Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire: a Tail of Adventure. Bravepaw #2- L. M. Wilkinson. Art by Lavanya Naidu.

    Allen & Unwin February 2025 ISBN:9781761180569 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:Albert Street Books RRP: $16.99 My newest favourite mouselings are back and their quest continues apace. Titch and Huckleberry have absolutely no idea how to reach the Heart of Alluria, where they are meant to repair the crack in the world. And even though Titch has the…

  • Ghostlines – Katya Balen

    Bloomsbury Publishing January 2025 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing ISBN 9781526663870 RRP: $16.99 Since the first Katya Balen title that came into my hands in 2019, I have loved this writer’s work. Obviously given her 2022 Carnegie Medal, I’m not the only one. Each time her characters are flawlessly executed, with plots that are fresh and…

  • Goldfields Girl: the Clara Saunders Story – Elaine Forrestal

    Fremantle Press February 2025 ISBN: 9781760994969 RRP: $17.99 When Goldfields Girl was first published in 2020, I acquired it for our collection and then never got around to reading it. Now it’s been reissued with this [IMO] far more engaging cover [I think it just illustrates Clara’s jaunty and resilient personality more] and I’m very happy…

  • Epically Good Greek Myths – R. A. Spratt

    Penguin Australia March 2025 ISBN: 9781761349751 RRP: $16.99 Nerdy kid me has always been fascinated with the ancient civilisations: as a primary schooler requesting books on the big three of Egypt, Rome and Greece and acing my project on 6 chosen civilisations, to a highschooler crushing on my Ancient History teacher [not even young, almost as…

  • Soaring with the Sugarbird Lady: the Robin Miller Story – Dianne Wolfer

    Fremantle Press March 2025 ISBN: 978176099527 RRP: $17.99 My love of historical fiction knows no bounds as when I come across a hitherto unknown episode, particularly of the Australian + women variety. Dianne Wolfer has introduced me to a young woman who was an absolute stand-out – in Dianne’s own words ‘a trailblazer for women, winging…

  • February wrap-up

    For a short month, there’s been a lot of reading – all these, most for review, but a couple for pleasure plus 3 x MG novels ARCs, 1 PB ditto and onto a 4th now for teaching notes (4 sets written, one set underway). Also several competition entries read for judging. What a lucky duck…

  • A Good Kind of Trouble – Brooke Blurton and Melanie Saward

    Harper Collins Australia January 2024 This is another great novel coming from WA with fresh new voices and perspectives, and one of my most enjoyable reads of last year [I was reading the proof to write the teaching notes]. Jamie is a lively and intelligent girl who is very at ease with both her Aboriginality…

  • The Big Backyard Plan – Kirsten Ealand/Laura Stitzel

    Affirm Press February 2025 AUD RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781922992444 What a delightful and happy-making book this is! Until I was 14, my family home was our house in the front corner of 3 regular-sized Sydney suburban blocks, with the rest of the land being taken up with the family business of A. Warren & Sons…

  • Washpool – Lisa Fuller

    Hachette Australia Feb 26, 2025 | 9780734420756 | RRP $16.99 Let’s see. Take a little of Alice down the rabbit hole, and mix that with a smidgin of Oz. Then add in some snippets of lands reached using the Subtle Knife plus some of the strangeness of Nevermoor. After that, throw in some Upside Down and sprinkle it all…

  • Abbie’s True Colours – Claire Thompson Abbie Jane Eliott Bulpett

    Owlet Press May 2025 ISBN: 9781913339654 RRP; $25.99 Yes, I know its release date isn’t until March but given recent events and despicable actions by political parties especially, I want you to note this and support it fully. It’s not just another fine example of a young Australian with vision but represents a social initiative…