Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

September 2025

ISBN:9781761181597

Publisher:A&U Children’s

Imprint:A & U Children

RRP: $26.99

Teaching resource Activity sheet

It’s hysterical, hilarious, heart-warming, happy-making, high-spirited, hopeful and heroic – and that’s just the H’s!!

…that was my comment to Craig Silvey last night, after having read about 2/3 the day before. Last night I went to bed to finish what has been one of the most delightful, dazzling, debonair, darling, dauntless, and droll books of the year – and that’s just the D’s.

At more than one point during my reading on both days I actually did spontaneously laugh out loud. While I will talk a little around the plot, I have to say first and foremost that it is Craig’s absolutely cracking skill with wordplay which provides me with such reckless, ridiculous, raucous, reckless, rabid, raptuous rambustifications – and that’s just the R’s!

Six weeks after Annie and Runt won the hearts of the world at the Krumpets Dog Show, their hometown of Upson Downs has a new lease of life. There has been so much excitement and continued interest on this pair and things in the town are definitely looking right up although there is also the down, because Annie really doesn’t feel very comfortable being famous.

When the bumbling, blustering, blundering, bombastic, bogus buffoon – and those are just the B’s– Mayor Barry Casserole announces the extravaganza event, Tournament of Champions, he’s organised in collaboration with some big sponsors, the entire town starts to go haywire. But, what is much worse, Runt goes missing in the middle of the night.

That’s bad enough but when a ransom note appears on the community notice board, there is widespread panic, suspicion, and casting of spurious theories. Newcomers to town reviving the newspaper, the very sketchy Rupert Broadsheet and his charming young daughter, Verity, are right onto the reporting with Annie’s brother, Max, becoming part of their team.

The action moves rapidly as Fergus Fink is nabbed for the dognapping by the incredibly inept, idiotic, illogical, ill-tempered, ignoble imbecile – and those are just the I’s – local copper, Duncan Bayleaf. Annie has an ultimatum via the dognappers, and Upson Downs begins to implode as neighbours turn against neighbours.

Why yes, of course there is a serious thread and underlying themes to the narrative with such ideals as loyalty, friendship, truth, self-belief, trust, family, redemption and loneliness all of which makes this the warm and engaging read that equals the first book, plus a little bit more. And seeing Annie’s growth in her own self-confidence is part of the magic of this one, as well as the developments in others such as Max, Verity and even Fergus – go figure! Of course, there’s also some other startling revelations and backstories -but you’ll have to read it for those.

But the sheer joy of the humorous romp through the entirety was what sealed it for me. I think of our great Australian comedies with serious themes like The Castle, Strictly Ballroom and Muriel’s Wedding, and easily see echoes of these. And I see Runt and Annie as worthy successors in this tradition but for kid-sized audiences. I believe it’s that commonality we share, when we do recognise these characters and situations from our own experiences, even though they may be creatively caricatured and exaggerated, that make Runt & Co such a runaway success story.

It’s fluent, fresh, flamboyant, fascinating, fantastic, fabulous and flawless – and those are just the F’s. It’s easily a high score of 5 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕from me and I can’t wait to see this one made into a movie as well. Well played again, Craig Silvey! – let’s wait to see all the awards and accolades roll in for Runt and Annie this time around.