Just So Stories

Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

April 2025

ISBN: 978-1-250-82939-9 | Price: $18.99 US / $24.99 CAN

Pan Macmillan Australia

ISBN: 9781250829399

Format: Hardback

Pub Date: 29/07/2025

Firstly, I want to thank Christopher for asking me if I would like to review this amazing book, about which he and I first had some conversation around this time last year.

Secondly, I want to say it’s not just dragons who are powerful. This astoundingly beautiful non-fiction narrative is as powerful as any of the dragons of legend, and testament to Christopher’s skill as a storyteller.

In this instance, he is recounting personal family history which recalls events in history of which I was completely unaware. This narrative tells of the time immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbour when the Japanese army launched their attack on (then) British Hong Kong. Christopher’s family was under threat by this action.

The large extended family, led by his grandfather and accompanied by some of their labourers, escaped the colony to walk the approximately 200 miles into China. Over mountains, through rivers, paying warlords, battling the elements, surviving on minimal food rations and carrying goods and chattels – and small children like Shu Lok, Christopher’s Uncle Albert, in baskets to safety.

Even when they arrived in China, their lives and livelihoods were uncertain and nomadic as they tried to find places to settle, without danger. Eventually, they were able to return to Hong Kong and now are scattered around the globe.

Uncle Albert’s eye-witness recollections of this terrible and traumatic time, as a small child transported for weeks in a basket, has now been transformed into this stunning picture book, which is a testament to the resilience and spirit not only of this family, but of so many fellow refugees.

War and persecution are still driving people from their homelands, many of them fleeing with little or nothing. Christopher’s words, which are accompanied by such glorious illustrations by Jacqueline Tam, are evocative and poignant. This is not only a story that should be shared at face value, as the history of one family, but as an entrée to increasing our readers’ empathy and understanding of the plight of refugees.

I have long advocated our need to refrain from the ‘hitting them over the head’ approach with didactic and overt ‘message/issue’ books. A term new to me, but that exemplifies this, is vicarious contact which to me fits this scenario perfectly.

Published in America but now also available here, I suggest to you that this is a ‘must have’ for your collection. Congratulations to Christopher and Jacqueline Tam both for the creation of such a worthy addition to the dragon canon and a powerful 5 🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉rating.