Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe



  • Coming up soon…

    Stay posted for reviews of three absolutely hilarious titles – sure fire winners for your reluctant readers especially (so embarassing when you burst out laughing at the hairdresser’s and everyone just looks at you!)…… Read more

  • Mouseheart (#1) – Lisa Fiedler

    Simon & Schuster UK | 320 pages | ISBN 9781471121869 | June 2014 | AU$ 14.99 NZ$ 16.99   I am an unashamed devotee of books with mouse characters – Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, The Tale of Desperaux, Mouse Mansion, Stuart Little, The Churchmice and of course the Redwall series – so Read more

  • The Dream Snatcher – Abi Elphinstone

    Simon & Schuster Children’s UK | 288 pages | ISBN 9781471122682 | February 2015 RRP: AU$ 14.99 NZ$ 16.99   So yesterday whilst doing some spring-cleaning in preparation for a new year, I picked up this wonderful first novel – and first in a planned series – which will entrance readers who are fans of Read more

  • Grug Gets Lost – Ted Prior

    Simon & Schuster Australia | 32 pages | ISBN 9781925030518 | October 2015 RRP AU$ 4.99 NZ$ 6.99 Is there anyone who doesn’t love Grug? He has been a long-time favourite in our family for sure and I have certainly spent many happy library sessions sharing Grug’s stories with small people. They always loved to Read more

  • The Little Shop of Monsters – R. L. Stine. Illustrated by Marc Brown

    Hachette Australia ISBN:9780316348522 Publication date:25 Aug 2015 Page count:48 Imprint:Little, Brown Young Readers USA RR $14.99 So R. L. Stine drove us all crazy over the past decade or so with endless Goosebumps books – but hey! They got the kids reading didn’t they? Since then his books have moved into an older readership and Read more

  • Ugly – Robert Hoge

      ISBN: 9780733634338 Publication date: 11 Aug 2015 Page count: 160 Imprint: Hachette Australia RRP $16.99 It has taken me a while to get to review this Younger Readers’ version of Robert Hoge’s successful memoir. My Year 8 students have been working on an English task which was to research and write a feature article about an inspirational hero Read more