Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

February 2024

• ISBN: 9781761342523
• Imprint: Puffin
• RRP: $14.99

Well, I’ve read a lot of ‘portal’ books. Portals that were books. Portals that were a piece of jewelry. Portals that were doorways…or mirrors…a wardrobe…a grandfather clock.. a railway platform or a board game – so many different types of portals. But, I have to say, I’ve never thought of a shower being one! Awkward much when you arrive at your destination naked and wet? Yes! Exactly what happens to Felix.

He’s super irritated that it’s Monday and his dad is carrying on like a pork chop hustling him to hurry, his little brother, Ollie, is being really annoying – which is normal, but even more annoying on a Monday, so when Felix shuts the bathroom door behind himself, he is just wishing he could get away.

And get away he does. Steps into the shower and out onto a medieval battlefield – naked! Lucky there’s a handy abandoned shield to cover his bits and not too far away he finds a farmyard with a clothesline – whew! The clothes he ‘borrows’ belong to Noah, who lives with his sister Elsie, very pitifully as their parents have died.

Noah doesn’t speak and Elsie explains that it’s because of a witch’s curse, which Felix finds incredibly hard to believe, despite the fact that his shower has just transported him to some unknown place and time.

What ensues is a quest to find a cure for the curse, along the way developing a friendship, a deeper understanding of accepting people for who and what they are, saving a little dragon and ending an ongoing feud between warring farmers.

It’s an hilarious take on your usual portal fantasy, with an appropriately happy ending and the promise of a new adventure to come. What’s not to like? Your capable readers from around 7 years old will love it, and it would also make a terrific read-aloud from Year 2 upwards.

The occasional illustrations are full of expression and will make kiddos laugh as much as the text. Nice work, Nat and James!! Big recommendation for the Year 3-6 crowd.