Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Reflecting on reviewing

    There have been some interesting aspects to my review hobby in recent weeks, all but one or two, supremely satisfying, and the isolated couple that were not, were not actually negative towards my reviewing, merely annoying in a general sense. In particular, over the last couple of days I’ve enjoyed some wonderful and lively conversation Read more

  • The Bird Art of William T. Cooper – Wendy Cooper

    National Library of Australia October 2023 ISBN:9781922507600 RRP: $64.99 So the lovely field guide to neighourhood birds which I reviewed during the past week, is compact and just the right size for a backpack or even a large pocker – as is befitting for its purpose. This magnificent book is of the big, bold and Read more

  • The Impossible Secret of Lillian Velvet [a Kingdoms and Empires book] – Jaclyn Moriarty. Illustrations by Kelly Canby.

    Allen & Unwin October 2023 ISBN:9781761067570 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $22.99 Confession: this was the first Kingdoms and Empires book I’ve read 😳 but in my defence, this series has been so very popular with the readers in my libraries, that they were never on the shelf long enough for me to Read more

  • Silver Linings – Katrina Nannestad

    Harper Collins Australia I cannot begin to tell you how impatiently I have waited to post this review. When I was invited to write teaching notes for a new Katrina Nannestad book, I was absolutely thrilled. Then, when I read the manuscript for this beautiful, funny, poignant, life-affirming narrative, I realised how easy it would Read more

  • The Turtle and the Flood – Jackie French/Danny Snell

    Harper Collins Australia I could be mistaken, but I do think many of us would be familiar with these little darlings, at least by sight, even if not from personal experience. I think that kiddos would also know these guys from pictures and/or real life. There would be some as well, particularly (I think in Read more

  • Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes – Favel Parrett.

    Hachette NOV 1, 2023 | 9780734422057 | RRP $19.99 Many readers fell in love with story of alpine dingo, Wandi, and his followers on SM are astonishing in numbers. Now comes the story of Kimmi, the tropical dingo, destined to be the Queen of her mob. A farmer in their Kimberley homeland has already killed Kimmi’s father, now her Read more

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