Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Finding Alfie: a D-Day Story – Michael Morpurgo. Michael Foreman.

    Scholastic Australia May 2025 ISBN: 9780702325205 ISBN-10: 0702325201 RRP: $29.95 When I got this it, I decided to save it for Rembrance Day, as the timing from my point of view wasn’t right for the D-Day events. But what a superb book it is, as one would expect from these two literary legends. I have said before Read more

  • Tiny Dancer – Patrick Guest. Mateja Jager

    Westwords Imprint : Peribo August 2025 ISBN: 9781923044364 RRP: $27.99 While it’s not a ‘bird’ book like the other two in today’s post, it seems most appropriate to include this gentle and beautiful fable with its winged heroine, Konomi, with those. Some of you may have read my review of Shirley Marr’s One Day earlier this year, Read more

  • Bowerbird Bloom – Aura Parker

    Scholastic Australia ISBN: 9781761720918 ISBN-10: 1761720910 Series: Bowerbird : Book 3 Published: 1st November 2025 RRP: $19.99 Watch here Teaching notes One might be forgiven for thinking – how can Aura top the first two gorgeous Bowerbird books? – and then you see this and just go – aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh 💜. The brood is growing up. They love being together. Read more

  • Omnibird: an Avian Investigator’s Handbook – Giselle Clarkson

    Walker Books Australia Imprint: Gecko Press October 2025 ISBN13:9798765670514 Australia RRP:$37.99 New Zealand RRP:$44.99 Have you seen a bird today? Probably, unless you’re reading this in bed. Did you truly look at the bird? To open your ornithological eyes and ears, meet the Omnibird. An Omnibird contains the essential birdiness of every bird—it was born Read more

  • My Dream Holiday – Ash Barty. Jasmin McGaughey. Jade Goodwin.

    Harper Collins Australia You may or may not have heard the current furore instigated by The Society of Authors UK over ‘celebrity-authored’ books and that’s hardly surprising. I have seen many books that I know very well have not been written by the person named as author, with there is nary a mention of the Read more

  • My Story, Our Country: a First Nations Family History – Ryhia Dank

    Harper Collins Australia October 2025 When I read this, I immediately sent a text to a dear friend, a committed First Nations ally who always strives to teach her class with solid embedded cultural perspectives, that if she only buys one new book to explain Aboriginality, this is the one. I was so impressed with Read more

Archived Reviews