Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • JT : The Making of a Total Legend – Jonathan Thurston, with James Phelps

    Harper Collins August 2019 ISBN: 9781460758618 ISBN 10: 1460758617 Imprint: HarperCollins – AU List Price: 16.99 AUD I grew up slightly obsessed with rugby league. Born and bred in the heart of Dragons’ territory in the glory days of that team, my girlfriends and I played footy every day in the school playground (I still bear a cracking scar…

  • Kensy and Max #4: Out of Sight – Jacqueline Harvey

    Penguin September 2019 ISBN: 9780143791928 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 Just as life for the intrepid and resilient twins seems to be settling with both their parents and their grandparents restored to the family, the London house habitable again and being back at school with their friends, things start hotting up.  Their upcoming first Pharos review is doubtless a…

  • Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay – Alexandra Stewart/Joe Todd-Stanton

      Bloomsbury May 2019 ISBN: 9781526600769 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $24.99 As a child of the 50s the names of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were as familiar to me as the names of my friends. Though I was born a few years after their remarkable expedition their names still resounded around the globe.…

  • Clancy of the Overflow (The Matilda Saga #9) – Jackie French

    Harper Collins October 2019 ISBN: 9781460754771 ISBN 10: 1460754778 Imprint: HarperCollins – AU List Price: 29.99 AUD This little hobby of mine has brought me so much richness. I’m able to read the newest titles from so many fabulous creators. But as you probably have realised I stand in complete awe of our maven of literature for children, teens…

  • Final Storm – Deborah Abela

    Penguin August 2019 ISBN: 9780143794462 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 When Deborah Abela started her ‘cranky climate change’ series it was because she was prompted to do so by the refusal of world governments to take action against the obvious and dangerous climatic changes threatening the world as we know it. A decade after the publication of Grimsdon our…

  • Flights of Fancy: stories, pictures and inspiration from ten Children’s Laureates 😉

    Walker Books, April 2019, 80 pp., $27.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781403687858 Quentin Blake, Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Rosen, Anthony Browne, Julia Donaldson, Malorie Blackman, Chris Riddell, Lauren Child. Naturally we are not the only ones to celebrate our creators of extraordinary children’s books and this compilation is a real treat. The above authors,…

  • Story Time Stars: Favourite Characters from Australian Picture Books – Stephanie Owen Reeder

    NLA September 2019 ISBN:   9780642279408 RRP: $24.99   During the week the Story Time: Australian Children’s Literature exhibition was officially opened at the National Library of Australia. Judging by the photos posted by many friends it was a superb occasion with the glitterati of our children’s literary creators and supporters in attendance. To commemorate this special…

  • …and the Three Little Pigs…

    Me and my amazeballs library team!

  • Jinxed! The Curious Curse of Cora Bell (Book #1) – Rebecca McRitchie

    Harper Collins August 2019 ISBN: 9781460780169 ISBN 10: 1460780167 RRP: $17.99 Sometimes you pick up a book and it just sparkles! Young Cora is an orphan who was found and raised by elderly Dot. She’d lost an eye with a resulting nasty scar and has a mysterious special bracelet. Dot and Cora are collectors in the virtually…

  • My Culture and Me – Gregg Dreise

    Penguin May 2019 ISBN: 9780143789376 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $24.99 Gregg’s first picture books were contemporary styled versions of traditional stories told to him by his family and elders. They were beautiful, joyous and hugely popular with my readers. This latest diverges a little but is a glorious celebration of First Australian culture. As readers of this blog are…