Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe



  • Nothing Alike – Zewlan Moor/Peter Cheong

    Hardie Grant Publishing August 2023 ISBN: 9781761212239ISBN-10: 1761212230 Imprint: Bright Light RRP: $22.99 #sorrywrongasian. In case you missed the Twitter (remember that?) avalanche of 2021, the whole issue of being an ‘interchangeable Asian‘ and microaggression was highlighted when a slew of reports of ‘mistaken Asian identity’ was reported by Asian-Americans across the country. This particular form of Read more

  • Little Ash series #7 and #8 – Ash Barty and Jasmine McGaughey/Jade Goodwin

    Harper Collins Australia October 2023 Everyone’s favourite tennis superstar, Ash Barty, is back with two new titles in her hugely popular series for newly independent readers. With engaging themes of sport, school, friends and family, these little chapter books have been such a big hit with the kiddos I know, both as read-aloud and read-to-self. Read more

  • Ginagay Gaagal, Hello Ocean – Melissa Greenwood

    Harper Collins Australia October 2023 In her own beautiful and evocative way, Melissa Greenwood has brought readers another celebration of Country and culture, through her own eyes and experiences. This time we are invited to visit the gaagal (ocean) for play, adventures and tucker too. It is impossible to do justice to these gorgeous illustrations, Read more

  • Where Are All the Christmas Beetles? Suzanne Houghton

    CSIRO Publishing November 2023 ISBN: 9781486317905  RRP: $24.99 I think this is a question that many of us have asked in recent years. I particularly requested this book, as in our new little house we have been seemingly in the epicentre of beetle activity lately. They come zooming in through our French doors and racket Read more

  • Mini and Milo: the Big Flappy Ears – Venita Dimos & Natasha Curtin

    Walker Books Australia September 2023 ISBN13:9781760656164 Australia RRP:$25.99 New Zealand RRP:$28.99 In times gone by, books for children were of an ‘improving’ nature and it seems that there is quite a resurgence of these in recent times. Perhaps justifiably, given what we, as educators, are observing with our youngest students beginning prep (particularly after the Read more

  • Big Magic – Sarah Armstrong

    Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing May 2022 ISBN: 9781760508432 RRP: $19.99 It has certainly taken its time to come into my hands, but it was definitely worth the wait. I had heard so many good things about this book, not least of all via the chatter from The Uber Talented Critique Group (comprising some of my Read more