Just So Stories

Larrikin House

March 2024

ISBN: 9781922804655 (Hardcover)

$24.99

One of our big pleasures during our Canberra visit late last year, was meeting up with Amelia for the first time F2F. She is just as vivacious and entertaining as her books, which I have always loved.

For kiddos who love the concept of Madagascar,and the idea of zoo animals escaping in pursuit of adventure, this is going to hit exactly the right spot!

Jeff is determined to escape his enclosure and head for the park, the location of his dreams. With the (dubious) aid of his mate Roger, the seal, Jeff attempts to bust through the fence, not very successfully, and then ends up in the keepers’ jeep. Have you ever seen a giraffe try to drive? It’s not particularly graceful and when Jeff gets whacked by tranquilisers, even less so.

Nevertheless, wobbly and woozy, Jeff makes it to the swings and is triumphant and your Smalls will be highly amused to find that the park is right next door to the zoo. They will laugh even more heartily when Roger points out that next door to that is a water park with slides! The next escape plan is already hatching!

Full of fun, lively rhyme and vibrant illustrations full of expression, this will be a big hit with your littles from Prep up to around year 3. I foresee it would easily lead to creative writing and artwork, and could tie in nicely with units of work on animals.

Big recommendation with a 5 🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒 rating from me.