Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

September 2026

• ISBN: 9781761622311
• Imprint: Penguin
• RRP: $29.99

It’s a big year for anniversary editions – it seems so many have come along in 2026 – but I doubt there will be any bigger, bolder, bluer or shinier than this absolutely glorious foiled collector’s edition of Animalia. Forty years old!!! What the…?? I can hardly believe it and it takes me right back down the years to when #2 and #3 were little girls who absolutely adored Graeme Base books and especially this one and, of course, The Eleventh Hour.

Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year Honour List 1987 – after its release in 1986, when Kim was 8 and Jen was 6. And, while I was only just toying with the idea of becoming a teacher, books were a huge part of our routine and you can rest assured that this one got plenty of attention repeatedly.

And we weren’t the only ones enchanted with this more-than-an-alphabet and more-than-a-picture-book incredible piece of art and creativity. MORE than 5 million copies sold all over the world. That in itself is extraordinary. It became the high bar for interactive books and readers everywhere were determined to outdo each other by ‘spotting’ all the treasures as well as hidden Graeme. We literally spent hours poring over it and my girls, and subsequently the kiddos in my classes and libraries never ever tired of it. My very favourite page back then and still is today, the double spread of the Lazy Lions Lounging in the Local Library – not just because of library and books, but L for Los as well as Libra. Perfection!

Within the pages of this book

You may discover, if you look

Beyond the spell of written words,

A hidden land of beasts and birds.

For many things are ‘of a kind,’

And those with keenest eyes will find

A thousand things, or maybe more –

It’s up to you to keep the score . . 

It is one more sad thing that Jen isn’t here to see this beautiful new anniversary edition but I am sure that her sister will make sure she does double duty searching out all the Easter eggs all over again, and sharing in turn with the kiddos at her school. How can I even give it a rating but of course, it’s a Happy Animalia Anniversary 5 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇rating for readers from Prep to adult.

But wait! I know you want more!!

Yessssssssss! you can colour in your very own limited edition Animalia book!! with an extra special collector’s print you can frame! AND it’s my favourite page with the Library Lions! Who doesn’t want to do that?

• September 2026
• ISBN: 9781761622298
• Imprint: Penguin
• RRP: $14.99