Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Promises and Other Lies – Sue Whiting

    Walker Books Australia September 2025 ISBN13:9781760658649 Australia RRP:$17.99 New Zealand RRP:$19.99 This was absolutely a crackerjack read and I ate it up over two nights. Sue Whiting has such a deft hand with writing narratives that tackle difficult and emotive issues with grace and sensitivity, and this is a prime example. You will all, I Read more

  • The Disappearing Circus – Helen Edwards/Kate Gordon

    Riveted Press July 2025 Distributed by Simon & Schuster ISBN13: 9781763526099 RRP: AU$ 17.99 / NZ$ 19.99 I have taken my time with this, both the reading of it and the writing of the review. So much so, that I was strongly reminded of my Oddity review, four years ago, when I wrote: I read Read more

  • Song of a Thousand Seas – Zana Fraillon

    UQP September 2025 9780702266317 RRP: $14.99 I’ve made no secret of my admiration of and fascination with octopuses. Some will have read my review of A Journey Under the Water and also watched My Octopus Teacher, both of which increased my manifold interest in these amazing creatures. You may also have seen references to Octopolis, Read more

  • Indigenous Literacy Day

    It gives me such enormous pleasure to be able to showcase four new books from ILF to celebrate Indigenous Literacy Day – and if you’ve missed it on your calendar, don’t despair! Just schedule your own event when you can – I know only too well how hard it can be fitting everything into our Read more

  • Childish – Morris Gleitzman

    Penguin Australia September 2025 Last year I talked up Tweet to anybody who would stand still long enough to listen. I still maintain it was one of my Top 5 MG novels for the year, and, certainly, one of Morris’ very best. Then – lo and behold! – along comes Childish and it’s another absolutely Read more

  • Mavis the Little Plane Spotter – Angela Toniolo. Shannon Melville

    Wombat Books March 2025 9781761111938 AUD$27.99, NZD$32.99 Yes, a little bit of a cheeky cheat to round off a week of Birdie Num Num posts with this one. But, in my defense, with a Father Bear who was RAF as well as a dear friend in adult life, Squadron Leader and later commercial pilot, Wal Read more

Archived Reviews