Just So Stories

Walker Books Australia

July 2026

ISBN13:9781760658168

Australia RRP:$25.99

New Zealand RRP:$27.99

Forty-six years ago today my beautiful brown-eyed girl arrived very much in a hurry and now it’s over 11 years since we lost her, so this moving and very personal new book from Pip Harry, is especially poignant for me – particularly at this moment in time.

With her, then just about to turn 10, young daughter now in my care, I too turned to books that might offer Small some comfort and understanding in her loss, as well as mine.

Many of you will have been in similar situations, whether on a personal or professional level and my presentation on bibliotherapy to ALIA New Librarians Symposium 2025 included some of the titles I used [email if you’d like the link to the presentation].

Saying goodbye to someone lost too soon – so much too soon – who has left behind a small vulnerable child is, without doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done and got through in my life. Trust me, there’s been some doozies as well. But when we have to set aside our own grief as adults to provide support and comfort for the children left behind, we not only grow in strength and resilience, but we, inadvertently, help ease our own pain.

This beautiful book reflects the aftermath of the loss of Pip’s sister and how the family all devised a truly meaningful rite of passage in which all contributed leaving a memorial for Sarah that not just the family but all who encounter her tree will cherish.

Pip’s text is gently poetic and even young readers will grasp the meaning and intent, while Christina’s illustrations are just so redolent of both time, place and significance that they alone will bring tears to the eyes of the reader.

In the weeks following Jen’s death, in the midst of our own tears and despair, K asked me if we could ‘still have a birthday “party” for Mummy?’…….and of course the answer was yes and we have done something special every year. For the last couple of years that’s been the Festival of Jen and we have been in our happy place on the coast with bushwalks, hikes, surfing and being surrounded by love from friends.

And so it is today as the post goes live, we are away for two nights and for one of the days, K is swimming with whales [one of her 21st gifts from me] and I really hope her mum will see her from afar.

Make sure you have tissues for yourself and for the sensitive readers but mark me well, this one will be a given on awards lists. It’s a teary but joyous 5 🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂rating and I especially recommend you adding this one not only to your own toolkit/collection but promoting it to your counsellor or pastoral care team.