Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Parrot Palace – Susanne Gervay with Pooja Mathur. Illustrated by Sarah Tabassum.

    Big Sky Publishing Imprint: Little Big Sky March 2025 ISBN: 9781923300088 RRP: $12.99 When I had an email from the wonderful Susanne Gervay last year, asking if I would write teaching notes for a new book, quite naturally I was delighted. And when I first read Parrot Palace, I was even more delighted. This is Read more

  • Ella and the Sleepover Safari – Cassy Polimeni. Hykie Breeze.

    UWAP March 2025 ISBN: 9781760803018 RRP: $15.99 How utterly apt that it happens I can be writing this review today on World Frog Day! Lucky it hopped into my mail just in time. So many of you will know the sensational series start of the first Ella book, when we met her family, friends and Read more

  • All Aboard!: Planes – Radka Píro & Diarmuid Ó Catháin

    New South Books Albatros Books December 2024 9788000070995  AUD$24.99, NZD$29.99 How super cute is it to have a flightless bird learning all about flying and planes? Karl the Kiwi is sad because he would really love to fly like other birds. He thinks up a few ideas including hitching a ride with a flying bird, Read more

  • Maggie: in her own words – Maggie Tabberer

    Awards: Short-listed, APA Book Design Awards, Best Designed Book (Hardback), 1998, AU Short-listed, Book Data/ABA Book of the Year Award, 1998, AU Allen & Unwin January 2025 ISBN: 9781761472916 RRP: $34.99 TV and fashion personality Maggie Tabberer dies aged 87 When Maggie Tabberer died in early December last year, I felt her loss almost personally, Read more

  • Three Boys Gone – Mark Smith

    Pan Macmillan Australia Imprint: Macmillan Australia December 2025 ISBN: 9781761269868 RRP: $34.99 When I taught my rowdy Year 9s a few years ago, and even the most disengaged became completely engrossed in The Road to Winter (and many of them going on to read the rest of the trilogy!), it was pretty obvious Mark Smith has Read more

  • Dream Goal: Kicking It Football Academy – Jess Black/Mario Gushiken

    Scholastic Australia March 20 9781761527623 $14.99 Whether you’re a soccer aficionado or not, or indeed, a Matildas fan or not, there is not a doubt that the success of the team over the past couple of years has given a huge boost to girls in soccer. In fact, soccer in general seems to be on Read more

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