Just So Stories

Scholastic Australia

October 2023

ISBN: 9781338572339

RRP: $39.75

Imprint: ORCHARD BOOKS

We’ve had so much joy from Peter Reynolds over the years, and I think I can say, unequivocably that sharing The Dot and celebrating Dot Day has been one of the greatest joys in my teacher-librarian career. We especially loved the year we could do augmented reality on our activity sheets – the kids were beside themselves!

Now we have this absolutely delightful collaboration between Peter and his son, Henry. Well, of course, all we need is love – but there are some other things that are also handy and Little One has some superb ideas: the really soft pillow (and doesn’t everybody need that? actually some of us require several of these), walls, roof, water, chocolate (definitely!), a toilet, cooking pot, fruit and veggies, the list goes on.

And it’s true, we certainly aim for a simple life but there are things we do need, and others that make our lives a little more comfortable. When a huge storm comes and all of their ‘extras’ are blown away, Poppy and Little One are left with just each other.

And, you know, while that’s quite sad, they do still have LOVE and each other, and that really is the most important thing.

It’s wonderful! Bright and vibrant…and Poppy and Little one are just cute as buttons. Your Smalls are going to love this so much, and there will be much discussion around constructing lists of what we might ‘need’ as opposed to what we might ‘want’. Certainly, it will open up conversations around appreciation for what we have, and not taking things for granted.

Look out for this one and put it on your list – if your budget is already closed, make room for this for the start of the year. Highly recommended for readers from Prep upwards.