Just So Stories

Pre-history’s Most Peculiar Creatures

Hardie Grant Australia

September 2025

ISBN:9781761214

Price:AU$29.99, NZ$34.99

Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing

Here are some words from the publisher and the author to describe this hilarious but extremely informative book: playful, humour, witty jokes, funny anecdotes, and fabulous facts.

But as it’s Philip Bunting, you would have worked that out without any help at all. Young Jen would have loved this book and mini-Jen, The Kid, would also have loved it as both were dinophiles, and I can 100% guarantee that your kiddos will love it just as much – not just your usual dinosaur-hungry monsters either, but ANY of your kids who pick this up will get such a kick out of both the bizarre animals and the iconic Bunting-style take on them.

After an introduction where such things as the misnomer of ‘terrible lizard’ is explained, the book travels through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, the great ages of the dinosaurs. The wildly colourful illustrations [again – iconic Philip Bunting!] will have any reader in fits of laughter with the expressions these dinosaurs are assuming, not to mention the often snide and silly captions and labels.

But it will also give the reader a real insight into the lives and surroundings of these creatures and, because it focuses on lesser-known identities, will give them a fascinating look at something other than T-Rex and Stegosaurus.

Of course you will want it for your collection – but how many young dinosaur-lovers do you have in your circle who would just love this one in their Santa sack?? It gets a stomping great 🦕🦕🦕🦕🦕rating for kids from around 4 right up to end of primary.