Just So Stories

UQP

August 2026

ISBN: 9780702271182

RRP: $17.99

We can always depend on Samantha Wheeler, on of our local authors, to deliver an engaging and thoughtful middle grade novel. Her ability to create characters to whom readers gravitate and put them into situations that enable those readers to explore emotions, attitudes and problem-solving has been amply proven time and again.

Now in a new book she has done so again. Your readers from around 7 or 8 will thoroughly enjoy this one with it’s combination of adventure, mystery, ghosts, family and survival.

Theo is very unhappily stuck on a cruise ship with his dad, plus his new step-mother and highly annoying, over-achieving stepsister. While Theo is more your quiet and nervy type, Mozzie is seemingly good at absolutely everything and, even worse, Theo feels that he is know a back number even with his dad. Since his mother’s death, his grief has been reflected in his obsession with collecting safety facts, hyper-vigilance and being overly cautious [oddly enough, as mentioned elsewhere this is not only another MG novel with a ‘lost’ parent in recent times, but now one of several children who have had this same response].

When a terrible storm hits and Theo is thrown overboard, not only is he not rescued but is washed up on an apparently deserted island. He’s at least got his ’emergency’ kit with him and some Cub Scout training but he’s certainly not prepared for what eventuates including being ‘adopted’ by a random donkey and stumbling across an old Lavendar Lady who lives in a ramshackle but efficient hut – and what’s with all those weird birds – wait a minute, are those dodos?

Theo’s journey of self-discovery, and moreover self-sufficiency, is one punctuated by humour and surprises of the sort that kiddos will thoroughly enjoy. And of course, there is redemption in the shape of Mozzie, the annoying stepsister proving herself to be alright actually.

Some very fulsome teaching notes are available should you wish to explore the novel in depth with your kiddos but I think for many this would be an ideal serial read-aloud or independent read from which some useful conversations might arise in a more informal way. Some occasional illustrations from Anke Noack add to the text with great gusto – the dodo pic is particularly fun! It’s a 5 🦤🦤🦤🦤🦤rating from me for readers from around Year 3 upwards.