Just So Stories

Penguin Australia

• August 2026
• ISBN: 9781761353611
• Imprint: Penguin
• RRP: $14.99

From the super switched-on and sparky twin, Kristin Darell, comes the second in her terrific new series about twins, Abi and Brook. These girls are so likeable and their posse of friends, along with the readers, would agree. They are smart and funny, they are clever but not obnoxiously ‘swotty’ and they each have their own particular passions like music, like public speaking, like dogs and just being there for each other.

Sure, they have their falling outs (see book 1) but those are to be expected with any kind of sibling relationship but realistically, they are a tight unit and will always support each other. Only, in this new story, that willingness turns into an almost complete catastrophe. Brook has her gaze firmly set on becoming school leader and has all the right criteria for the job, but she’s terrible at public speaking. Her nerves just take over and she knows she can’t possibly do a good

job in the public speaking task she has to do. And if she’s terrible at speeches, then everyone will think she’d make a terrible leader too. On the other hand, Abi is an inspired public speaker. She’s always super confident and engaging and is a shoo-in to win the public speaking competition. What if?… thinks Brook.

Convincing Abi to switch places to deliver her own speech, isn’t really cheating Brook is sure – or is it? There will be plenty of readers who will be jumping in with opinions here and this one would make a wonderful serial read to springboard some class discussions on ethics.

As well as the twins’ drama there are other fun highlights to this one, including their brother’s participation in the high school production and his growing interest in a certain girl along with friend Frankie’s fabulous Fender, finding a hide-out hut to ‘renovate’ and the Street Fair.

Once again Kristin has delivered a punchy narrative that will be sure-fire winner with the intended cohort. Younger readers will read it as voraciously as those in the upper primary bracket of the characters and there is much to be gained by doing so.

Fantastic for a First Chapter Friday, get your lot onto this series (and Kirstin’s other great books as well!) pronto! It’s a 5 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤rating for readers from Year 3 upwards.