Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

February 2026

• ISBN: 9780733343810
• ISBN 10: 0733343813
• Imprint: ABC Books AU
• RRP: $24.99

The winning combo of Ashleigh and Martina continue their fab collab with another What Do You Call Your… title, this one for all the mums. I love these easy introductions to exploring other cultures and countries, combining geography and social traditions into one engaging expo.

In this one Ashleigh includes the nomenclature for mothers from: Japan, Hungary, Finland, Malaysia, Somalia, Türkiye, Fiji, Portugal, Scotland (Gaelic), Pakistan (Urdu), Syria, Cherokee Nation and Gumbaynggirr Country(Australia mid-north coast).

Of course, some of these languages cross over into other countries e.g. Portuguese which is widely spoken in lands other than Portugal.

Once again, Martina’s illustrations give us a peek inside some traditional settings of these countries and families as well, which is always a springboard for lively discussions. Celebrating Mother Tongue Day in my libraries was always a favourite event especially when we could have guests speaking in their language and sharing stories. This book and series could provide exactly the entrée into a similar celebration for your kiddos, perhaps even timed for Mother’s Day.

My one slight disappointment is that Türkiye’s preferred official spelling was not included, which was an oversight that could easily have been avoided I think. Despite that it’s a multicultural 4 🌏🌏🌏🌏rating from me.