Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Tom Weekly 6:  My Life and other Failed Experiments – Tristan Bancks. Illustrated by Gus Gordon

    Penguin Random House 9780143781615 July 2, 2018 Random House Australia Children’s RRP: $14.99 So my read last night was the new hilarious instalment in Tom Weekly’s adventures and it didn’t disappoint. Fortunately alone in my bedroom there’s no one to witness my snorts of laughter! Where to start? Well I just loved Nanna Nancy’s stealthy…

  • The Chocolate Factory Ghost – David O’Connell

    Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408887066 ISBN-10: 1408887061 Series: The Dundoodle Mysteries Published: 1st May 2018 Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing RRP; $12.99 Archie McBudge has lucky underpants. He knows he does because he and his mum have just discovered that Archie has inherited a huge mansion, a famous sweets factory and more from his Great-Uncle Archibald. What makes this even more astonishing is that…

  • Finch – Penny Matthews

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781760650759 Release Date: August 1, 2018 Australian RRP: $16.99 Even in holiday mode it’s a big ask for me to read a book in one sitting but this one is a corker! At once a coming-of-age story and a beautiful reflection on accepting differences its country setting along with an environmental theme provides a strong…

  • Down by the sea…

    It may be winter but living near the sea does have its advantages especially when you are in Queensland so my mood today is for those things that are of the ocean. Tropical Terry – Jarvis Walker Books ISBN: 9781406376425 Imprint: Walker Release Date: July 1, 2018 Australian RRP: $24.99 Terry is a very plain little fish who lives…

  • Pippa’s Island 4: Camp Castaway – Belinda Murrell

    Penguin Random House ISBN 9780143783725 April 2, 2018 Imprint: Random House Australia Children’s RRP: $14.99   I may have had to wait a while for my review copy to arrive but it was completely worth it. If ever a ‘sea change’ from dull dreary winter normality was needed it was now and this was just…

  • Alice-Miranda in Scotland [#17]– Jacqueline Harvey

    Random House Australia Children’s ISBN 9780143786016 May 2018 RRP $16.99   What could possibly be more delightful than our favourite BFF immersed in Scotland’s culture and icons?  The inaugural Queen’s Colours leadership program for children is kicking off in the land of Burns, Bruce and Braveheart and Alice-Miranda (after a tricky start) as well as…

  • Little Lunch: Triple The Games– Danny Katz/Mitch Vane

    Walker Books Australia ISBN: 9781760650278 Imprint: Black Dog Books March 1, 2018 Australian RRP: $12.99 The kids from Little Lunch really do crack me up! As I’ve said before I reckon I’ve taught every one of them at one time or another.  The fun continues for fans of the popular TV show with this latest instalment of another…

  • Found – Fleur Ferris

    Random House Australia Children’s 9780143784326 July 2, 2018 RRP $19.99 With her customary skill Fleur’s new novel launches into full-speed adrenaline-rushing action from the outset.  Had it not been the end of term and my exhaustion levels peaking I would have binge-read it in one sitting! Seventeen year old Beth Williams has lived all her…

  • Dolls of Hope – Shirley Parenteau

      Walker Books March 2018 ISBN: 9780763677527 Imprint: Candlewick Australian RRP: $19.99 New Zealand RRP: $22.99   A companion book to The Ship of Dolls this continues the little known history of the Friendship Doll project of 1926, this time from the Japanese perspective. Chiyo Tamura has been raised in a very traditional rural Japanese family and has never…

  • Empathy and Books for Children

    At present our Junior School is focusing on developing empathy with our children and particularly the value of books/shared reading in this process (yay!) so it seems apt to collate some of my current review picture books that fit this agenda.   The Day War Came –   Nicola Davies/illustrated by Rebecca Cobb Walker Books Australia…