Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

September 2025

A & U Children

9781760637750

$24.99

This is one from last year’s pile which was read at the time, thoroughly enjoyed but I ran out of time and space for the review before the break.

And, frankly, maybe that’s a good thing. Because if there was ever a time this country and some of its residents needed to be reminded of what the Australian style of democracy is and how it works, and why it works – and I’m including some of the less astute but still duly elected politicians in that group – it’s NOW.

And, by all the stalwarts who have gone before us, the great names on either side of the chamber, the real dinky-di ones who truly wanted to do good, represent the constituency (no matter what colour, creed or culture), I would strongly urge you to not only get this but to get into the hands of your teachers and your students.

I know some of you will have done that already – given I’m late to the party, so to speak. Anyone who has seen Annabel in action will know that she is both witty and knowledgeable, and bringing that expertise and familiarity she has with our political machinations to a book for kiddos is a genius stroke. Getting First Dog on the Moon to illustrate was a second genius stroke! [refer back to my review of the Best Political Cartoons of 2025 for more satire and commentary in this vein].

There truly is a prawn in Parliament House, and I’m not referring to Poorlean Handsdown of the UnNation variety [that would be an insult to prawns altogether]. Embedded in that impressive foyer is the one-and-only 300 million years old Shawn the Prawn as this piece of ancient fossilised life has been nicknamed in the true Aussie style. And Shawn is the reader’s guide to the shape, size, structure, composition, purpose, doings and all other bits of political peculiarities and and processes that happen in our gorgeous Parliament House [if you haven’t already, let me tell you that attending a Great Hall dinner within these august halls is quite an occasion – add it to your life goals!].

And, of course, there’s so much more to Parliament House than the politicians blowing hot air, there are so many staff with so many needs so the reader will find out all about those facilities as well. Then there are, as you would expect, the intricacies of our electoral system, legislation/legislative process and the significance of the democracy sausage to explore.

All in all, this is a complete package that is written in such an engaging way, with Annabel’s habitual humour, that your students, or even adult readers, will be completely engaged.

I know not so many schools are now taking their kiddos on the once-ubiquitous Canberra trip. As it was, The Kid never had that opportunity through school, so when she graduated Year 12 that was our trip and I made sure she got all the sights she would have had on a school trip – the RAM, the Film and Sound Archive, the AWM etc – and the guided tour of Parliament House was something which she found really interesting, as did I, because despite my visits (and my lush dinner there), I had never been up to the roof or seen some of the aspects which we were shown, never having done the tour.

Now, you can take your kiddos on a virtual trip, and this excellent book will make the perfect accompaniment. I would also partner it with a shared reading of A House Divided from the Our History series which, via its retelling of the Dismissal, also provides easy to grasp insight into the workings of our democracy. A saucy, with mustard, 5 snag🌭🌭🌭🌭🌭rating for a book eminently suited to incorporating into your teaching program, especially for those UoI on government but also for general interest.