Just So Stories

Fremantle Press

January 2024

ISBN: 9781760992958

RRP: $17.99

Since its initial publication in 2008, Norman Jorgensen’s award-winning historical novel has proven not only an enduring popular choice for many class novel studies, but as a first-rate adventure constantly in circulation among readers from around Year 5 to Year 8.

Based on stories from his own father, Norman has crafted a rollicking, often hilarious but not without sombre notes, tale of life on Rottnest Island for Jack and his mate, Banjo, along with their families and notable local characters. I’m admitting right now that I hadn’t read it until this new edition with the stunning new cover art arrived. In my defense, my disclaimer is that any time I thought to pick it up and take it home from whichever library I was in at the time, it was always out on loan – that gives you a pretty fair indication of its appeal!

I have to say upfront, I’m pretty glad Jack wasn’t my child because his propensity for mischief and getting himself into predicaments is prodigious, and I just don’t know that I’d have had the required stamina, but it certainly makes for a cracking read.

Set in WWII with families and American troops based on Rottnest, a bulwark against potential Japanese invasion (which we know now was an even greater threat than anyone knew), Jack and Banjo blithely ignore all rules and even commonsense as they search for a suspected Japanese shipwrecked soldier, constantly find themselves in hot water or being injured, try to look after their friend, Dafty, a boy with a very obvious disability, get themselves stranded out amongst the sharks in their canoe, and avoid getting walloped by either their cranky and ancient teacher or a parent.

My comment to Norman was that I love the Ginger Meggs rascally scallywag-ness of Jack’s character. He’s not deliberately naughty, he just constantly finds himself in a pickle.

There are certainly serious themes to this book as one digs into the layers. Indicative of the times to some extent, but some still resonant today: prejudices (especially about First Nations people), suspicion of anyone ‘different’, revenge, loyalty, friendships and change. But all of these are leavened with the constant thread of humour and the engaging camaraderie between Jack and Banjo.

We who live on the eastern side of this continent often know very little of life on the western side. I have been to Perth and Fremantle briefly, and I have had a couple of very close friends who grew up in country WA but it is still largely for me a great unknown.

For many of our students this would also be the same and as for the history, an even greater blank slate I think. This is very real history and events cleverly camouflaged into the sort of lively and action-packed narrative that captures young readers immediately.

I’m giving it a 5 🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️🏝️ rating for kiddos from around 9 or 10 upwards and certainly a big push as a read-around-your-topic for relevant HASS studies. And do stay posted for a Q&A with Norman coming up in the near future.