Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Nanny Tobbins and the Midnight Plan – Lucie Stevens

    Harper Collins Australia May 2026 ISBN: 9781460766538 RRP; $18.99 Nanny Tobbins #1 was great fun and liberally laced with solid historical references. Now #2 continues the fantasy six months on with Bertie once again finding herself in the midst of misadventure. The Great Exhibition is over and as the remaining displays and exhibits are packed…

  • Joey and the Junjardy – Allison Rocca. Illustrated by Brenton E. McKenna

    UQP June 2026 ISBN: 9780702271137 RRP: $17.99 I was already keen to read this one and when I started in and realised it is set in Wakka Wakka country, immediately felt a connection. My first teaching post in 1994 was Nanango SS – yes, on Wakka Wakka lands – so for several years I taught…

  • The Epically Awesome Odyssey, as told by Nanny Piggins – R. A. Spratt

    Penguin Australia June 2026 If there is one sure thing to brighten up a bleak, chilly winter’s night (or day) it is the one, the only Nanny Piggins along with her family: Boris, her bear brother, and the children for whom she slaves day and night to feed, clothe, keep clean, educate – oh wait…

  • The Stolen Bairn – Katrina Macdonald Roe

    Riveted Press Distributed by Simon & Schuster May 2026 ISBN13: 9781764256773 LIST PRICE: AU$ 17.99 / NZ$ 19.99 The gorgeous cover and enticing title bespeak the thoroughly engaging nature of this fantasy faerie tale from newcomer Katrina Macdonald Roe [Fun Fact: while the Macdonald clans, in their variations, are now scattered all over the world,…

  • Cleopatra: The Girl Who Would Be King (Heroes in the Ancient World, #1) – Jackie French

    Harper Collins AustraliaMay 2026 ISBN: 9781460766545 RRP: $16.99 A new book from Jackie French is always exciting. When it heralds a new series even more so. And to top it off, I was able to read it and write notes for it, which was so cool especially as, some months ago, Jackie and I had some…

  • Duck Look Who’s Talking! (Duck, #1) – Matt Stanton

    Harper Collins Australia April 2026 Matt Stanton is a king of comedic writing and don’t we know it! And I’m going to be very frank here [no, not Frank – just Los] I really do think the Funny Kid books are great but it was always Duck who was the stand-out for me. Nothing speaks…

  • Time to Go to the Park – Emma Bowd/Leila Rudge

    Harper Collins Australia What a perfectly sweet and happy book this is to share with your favourite Smalls! It brings back many happy memories for me of parks and picnics with my own girls and then later The Kid [we still enjoy parks and picnics now she’s an adult -just in a different way!]. I…

  • Lexie Moon & the Remote Control Disaster – Melissa Garside and Lauren Mullinder

    Riveted Press Distributed by Simon & Schuster June 2026 ISBN13: 9781764256766 LIST PRICE: AU$ 12.99 / NZ$ 14.99 Hooray for #3 in the Lexie Moon series with this young inventor extraordinaire. In this new adventure, Lexie is constructing a ‘sauce bottle’ remote control car for an upcoming competition but is really having difficulties. Finding the…

  • Zac Power to the max!

    Hardie Grant April 2026 Mission Files #4 Mission Files #5 Mission Files #6 I am quite certain I’m not the only one who can say there were times in my libraries when I feared that the Zac Power books would end up in shreds when, as one or more was being returned, there would be…

  • The Midlands – Kate Gordon

    Kate Gordon has certainly forged a following since her first foray into publication. Some of her titles I have reviewed, others I have read but not reviewed but I definitely know which ones have received the positives and enthusiasms. I particularly enjoyed Whalesong. There is a lot to like about this newest one as well.…