Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Oceans at Night – Vanessa Pirotta. Illustrated by Cindy Lane.

     June 2024 | $ 24.99ISBN: 9781486317233 Publisher: CSIRO Publishing I’ve reviewed quite a few beautiful ‘ocean’ PBs, both fictional and narrative non-fiction, but not so many that focus on the ocean at night. This is just a stunning addition, crammed with absolutely glorious illustrations (and oh! those endpapers!), lyrical language and fascinating facts with which Read more

  • Book Week Ideas

    Go to Substack for the full article Simple costume hacks from Hachette Costume inspo from Teach Starter Read more

  • The Voyage of Whale and Calf – Vanessa Pirotta. Illustrated by Samantha Metcalfe.

    CSIRO Publishing April 2022 ISBN: 9781486315109 RRP: $22.99 This beautiful book only came my way recently but what perfect timing as I have a little oceanic theme going on, and also it’s whale season for us. Last year I treated myself to a day on the Eyespy our local, much-awarded whale watching company and it Read more

  • Buckham’s Bombers: the Australian airmen who hunted Hitler’s deadliest battleship – Mark Baker

    Allen & Unwin July 2024 ISBN:9781761471186 RRP: $34.99 First of all, I want to especially thank Allen & Unwin for giving me the opportunity to review this. Although my Father Bear’s squadron was the 514, it was still a Lancaster outfit with an almost entirely Australian crew – one of many who were the workhorses Read more

  • Drop into the Ocean

    Hardie Grant Explore June 2024 9781741178951 $24.99 Way back in March (and it really does feel like WAY back!) I was asked to create teaching notes for this sensational book and what a joyful task it was. This not only looks beautiful and fun, but is one of those wonderful teaching-by-stealth narrative non-fictions that kiddos Read more

  • The Sea in Me – Cody Simpson. Written with Jess Black. Illustrated by Amandine Thomas.

    Penguin Australia June 2024 One of the reasons we love where we live is that it is only a five minute walk to the sea. We see the placid ripples of Moreton Bay every single day and it never fails to soothe us, no matter how we are feeling or what kind of day it’s Read more

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