Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Dear Beach – Jacinta Boyd

    Publisher:Boolarong Press ISBN:9781923321250 September 7, 2026 Imprint:Boolarong Press RRP: $29.99 Yes, it has taken a while to get to this one but what better book to kick off this year’s Picture Book month than one that is a message of love to the beach – given we live a 3-minute walk from ours and the…

  • 2026 Picture Book Month

    Welcome back to JSS’ Picture Book Month in this, the blog’s 14th year. It’s always been such a joyful experience to have November dedicated to the wonder of picture books and even though some places no longer have the special events, many of us do carry on the tradition. I have a LOT of picture…

  • The Unfinished Business: Book #1 – Stephanie Campisi

    Fitzroy Books New South Books Stephanie Campisi 9781646036752/ July 2026/AUD$24.99, NZD$27.99 Of course I got it read before the stroke of midnight on All Hallows! and what a perfectly delicious ghostly read it is. It is absolutely hilarious throughout but with a gentle thread of grief and yearning underlying that. Dari’s mum, Celine, is frantically…

  • The Other Side – Phillip Bunting

    Walker Books August 2026RRP: $26.99 ISBN 9781760659882 I couldn’t finish off my batch of Halloween titles with anything better than a Philip Bunting title and this one is a corker! At first glance, yep, having the Grim Reaper – or Grimster – as narrator might seem slightly macabre (well, come on it IS Philip Bunting!)…

  • Who Said Boo? – Jeanne Willis/Brian Fitzgerald

    New South Books Scallywag Press October 2026 9781836300373 AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 I love Jeanne Willis‘ books, though I haven’t read nearly enough of them and Dr Xargle’s Book of Earthlets has been a firm favourite for many years – I can’t even begin to count how many times I’ve shared it with cackling audiences of kiddos.…

  • Howl-O-Ween-Emma Bowd. Lara Porter.

    Penguin Australia August 2026 ISBN: 9781761359248 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $17.99 We do love Halloween in our family but sadly, we are living in a neighbourhood with very few kids or even teens having fun. That doesn’t stop me decorating and being prepared – just in case. But in some places we’ve lived we see not…

  • Roll up! Roll up! Roll up!

    Same Kids Book Review you know and love – just a slightly different URL. Please edit your bookmarks accordingly and let the wonderful reviews roll out! Thanks for your patience over our past few days of a big tech glitch now sorted.

  • Tilly’s First Spell – Mary Anastasiou. Giorgia Clerico.

    Five Mile Press August 2026 9781923551220$26.99 Whether your kiddos have seen Tilly’s New Broom or not, this will be a hit and has a strong message for Smalls who may not always get new things right the first time. We are forever talking about growth mindset and sometimes I think the kids just think it…

  • Monsters – Jackie Hosking. Katrin Dreiling

    Walker Books Australia September 2026 ISBN13:9781760657918 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$26.99 There’ll be a lot of fun to be had from this one, particularly from Katrin Dreiling’s terrific illustrations which will have kiddos in fits of laughter, I guarantee. The urge to start drawing their own monsters will soon follow any reading as well. It’s…

  • 2026 Halloween coming up!

    Over the next few days enjoy the crop of spooky books I saved for this year’s festivities. I also got one just today from New South Books but won’t have time to read it just yet- however, it has gone straight to my bedside table and looks terrific. So here’s a taster for it and…