Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Lucky’s Star – Mark Greenwood. Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo.

    CSIRO Publishing June 2025 Last ‘sky’ book for the day and I have to be honest. I’d not even heard of the Murchison’s Meteorite, but it’s not really a topic that would often grab my attention, and to be fair at the time of the event, I was only just starting high school – so…

  • How Big is the Sky? -Kimberly Brown

    Simon & Schuster Publisher: Affirm Press July 2025 ISBN13: 9781923046368 RRP: LIST PRICE: AU$ 24.99 / NZ$ 29.99 While this one fits perfectly into today’s theme in a titular way, it is not about the sky at all. It is, in fact, about a whole lot of different concepts and it is a book which…

  • The Susurrus -Genevieve Young-Evans. Cate James

    Walker Books Australia June 2025 ISBN13:9781760657611 Australia RRP:$25.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 Continuing on today’s theme of ‘sky high’, this is not only a good book for teaming with those units of HASS/Science but there is plenty of scope for vocabulary and phonics/phonemic awareness, no matter which program your school is following for that -especially useful…

  • Good Golden Sun – Brendan Wenzel

    New South Books Publisher: Scallywag Press May 2025 9781836300304 AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 This one would be an excellent springboard into your UoI into those Earth/Sky/Weather type topics as while it is not informational per se, it provides a great opening gambit for conversations about why the sun is important and what it means to life on…

  • Little Cloud: Little Wonders #1 – Heidi McKinnon

    Hardie Grant November 2025 ISBN:9781761215810 Format:Board book Price:AU$19.99, NZ$22.99 Series:Little Wonders Publisher :Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Imprint: Little Hare Here comes a sweet new series from the very clever and creative Heidi McKinnon pitched squarely at your smallest of Smalls. Larger sized and very sturdy board books with gorgeously textured bindings [always such a treat…

  • Picture Book Month Bonus: Start with a Teapot: an unexpected guide to the art of drawing – Enric Lax

    Walker Books Australia Imprint: Gecko Press ISBN13:9798765670491 Australia RRP:$29.99 New Zealand RRP:$34.99 Invariably, when I’m with a class and we are about to draw, there is always the one – or more – who say ‘But I can’t draw…’ or ‘I’m terrible at drawing…’. I always tell them that I’m not an artist but I…

  • Whispers and Roars – Patrick Guest. Jonathan Bentley.

    Simon & Schuster September 2025 As if to prove my comments about these two creators previously in this 2025 line-up of picture books, here is a stunning one with them in combination as they were for the acclaimed The Second Sky. And this one is a good addition to today’s titles focused on well-being for…

  • We Are All Amazing – P. Crumble and Jonathan Bentley.

    Scholastic Australia December 2025 ISBN: 9781761725333 RRP: $19.99 This is, I believe, the newest in a series pitched at younger children to encourage them to develop some positive attributes and attitudes. Anything with Jonathan Bentley‘s name attached is a drawcard for me. Not only is his artwork sublime but he’s a thoroughly nice human…amusing and…

  • Confetti and the Rainbow Garden – Shane Jenek aka Courtney Act. Illustrated by Dylan Finney.

    Hardie Grant Australia October 2025 Imprint: Pantera Press ISBN:9781763550735 Price:AU$22.99, NZ$24.99 After a hugely successful debut with their memoir Caught in the Act, Shane Jenek/Courtney Act now presents a timely book that encourages young people to understand the shades of difference between us all. Confetti is one of a group of cousins each with their…

  • CSIRO Publishing line up!

    I seem to have collected a few so here’s the round-up of all I have left for this year – every single one of utmost excellence as we know we will get from this publishing house, and all of them with subject matter that will engage, fascinate and inform kiddos. Every Rock has a Story:…