Just So Stories

New Frontier Publishing

April 2025

ISBN : 978-1-923145-57-3

PRICE : $26.99

The holidays are fast approaching and some of your children will be going away perhaps to places overseas, perhaps within Australia, but as always, there will be those who will not be going away.

Take them on a virtual trip to see the colourful and vibrant world we live in via the pages of this delightful book.

From our own ochre outback to the white cliffs of Dover, from the lush green of China’s bamboo forests to the wild pink cherry blossoms in Japan or from the brown of the tea leaves sun-drying in Sri Lanka or the rich vibrant orange sky in South Africa.

Sarah Speedie has crafted a truly lyrical text transporting your kiddos all around the world to see so many marvellous sites and sights. As for Margeaux Davis’ illustrations, they are utterly glorious – beautiful double spreads that truly evoke the essence of each location.

I’ve not had much opportunity to travel far but certainly more than some, and definitely more than lots of children I’ve taught over the years. Here’s a little anecdote for you. My first posting was Nanango SS where my first year I had Year 5s. I had kids in that class who had never been out of the town, not even the 20 minute drive to Kingaroy. I was astonished and one of the biggest thrills that year was my kids reading their hearts out (some of them had never finished a chapter book before!) and winning a pizza lunch prize. Of course, there wasn’t a Pizza Hut in town so I organised a whole excursion to Brisbane around that lunch. The faces on some of those kids as that bus drove into the city will live in my memory forever – the museum, Southbank, pizza in the Mall and back to Nanango again.

The next best thing surely is taking them on a trip via a book (and maybe Google Earth as well!). I love this book and I love what it can open up for your kids. I give it a whole-hearted 5 🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎rating for any primary reader really.