Stone Soup contributor Lena Aloise, 12, talks with Stone Soup contributor and winner of the Stone Soup Book Contest 2020 Tristan Hui, 14, about her novel The Other Realm, published on September 1st, 2021. The two also talk about the value of Stone Soup, the nature of inspiration, and the importance of writing as a means of exploring foreign concepts. If you’d prefer a more streamlined video, take a look at Tristan’s book page. 0:20 — How did you first get involved with Stone Soup 1:11 — When submitting to the magazine, would you say you prefer to submit writing, art, or both? 1:57 — What do you feel was the most important skill you learned from the Writing Workshop 2:40 — Where do you get your inspiration, more specifically for your novel The Other Realm? 4:22 — Is there a specific play or theater production from which you draw inspiration? 5:35 — Are characters such as Azalea Morroe inspired by people in your own life? 7:09 — Has writing always been a part of your life/how long have you been writing? 8:39 — Was The Other Realm the first novel/long form fiction piece you’d ever written? 9:28 — What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing The Other Realm? 11:31 — What advice would you give your past self in order to help yourself get through the hard parts? 12:41 — What was your favorite part about writing The Other Realm? 14:01 — Not including your revising processes, how long did it take you to write your novel from start to finish? 15:41 — What would you say is the primary thing you want readers to take away from The Other Realm? 16:48 — If you could tell somebody about Stone Soup, what would you say?
The Other Realm by Tristan Hui
Welcome to the Book Page for The Other Realm, a fantasy novel by Tristan Hui, age 14, winner of the 2020 Stone Soup Annual Book Contest, published on September 1, 2021 by Children’s Art Foundation–Stone Soup Inc. Awards & Listings 2021: The Other Realm was announced as a silver medalist for the Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards in the category of Best Book by Youth Author (under 18). Launched in 2007, the Moonbeam Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading. Press, Interviews, & Events Interview with Stone Soup contributor Lena Aloise, 12 In this shorter interview, Lena and Tristan talk about the value of Stone Soup & all things The Other Realm, from where Tristan got her inspiration to her writing process to what she wants readers to take away from the novel. For a longer, more personal look inside Tristan’s process writing The Other Realm, click here. Reviews Review by Ismini Vasiloglou, 12 Tristan Hui’s The Other Realm is a story of family and adventure sure to enthrall even the most hesitant reader. After falling into a dimension parallel to her world, Azalea Morroe sets off on a quest to save the job of her eccentric father. Along the way, she befriends Sunny, a 15-year-old native in search of her older brother, and Sam, a 10-year-old ghost desperate to flee the unrelenting Prileidian Desert. Together, they make their way towards the city of Cambelt, facing numerous challenges guaranteed to capture the reader’s attention. The Other Realm is a quick but enticing five-star read. The prose is beautiful, rich, and vivid. From the “graying aspens” to the “glaring sun,” I felt as if I were trekking through the sweltering desert myself. Tristan writes, “Azalea was crouched on the hard, dry ground of an expansive desert, the air hazy and landscape painted in muted hues.” Tristan seems to have carefully chosen each word, making the landscape spring to life. Additionally, the plot is fresh and easy to follow, but complex enough that the reader constantly wants more. The characters are well-rounded, dynamic, and relatable. While this book is action-packed, much internal conflict occurs, and we see the characters evolve from start to finish. I also love how Tristan explores family bonds. I’ve had many moments these past few years where I’ve taken a comment or critique from my family too personally and ended up hurt or ignored. Through characters like Sunny, Tristan shows that no matter what blows are exchanged, the love of family trumps all. Not only that, the protagonist, Azalea, demonstrates how far she is willing to go to help her family as she continues to persevere to save her father’s job, despite all the challenges thrown her way. I would have liked to see more growth in the main character, but overall Tristan Hui’s The Other Realm is a must-read for lovers of fantasy, adventure, and magical realism.
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Reviewed by Elliott, 10
How far would you go to save your family from starving while people are trying to kill you? That is the conflict facing a clever, sly and brave fox in the entertaining book Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. The main character, Mr. Fox, struggles to keep his family fed while three farmers named farmer Boggis, farmer Bunce, and farmer Bean are determined to kill him. Mr. Fox is outnumbered, but he is very clever and dedicated. Will it be enough to save his family and friends? Mr. Fox is a thief, but the three farmers that he steals from are described as mean and gross. The farmers have plenty of food, but they still won’t share with Mr. Fox. They want to shoot his head off. While the fox family and all their friends are starving and hiding underground, Boggis, Bunce and Bean are eating right above them. The author, Roald Dahl, creates a negative image about the farmers that makes the reader want to like Mr. Fox better than the farmers even though he is stealing from the three farmers. Farmer Boggis eats three chickens every meal time along with dumplings, making him really fat. The most disgusting of them all is Farmer Bunce, who is really short with a pot belly. He spreads mashed goose livers on donuts and eats them at every meal. Farmer Bean doesn’t eat, but he drinks a lot of apple cider. He is also mean. The reason that we think that they are all mean is that they are trying to kill Mr. Fox while starving him and his family and friends. Fantastic Mr. Fox is obviously a fictional story because the animals act like humans—they have tables, chairs, paintings and dining stuff in their den. Also, all the animals are friends, but in real life the foxes would have attacked the rabbits, badgers, moles and the weasels. I am also on the foxes’ and the other animals’ side because they are animals and they are struggling to feed themselves. Mr. Fox is stealing, but the law doesn’t apply to animals. By the time Mr. Fox and his family are starving, most readers would be on Mr. Fox’s side. The story makes me think about how far I would go to save my family from starving. In this case, Mr. Fox must succeed in outsmarting the farmers or he and his family will all perish. I highly recommend the book Fantastic Mr. Fox because it’s funny and it’s about the importance of never giving up hope. Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl & illustrated by Quentin Blake. Alfred A. Knopf, 1970. Buy the book here & support Stone Soup in the process!
