Just So Stories

Walker Books Australia

August 2025

ISBN13:9781760658991

Australia RRP:$16.99

New Zealand RRP:$18.99

What a terrific book to pair with your upper primary studies on our goverment systems, not to mention your Civics and Citizenship units for secondary students.

In the mid-70s I hadn’t yet experienced living in Canberra, and was yet to discover its unique character, or that experience of being surrounded by a political miasma. Rather I was the teen mother of a toddler, and one of those that benefited by having a man like Gough Whitlam in charge.

Transforming our country from the pre-1960s staid and conservative culture-cringe mentality that prevailed, to one of a modern nation with forward thinking, supporting those who needed it and recognising injustices and inequalities. What a man! Sadly, I feel we will never see his like again.

I had almost zero interest in politics except for the transformational attitude of Whitlam, which sparked me into becoming more aware and more proactive – after all, I was only barely old enough to vote [thanks again, Gough!].

This thoughtful and hugely engaging insight into the disgrace that was the double dissolution will bring the intricacies of our parliamentary system and the machinations of party politics into sharper focus for many students (and adults, just saying!).

Told through the eyes of tween Juliet, younger daughter of a family heavily involved in politics, her father being the personal assistant of Lance Barnard (Defence Minister, Deputy Prime Minister – and, at one time, Acting Prime Minister).

In a busy and progressive household, despite the being a practising Catholic fmaily, that includes Juliet’s grandmother, with her older sister away at university, the dinner conversations are always lively, full of current affairs, and forward thinking on important topics.

Although her grandmother is still like many of her generation, fixed firmly in the previous decades and there are some moments of real tension as generations collide, Juliet is surrounded by the kind of intellectual and topical discussions that can shape a young person’s mind and help them to formulate their own belief systems.

When the Opposition, led by Malcolm Fraser [*bites her tongue, nothing much has changed only the names] rouses public opinion against the government and foments agitation that leads to scenes and actions unprecedented in our history, Juliet and her family are fully embroiled.

Juliet is also busy on a school project, encapsulating the many social, political and other changes of the 70s, as well as meeting a boy – yes! a little romance on the way as well.

It’s a complex and multi-layered narrative that astute readers will truly appreciate. The ‘behind-the-scenes’ aspect especially makes politics more accessible and understandable, particularly for those with little or no experience of it.

I loved it from the first page and was completely focused on the unravelling, not just of the political thread, but the clash of generations and friendships that Juliet experiences as well. I may not have had the intense political connections but certainly those personal impacts resonated very much with me. The second in the Our History series – the first was Bold Ben Hall – these are a real gift to your units of inquiry.

This gets an unqualified 5 🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️🗳️rating for readers from around Year 5 upwards, and I would very much emphasise that as a shared read for your upper primary or read-around-your-topic for secondary kids, it’s an absolute winner.

“We are all diminished when any of us are denied proper education. The nation is the poorer – a poorer economy, a poorer civilisation, because of this human and national waste.” Gough Whitlam, 1969 policy speech.

Democracy Explained

Find out what a democracy is, explore the history of the modern political party and investigate some of the problems that can damage modern democracies, including corruption, lobbying and disinformation. ABC Education