Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Jacky Ha-Ha – James Patterson, with Chris Grabenstein

    Random House Australia ISBN: 9781784754075 Published: 16/05/2016 Imprint: Arrow (Young)   RRP $15.99   The Middle School series from the James Patterson stable has been terrifically popular and as JP’s new character is introduced I foresee another avalanche of young readers. Since Jacky Hart first started school and had unkind kids make fun of her stuttering start (hence Read more

  • Sophie Someone – Hayley Long

    Allen & Unwin ISBN 9781471404894 Publisher: Bonnier Imprint: Hotkey Pub Date: June 2016 RRP $16.99 When Sophie was very young, around 4 or 5, she and her mother undertook a very hurried and confusing trip to Belgium. Sophie can clearly remember her mother tearing up their passports and stuffing them in a bin upon their Read more

  • Three – Justin D’Ath

    Ford St Publishing April 2016 ISBN: 9781925272277 Justin D’Ath seems to have a real gift for exciting adventure stories with tremendous appeal to both boys and girls. This novel is like a blockbuster thriller movie but for young readers and is just fabulous. Sunday or Sunny suspects nothing more than the usual school assembly as he Read more

  • The Truth According to Arthur: a funny book about fibbing –  Tim Hopgood/David Tazzyman

    Allen & Unwin July 2016 ISBN 9781408864999 Publisher:Bloomsbury Imprint:Bloomsbury Child RRP $14.99   A perfect book for a read-aloud that will gently point out that lying is not just a no-no but will also lead to a great discussion on ethics for young readers. Arthur breaks a rule. He is not to ride his brother’s Read more

  • Mrs Whitlam – Bruce Pascoe

    Magabala Books Author: Bruce Pascoe Published: Jun 2016 ISBN: 9781925360240 Ages: Middle primary, Upper primary, Young Adult   I am very quickly becoming very enamoured of Bruce Pascoe’s writing for young people (not to mention for adults). He is really deft at making his young adult characters believable and contemporary without relying on current vernacular Read more

  • Popcorn Movie Time: The BFG

    Last night we were fortunate enough – myself & Small, her little cousin The Divine Miss M and her BFF – to attend a preview 3D screening of Spielberg’s The BFG. Some reviews have claimed it didn’t translate well and if anything was ‘too faithful’ to Roald Dahl’s much-loved novel. I don’t need to explain Read more

Archived Reviews