Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Picture Book Month Bonus: The Cockatoo Crew #1 and #2 – Lora Inak. Illustrations by Kruti Desai.

    UWA Publishing RRP: $15.99 This is a brilliant new JF series that all kids will eagerly engage with and enjoy. The whole is set in Cockatoo Hill English Language School and casts a group of eight culturally diverse, enthusiastic and delightful refugee kids as main characters. Despite their differences in experiences, cultural backgrounds, language and Read more

  • Castle Crashing – Andrea Rowe. Hannah Sommerville.

    Hardie Grant October 2025 ISBN:9781761214073 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing It’s already beach time and soon it will be the holidays and there will be more time to spend with friends at the beach for many children. Riding on the wave of success of Jetty Jumping and Sunday Skating, comes the newest collaboration beween Read more

  • My First Book of Zen: simple wisdom for children – Tracy Gallup

    New South Books Tuttle Publishing 9784805318980 September 2025 AUD$29.99 As you might expect, this one very much speaks to my Buddhist soul. It is gentle and soothing, a tranquil taste of what it means to be both mindful and meditative in our daily lives. Over the years I’ve had several books that were focused on Read more

  • Picture Book Month Bonus: Howzat Pat! #3 & #4 – Pat Cummins & Dave Hartley and Serena Geddes.

    HOWZAT indeed!!!!! With splendiferous timing after yesterday’s absolutely spectacular knock by Travis Head, it’s lucky I’ve just read the next two in this cracking series. I was delighted to write the supporting resources for the first two and loved the whole vibe of this series, and these continue in that same vein. With less than Read more

  • The Peach King – Inga Simpson. Illustrated by Tannya Harricks.

    Hachette Australia September 2025 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books 9780734418517 | RRP $24.99 This is a striking book by all standards. Whether we were personally involved with the tragic infernos of 2019/2020 Black Summer, or not, it was still a disaster that concerned us all. I was on high alert at my cousin’s place in the Blue Mountains Read more

  • Our Beautiful World – Sarah Speedie. Margeaux Davis

    New Frontier Publishing April 2025 ISBN : 978-1-923145-57-3 PRICE : $26.99 The holidays are fast approaching and some of your children will be going away perhaps to places overseas, perhaps within Australia, but as always, there will be those who will not be going away. Take them on a virtual trip to see the colourful and vibrant Read more

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