Just So Stories

Walker Books Australia

April 2024

ISBN13:9781760659240

Australia RRP:$19.99

New Zealand RRP:$24.99

I got the ARC of this a week or so ago (27/2 today) and, of course, binged it in one night because – well, it’s Kate and it’s just marvellous, as one would expect. I mean – have you ever read one of Kate’s books, and thought – meh, yeah it was OK. Pfffffffffft! Nor me!

And, in my case, everything is additionally coloured by the fact that Beverley, Right Here was the first novel that The Kid read cover to cover as her wiring finally switched on after so much hard graft on both our parts. And then, being able to hear and meet Kate on her visit to Brisbane a few years back was also pretty special. But, even without those, I’ve been a long-time fan for many years and so a new book always gives me a thrill.

This one, is probably one of the most magical. This is the story of a girl and her grandmother (how apt!) along with a benign, but sad, ghost, as well as an extremely quirky family. Emma Phineas Wilkey is known to one and all as Ferris because she was born underneath a ferris wheel. Yes, you did read that correctly. And the first person she saw was Charisse, her much-loved grandmother. Charisse lives with Ferris, her parents (off-beat and interesting) and her really quite extraordinary little sister who is known as Pinky, an unholy terror and a law unto herself.

Add to this cast: a very odd uncle who is (reputedly) painting a history of the world in the family basement, having left his hairdresser wife – who gets Ferris to act as spy and intermediary, an equally quirky best friend, motherless but the pride of his former-football-star-now-bar-owner father, and an elderly hardware store owner who has been carrying a torch for Charisse for decades. When Charisse appears to be unwell, and also maintains she is seeing a ghost who is trapped in the between-world because she needs to be reconciled with her lost love, she enlists her favourite Ferris to help her.

I’m not even going to attempt to explain the entire plot to you any further because it is just too much to recount, and you would get bored with my feeble attempts to do so. Suffice to say, you will – as I did – quickly find yourself completely invested with these characters and this narrative.

There were moments of complete hilarity, and moments of true poignancy. This is a story of love, loss, grief, family and complete chaos. Your able readers from around the age of 9 or 10 will love it, and fall in love with this family and Ferris herself.

I would not normally post a review of a new release so far ahead of it’s publication date but truly, you will want to put this on your orders list immediately. Do it!

I cannot recommend it highly enough and the lovely hardback package is an added bonus. Thank you Kate for another memorable character and story that will become a treasure to everyone who reads it.