Just So Stories

Yaffler Press

October 2023

RRP: $19.99

Well, I was 45, and a grandmother of 2 when I got my first tattoo so I have taken great interest in the development and progress of this book from the very start. Tony’s sharing ideas and concepts for the artwork has been an ongoing pleasure, and I was eagerly anticipating the end product. I want to congratulate both Phillip and Tony on having faith in their own creation, and think that any publishers who expressed some doubts about the premise of this book, are living in the past. Clearly, they have not been in a school pick up zone for a very LONG time!!

So, this very excited child electrifies her class at Show and Share with the news that her grandma has been to Bali and got her first tattoo! Well, it would seem that everyone has an opinion on this. Her teacher thinks that Grandma’s tattoo can’t possibly surpass her own magnificent ink art, the other kids all have ideas – both relatively realistic and totally outrageous – on what the tattoo might be like. Even the principal, with her own arms and art bared at assembly, is very delighted to join in the conjecturing!

Now granddaughter is a little sorry she chose to share this bit of news, and even more surprised when everybody comes along to the airport to check out Grandma’s new tattoo. And certainly the subject of the skin art is nothing that was suggested by anyone – but it is decidedly special ♡.

The text is totally fun with its rhyme and bounce – and loads of humour, while Tony’s artwork, which is always sensational will have your readers relishing every page, and carefully examining the details. I absolutely love the way that Tony has inserted subtle references throughout the more explicit illustrations e.g. in a spread that is describing a sailing ship tattoo, the banner is held up at the corners by swallows, a favourite tattoo in times past (I remember my Uncle Ted, having one from his navy days). I particularly love the ‘ghosted’ tattoos in the spread of the school assembly.

I love it all. and I can’t wait to share this with many classes from Preps upwards, and I am already planning to follow it up with some ‘design your own tattoo’ artwork!! Can you still buy those washable ‘tattoo’ pens I wonder? they were always a hit in my library events! Also, I often give away temporary tattoos instead of stickers as I visit schools, so I had better order some more!

Thank you so much Tony and Phillip for this much fun within two covers!! It has it all – colourful, fun and very, very relevant! And I can’t conclude without thanking Tony for my own specially inscribed copy. By the way, if you don’t follow Tony on FB I would suggest you won’t be disappointed if you start to :-).

Highly recommended for your Smalls really from Prep upwards, as I think this is a book that will speak to your upper primary kids just as easily as with the smaller humans.

UPDATE: The day after I posted this review, I shared the book with 3 separate classes: 1/2, 3 and 5. They all loved it, at least 2/3 of each class had someone in their family with tattoos and some of those grandparents, and they all, even the youngest, completely understood the ending and could then relate to the title page illustrations. They also had great fun designing and colouring their own idea of a great tatt. It was loads of joy all round!