Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

• ISBN: 9781460762974
• ISBN 10: 1460762975
• Imprint: HarperCollins AU
• RRP: $24.99

I could be mistaken, but I do think many of us would be familiar with these little darlings, at least by sight, even if not from personal experience. I think that kiddos would also know these guys from pictures and/or real life.

There would be some as well, particularly (I think in NSW) who would know them as potential pets. But it is probably fair to say that not so many of us know their quite distinctive characteristics, or their long-known ability to ‘forecast’ weather events. Jackie French, along with Danny Snell’s distinctive illustrations, brings this amazing nature fact to the attention of our young readers.

When Myrtle starts slowly trudging uphill, the rest of the animals take note. Water dragons, red-bellies, wombats, echidnas, wallabies, termites all follow suit, and even Farmer Finnegan knows to move her sheep. Jackie says:

Myrtle lives in what used to be the Bunyip Hole till it filled up … in the first post fire floods. But I don’t worry about floods because we have Myrtle, and other turtles too, so I know every time there is going to be a flood – including the one that ended the fires. I was holding my breath, hoping the fire could be kept back just for those ten more days. We made it by a day!

     I suppose I’m Farmer Finnegan, but not as good looking, even in the days when i was young and we had sheep here. All the other animals live here too.

Click here to see a video of the amazing Myrtle herself! (thanks so much Jackie! xx)

As the flood waters come, the animals are safe, and as the torrents recede, and Myrtle makes her way back down to lower ground and her home, all know it is safe to resume their normal activities.

It is astonishing, and, as yet, still unfathomable by humans, how Myrtle and her kind know to move to higher ground – usually ten days before the flood arrives. How? Who knows? but isn’t nature just amazing?!

I have a very fond memory of taking a walk in my neighbourhood, when I lived for a time in Hervey Bay, and thought there was a small rock ahead of me, on the footpath. It turned to be a doughty little example of this extraordinary species, doggedly making its way from the nearest waterway to, I assume, another. Being fearful of the many dogs, cats and birds in that vicinity, I took it upon myself to be its Uber ㋡.

This is another of Jackie’s delightful picture books, with the ever-evocative illustrations from Danny, which will completely entrance your little peeps. Not only will it make for a wonderful story time, but could easily lead to many investigations and inquiry around floods, nature’s weather predictors, and the balance of our ecology.

Another triumph for this pair of creators, and I highly recommend it to you for readers from 4 years upwards.

Eastern Long-necked Turtle