Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe



  • Gus and the Starlight – Victoria Carless

    Harper Collins May 2022 ISBN: 9781460760642 ISBN 10: 1460760646 Imprint: HarperCollins AU List Price: 16.99 AUD This is such a completely fresh take on both family stories and ghost stories. It is charming, poignant and thoroughly engaging for readers from around mid-primary to lower secondary. Gus is tired of moving house and never belonging anywhere. It’s the reason she Read more

  • The Boy Who Hatched Monsters- T. C. Shelley

    Bloomsbury Publishing March 2022 ISBN 9781526600790 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $14.99 Sam, half monster/half fairy, has not only that secret to keep but many others. For example, there’s the one about his pack – the gargoyles who protect him, and the one about his school friends, the shape shifters who can change into dogs Read more

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s Bug Hunt: a lift-and-learn book

    Penguin Australia April 2022 ISBN: 9780241553503 Imprint: Puffin Format: Board Book RRP: $14.99 Your littlest readers are going to love this. Every page is pure classic Carle and the fact that there are several flaps on each spread will just send them into paroxysms of squealing joy. Aside from finding the mini-critters, you can focus on some prepositions and Read more

  • Check out my review of this new series – Our Stories – at Kids Book Review – a perfect way to get your youngest readers thinking about diversity – some quality creators behind this! Read more

  • More Celebrating Harry’s Anniversary!!

    COMPETITION: As we get ready to celebrate 25 years of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Bloomsbury Publishing wants to hear YOUR memories of your first reading experiences of Harry Potter. On 26th June 2022 (the anniversary itself) Bloomsbury will release a video of fans’ first memories of reading Harry Potter. Get your entries to Read more

  • Ceremony: Welcome to Our Country – Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing. Illustrated by David Hardy.

    Allen & Unwin April 2022 ISBN: 9781761065064 RRP: $24.99 Oh David Hardy, you have excelled yourself! I think we have all been eagerly anticipating the next title in this Welcome to Our Country series, the joyful introduction to First Nations history for younger readers, especially given the triumph of the first title Somebody’s Land. For Read more