Just So Stories

Simon & Schuster

Published by : Wild Dog Books

November 2025

• ISBN13: 9781742036830
• LIST PRICE: AU$ 24.99 / NZ$ 28.99

Moving on from the Age of Dinosaurs, but for those die-hards who still want to explore the long-extinct creatures is this fabulous look at Australia’s own mega-fauna. Some kiddos will already know about the diprotodon and perhaps one or two others, but this is a quite extensive look at the variety of these creatures that once roamed over what was the landmass that became Australia as we know it today.

This is a perfect book for your readers who are perhaps not so confident. The paragraphs of information are fairly brief and supported by annotated illustrations and shorter fact blocks e.g. the double spread on the Bluff Downs Giant Python gives the facts on that, some labels on the illo, plus a brief reference to Dreaming stories and the Rainbow Serpent. Speaking of the illustrations, they are absolutely wonderful I have to say – the original paintings must truly be something worth seeing!

There are plenty here of which I’d never heard including the Giant Malleefowl, Marsupial Tapir and the Riversleigh Platypus to name just a few. In fact, I think diprotodon was the only one that I HAD heard of! Just imagine a giant echidna – wouldn’t that be something to see right there!?

There is some helpful back matter including sections on paleontology, fossils, and ‘what happened to them’ with various conjectures – and a useful glossary. All in all, a great addition to both collection or home bookshelf. Another 5 🦴🦴🦴🦴🦴rating for this one.