Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe


  • The Travelling Bookshop #1: Mim and the Baffling Bully – Katrina Nannestad

    Harper Collins Australia July 2021 ISBN: 9781460713662 ISBN 10: 1460713664 Imprint: ABC Books List Price: 8.99 AUD I absolutely love this return to her whimsical, feel-good style from Katrina Nannestad, in this new and thoroughly delightful series. Although pitched at younger readers, I can absolutely see my older readers, who are keen fans of The Girl, the Dog, the…

  • The Countess from Kirribilli – Joyce Morgan

    Allen & Unwin ISBN: 9781760875176 Imprint: Allen & Unwin RRP: $32.99 I was born and bred in Sydney and, though no expert or fount of all knowledge, not such a slouch when it comes to the history of my home town and yet I had never heard of Elizabeth von Armin. This vivacious, talented and…

  • And the last display is up for this term…

  • Term 3 Displays

    We’ve really been upping our game with displays this year in my library we believe. But this term we’re really having some fun. As soon as I was aware of Josh Langley’s latest book in his Being You is Enough series (reviewed yesterday here) Being Wildly Kind and certainly seeing his bee accoutrements as he…

  • Being You is Enough series- Josh Langley

    Big Sky Publishing RRP: $14.99 It was such a joy to become connected with the uber-talented Josh Langley online earlier this year and to discover his own magical brand of positivity, particularly as it applies to children. It’s taken a while but this week I received the four books in his amazingly successful series and…

  • Oddity – Eli Brown

    Walker Books May 2021 ISBN: 9781406389272Imprint: WalkerDistributor: Walker Australia-HEDS Australian RRP: $18.99New Zealand RRP: $21.99 I read this well over a month ago and have been talking it up big time to my readers, especially my ChocLit group but hadn’t yet written the review. Not because I didn’t absolutely love it but because, really, it is so completely unique in…

  • Heroes, Rebels and Innovators – Karen Wyld. Illustrated by Jaelyn Biumaiwai.

    Hachette July 2021 ISBN: 9780734419835 RRP: $26.99 As NAIDOC 2021 draws to a close, this is such an important book to share with you, examining as it does the lives and incredible actions of seven inspirational First Australian heroes. Each of these amazing Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander figures contributed in immensely important ways to…

  • The Shadow Arts – Damien Love

    Bloomsbury July 2021 Imprint: Rock the Boat ISBN: 9780861540860 RRP: $14.99 A few months ago, Alex’s world changed forever. Now, just when it seems life is almost getting back to normal, his grandfather crashes back into the picture with grave news…Innocent lives –  even history itself – could be at stake. Monstrous Devices was one…

  • Shockingly Good Stories – R. A. Spratt

    Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781761043376 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $19.99 The hilarious author, R. A. Spratt, knows well that her stories make me snort laugh in an extremely undignified manner. I do my utmost to keep these moments private as I have noted that when reading hilarious stories from what is obviously a kids’ book on a train full of…

  • Who Fed Zed? – Amelia McInerney. Illustrated by Adam Nickel

    Allen & Unwin July 2021 ISBN: 9781760524432 Publisher: A&U Children’s Imprint: A & U Children RRP: $24.99 For my library event of last week, I was required, of course, to complete the paperwork to tick all the boxes and of the 50 children attending, ten had dietary requirements – with nine of those being medical…