Just So Stories

Harper Collins Australia

May 2026

ISBN: 9781460767443

RRP: $17.99

MG readers will thoroughly enjoy meeting Claudia as she has an extended stay with her grandparents in their retirement village. The residents make for hilarious friends with their various quirks but it is when ‘the cousins’, Yasmin and Zayn, come to visit their own grandmother that her interest is piqued most. Because this pair are the cool kids in town – they perform in shopping centres, they are STARS!

Of course, there’s also annoying Orpheus, another visiting child, who really thinks he is Claudia’s friend but she backs away at every opportunity. When mysterious happenings start, there unfolds an unlikely alliance between the four not-friends as they try to uncover what is really going on. At the same time, Claudia is most worried about why her parents still haven’t returned from their holiday and why her grandmother keeps forgetting stuff.

It’s a lot of fun with much humour but with some warm underlying themes on friendship, caring and compassion. There are some real laugh-out-loud moments but readers will also connect with Claudia’s insecurities and, at the same time, recognise kids they know in the cousins and Orpheus as well as, no doubt, adults they know – grandparents or not!

Author Samera has drawn on personal experience to craft this narrative and, for me, that is apparent as there is such an authenticity about the whole. And as always, Hykie Breeze’s illos are icing on the cake bringing characters and quirkiness to life.

I thoroughly enjoyed Samera’s two previous book,s The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart and Half My Luck [sadly, I just didn’t get around to writing a review for that one but trust me, it’s great – for older readers]. I really enjoyed putting together a teaching guide for this one though only brief questions remain in the official one [ping me for more ideas]. What really impressed me with this one is its originality with setting and characters.

A terrific read for your kiddos from around year 4 to Year 7 and I give it a 5 👵👴🏻👵🏽👵🏽🔍rating.