flees London and a crumbling marriage; widowed florist Arielle is emerging from loss and the burden of her late husband’s debt. The three women are drawn together by their grief and their love of Paris and its gardens. Beaumont’s own French Australian background and her fondness for the French capital are evident in this novel about the healing power of women’s friendships and new beginnings. (Cheryl Akle, The Weekend Australian Review, Nov 30-Dec 1 2024)

Lots of gorgeous reviews(too many to put up individually!) via Better Reading here

There’s something special about Sophie Beaumont’s writing. Her stories are both exotic and enchanting, and familiar and friendly. You know the streets; you’ve walked them. You know the characters; you’ve met them. With her words, Sophie builds worlds solid enough to touch. Following the smash hit of her debut book, The Paris Cooking School, in 2023, Sophie returns to the city of love with her new novel, A Secret Garden in Paris. it’s Spring, the city is blooming, and three women are facing mammoth challenges: individually dealing with the emotional fallout of loss, grief and deception. The women come from different corners of the city–and world–but they’re drawn together in the romantic gardens of Paris. It’s here where their stories become entangled, and their lives are forever changed. How exciting it is to be along for the ride. (Australian Women’s Weekly, December 2024 issue)

All three stories are beautifully told, and the characters are well drawn and likeable. The gorgeous gardens that exist behind high walls are characters in their own right, complementing the stories, adding colour and warmth. I loved this book–a delightful, satisfying read that I’m sure many readers will enjoy. (Nicola Skinstad, Good Reading Magazine, October 2024 issue)

All the stars(5 🌟)This was just blooming perfect. I felt as if I was transported back to Paris on every page. The descriptions of the gardens & landscape were perfectly dreamy – the streets, friendships, love, food, & flowers. i literally could smell the blooms on every page. My heart is full. If you feel like you need to escape reality for a bit, then this is the book for you. 💕 Such a gentle read. (Lisa, CoffeeandPages, Instagram)

What an absolute joy to read. With Parisian grandmother Mattie as the central figure, surrounded by a collection of characters all dealing with sorrow while trying to move forward. I’m by no means an avid gardener, yet the descriptions of the beautiful gardens around Paris made it easy for me to feel like I was walking through them. With a healthy dose of romance, a few beautiful friendships and the strength of family this was a beautiful read that has left a huge smile on my face and joy in my heart. (Libby, Goodreads)

I loved learning about these women, where they had come from and what challenges they were dealing with in their lives.
It was also amazing to discover how their lives intertwined.
This truly is a story of love and loss, romance and revelations, and what better setting for it than a secret Paris garden. (Maree, Goodreads)

In A Secret Garden in Paris, Sophie Beaumont has shown gardens not only to be places of beauty and tranquility for all to enjoy but uses them as the setting for the characters to come to terms with problems and situations they are facing. Their involvement with gardens and flowers helps each of the women find peace and solutions to the challenges of life plus also making it an enjoyable book to read. (Vicki, Goodreads)

The setting of Paris in springtime adds an enchanting backdrop to the story. Beaumont’s descriptions of the city’s gardens and streets are vivid and evocative, making you feel as if you are walking alongside the characters. The secret garden itself becomes a symbol of healing and new beginnings, a place where the characters find solace and strength.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves Paris, gardens, or stories about strong women overcoming adversity. It’s a heartwarming read that offers a perfect escape into a world of beauty and resilience. (Liisa, Goodreads)

A delightful read set in the wonderful setting of beautiful Paris. The novel follows a number of women, their past and current relationships and what happens when they all eventually meet up. As the reader learns about the females past sadness and life difficulties both the gardens and food distract in a lovely way. I found myself looking up the flowers described and felt hunger at the delicious sounding food mentioned often! Grief, family secrets, romance and misunderstanding are explored through out the book with a very satisfying and happy ending. (Toni, Goodreads)

Sabina and the Cats of Rome:

In a simple chapter book, Sophie Masson has created a captivating story set in Ancient Rome. It is exciting and action-packed and will be enjoyed by early independent readers aged 5-7. There are minimal clues about life in Ancient Rome, enough to pique interest but not enough to confuse a young reader. Mostly this is about a girl and a talking cat and their quest to rescue a royal cat, with the help of the family dogs. The illustrations are cartoon-like in simplicity and scattered through the chapters. (Carolyn Hull in Read Plus)

Sabina and the Cats of Rome is an action-packed adventure perfect for younger readers. A feisty young heroine up to any challenge, leads an imaginative cast of characters….Excellent black and white illustrations fill the book, adding visual reinforcement of the text while enriching the story. (Anastasia Gonis in Kids Book Review)

Sabina and the Cats of Rome, a light fantasy chapter book for readers aged 6 to 9, packs adventure, action, mystery, love and fun into its pages. Masson’s storytelling is engaging and accessible, offering simplicity for independent reading while maintaining a rich plot. Laura Wood’s black-and-white illustrations bring Cleo and Sabina to life, depicting seven scenes from the story. (Brenton Cullen, in Books+Publishing)

The Paris Cooking School:

Rave reads. Parfait – if like me, you love The City of Light, this is a novel for you. It celebrates food, romance, travel and a mystery all set in Paris and highlighting the city’s diverse treasures. Even Deyrolle gets a mention and that is my fave quirky Parisien must visit. Beautifully written and thankyou @sophievmasson alias Sophie Beaumont! (Sue Boaden, Instagram)

What a delight to read—Beaumont has captured the essence of not only French cooking but of friendship, romance, family, culture, and Paris—in one marvelous book! The overriding plus in the entire story of these three strong, intelligent, and empathetic women is Beaumont’s “voice.” She hits just the right notes for compassionate and delightful characterizations with warm humor, carefully foreshadowing suspenseful plot turns in the intriguing mystery, and creating resolutions that are surprising, yet well-prepared-for. Readers will definitely enjoy the twists and the ”Aha” moments. Beaumont’s writing is lyrical and evocative; not only will readers never look at French cuisine and cooking in the same way again—but her masterful use of language includes the reader in the story as an equal, never condescending, and subtly creating hope that the three main characters will triumph despite their struggles. Her use of vivid, descriptive details makes each scene and character come alive; readers feel palpably present in her strong sense of place; Beaumont knows her Paris: “It was the most beautiful afternoon, the sky was deep blue, and against it the lovely old pale stone buildings glowed, trees flung up armfuls of white and pink blossoms, the soft air was full of fragrance, there were people seated at the outside tables of cafés, chatting and laughing, and not one of them was wearing black. Imagine!” Her sympathetic characterizations are exemplified here: “The celebration was wonderful, Gabi thought, but it also felt a bit melancholy, to know that this was the last hurrah for the class. She thought back to the first time she’d come in here, how she’d been so caught up in her own stuff, so standoffish and unwilling to get into the spirit of it all, thinking of the course only as a way of blotting out her fear. How different it felt now! She was working at her art again, but also pacing herself, letting it come in a kind of slow joy that felt right.”
All in all, if readers are looking to be transported to the City of Light, to keep company with lively, entertaining, sympathetic characters, to marvel at fascinating insights into French and European culture and cuisine, and to cheer on victories as the charming characters vanquish their challenges, this is a perfect choice. As Beaumont writes: Life had a way of mixing the solemn with the comic, the profound with the everyday. Vive la France! (published by a reader on Barnes and Noble site, July 11, 2024)

Learning to live and love again in the streets of Paris, city of romance, is not a new idea, but there is a freshness and vivacity to this cooking school novel that is utterly beguiling. Maybe it’s the mouth-watering and intricate food descriptions that send readers into a reverie, because be warned: You will be reaching for the frying pan, cracking eggs and slicing in decadent shards of butter and handfuls of fresh herbs in no time. Or maybe it is just the possibility of abandoned amour that follows our characters along every street…(The Australian Women’s Weekly Great Read, December issue, 2023)

A delicious read! (New Idea magazine, November 1)

The French way of life has a certain je ne sais quoi–and in Beaumont’s latest offering, Gabi Picabea and Kate Evans are on a mission to solve the mystery one April in the City of Lights. Love, twists and transformations included. (Who magazine, December 4, 2023)

One of the beauties of this novel is tied up in an appropriate phrase in the text: ‘It was the individual human stories that caught at (my) heart.’ This novel is brimming with individual stories (particularly of three women) and they certainly captured my attention. Along with the magical gorgeous setting. The quote used at the beginning of the novel by Victor Hugo is also appropriate: “Breathe in Paris, it preserves the soul.’ I loved this stunning story that oozes colour, depth and creative expression. And provides a satisfying ending. (Cindy L Spear, on blog and Instagram)

Reading this novel made you want to go to the Paris Cooking School for both the food and the enriched human relationship experience. There was carefully woven backstories into the novel and as well as some romances that all varied in their intensity, and an unexpected twist or two. It left me wanting mouth-watering food, more Paris, and to follow the characters as the story unfolds following the ending of this book. It was a marvellous balance between relaxing and hard to put down.
Bon Appetit! (Larissa Collins, Goodreads)

It’s a delight – three women as the focus, each of whom has issues that she tackles along with the delights of the cooking school. There is a lot of food, French food markets, lovely, entertaining characters, conflict and difficulties, and overall sheer delight. I can recommend it for a summer read – or anytime. (Jennifer Bradley, ABC Bookclub FB)

You will be hungry physically because the book is full of the descriptions of French fresh produce and French cooking, including desert. If you read it when you are hungry, you will salivate and are most likely to explore the contents of your fridge (then you will get disappointed the Paris Cooking School is only a book and the contents of the Fridge are far from that fictional food paradise ).

Metaphorically, you will be hungry for more: 1) Hope: all the characters are going through some turmoil and all of them are hoping for a better future. 2) Wonderful descriptions of walks in Paris, its different architectural and culinary wonders. 3) Romance: all three female characters are developing love interests. 4) Adventures: you will want to go to Paris and explore it and engage in a new hobby. 5) Books by this author who has this wonderful linguistic magic to take you on a journey. (Anna Popova, Facebook)

The Paris Cooking School is a sumptuous feast for the senses that illuminates the delectable art of combining storytelling with food. As you meander through the streets of Paris, you are immediately drawn into its living culture and realise that the City of Light itself, is a dynamic character in the novel. The cooking school provides the perfect backdrop for the characters to explore their motivations and various relationships while expressing their obvious love of French food culture with all the trimmings. There are flirtatious and romantic entanglements for Gabi, Kate and Sylvie, who are all in the midst of personal uncertainty. The paths of each of the women, although very different, intersect seamlessly, and we journey alongside with them as they navigate new paths for themselves. This novel provides a lighthearted escape for anyone who enjoys reading about love, food and travel. (The Organised Classroom, on Instagram)

From the very beginning, l was hooked to the point that every page had my taste buds come alive. The description of the food seriously came alive through each page. It was like, l too,could taste every bite the characters were tasting. YUM! The novel centres around three gorgeous ladies who have relationship issues. Enough to have them wanting to escape reality. What a perfect way to deal with those issues by enrolling in a four week French Cooking School to learn to cook – the French way! The story links these beautiful women with perfect descriptions of delicious food as well as the sceneries of Paris with love, hope, adventure, and some good old soul searching for second chances and new beginnings. I particularly loved how the postscript takes place a year later and into their futures. This beautifully written novel is about friendships and the most incredible Parisian food. It is undoubtedly the perfect holiday read that will leave your heart bursting with all the magical feels. (Lisa at Coffee and Pages, Instagram)

Author Sophie Beaumont, who was brought up in France and Australia, has an exquisite knowledge of both Paris and French food, and she has used that delightfully in this novel.
It’s an expertly crafted tale of twists and turns that draws the reader in as the characters’ lives are transformed.
The story is simply a feast, a perfect concoction of secrets, heartaches and love. (Don Baker, Goodreads)

The Paris Cooking School was a delectable and uplifting novel set in the cosmopolitan French capital. The delicious descriptions of food and cooking throughout the story had my mouth watering and I was craving pastries and strawberry tarts by the time I was done. The story focuses on three women as their lives converge at the Paris Cooking School. Two Australian women, Gabi who is an artist struggling with creative block and Kate who has been betrayed by her now ex-husband, travel to Paris to attend Sylvie’s cooking school, which is currently the target of harassment. The month spent in the city of love will see each of these women discover more about their own strengths and desires and aid them in transforming their lives. I loved that this delightful foodie romance was set in the gourmet city of Paris. Every page was a feast for the mind and the mouthwatering descriptions conjured the streets of the city and its food in all its brilliance. Learning more about each of these women and their lives was so engaging and I was left feeling overjoyed with the story’s outcome. The Paris Cooking School was the perfect book to savour in a quiet café with a coffee and a buttery croissant. (Brooke, Instagram)

“The Paris Cooking School” creates a mood which stays with you as the characters in the story come to life. This includes Paris herself; her sights, sounds, tastes and smells….A perfect holiday read, for lovers of Josephine Moon, Monica McInerney and Maeve Binchy. (Christine, Goodreads)

It’s a principle of French cooking applied to storytelling—simple ingredients, extraordinary results. Thoroughly researched, The Paris Cooking School is a novel borne of longing for Paris, and despite its base in ‘real life’, it feels entirely like a fantasy you can step inside of. (Emily Westmoreland, Books+Publishing)

Reviews by Better Reading contributors:

The Paris Cooking School was a joy to read. I loved the descriptions of Paris – I want to go back, and I want to eat all those lovely dishes and drink the wine and taste the cheese. The characters and romance were delightful – a really great holiday read, or light read if you need a break from mysteries and murders and heavy subjects. Sophie Beaumont’s descriptive writing made one feel as if you were there, picnicking on the banks of the Seine, watching the people and sights. I could almost taste the strawberry tart. A story of hope and looking forward, I loved it. Joy, VIC, 5 Stars

This book exceeded my expectations and warmed my soul. If you’re someone who enjoys a bit of comfort food in the form of a sweet treat when life gets you down, this is a book you’ll appreciate. This book was an unexpected pleasure, a beautiful read. Catherine, NSW, 5 Stars

This book had me from the first page. Sylvia is the owner and instructor of the ‘Paris Cooking School’, Kate and Gabi are Australians who have travelled to Paris to participate in the cooking class and escape issues at home. The descriptions of Paris, the food, and the people made me feel like I was there. I fell in love with the characters and found it a book I wanted to curl up with and keep reading until I got to the end. Debbie, VIC, 5 Stars

What a beautiful book, enticingly based around Kate and Gabi who travel from Australia to Paris to attend Sylvie Morel’s Paris Cooking School. Both have their own reasons to attend, Kate has been betrayed by her ex-husband and is trying to find a new future, Gabi has a creative block. Meanwhile, Sylvie herself has her own obstacles to her business that starts with a bad review, then a mysterious delivery of food not cooked in her kitchen. From the first chapter, this book will hook you in with its descriptive words, sights and sounds of beautiful Paris, the people Kate and Gabi meet. I won’t write any more, this book is too good not to read. Congratulations to Sophie Beaumont (Sophie Masson). Nicky, QLD, 5 Stars

A fantastically written story. Based in Paris! This book had me hooked from the beginning! Who wouldn’t love to be in Paris and forgetting about their own troubles back home! This story looks into love, hope and the perfect strawberry tart!! What more could you want! This book follows two characters Gabi and Kate, both at a crossroads in their lives. What loveable characters they are too! Amy, ACT, 5 Stars

Read more Better Reading reviews of the book here.

A beautiful review, in French, by Sydney-based French writer and novelist Olivier Vojetta can be read here. Here’s a short extract:

Déjà, ce qui est formidable avec ce livre, c’est qu’en le lisant on se téléporte à Paris, on y est, on redécouvre un Paris ancien et moderne à travers les yeux de tous les personnages, et il y en a un certain nombre, c’est un roman choral…Sous les airs de lecture d’été facile, il y a beaucoup de contenu et de matière très intéressante, le tout mêlé et brodé avec talent et subtilité dans les interstices de l’histoire, en creux….. C’est un livre aussi passionnant que savoureux. Tous les personnages partagent des histoires, tristes, gaies, des histoires toutes différentes, mais qui se rejoignent en un bouquet final dans le dernier chapitre, pour ensemble créer le plat parfait.

The Key to Rome:

A dying man’s promise, a mysterious key, and a dangerous journey in ancient times; The Key to Rome is a story that will keep you reading until way past your bedtime. Set in the Roman Province of Britannia in AD84, the story sees 12-year-old Livia keeping a promise to her dying father to deliver a key to her estranged uncle. Along her perilous journey, Livia meets Mato, a boy who needs to see his dying mother before it’s too late. Together the two travellers make their way through ancient lands where they learn that the key may hold a dreadful secret. Multi award-winning author Sophie Masson has created a thrilling historical adventure that not only excites but teaches us about the troubled times in which the story is set. (Heather Zubek, The West Australian, April 23 2023)

Sophie Masson pens a rich story of substance, style and sparkle…This is a treat of a novel for any historical fiction fan. Highly recommended. (Brenton Cullen, Good Reading Magazine, June 2023)

This is a first-class middle-grade historical adventure…..Multi-award-winning author Sophie Masson has carefully crafted a believable and suspenseful adventure. Her details of the period have been thoroughly researched to create an intriguing historical mystery. (Debra Williams, Buzz Words)

Sophie Masson’s latest book, The Key to Rome, is an exciting, fast-paced adventure set in AD 84, and based on historical facts….This is a fantastic read, full of mystery and adventure about two children, each on an individual quest, intending to succeed in creating a life of value and meaning for their future. (Anastasia Gonis, Kids Book Review)

Highly recommended. Sophie Masson is a master at weaving historical facts into captivating stories, and this book is no exception…. The exciting plot moves along well, and readers are drawn into the dangerous game Livia is playing when she tries to figure out what the key means and why her uncle and his enemies will do anything to get or destroy it.  But will they uncover the truth in time to stay alive?  Detailed background notes and a glossary at the back of the book are very helpful additions for young readers. (Gabrielle Anderson, Read Plus)

The Key to Rome is an exciting, historical novel with intriguing and mysterious plot twists, written by prolific and award-winning author, Sophie Masson. I enjoyed the depictions of social and political conditions of Roman occupied Britannia. The language of the dialogue and vivid descriptions of the lifestyle and the landscape evoke a sense of ancient Roman times. (Barbara Swartz, Reading Time)

There’s nothing quite like a good ancient Roman historical fiction, and this one full of drama, deceit and death will appeal to many middle grade readers who relish an exciting and suspense-filled adventure…It is, all in all, an exhilarating and tense quest for truth and justice. Readers will gain some interesting insight into life in early Roman-occupied Britain, and the oppression of the native people that always follows the invasion of a ruthless force. (Sue Warren, JustSo Stories blog)

Livia is a strong leading character who refuses to give up, even when the quest for her uncle looks as if it might be useless. She weaves together the clues to lead her in the right direction. This novel, aimed at ages about nine to twelve, reads like a Rosemary Sutcliff adventure, perfect for young readers who enjoy history and are inspired by strong characters their own age. It’s also not a bad place to start children on historical fiction. (Sue Bursztynski, The Great Raven blog)

Secrets of the Good Fairy House(illustrated by Lorena Carrington)

At its heart, it is about finding other worlds in the world around us, something that is useful and common with writers, who are always looking for the enchanted aspects of the everyday items that most people see as mundane. What if we picked up an old coin and were thrust back in time? What if fantasy lands are at the top of an old tree? And what would happen if we fell into a notebook as we wrote? These possibilities are endless, and I loved that about this book. It is inspirational and comforting and is a book that I hope will be loved and well-received, because it is something a little bit different which is good. It is a book that all creatives will love – and I hope they love it as much as I do. It is a very special book that has spirit and joy within its pages. It can spark the imagination, and is a wonderful example of the joyous books that Pardalote Press is putting out. (Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse)

Masson’s tight poetic-like prose is brought to life by Carrington’s detailed photographic montaged illustrations. One wants to spend time looking at each picture. My favourite room in the house is the study with its ‘…comfy chair…’ and … ‘an inkstand just for decoration.’ There is a wonderful secret around the bookcase and desk that are also in this room which I will not share here as it would spoil it for you. I love the connection made between this secret and storytelling. (Sharon Greenway, Wondrous Words)

Satin(illustrated by Lorena Carrington)

Inspired by the satin bowerbird, Sophie Masson’s mesmerising fable is infused with melancholy. Sibilant alliteration snakes across the pages as Satin silently seeks a life without loneliness. Children aged four and older will empathise with Satin’s longing for love and emerge from the story with a steadfast belief in the power of sharing to strengthen connection.

Exuding sapphire and shadow, Lorena Carrington’s illustrations serve as a moody backdrop to Sophie’s wistful words. Satin is shown in silhouette, which heightens the heartache of his solitude. Only when the protagonist begins to bestow his blue upon others does Lorena lighten the ambience with pinks, yellows, and greens – it is the dawn of a new life for Satin. (Dannielle Viera, Buzz Words)

The mood of the story is established in the first scene—an enchanting, slightly eerie vision of a ghostly dawn. Readers can dive right into Satin’s world from the minute they turn past the title page. There’s a musicality to the writing that will engage readers (and young ones listening at bedtime); the book feels like poetry, with a strong sense of mystery. Which character are we really following? Is Satin on the ground, in the sky, or both? The mixed-media illustrations enhance the story’s intrigue. A standout is the juxtaposition between the opening pages and the following scene—an expert use of white space that makes readers feel like we’re searching for ‘blue’ alongside Satin. While a monochrome colour palette has the potential to lose its sparkle after a while, this doesn’t happen in Satin. The mosaic of different textures keeps things interesting. Then, the ending—one that will warm hearts this winter and have us rethinking what it means to feel ‘blue’. (Sarah Stivens, Reading Time)

With all the atmosphere of a modern fairy tale or fable, Satin will entrance readers with its overwhelming sense of longing as Satin searches for things that are blue…..

The illustrations are wonderful, full of layers of different blues, on some pages in broken crockery, and marvellously pieced together on the endpapers. Kids will love collecting their own pieces of blue to see how they can be fitted together and try mosaics for themselves. (Fran Knight, Read Plus)

This book is beyond breathtaking. An abundance of concepts that most probably every single person has dealt with or is dealing with can be seen, heard and felt within the deep meanings of the words and the incredible visual images that reflect those meanings. There are concepts of solidarity, loneliness, uniqueness, longing, accumulation of sadness, the importance of contribution and the beauty of the sweet human connection and more.  (Judy Rachwani, Sydney teacher-librarian)

Illustrator Lorena Carrington has used “photography and digital montage techniques to form richly layered images” in all shades of blues. The striking endpapers, full of shattered pieces, will bring memories of intricate porcelain from the past. This beautiful new picture book by Sophie Masson, will leave the reader enthralled by the words, the intent behind the story and the stunning images. A very special read. (Kathryn Beilby, Read Plus)

Satin, the latest collaboration from author Sophie Masson and illustrator Lorena Carrington, is exactly what I expected from the duo – EXQUISITE. Masson’s perfectly chosen words are cleverly infused with layer upon layer of meaning, as are Carrington’s melancholy and moody illustrations…

One to treasure, this book is perfect for reading together or solo, for pondering, for digging into those deeper layers, on and off the page. And it’s not just for children – adults will enjoy this atmospheric fable too. (Monique Mulligan, author)

Satin by Sophie Masson, illustrated by Lorena Carrington and published by MidnightSun publishing is highly intriguing, meaningful, sophisticated and a remarkably unique picture book for upper primary school students. It is imbued with layers of meaning, symbolism and glorious use of colour, mostly blue, with colour being introduced later in the story, together with silhouettes, to represent and contrast dark and light, representing happy and sad, as well as reflect the protagonist’s personal journey. (Reading Opens Doors)

This is a rich and layered picture book, ideal for multiple reads and close examination of the illustrative details. There are many interpretations of the story, like all good fairy tales, but one enjoyable take is a reframing around what it means to feel ‘blue’. There are also worthy lines of discussion around how we define what makes us happy, why we create art (to share or for its own sake?), and the ways in which one person’s trash is another one’s treasure. (Lara Cain Gray, Charming Language)

Satin is one of those powerful, magical picture books that demands a re-read as soon as you reach the end. It calls you to go back and dive deeper into the story — to try to understand all its secrets. It’s one of those stories I believe readers can find their own truth in — pull out meanings and ideas that others won’t necessarily find. And the magic associated with this sends tingles down my spine. (Shaye Wardrop, Kids Book Review)

This is a sophisticated read for older, independent readers, each of whom will take something different from the story as they unpeel the layers of symbolism to find themes of aloneness and loneliness, longing and belonging, and the human need to connect with others yet remaining individual….Echoing Satin’s journey from the sombre tones of being a solitary soul to one who is more complete, are the illustrations, primarily blue, but which contrast dark and light in colour as in mood.  As Satin emerges from the dark forest of his daytime home to wander the town bathed in bright moonlight, so is the hint that this is where he knows he will find that missing piece of himself … this is the perfect marriage of text and graphics. (Barbara Braxton, The Bottom Shelf)

A picture book that will take readers of all ages on a mystical journey of love and connection. Early each morning, Satin ventures out to collect all kinds of blue for his beautiful creation. But there is something missing. Who is Satin? Is he that human figure seen in the mist or the bird that accompanies him? This book is truly a marvel; a layer of meaning revealed each time it is read. The illustrations, a combination of photography and collage, are a beautiful reflection of the text with lovers of mosaic and willow pattern in for a treat. (Heather Zubek, The West Australian)

Bird’s Eye View(illustrated by Lorena Carrington)

Sophie and Lorena have worked together on several projects, and much like those, Bird’s Eye View is exquisite. It has pulled words and images together in a wonderful way that shows that there is power in words and images, and the ways that they work together on the page to tell a story through prose and poetry, and I loved the way these two forms of storytelling appeared together, and worked to evoke a sense of wonder in this little book that I think will be loved and well-received. I loved this book, and I think it is lovely. I read this in one sitting – it is easy to do so, because I felt like I melted into the poems and the book, and felt like I was swept away in delightful and magical ways. (Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse)

Bird’s Eye View is the most beautiful chapbook collection of bird themed Poetry and Prose. It was one of my favourite reads of the year. Masson has the most incredible way with words with playful rhyme, beautiful descriptive language and her stunning prose pieces were nothing short of magical.

These were teamed with beautiful illustrations by Lorena Carrington which breathed life into what I was reading. I had no idea I would fall in love with a bird themed poetry collection but here we are.

Absolutely gorgeous little book which captures all of Australia’s finest birds and the memories it triggers. Would recommend time and time again. (Spill the Tea Book Reviews on Instagram, July 2024)

Magical Tales from French Camelot(illustrated by Lorena Carrington)

Sophie’s retellings are lyrical and emotive, and as she explains in her rationale at the end of each tale, she chose the most powerful moments in each tale to retell, leaving off where she needed to, and at times, explaining the rest of the story and its context within the French canon as well as its relationship to the British stories. Doing this gave an extra layer to the book, and it is the same process Kate Forsyth uses for her Long Lost Fairytales collections as well. In giving readers a history of the tale and letting us know what they have done, Sophie, like Kate, invites us into her world and writing process…These stories bring part of the Arthurian legends and myth cycle to life for adult and young adult readers, and I loved reading them, loved feeling like I was part of the world that they came from, and loved the beautiful illustrations by Lorena, created with many different aspects digitally to tell the stories just as much as the words did. I find it hard to put her illustrations into words because I think they are the kind of illustrations you have to experience for yourself – they’re just that magical! (Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse, August 31, 2022)

Inside Story:

If you are thinking about writing and illustrating children’s books… or you are wanting to become involved in the publishing process… this is the book to read and devour! ‘Inside Story’ is a showcase of the richness and diversity of contemporary Australian children’s books, packed with tips, advice, illuminating quotes and anecdotes. Contributors includes writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents and reviewers from across Australia- an invaluable resource and reference book for aspiring writers, illustrators, editors and designers. This could inspire some brilliant careers in the world of children’s literature. (Paul Macdonald, The Children’s Bookshop)

Highly recommended. This engaging 2022 publication, Inside Story, is a celebration of contemporary children’s book writing in Australia. Written for aspiring writers and illustrators (or if the same person, referred to in the book as ‘authorstrator’), interested readers and the already established creative community, it covers a myriad of topics on all things children’s book related.  Throughout this wonderful reference book, contributions from authors such Australian Children’s Laureate 2020-2021 Ursula Dubosarsky giving her ‘three top tips for writing plays,’ and young non-fiction writer and illustrator Sami Bayly describing ‘how research influenced both her illustrations and her words’, ensure this book will provide something of interest for every reader.(Kathyrn Beliby, Read Plus, June 24 2022)

Four Up In Lights:
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Award-winning author of over 70 books, Sophie Masson has clearly had a lot of fun creating these four endearing characters, putting them in all sorts of trouble and helping them find their way out with plenty of chuckles and adventure along the way.
Cheryl Orsini’s fun illustrations bring the characters to life and capture both the tension and celebration of the story as it unfolds.
Perfect for young readers, aged 5–8, Maxie, Flash, Fergie, and Lady once again demonstrate the importance of friendship and the joy of adventure. With a hot-wheeling pace, Four Up in Lights will keep readers engaged and wanting to read the story in one sitting. (Kellie Nissen, Buzz Words, August 26 2022)

Sydney under Attack:
2022 marks the 80th anniversary of these attacks – which makes novels like this poignant and important. They remind us that everyone was touched by the war in some way – whether on the home front, on the battle fields, or through knowing someone affected by events far from where they lived, such as Mrs Stein being unable to help her family escape persecution in Europe. Sophie Masson not only touches on how Nick and his family are affected, but how Jewish people are affected, how people who have family stuck in other theatres of war were affected, and how assumptions about someone based on appearance can change when you get to know the person and understand them, and find out that they’re just a normal person, not a spy at all.
It is a well-crafted novel, taking a real-life event, and putting fictional figures into what would have been a scary and uncertain time for many people. (Ashleigh Meikle, The Book Muse, March 2, 2022)

A Hundred Words for Butterfly (audio book):

Like a flavoursome, aromatic Basque soup, this immersive tale leaves you wanting more. In part, this is due to the dialogue. It sounds authentic – as though you were eavesdropping on a friend’s conversation. And it is brought to life by Sarah Kennedy’s exquisite narration. But the real charm of Masson’s story are her engaging, relatable characters. (Claudia Barnett on GooglePlay)

Sophie Masson’s A Hundred Words for Butterfly is a wonderful listen. The relationship and tension between twins Helen and Alex felt very real, and the gently unfurling relationship between Helen and Tony was refreshing and so lovely. And of course the wonderful descriptions of the towns and countryside – and food! – made me feel an intense longing for the Basque Country...(Lorena Carrington on Kobo)

Print edition:

A suspenseful yet gentle and beguiling account of the fractured journey taken by two Australian sisters, present day pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Widely celebrated for her translations of French fairytales, Sophie Masson here immerses her readers in the realities as well as the wonders of the ancient pilgrim way. (Carmel Bird)

In theory, the 800km Camino Frances might be clearly mapped out, but Sophie Masson artfully delivers some unexpected, and compelling, twists and turns. (Nick Earls)

Sophie Masson’s A Hundred Words for Butterfly is an uplifting tale of unintended consequences–of the way enlightenment can arrive in the most unlikely circumstances and from directions we don’t anticipate. A story as luminous and graceful as the butterflies that Masson so skilfully conjures. (Wendy James)

Four All At Sea:

Illustrated short chapters, a fast-moving storyline and trim size, with themes of friendship and team spirit, this second book about the adventures of the talking cars will delight early readers and kids that find longer books overwhelming.  (Anastasia Gonis on Kids Book Review)

It’s far from smooth sailing for Flash, Lady, Fergie and Maxie as the four ‘wheelie’ good friends find themselves in all sorts of bother in their second adventure together….Bags of fun, mayhem and close scrapes are in store in this fast-moving and delightful early chapter book that will be a hit with children who love vehicles and adventures….The exciting storyline and fabulous illustrations will keep young children hooked and with seven short chapters it is the perfect book to read over the course of a week. (Matt Wilson in A Word About Books)

With themes of friendship, resilience, and teamwork, a fast-paced story, and fabulously expressive illustrations, young readers will delight in the adventures of these talking vehicle friends. (Lisa Hoad on Reading Time)

The Ghost Squad:

This is a dynamic and exciting thriller with smart, relatable characters, similar to Sean Williams’s ‘Twinmaker’ series. It’s intense, but without profanity and virtually no violence. Though the death/afterlife aspects of the story are important, its core is about trust, loyalty and the courage to do what is right—even at a personal cost. Although it’s not quite as dark, The Ghost Squad should appeal to fans of Stranger Things and readers of John Marsden’s ‘Tomorrow’ books. (Advance review by Stefen Bazulaitis in Books+Publishing, Dec 9 2020)

Filled with secrecy and cover-ups, and with characters who have  varying degrees of trustworthiness throughout the novel, to the point where you don’t know who you can trust other than Polly, Kel and Swan. These relatable characters who are human and flawed drive the narrative, and invite us into their world. It is up to Polly and Swan to find out how to prevent the clandestine factions from controlling people more than they should, and how they go about it and returning to their lives as best they can is told with great gusto and flair, as their world starts to change forever. A great young adult read for teens aged 14 and over. (from review by Ashleigh Meikle in The Book Muse, Feb 8 2021).

This book was full of twists and turns, conspiracies, relationships, secrets, danger and action. I really couldn’t foretell anything that was going to happen and it wasn’t always clear who to trust or who to believe. There were plenty of people and factions to be wary of along the way and there were some unexpected allies too. I recommend this if you are looking for something engaging and different. (from review by Claire Holderness in Claire’s Reads and Reviews, Feb 8, 2021)


French Fairy Tales:
In a seductive combination of translation and personal retelling, Sophie Masson presents five fairy tales, which are dramatically illustrated by Lorena Carrington. Children will delight in the publication and adults will be enthralled by the familiar and unfamiliar narratives, startling images, historical notes, and the personal comments. The whole book comes from deep within the hearts of both creators. Much of Masson’s life was spent in France and hr sensibility and imagination are steeped in French culture and literature. Readers can perhaps imagine the joy involved in her work on this book. Carrington has developed a photographic technique of illustration that is perfect for the strangeness and enchantment of the tales. (Carmel Bird in The Weekend Australian Review, January 9, 2021)

Four on the Run:

This is a perfect read aloud for Junior Primary students as it is short and will appeal to children who could easily imagine that vehicles may be able to talk. Those younger readers who are progressing to independently reading novels will find the larger text and repetition of key words an asset to reading fluently. The clever illustrations by Cheryl Orsini provide extra interest and support to the reader. (Kathyrn Beilby, Read Plus, Sept 24 2020)

Cheryl Orsini’s delicate pen illustrations depict the cars in their prime and through their challenges. The dialogue between the cars is humorous and entertaining. This is a perfect chapter book for younger readers. (Anastasia Gonis, Kids’ Book Review, Oct 21 2020)

This is a charming story about four friends on an adventure to find a safe place to live. Their future looks much brighter by the end of the tale. Masson’s solution to their problem is both satisfying and exciting. Orsini’s artwork is fun, and as it’s all black and white with plenty of space, it could be even be used for colouring-in. (Wendy Noble, Good Reading Magazine, March 2021).

Desperate times call for desperate measures and these four plucky and spirited wheeled friends are determined to do whatever needs to be done…..Sophie Masson’s funny, charming and original adventure story about four friends who just happen to have wheels is a great early chapter book….The story races through its seven chapters and features black and white illustrations from Cheryl Orsini. With lots of excitement, a little bit of peril and bags of friendship and heart, Four on the Run will be a hit with vehicle loving children. (Matt Wilson, in A Word About Books, November 2021)


The Snowman’s Wish
With The Snowman’s Wish, Sophie Masson and Ronak Taher have crafted a soft tale about the passage of time and the beauty in the world. Mr Snowman, a kindly soul existing happily in an ever-shifting natural environment, welcomes everything around him. In this (slightly Eurocentric-looking) landscape, while children swirl and play around him, Mr Snowman radiates joy, celebrating his surroundings in a chronicle of sensory experience: the colours of the night; the feel of the wind, ‘soft as a whisper’; the smell of nectar and warm earth. Inevitably, of course, spring comes and the snowman, in a quiet depiction of the impermanence of everything, melts away. Reassuringly though, a remarkable flower grows in his place, and the children recognise it as the essence of their dear snowman. Taher’s illustrations—watercolour in texture, with shapes reminiscent of collage—are an ideal complement to Masson’s careful story of enjoying what is around us and knowing that things will always change. This is a lovely book for young readers aged 3–7 and can be read either at narrative face value or as a way of discussing both the senses and the notion of death. (Anica Boulanger-Mashberg, Books+Publishing, May 13 2020)



On My Way
 
On My Way tells one little boy’s extraordinary story as he relates it, using richly imaginative, yet simple verse, to his amused mother. As the child recounts these fantastical sights, his mother listens whilst busily tending to their vegetable garden and assures him that these visions are nothing out of the ordinary. The entertaining tale comes to an end with a fabulous little twist, that certainly challenges the possible assumptions made by any adult readers whilst sharing this picture book. Young readers, no doubt, will pick up on the visual clues in Simon Howe’s exceptional illustrations. His full-spread woodland illustrations are steeped in the kind of magical mythology young readers will adore, with a troll, a dragon, a witch, and a ghost all making an appearance alongside the whimsical animals and beautifully painted nature scenes. Each colourful illustration is bathed in a richly organic, olive-green light, as if the story is unfolding beneath a dense forest canopy, deep within a woodland grove where faery folk might dwell.
On My Way will delight young readers (three years and above). It is a perfect choice for a magical bedtime story whilst its basic rhyming pattern, rich visual language, and themes of outdoor explorations in nature make this a great title to share in an early-years setting. (Reading Time, June 2019)

This twist at the end turns the telling upside down, and all readers will want the story read again, or turn to the first page to read for themselves, to see how the twist is revealed through the story. Sumptuous digital illustrations will see readers looking more closely at what is included on each page, encouraging the eyes to range over the pages as they read, while the text encourages prediction and reading along with the adult as the story is read out loud. (ReadPlus, July 2019)

A short, charming picture book for the very early childhood years, On my Way encourages children to enjoy rhythm and rhyme and to use scale when interpreting images. (Magpies Magazine, May 2019)
 
War and Resistance

Highly recommended for readers aged 13+…Sophie Masson has created a wonderful story weaving the circumstances of the young girl, Sasha and her family, with the German boy, Dieter, at a time when the world was about to explode again into war……Bravery, spies, lies and the Resistance movement are all entwined in this interesting and compelling human story in a time of war. (Read Plus, April 16, 2019)

A fantastic middle grade novel with themes of family, friendship and trust in a war time setting (Lamont Books)

In this book by an exceptional author, I was thrilled to meet the familiar characters from Australia’s Great War 1914 only now they were grownups with their children. The main character of the story set in WWII, Sasha seems to inherit the best traits from her parents for which I loved them—bravery and readiness to sacrifice their lives for a good cause.The author introduces us also to a person with the opposite upbringing and ideas—a youth, Dieter who goes a long and painful way to find his bearings in the confusion of the Nazi propaganda and war. It is with these two protagonists Sophie Masson weaves a suspenseful and compelling tale about how war makes people take sides and find the courage to resist the then seemingly unbreakable evil power.
I was fully involved in the lives of the characters, and I was especially pleased with the satisfying ending of the story and the lessons it carried. Packed with factual information, this is historical fiction at its finest. With its great writing style and accurate picture of that dramatic period in history, it’s a must read for the younger generation of today. Like other books of this author, I loved this one and highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and WWII in particular.
(Marina Osipova, historical fiction author, review on Goodreads and Amazon)

Black Wings
Black Wings is an engrossing account of a little known aspect of the French Revolution, the uprising in the Vendee which saw peasants and priests and artisans and aristocrats fighting together against the terror of the new republic. Bursting with drama, tension and surprise, ‘Black Wings’ vividly brings to life the turmoil of the times through the conflicting lives and loves of four young people whose lives are forever changed by war and insurrection.(Kate Forsyth)

I loved the way Sophie Masson entered so fully into the lives of her protagonists caught up in one of the least known aspects of the French Revolution, the Vendee uprising and subsequent genocide. From an intimate knowledge of the French countryside and culture and from painstaking research over many years, Sophie takes us into a world where family and national loyalties are put under immense strain. where the old order is falling apart and the new order turns from exhilarating to terrifying in an instant. For anyone who has only a vague, school textbook knowledge of the French Revolution, this novel will plunge you into the thick of the action while always remaining completely focussed on the human consequences of these great historical events. Highly recommended! (Amazon.co.uk reader review)


See Monkey:
This story captures the essence of toddlerhood. From the moment eyes open antics ensue with toddler and his favourite toy Monkey playing, eating, dancing, and mischief making their way throughout the day. All before heading back to the comfort of bed before beginning their adventures together again tomorrow.
I can definitely relate to the chaos of toddler and Monkey’s day. Having boys of my own I understand the pandemonium which surrounds their days as they investigate, play, learn and explore their world.
The illustrations are bright and representative of childhood; whether that is the fun and adventures of the children, or the busy and sometimes chaotic perspective of the parents, siblings and neighbours. (Reading Time, August 9, 2018)


​Sophie Masson brilliantly targets the toddler market with her short, sharp sentences and witty ‘monkey tricks’ – absolutely reflective of the typical cheeky toddler / monkey behaviours. Kathy Creamer befittingly brings her characters to life with superb colour, high action and the liveliest of expressions.
See Monkey is a spirited blend of childhood freedom, pushing the boundaries and simply having some imaginative fun, with the gentlest of guidance and restraint to acknowledge the consequences of boisterous actions. Plenty of excitement and laughter for children from age two. (Just Write for Kids, July 2018)


What a day! Follow Toddler and his favourite toy through their busy day and all the fun adventures and mischief they get up to. Parents with toddlers will relate to some of these amusing situations of these energetic adventures and after-fun clean-ups.
See Monkey is a children’s picture book for children of ages 3 – 7 years. The themes are universal, and it is a good read for families with babies and young children. The lively and colourful illustrations will capture the minds of a young audience. (Buzz Words, July 2018)

Being a boy’s favourite toy is dangerous, exciting work. From the moment the boy opens his eyes, Monkey is jumping, diving(into dad’s breakfast) dancing(and swinging on the clothesline(after a bath)….At the end of the day, the two exhausted friends cuddle up in bed. Playful and fun illustrations capture the special bond between Monkey and his boy. Ages 2-6.  4 stars (Funday, Sunday Telegraph, August 12 2018).


Building Site Zoo:
Each machine and animal are represented in rhyming stanzas, encouraging children to predict the rhyming word at the end of each doublet, and learning the line to repeat with the reader. Pleasing bright illustrations will attract the younger readers and the whole encourages a creative and imaginative look at a building site. ​(Read Plus, November 1, 2017)

Building Site Zoo encourages children to look at an object and then imagine what else it looks like. In this case, vehicles that help on a building site. A bull’s charge is compared to a bulldozer, a kangaroo’s bouncing up and down to a pneumatic drill (jackhammer), a hippo’s round stomach to a concrete mixer and so on. The end line encourages children to liken objects to animals on their walk to kindy or school, too. Children 4-6 years old will enjoy the story and teachers could also use with middle school children to develop language and imagination. For example, could build on children’s imagination of objects looking like animals and use it in a haiku, or to encourage children to use similes and metaphors in their fictional stories. (Children’s Books, NZ)
​

Two Rainbows:
Two Rainbows is an exploration of colour that works by juxtaposing how it appears in the city and then the country. A little girl finds highlights of colour in an often-grey city, whereas her farm and the wide expanses of countryside explode with luscious hues. This is a really lovely introduction to colour and also the differences of cities to rural environs. It invites children to explore both worlds with uncluttered and enticing pictures and text. Highly recommended for ages 2–5​. (Readings, July 2017)

Two Rainbows is a beautiful book showcasing a clever comparison of colours in the city and in the country. 
The pages are organised into paired double spreads. Each colour is shown as a spot of bright in an otherwise grey city scene with the alternating page celebrating the same colour in a simple monochromatic farm landscape. For example, yellow is a danger barrier in the grey city, while yellow is ducklings in a sun drenched, wheat field on the farm.
The narrator uses past tense for the farm scenes and present tense for the city, suggesting she has moved from the farm to the city and is fondly remembering the beauty of her country life while also finding small hints of colour in her new city life….This book would make a great springboard into colour exploration by inspiring young children to look for and identify colours in their environment. While older children could experiment with tints and shades of colours, creating their own monochromatic artworks. I found this book to be simply lovely.  It is calming, inspiring and just delightful.  ​(Kids Book Review, August 23, 2017)

Colour and rainbows are both recurring themes in children’s picture books. Luckily for us, Sophie Masson and Michael McMahon have found a way to explore these themes in a brilliantly simple and charming way. Colour is explored in both a city and a farm context, through the eyes of a girl who has moved to the city from the farm. This move means she’s experiencing the city with melancholy at first, but soon with a growing appreciation of the similarities between the places. The writing is clear and poetic, such as:
“On the farm, indigo was as velvet as a moth, and the star-spangled night sky.”
This kind of writing has a simple enough structure for children to understand and imitate, but beautiful enough that they will be inspired and moved. McMahon’s illustrations are filled with rich colours, clean lines and engaging detail. (Reading Time, October 18, 2017)

Spare, poetic text depicts the contrasts and connections between a young protagonist’s life in the country and in the city.
The young narrator, with a blank face, a black pageboy, and skin color that changes hue from spread to spread, spies a rainbow from the window of a house in the city. Recently moved from the country, the child misses the pastoral expanse that’s been left behind. Each color of the rainbow represents bright memories that contrast with the noisy, bustling, gray city: a red mailbox next to a laundromat vs. a shiny red tractor in a field; a tiny discarded orange peel vs. orange twine around fluffy hay bales at sunset; a torn green poster vs. vast green fields after a rain. But then the clouds at the beginning of the book return as violet storm clouds—the same clouds that lowered over the farm. Two rainbows symbolize two lives—each with its own spectrum of colors. Digital illustrations contrast these two environments effectively, juxtaposing tall, monochrome buildings that crowd out the gray sky against small elements of farm life that sit at the bottom of the spreads with the rest of the pages devoted to the vibrant, colorful sky. Sharp-eyed readers will notice other tiny instances of color in the city spreads.
A lovely city-country story that celebrates finding your place, and your color, in the world around you. (Kirkus Reviews, USA, March 2018)


Once Upon An ABC

Stunning in every way, this intelligent and superbly designed book of verse reflects the creators’ abilities. It stands apart from all other alphabet books you may have seen. Each letter represents a folk tale or fairytale from different parts of the world. This is an area in which Sophie Masson excels, and this gift of knowledge will encourage children to seek out and learn about the characters, their names, stories and origins. The exceptional layout on quality paper adds to the overall beauty. Christopher Nielson’s immersion in the text produces a refined combination of colour and expression. (Kids Book Review, August 27, 2017)

Such a wonderful concept and a brilliant way to celebrate traditional stories, fairy tales and folklore. The illustrations are stylish and suit the theme. Each letter rhyme is very smart indeed. In the middle primary school classroom, this book could be used as a model for children to create their own rhyme and idea around one letter of their choice. A joyous way to finish a unit on this very important topic. May the wonder of these timeless stories always be accessible to children of all ages. (Beth, Goodreads, June 2017)

The text rhymes with great cleverness and there isn’t a child who won’t enjoy  speaking it aloud with its parents and who will soon have it entirely by heart. The pictures are beautiful: strong and modern and printed in unusually subtle shades of every colour.  It’s a winner, this book and I do hope many reception teachers as well as parents will try and get hold of it. (Adele Geras, Awfully Big Adventure blog)

Oblique references to folk and fairy tale characters carry readers through the alphabet in this sprightly rhyming picture book…Textured with scratches and speckles and given a muted primary color scheme, Nielsen’s mixed-media images have a sturdy, posterlike presence…a clever, well-constructed collection of some beloved literary figures and types.(Publishers Weekly, US, July 24 2017)

Sophie Masson’s Once Upon an ABC is a stunning ode to folk and fairytales. For every letter of the alphabet is a character from stories past, ranging from the highly recognisable to the more obscure….Told in an engaging rhyme, this is an ABC with a difference – a collectible homage to legendary tales. Nielsen’s illustrations pop with primary colours and have a timeless, retro style. The endpapers are a typography-lovers’ delight. (Buzz Words, June 24)


Jack of Spades

​This thrilling book is just right for curling up on the lounge to read. It has so many twists, turns and unexpected surprises that it’s hard to keep up. It kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. I highly recommend that you put it on your next book list! (Four and a half starred review, Good Reading magazine, June 2017)
An entertaining spy story with a determined heroine at its centre…This is an interesting period of history and Sophie Masson has done her research well. (Magpies magazine, March 2017)
Rosalind Duke is just the kind of plucky heroine I love at the centre of my historical fiction. She’s happy to step outside the social norms of her time and she keeps a cool head about her in thrilling circumstances. And there are plenty to be found in this fast-paced adventure.
Sophie Masson is a champion at weaving intrigue and adventure with strong, memorable characters and a touch of romance. (Kids’ Book Review, April 19, 2017)


Hunter’s Moon(RHA 2015)
Hunter’s Moon has all the appeal of romance, action, magic and a fabulous frock or two which has been brilliantly constructed to not overwhelm or confuse readers in the early teens. (Jacquelyn Muller, Buzz Words July 28 2015)

Masson keeps the excitement going until the end. Teenage readers will love the romance. (Stella Lees, Reading Time, May 29, 2015)

In this lunarscape of disguise, dreams, revenge, curses and mirrors, we remember a lesson from Shakespeare: that things are not always what they seem. Surprises ride on the narrative device of giving readers a head-start in dramatic irony. We suspect that something is wrong, ahead of the protagonist, for whom romance weaves its own self-deception. (Louisa John-Krol, Victorian Fairy Tale Ring, July 2015)

Trinity: The Koldun Code(Momentum 2014)

The Koldun Code has all the elements of the very best romantic thrillers : an utterly gripping, suspenseful plot that’s complex without being too complicated, a highly atmospheric setting, and a cast of memorable characters – a hero and heroine who you come to care about deeply, villains who surprise. What makes this novel even more extraordinary is the Russian setting and the clever blend of history, legend and mythology. And then there are the hints of the supernatural that give the narrative a darker edge – and kept this reader’s heart pounding most pleasurably!

One of the things I really admire about The Koldun Code is that – as with all of Masson’s writing – it’s accessible and enjoyable to all: teenagers and adults of every age will love this book. I can think of only a few writers who have this knack – the great Mary Stewart, Tolkien, and our own wonderful Ruth Park – but Masson has it in spades. Bring on Trinity Part Two! (Wendy James, on Amazon)

This new page-turner from well-known Australian writer, Sophie Masson, is a departure from her recent novels for children and teenagers which are usually set in France and/or Australia. This is her first novel for adults in quite a while, and it is set in Russia in the present, a country caught in the grip of its painful transition from communism to capitalism, bringing greed, ambition, corruption, and ruthless battles for power in its wake. But this story also invokes the Russia of the past, with its turbulent history and its rich tradition of magic and fantasy, with all of these elements combined in this explosive new mystery / romance from a master story-teller.
A combination of fantasy, magic, romance and crime, this mystery will keep you guessing until the entirely unexpected conclusion – of this part of the story at least!  (Felicity Pulman, on GoodReads)

The Crystal Heart(Random House Australia 2014) Notable Book, Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards, 2015, Shortlisted for Davitt Awards, 2015. 
What a great book. From the first page I was totally engrossed. I loved the two main characters and their world. I was sorry when the book finished and easily could have read on for another couple of hundred pages. (Jody, Goodreads)

This is a very lovely story with appealing protagonists. Like all the best fairy tales, there is a great love story, and great hardship for the lovers…Middle to upper secondary students will enjoy this book, and there is enough fighting and adventuring to engage boys as well as girls. Recommended for high school and public libraries. (Rebecca Kemble, Magpies magazine, Sept 2014)
 
1914(in Australia’s Great War series, published by Scholastic 2014 ):
Sophie Masson’s version of 1914 takes up the story of two brothers, Louis (16) and Thomas (19) who happen to be living with their diplomat-career parents in Vienna at the time of the assassination of the heir to the Austrian throne.  Both brothers are smart, interested in the world, and ambitious to write.  They are ideal young characters to witness these events and help the reader make sense of them as both history and as part of the maelstrom of contemporary events around the boys.  It is a challenge to explain simply and dramatically to young readers why such a major war erupted, and Masson does a mighty good job of it.  The novel follows the first year of the war as Germany won many battles against the general expectation that they would quickly succumb to the forces of the Entente Allies.  Instead, by the end of 1914 both sides had entrenched themselves behind barbed wire, artillery and machine guns.  While Louis takes up a role as a reporter, Thomas enlists as a soldier.  This gives the novel an opportunity to allow us to see a range of battles, the deteriorating situation, and sometimes to glimpse how the war might be experienced from the other side.  Sophie Masson does not fail to make it clear to the reader the effects of young lives lost, of injuries that maimed people for life, and of the emergence of trench warfare.  Interestingly, we learn of the intricacies of Allied attempts (especially British) to control the news that came from the front line.  Like all wars, this one was fought hard across the territory of propaganda as much as it was fought in the mud and trenches.  This is a superb novel, managing to be sensitive and exciting as a narrative, while also being respectful of the larger history it is touching upon. (Kevin Brophy, Reading Time online, August 2014)

An in-depth and human depiction of the friendships that are affected by the atrocities of war. An exceptional read for Years 7 and up. This book also includes some historical notes to explain the chronological order of the events that took place. (Donna Clark, Bug in a Book)

Sophie Masson has written a fascinating account of that first year of war, when the deaths of Ferdinand and Sophie triggered an event so shocking, it was known as ‘The Great War.’ What follows as seen through the eyes of Louis will have readers from upper primary to middle secondary glued to the pages as Masson includes a huge amount of detail so carefully entwined that it is only at the end the reader realises how much they have absorbed. ..This is a thrilling read. (Fran Knight, Magpies magazine, Sept 2014)

Emilio (Allen and Unwin, 2014)
Emilio is a dark and suspenseful novel..Sophie Masson’s writing is engaging as always; the drama is intense and the suspense is sustained right through to the end. The characters are well-drawn and believable..Emilio deals with a heavy topic in a way that is sensitive and serious. (Jane Smith, Magpies magazine, July 2014)

Scarlet in the Snow is a beautiful, engrossing fantasy for teen and adult readers. Readers will recognise this as a retelling of the fairy tale most commonly called Beauty and the Beast, but should not expect that this means they will know what happens, as Masson has truly made the story her own, blending fantasy and intrigue in a wonderful tale of adventure and romance.
The exquisite cover is a good indication of the quality of the take within. (Sally Murphy, Aussie Reviews, Sept 9, 2013)

In Scarlet in the Snow, Sophie Masson presents a new styling of the old Beauty and the Beast traditional tale (La Belle et la Bête), first published in 1740 and gives it a new and engaging twist that will be sure to captivate the  girls looking for something with  rather more substance than the general pulp fiction in the romance genre.
Carefully employing many of the original elements of the story – a once rich family reduced to poverty,  the enchanted forest, a mysterious mansion occupied by an apparently invisible owner, tables laden with magical food, and most importantly a beautiful rose plucked innocently without any malice – Masson weaves a complex but beautiful rendering of the story breathing real life into the characters and their circumstances.
Tragedy, revenge, intrigue and love triumphant are crafted into an unravelling of the story in which Masson has combined selected motifs of the many hundreds of versions of the original tale.
Taking her setting from Russia and drawing most heavily on the version retold in that country, the author has created highly believable and very human characters in Natasha, Ivan and even Old Bony.  There is a definite tone of steampunk in the later settings/incidents in the book which this reader found highly engaging.
With teaching notes available from the publisher this would make a terrific book for lower secondary students engaged in shared reading or book groups. (Sue Warren, Qld Teacher-Librarian networks)

Inspired by the story of Beauty and the Beast, Sophie Masson’s magnificent new novel Scarlet in the Snow is a magical, emotive tale of love, enchantment, tragedy and sacrifice, and betrayal. She has created an outstanding heroine in Natasha who leads a cast of spellbinding characters in an equally spellbinding story. It’s a mystery adventure involving hearts as cold as the frozen environment in which the story is set, and simultaneously, a romantic tale as warm as the emotion that compels the rational Natasha to embark on a hero’s journey. Heroism, strength of character, and determination, are the weapons she carries with her; the arrows that will point to answers with the power to release her love from an eternal diabolic enslavement. Scarlet in the Snow is a multi-layered novel with its shape-shifting, ancient witches and spells, challenges and resolutions. It has every element a reader looks for in a well-crafted and perfectly presented novel of great imagination. Brilliantly told in poetic prose, this novel won’t be put down till the last word is read. ( Anastasia Gonis, Freelance Writer, Reviewer and Interviewer.)

The accompanying blurb relates that this story has been ‘inspired by two beautiful Russian fairytales – The Scarlet Flower (the Russian version of Beauty and the Beast) and Fenist the Falcon’ and while it starts with the traditional themes that I was very familiar with, by the end of the tale, I was astounded about where the story led. It is beautifully told in rich, complex language and lovers of the fairy tale retold genre, as I am, will happily read the story of Natasha and her Beast.
Natasha is a combination of an intelligent, strong personality, overlaid with a goodness that I sometimes found a little difficult to take. However she is an intrepid adventurer, seeking the truth about the Beast, researching old newspapers and travelling to distant lands hoping for an answer that will break the spell that enchants the Beast. Natasha overcame many obstacles to true love, some of which were strange and quite compelling.
Masson has been able to bring alive aspects of the fairy tale setting and her descriptions of Natasha’s stay with the witch of the forest was really vivid and memorable as were the sleigh rides and the Beast’s mansion.
This is an enjoyable addition to a growing genre of retellings of fairy tales.
Pat Pledger, http://www.readplus.com.au

I just loved this retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, told with flair, dash, and panache, by one of my favourite Australian women writers (yay! Another AWW2013!) Sophie Masson has really found her niche with these books (‘Scarlet in the Snow’ is set in the same alternative-world Prague as Sophie’s previous novel, ‘Moonlight & Ashes’, which was one of my BEST BOOKS READ IN 2012.) This is YA fantasy at its best – filled with magic, adventure and just a touch of romance. Loved it! (Kate Forsyth)


Moonlight and Ashes

This part-historical novel, part fantasy and part-fairytale retelling (Moonlight and Ashes) is a strong display of the author’s talents, both in the writing and the characters she has created. Max and Selena are only two of the many characters that continually surprise. Threaded throughout is the familiar tale of Cinderella, but given that the characters of this retelling have so much free will and determination, it will come as no surprise that they have steered this novel to a different place entirely. With a rich historical backdrop, this book has plenty of contemporary relevance, particularly the role of strong women throughout–women who know and use their minds, who aren’t afraid to say no and who don’t mind getting their hands dirty. In Moonlight and Ashes, Sophie Masson has taken a tale that is familiar to us all, stripped it bare of its lace and frivolity and turned the skeleton into something strong, rich, and full of life. (Bec Kavanagh, Viewpoint magazine, Summer 2012 issue.)


The retelling of fairy tales is a favourite genre of mine and I found that this beautiful version of the old Cinderella tale was very difficult to put down. Selena is a strong heroine who doesn’t wait for a fairy godmother to wave her magic wand. Instead she uses her own magic and determination to find a dress for the ball where she meets the handsome Prince (whose actions are not as handsome as his face) and his friend Max. Through her skill and determination she sets out to rescue herself and her friends when they are thrown into the Mancer’s dungeons. She must use her magic and her intellect to help the kingdom and save the Emperor when an evil plot that a section of the Mancers, who control all magic in the kingdom, is uncovered. Masson’s vivid description of the Moon Sister magic and the idea of a hazel twig as a magical tool are quite compelling.
Young girls in particular will love the story of a young woman who is prepared to leave the man she loves in order to fulfil her destiny and who is always compassionate and caring for the people around her.
A compelling story with plot twists and a feisty heroine, Moonlight and ashes will appeal to readers who like adventure, romance and an action packed plot. (Pat Pledger, ReadPlus blog)

Moonlight and Ashes is a brilliant retelling of the Cinderella story, though it is as unexpected as it is beautiful. There is not a fairy godmother or a pumpkin in sight. Instead, Selena is a strong young woman who draws on her own resourcefulness, and the strength of her new friends, together with her newly discovered gifts, to grasp her destiny. There is magic in this book – it captivates and keeps the pages turning. (Sally Murphy, AussieReviews blog)

This fabulous tale, inspired by the Grimm fairytale Ashputtel, will capture young romantics’ hearts. Like Cinderella, Selena is treated as a scullery maid when her cruel stepmother takes charge of the household. But Selena has a dangerous secret. Like her mother, she is a “forbidden” moon sister, capable of powerful magic — if only she knew how to tap it. Werewolves, witches and princes provide ingredients for this fairytale, while a cunning heroine in Selena make this a great story for girls.
Verdict: spellbinding (Clare Kennedy, Herald-Sun, Melbourne July 28, on Moonlight and Ashes)

Fabulous, I loved it, couldn’t put it down. Feisty main character who does a lot more for herself than normal. Great interpretation of what magic actually is.(Sarah Cox Mayor, Goodreads, also on ABC radio, on Moonlight and Ashes)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Moonlight and Ashes largely due to the fact that this novel was enriched by many convincing and believable characters. Masson was able to successfully develop these throughout her story and I thoroughly enjoyed exploring their personalities who were often shaped by past experiences. These believable characters convincingly held the magical and mystical plot together to make this book both intriguing and exciting. In particular I loved the way the main character Selena perfectly matured throughout the novel into the true epitome of Cinderella. I also admired her streak of extreme impulse and eagerness to escape the past and discover her role as a moon sister. At the end of the novel she was ultimately able to take charge of her own destiny and help other characters discover theirs along the way. (Emily Barker, Inside a Dog blog)


Ned Kelly’s Secret

Sophie Masson’s latest historical tale, Ned Kelly’s Secret, is a remarkable blend of fact and fiction: a tale which readily transports readers to the era of our history when the legends of bushrangers were born…The authentic descriptions of both the settings and historical figures are credible and engaging, while the dilemmas of truth and loyalty are thought-provoking. The appeal of the legend blended with adventure and mystery will engage Upper Primary and Lower Secondary readers and is a must-read companion to Masson’s The Hunt for Ned Kelly. (Allison Patterson, Magpies, July 2012 issue)

The author has created a fantastic character in Hugo Mars. He is keen to help his father’s research and is encouraged by Mr Mars to make up his own mind  about  situations and people rather than follow others. He also longs to strike out on  his own and does so occasionally, yet is reasonably cautious, not foolhardy.   Masson manages to make the reader see the unfolding drama through the eyes and perspective of Hugo. The scene where he meets Harry Power and is torn between admiration and dislike is particularly powerful in this respect. The writing is evocative. In the wonderfully tense bail-up scene, Hugo describes the kookaburra’s sound as the “long drawn-out cackle of a witch mocking our pitiful plight.” The bush, small country towns and the city of  Melbourne in 1875 are well drawn and full of life.It is well researched and holds the excitement, suspense and drama of a great bushranging tale. Ned Kelly is not painted as evil, nor particularly good, and  the openness of right and wrong works really well in this telling of Ned’s boyhood years.  This book would suit boys or girls from the age of twelve,  and I think boys in particular will connect with the brave and  adventurous Hugo  Mars.   This is a thoroughly enjoyable, exciting and informative story  about an era of Australian history. (Jenny Heslop, Buzz Words magazine, August 16 2012)

Life, Literature, Legends

Masson’s take on “what you know” is to write with emotional heart, while everything is processed through a bristling imagination, one in which mythology and the occult sprint alongside the modern masquerade of rationality. Masson’s presence is striking, her voice clear as a bell and the self-disclosures are rewarding if double-edged…This collection has more structure than most, carved as it is into three neat organising divisions of Life, Literature and Legends. Masson never strays too far from her upbringing, love of reading, experience as a writer and her deeply entrenched fascination with fantasy, giving the work a resonance and connectivity that is sustained even though these pieces were composed across a 15-year period. ..
Whether it is an ode to libraries, a critique of Andrei Makine’s Human Love, a “long literary mind-travel” in Russia where she spied”Chekhov’s doomed families sitting at shabby tables”, a defence of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, a cool swipe at behind-the-scenes shenanigans at writers festivals, a reflection on the fatherless heroes of the Arthurian legends or how aliens are the new angels, Masson’s thoughts are opinionated, wry, erudite, amusing, nostalgic and, yes, from time to time overly peppered with fantasy and flamboyant metaphor. They are nonetheless intriguing.
Masson thrives on “following her imaginative nose” and looking “beyond the obvious” and her gift is in making the ordinary gleam and the well worn glimmer.
Any complaints echoing down the years about the fusty, over-polemical, fussily ephemeral, hollow and self-aggrandising essay are washed away with the reading of this book.’ (Gillian Wills, The Weekend Australian, June 9, 2012)

The Boggle Hunters

Masson cleverly weaves traditional beliefs about these creatures(boggles) into the modern fascination with computer games, and the result is an absorbing mystery.’ (Good Reading, April 2012).

The Hunt for Ned Kelly
Author Sophie Masson turns from her more familiar worlds of fantasy to historical fiction with The Hunt for Ned Kelly. Her picture of life in the Australian bush is well-researched and she expertly captures the energy and chaos of the gigantic manhunt. Bookish Jamie and feisty Ellen are both strong, engaging and distinctive characters. A recommended read for upper primary and above, particularly those with an interest in history, storytelling and the power of myth.(Australian Bookseller and Publisher, December/January 2009-10)

This is a skilfully written book—a mixture of fact and fiction in which the reader becomes increasingly involved with the lives of Jamie, Ellen and Ned Kelly. A fascinating book.
(Reading Time, May 2010.)

Masson has created a moving and exciting story, and it is easy to get involved in the story of Jamie and Ellen and how their lives intersect with the notorious bushranger. The re-creation of the town of Beechworth during the 1870’s feels authentic, and both characters are likeable and resilient. (Viewpoint, Winter 2010.)
 
The Phar Lap Mystery
What’s good about the Phar Lap novel is that young readers aged 10-plus don’t necessarily have to be horsey fans to enjoy it; the book introduces the novice to various equine terms such as the role of bookmakers and includes interesting facts…Masson has used original newspaper articles and interviews as sources and kept the names of key figures, which give the novel an air of authenticity about it even though the whodunnit aspect is obviously fictional. Set during the Depression years, the novel reflects the straitened times well, and relationships between father and daughter and their circle of friends and family are also beautifully depicted.’ (Australian Bookseller and Publisher, September 2010.)

This is a delightful mix of adventure, mystery and historical fiction. Masson brings to life both the landscape of France and the era of the Great War. (Good Reading Magazine on My Father’s War, April 2011.)

Annie is a strong, resourceful character with a distinctive voice…This is a recommended read for those in upper primary and lower secondary wanting to understand something of the Anzac experience…’ (Australian Bookseller and Publisher on My Father’s War).

The Understudy’s Revenge

The Understudy’s Revenge is an exciting book of historical fiction for middle school readers. Millie Osborne is an errand girl for King’s company, the famous troupe of actors who, beset by tragedy and misfortune, have decided to put on a spectacular performance of Hamlet to announce their comeback. When Oliver Parry shows up to audition, Millie is intrigued by him and, driven by her desire to become a writer like the famous Charles Dickens, befriends him, hoping to find out more about his travels and mysterious life. But Oliver has many secrets, and there is more to his arrival than he lets on. Millie and her friend Seth suspect a devious plot, drawing parallels between Oliver’s appearance and the story of Hamlet, and set out to bring him to justice. The plot moves quickly, making this a great story for young readers new to the historical fiction genre. There is a touch of romance that connects the characters, but it is not the focus of the story, and is never sickening. The Understudy’s Revenge is a pacy, entertaining read that is perfect for girls who are bored or disinterested with fantasy, but who enjoy a richly imagined story that they can lose themselves in. (Australian Bookseller and Publisher, Jan/Feb 2011)

Snow, Fire, Sword
 Like all of Sophie Masson’s work, Snow, Fire, Sword, has a real storytelling intelligence directing it, and a true and vivid sense of what makes a fascinating narrative. And what I like especially is that it isn’t the usual fairytale setting but something quite original. (Philip Pullman)

Sophie Masson combines her unique gifts of marvelous storytelling, high drama, and poetic intensity(Lloyd Alexander on Snow, Fire, Sword)

Other reviews
The Secret Army is a striking new departure from one of Australia’s most original authors—a compelling, fantastical boy’s own adventure, a blend of X-Men and Indiana Jones, a graphic novel that works on many levels. As we have come to expect from Sophie Masson, it’s multi-layered, blending history, literature, fantasy and even sporting heroes(Anthony Horowitz on The Secret Army: Operation Loki)

Styled like an Agatha Christie story, The Case of the Diamond Shadow is a twisting-turning-twisting mystery, with plenty of subtle humour. Recommended for 12+ readers. (Aussiereviews.com)

There is a beauty and poetry about the style of this novel, In Hollow Lands, and it is, at the same time, wonderfully visual; I kept imagining an Arthur Rackham painting. The Forest of Broceliande, where the wizard Merlin is supposed to have been locked in a tree, is almost a character in its own right. The cover shows a brooding face with owl eyes and beak over dark waters — beautifully done, as long as young readers don’t mistake this for a horror novel. In Hollow Lands is highly recommended(January Magazine)

The Thomas Trew stories (this is the fifth) are always evocative and exciting, but this is one of the most thrilling – Thomas is in the greatest peril, and the suspense is maintained right to the end. The loyalty and love of Pinch and Patch are tested to the utmost, and Thomas has to reconnect with his mother’s gift of song. Sophie Masson’s version of the Flying Huntsman is magnificent. (Write Away, UK, on Thomas Trew and the Flying Huntsman)