Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

October 2024

• ISBN: 9781761343575
• Imprint: Puffin
• $12.99

Jacqueline Harvey continues to smash this series for younger readers with another exciting adventure from the ever-intrepid and resourceful Willa. Along with Tae and Woof, Willa has been officially helping at the Sunset Views retirement village next door. And the elderly residents are now also even more involved with Willa’s school thanks to her great ideas.

Of course, with her best ‘old’ friend, Frank, being a resident the village is an important part of Willa’s life all round. So when she begins to suspect that something is not right about the man who wants to buy the village, she cleverly begins to be even more observant and to put the clues together.

It turns out that the dodgy buyer wants to completely destroy Sunset Views, and all his pretence of being community-minded is just a front for his being a wanted conman! Lucky Willa is on the ball – even if eavesdropping is not exactly an approved activity. Mr Franklin might be temporarily fooling the parents at the soccer game with his free sausage sizzle and promises of donations, but Willa knows better – or at least she thinks she does. Will she be able to prove it before things are completely out-of-hand?

Once again Jacqueline provides her younger readers with a story that has exactly the right mix of humour, drama and wholesomeness. Willa is one of the most likeable characters in junior fiction, and her enthusiasm and whole-hearted approach to everything and everyone (except the crooks!) has real appeal.

While for many they will be a quick read, for those kiddos just embarking on their chapter book journeys this series has a perfect balance of extended vocabulary and narrative, with the storylines that revolve around the familiarity of family, friends and school.

All in all, as I’ve said before, Jacqueline has come up with another winner, and continues her triumphal progress as the queen of junior fiction for Aussie kids (not to mention the growing number of overseas readers!). How lucky we are in this country to have the calibre of kids lit writers that we do?

You’ll need more than one copy in your collection of course, as like all the others, it will be in huge demand!! A huge 5 ⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽ rating for this charming new addition.