Just So Stories

Scholastic Australia

April 2026

ISBN: 9781761647628

ISBN-10: 1761647628

RRP: $19,99

I have such fond memories of The Second Sky, do you? My kiddos, in our countdown to the Book of the Year awards and our sharing of all the short-listed picture books (Early Childhood category, voted it our readers’ choice winner.

So… this is NOTHING like that book! Nor is it like Tiny Dancer, which I also adored. It’s not dreamy and delicate, or ethereally evocative BUT it does have equally important themes to unpack in its own jazzily vibrant and very funny way.

As educators and, indeed, parents we are always encouraging our kiddos to be true to themselves. We don’t want to see them swimming with the tide purely because of its pressure and forces. We want to empower them to be individuals and to have self-belief and self-confidence.

When Fish tries to stand out [swim out?] from the rest of the school, claiming to be all manner of critters that are NOT-fish, it’s almost a case of a fish dish on the menu for some hungry others.

But with an epiphany and astute realisation Fish decides to be true to oneself is the important thing, so flashing those rainbow fins, Fish is off and flying [fish] with absolute acceptance of self and uniqueness.

Canny Smalls will pick up on the subtle subtext here and for others, some gentle conversations will help. The gorgeously colourful cartoonish illustrations from Katie Abey make this one stand out as much as Fish does from the shoal.

A crackerjack read for Smalls from Prep upwards to at least year 3 and a great addition to personal and social capabilities strands. A very finny funny 5 🐟🌈🐟🌈🐟rating for this delight.