Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • 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

  • Billie’s Buzz – Alison Brown

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 To finish off this week’s little theme of mini-beasts comes this enchanting book from Alison Brown showcasing the extraordinary talents of bees! Take a bow, bees of the world bee-cause we know you are the absolute superstars of the insect world. When Billie sees a poster for the upcoming Pet Read more

  • BrilliANT : A Journey into the Impressive Life of an Ant- Rosi Ngwenya and Sandy Flett

    For a word nerd such as I, or your participANTs, whether in the classroom or library – including any miscreANTs that some of you will have in your group of readers, this is just fANTastic! Who would ever have ANTicipated a book that would reveal the entire life journey of an ant and its colony Read more

  • Spiro – Anna McGregor

    Scribble July 2024 ISBN: 9781761381010 RRP: $24.99 Here’s the next delightful book in this week’s mini-beast theme, and what a terrific comedy of errors it is. Spiro is the epitome of perseverance, effort and resilience (which, obviously, will be a great talking point for your Smalls), as he works hard on one web after another Read more

  • Borderlands: Riding the Slipstream – Edited by Paul Collins

    Ford St Publishing June 2024 ISBN: 9781922696403 RRP: $29.99 Paul Collins and Ford St Publishing are, IMO, the most successful editors and creators of anthologies for young people in the country. Just yesterday FB reminded me that the very first published review I ever did was sent off to ReadPlus 12 years ago and it Read more

Archived Reviews