Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

August 2025

• ISBN: 9781761354908
• Imprint: Puffin
• RRP: $24.99

Or as Penguin have titled it on their website:

Cock-a-Doodle-Doooo!

What a living treasure is Pamela Allen! Now in her 91st year and still giving children such enormous pleasure.

This is another of Pamela’s deceptively simple but so cleverly done narratives that will have your Smalls in fits of the giggles as they all squeal at you what the horrible, big, black scary monster is that the three awoken sleepers can hear in the middle of the night. The variations on the repetitions are a real bonus to the dramatic flair of this one.

And, can I just say, if you’ve ever had a rooster or lived next door to one, or even had one three blocks away, you will know only too well what a rude awakening it can be, when said rooster gets its timings confuzzled!

With Pamela’s iconic and instantly recognisable illustrations, which are always so expressive this will be a title that the Smalls will ask for time and time again. I give it a 5 🐓🐓🐓🐓🐓 those toddlers up to, easily Year 2 or 3.