Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Us in the Bright Lights – Zanni L. Arnot

    Hachette Australia 9780734424501|July 2026|RRP $19.99 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books I confess that I can be a bit of a sucker for a good rom-com and this new YA romance from Zanni ticked all the right boxes for me because it was not only a sweet romance but had serious moments as well as some vicarious…

  • Odd Cat Out!: Cat School – Rose Robbins

    New South Books Scallywag Press Rose Robbins 9781836300397/August 2026/AUD$19.99, NZD$22.99 This first in a new trilogy by London author Rose Robbins, who writes from her own personal experience, will make for a great addition to your inclusive collection. Framed as anthropomorphic young cats, the narrative revolves around two friends, Tangle and Eno, starting at their…

  • How to Get Rid of a Princess – Alison McLennan. Mel Pearce

    Hardie Grant Australia ISBN:9781761212970 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing – Bright Light Being the youngest sibling by 7 years I guess I could have fit the bill as the annoying princess but I honestly think the 7 and 10 year age gaps worked for me as the big brother and sister were more the…

  • Running in Circles – Shivaun Plozza

    UQP April 2026 ISBN 9780702271045 RRP: $17.99 It’s quite amazing, even after fourteen years of doing this reviewing thing, how there will be batches of books all with really similar themes for similar ages. It’s like some pervasive mist in the air inspired so many authors to independently come up with quite similar storylines. And…

  • The Diamonds of Tilly Devine – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia June 2026 No secret to any of you who are regular readers here, I am a Jackie French fan. Whether it’s her picture books, her middle grade novels, non-fiction, or adult fiction – you name it, it’s a given that I will love it. In particular it is her historical fiction that…

  • Little Lunch for Littles

    Walker Books Australia August 2026 Australia RRP:$15.99 New Zealand RRP:$17.99 When The Kid was a little ‘un, and honestly – whether she was around or not – the Little Lunch series on ABC was always entertaining. I defy anyone who has taught primary kids to not identify repeatedly with the crew of diverse children as…

  • Review from School Library Journal – April 2026

  • Why We Love Footy: an Aussie Rules History in 50 Great Moments – Martin Blake

    Allen & Unwin August 2026 ISBN:9781761472930 Publisher:Allen & Unwin Imprint:Allen & Unwin RRP: $34.99 I freely admit as always that I’m a league girl, always have been and always will be, but that’s not to say I’m entirely ignorant nor uninterested in the aerial ping-pong version [ok, so I had to get that in somewhere!].…

  • Animal Force – Cerise Madsen

    New South Books Publisher: Midnight Sun 9781922858740/July 2026/AUD$17.99, NZD$19.99 This would be a useful book for a middle-grade serial read to ‘read-around-your-topic’ in environmental themes especially. Although the publisher notes suggest 6 years +, personally I feel it is more suited to older and more discerning readers who would be better able to absorb some…

  • The Boy Who Drew Cats- Lafcadio Hearn: a Japanese folktale. Illustratedby Anita Kreituse.

    New South Books Publisher: Tuttle 9780804859561/May 2026/AUD$29.99 I had never heard of Lafcadio Hearn but now that I’ve gone down some wormholes finding out more about him [here’s one article but many more to be found], surely this is a man with an extraordinary life story. And while I have both studied and taught Japanese…