Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Reckless: the Saga of Australian Crawl – Jeff Apter

    Allen & Unwin August 2026ISBN: 9781760879792 RRP: $34.99 I will openly admit I was not particularly a fan of Aussie Crawl back in the day. For one thing, I was more absorbed raising small children but my musical tastes, though eclectic as they still are, veered in other directions. But let’s face it, it’s basically… Read more

  • Our History: Hill End Gold – Sue Whiting

    Walker Books Autralia June 2026 ISBN13:9781761601491 Australia RRP:$18.99 New Zealand RRP:$21.99 There’s absolutely no doubt that despite its long existence in the curriculum of every state [I mean to say, it was in the primary school syllabus when I went to school!] it is also always a popular topic with students. And one can never… Read more

  • Freedom Braids – Monique Duncan. Oboh Moses.

    Lantana Distributed by Simon & Schuster May 2026 LIST PRICE: AU$ 24.99 / NZ$ 28.99 While I make a point of sharing own our Blak kids lit books and creators, it is always important to remember the struggles of PoC from other settings and cultures. This is a particularly beautiful picture book which relates an… Read more

  • Joey and the Junjardy – Allison Rocca. Illustrated by Brenton E. McKenna

    UQP June 2026 ISBN: 9780702271137 RRP: $17.99 I was already keen to read this one and when I started in and realised it is set in Wakka Wakka country, immediately felt a connection. My first teaching post in 1994 was Nanango SS – yes, on Wakka Wakka lands – so for several years I taught… Read more

  • How the Fish got Their Bones – Sam Thaiday. Illustrated by Tori-Jay Mordey.

    Allen & Unwin August 2026 ISBN:978176118271 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $19.99 Around here Sam Thaiday is pretty much a legend. His stellar NRL career aside, Sam has a close association with the Dolphins, our local team, but also his great commitment to promoting the game, and healthy lifestyles for First Nations peoples, as well… Read more

  • Finding My Culture – Scott Bromley Johnson & Suzie Johnson and Thomas Readett.

    Little Book Press Distributed by Simon & Schuster June 2026 Reading the preface of this poignant and impactful book, the reader realises the enormity of the past wrongs, as is the case with so very many First Nations families. The loss of family connection, the erasure of family history and the absence of the knowledge… Read more

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