Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • How Stella Learned to Talk – Christina Hunger

    Allen & Unwin May 2021 ISBN: 9781760878764 RRP: $32.99 Of course, we have known for years that animals can understand us and some have even been able to communicate with us in simple ways – think Koko and signing. It would be truly presumptuous for humans to imagine that we are the only species capable…

  • Truly Tan Shocked! – Jen Storer. Illustrated by Clare Robertson

    Harper Collins Australia January 2021 ISBN: 9780733334146 ISBN 10: 0733334148 Imprint: ABC Books AU List Price: 17.99 AUD It has been ages since I’ve had the delight of reading a new Truly Tan book and the joy has not diminished one whit! In this new adventure Tan and Gloria are most worried about their teacher, Miss Dragone, who has…

  • The Werewolves who Weren’t – T. C. Shelley

    You can read my review of this fabulous second instalment in this series at Kids Book Review now!

  • The Prison Healer – Lynette Noni

    Penguin Australia Published: 30 March 2021 ISBN: 9781760897512 Imprint: Penguin Format: Trade Paperback Pages: 416 RRP: $24.99 I’m going to have a lot of my secondary students clamoring for this one. They are huge fans of Noni’s previous books, both boys and girls and this is another intriguing dark fantasy (with some dystopian touches) thriller for them to enjoy. Set in…

  • The Valley of Lost Secrets – Lesley Parr

    Bloomsbury Australia February 2021 ISBN: 9781526620521 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $14.99 Omg, I can’t tell you how much I loved this read during the week!! It completely reminds me of two much-loved favourites, Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden and Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian (both of which I own and have re-read many…

  • Ginger Meggs – Tristan Bancks and Jason Chatfield

    Penguin Australia May 2021 ISBN: 9781760894818 Imprint: Puffin Format: Hardback Pages: 192 RRP: $24.99 When I was a kid, growing up in Sydney, my favourite part of the weekend was reading the Sunday comics. I started about four years old, when my Dad opened his Telegraph, and handed me the colourful insert and I was pretty much still reading them…

  • The StrangeWorlds Travel Agency : The Edge of the Ocean Book #2 – L. D. Lapinski

    Hachette Australia APR 13, 2021 | 9781510105959 | RRP $16.99 Now that Flick is officially a member of the StrangeWorlds Travel Agency, and with one exciting adventure already under her belt, in which she demonstrated some unexpected and remarkable powers, she and Jonathan Mercator are summoned to help another world. This time they are joined by Jonathan’s distant cousin,…

  • The Storm Keepers’ Battle: Storm Keeper Trilogy 3 – Catherine Doyle

    Bloomsbury Australia March 2021 ISBN: 9781526607966 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $14.99 I have loved this series from the very start! The premise is so fresh and different, and full of so many wonderful themes, characters and fabulous magic. Fionn and the Arranmore islanders are under siege from the evil Morrigan, her heinous brothers and…

  • A Case of Grave Danger: The Violet Veil Mysteries #1 – Sophie Cleverly

    Harper Collins Australia Published: 3rd February 2021Publisher: HarperCollins PublishersCountry of Publication: GB ISBN: 9780008297350ISBN-10: 0008297355 RRP: $16.99 Sophie Cleverly’s Scarlet and Ivy series is one of the most popular in my library, particularly with our Year 7 and 8 girls and they are already madly excited to hear about this new series, and counting down until they can pounce on…

  • 100 Things To Know About Saving the Planet

    You can read my review of this great book at Kids Book Review now – enjoy!