Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

August 2023

ISBN:9781761066160

Publisher:A&U Children’s

Imprint:A & U Children

RRP: $19.99

We know that little kids love wordplay (who doesn’t?), and this will be an ideal book to showcase the fun we can have with language. It will be a riotous read-aloud romp but also a completely comprehensive classroom curriculum companion….*grin*.

Take your kiddos on a happy tour of places that are really baaa-d for a potential sheep sleep space, and along the way explore the joy of literary devices like onomatapoeia, assonance, alliteration and rhyme. It will also be a great opportunity for them to practise their language detective skills with phonics/digraphs.

And aside from all that extremely useful literacy stuff, it’s just plain old-fashioned good fun to share. I am already planning how I can use it in a classroom setting, even on a relief day, with the wordplay and some follow-up art activities, because Jonathan’s illustrations are absolutely fantastic! So expressive (those eyes!!!), and they are just begging for some sheepish creativity (I’m thinking cotton wool, pipe cleaners and goggly eyes and a wall mural as a start!).

Arguably as it’s about sleeping, it could be used as a bedtime story but I think my own kids would have been far too excited and full of laughter to settle after this one, so I reckon I’d have to follow it up with something a bit more sedate as an encore.

I’m keen to try it out myself with a class of Smalls, so will definitely use it after the holidays. I am, at times, disappointed with new picture books I receive, but that’s not the case here. It’s an all-round winner for both it’s intrinsic appeal as a fun read but also it’s usefulness to slot into the English program.

Get yourself a copy without delay I say. Highly recommended for kiddos from toddlers upwards.