Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Getting to Know the Birds in your Neighbourhood – Darryl Jones

    UNSW Press/New South 9781742238050 / November 2023 / Paperback / 240pp / RRP $34.99 I’ve always loved ‘spotting’ birds and in many of the places I’ve lived, I’ve kept a kind of bird diary of those I’ve seen as often there were more unusual, or less often sighted, species such as the the few times I’ve seen spoonbills (Glasshouse Mountains and Hervey Bay), Read more

  • Magic Awry [Big Magic #2] – Sarah Armstrong

    Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing August 2023 ISBN: 9781760508449 Series: Big Magic RRP: $19.99 You know how sometimes, you’ve read an absolutely stonkingly good first book in a series, and when the sequel arrives you feel somewhat let down? Well, trust me, in this case, it is the very opposite. Big Magic was SO good, I Read more

  • Foxlight – Katya Balen

    Bloomsbury Australia October 2023 ISBN 9781526640437 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $16.99 Katya Balen rapidly became one of my favourite authors after reading her debut novel, and I have loved every word in her first three novels, each of these so fresh and original (see my reviews: The Space We’re In , October October, The Read more

  • Walk With Us – Adam Goodes/Ellie Laing. Illustrated by David Hardy.

    Allen & Unwin October 2023 ISBN:9781761065071 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children Series; Welcome to Our Country In a week where so many of us are mourning, reading this was poignant to say the least. Here we (creators and educators) are knocking ourselves out trying to raise our Smalls to be decent, empathetic and understanding Read more

  • Q&A with Fiona Lloyd

    Welcome Fiona to Just So Stories and thank you so much for taking the time to give us some insight into you, your work and your life. Your first novel Being Jimmy Baxter is one of the most charming, funny and moving middle grade books I’ve read in recent times, and I loved it muchly! Read more

  • Willa and Woof #6: Double the Drama – Jacqueline Harvey

    Penguin Australia October 2023 RRP: $12.99 I am pretty sure everyone is aware already that Jacqueline is one of my favourite authors, as well as a favourite friend/wonderful human. She is also pretty prolific with her creativity – witness that just in the last two months I’ve reviewed the latest Alice-Miranda MG novel as well Read more

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