Just So Stories

Hardie Grant Australia

ISBN:9781761212970

Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99

Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing – Bright Light

Being the youngest sibling by 7 years I guess I could have fit the bill as the annoying princess but I honestly think the 7 and 10 year age gaps worked for me as the big brother and sister were more the protectors and comforters than the ‘go away you pest’ types. But I can totally get that for some kiddos that younger sibling, especially the one who tends to follow like a lost puppy can grate at times.

Your Smalls will find this book both entertaining and relatable and will very quickly grasp the underlying theme of it. While Alison’s text is snappy, clever and highly amusing, the illustrations literally lift it off the page as Mel Pearce’s facsimile of ‘kid’ style drawing is hugely entertaining (those end papers!!!). Princesses are stealthy, sneaky and sly. 
And once inside the castle walls, they are tricky to remove.
But not impossible…

I guarantee your Smalls will find it just as much fun as I did and will be laughing as you read, and then want it all over again. And more than that, this could easily segue into some creative writing and illustrating with their own anecdotes about siblings, what method they would employ to get rid of one [anyone remember The Very Worst Monster – Pat Hutchins?], what they find most annoying but also what they love most about their siblings.

Don’t think that the only child would be left out because they could easily invent a brother or sister for themselves ‘Choose your own sibling’ rather like those make-your-own-teddy shops that were all the rage for a while.

All in all, this is a fun book that would give rise to productive and meaningful conversations but most importantly it provides a lot of laughs. It’s a not-annoying 5 👸👸👸👸👸rating for readers from around EC upwards.