Just So Stories

Penguin Random House

February 2024

• ISBN: 9781761340437
• Imprint: Puffin
• RRP: $14.99

Make way, make way, for Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Mathilda Amalia Charlotte Adelaide Rose! Or, as readers will come to know her, Princess Tillie, newest character from one of our favourite authors, Belinda Murrell.

The first in a brand new series especially pitched at freshly independent readers, this has all the makings of a runaway success story. It has it all: less than perfect royals, plenty of pink, unicorns, flowers, dachshunds, lots of humour, excitement, and just the right amount of mischief.

When a mystery thief steals all the blooms from Queen Cordelia’s rose garden, it is a calamity indeed. The Summer Harvest Festival is imminent and the marvellous display of roses is always a special feature. Not only that, but the Queen is VERY fond of her rose garden. The royal peacocks are missing too (though not everybody is unhappy about that). The theft makes Tillie’s royal mum very angry and she promises that the scoundrel will be found and thrown into the dungeons.

Princess Tillie has no faith at all in the noisy guards set to watch the grounds. They would alert any thief so she puts together her best super sleuth outfit and kit, and determines to mount her own night watch. What a surprise when she finds a glorious but very hungry unicorn is the culprit!

Readers will thoroughly enjoy the action and the happy solution to the great rose robbery, as well as making connections with Tillie’s rambunctious little brother, Oskar, and being amused by her tinkering inventor dad, King Edwin.

We haven’t enjoyed a series for Littles from Belinda since Lulu Bell, so this is the perfect introduction to her writing for your younger readers, and gives the entrée to her other series, as well as growing into those for middle and upper readers.

The utterly charming illustrations from Rebecca Crane are the perfect accompaniment as they capture the expressions and emotions throughout. Well done to Belinda and Rebecca both on this sure-fire hit!

Highly recommended for readers from around Year 2 upwards.