Just So Stories

• Scholastic Australia Pty Ltd
• March 2024
• ISBN: 9781760976309
• RRP: $16.99

When Tania told me that she thinks #2 Aggie is even funnier than the first, I said that’s a tough act to follow (and clearly, since it’s now a CBCA Notable, I’m not the only one to have a high opinion of #1) but I do think she could be right.

Aggie is back and this time she wants a big role in the class play, Lucas and the Pineapple from Space. The role she has her sights set on is Web Legs, a spider from Mars (still loving that Bowie reference, Tania!), with a French accent and beret to boot. She even knows what costume she could wear.

But the path to stardom is rarely smooth and arch-nemesis Zara Miller decides she wants the same part. Things are starting to look skewiff for Aggie and her dream of glory on the stage, but when Aggie’s Aunt Pip takes on the role of director and puts in place auditions, things start to brighten up.

Aggie gets her much-coveted role and then the real hijinks begin. Aggie’s bestie, Kumi, has worked so hard on the giant alien pineapple prop but Aggie’s modified spider costume proves its undoing during dress rehearsal – and cue catastrophe! Aunt Pip is making smoochy moves with Principal Strong, despite his slug moustache, which Aggie finds incomprehensible – until the penny drops. And Alien Jack, Aggie’s brother with the big head, is similarly engaged with one Amber Gummer (must be something in the water), which Aggie finds quite nauseating. The continued rumbling from Zara and her cronies is doing Aggie’s head in and while Mum is still away – things just aren’t right all round.

In typical Aggie fashion, the contretemps just keep on coming and readers will be in fits of laughter throughout the entire book. Of course, once again, inter-woven throughout is the latest adventure of Princess Zombie, in which she goes to Princess Charm school. You could say PZ just doesn’t fit the mold of the regular princesses in the school. You could also say she doesn’t want to – and she certainly does shake things up. There’s a good lesson to be learned here from both narratives. Being yourself, without the external trappings – whether a spider costume or make-up and tiaras – is a perfectly fine thing to be.

Once again, I’m giving Aggie a HUGE recommendation – as well as congratulations to Tania for the Notables achievement – and really look forward to more Aggie adventures. Also congratulations to A.Yi for the terrific interpretation of Aggie & Co. The Aggie and Princess Zombie stories are so entirely relatable for junior readers with so many connections to make.

So that would mean it’s a 5 🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️ from Mars rating from me!.

PS: Coming up soon is Tania’s VAP for YABBA, which I know will be hugely enjoyable for all the participants, and as part of that there is a special activities resource (compiled by moi) for those who take part, and provide feedback. Not too late to join in the fun!