Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe


  • Koala Fairies – Anna Pignataro

    Scholastic Australia September 2025 ISBN:9781761123849 RRP: $19.99 It really could be set right here at the end of our street – where bush meets the sea and there are native animals sheltering in quiet spots. Cute little friends, Cookie and Clover, are a pair of helpful koalas who do their best to care for their…

  • The Drought Kangaroo – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia October 2025 ISBN: 9781460765197 ISBN 10: 1460765192 Imprint: HarperCollins AU List Price: 24.99 AUD A new Jackie French is always a moment for celebration. When I’m invited to write supporting notes for one, I’m even more excited. This new one follows on from The Fire Wombat and The Turtle and the Flood in the sense that…

  • Neighbourhood Nest – Sarah Jane Lightfoot

    Publisher: Affirm Kids (September 30, 2025) Simon & Schuster Australia ISBN13: 9781923046818 RRP:  AU$ 24.99 / NZ$ 29.99 It’s pretty apt I think that on the first day of this year’s Aussie Bird Count (time of writing 20/10) I should pick up this one to review. Mind you, I am a daily bird watcher. My…

  • Save the Gum Trees, Bees and Big Blue Seas – Luke John Matthew Arnold.

    Scholastic Australia ISBN: 9781760264970 ISBN-10: 1760264970 June 2025 RRP: $26.99 It’s big and bold and beautiful and essentially, it’s a call to arms for even the Smalls to step up and be protective of our precious environment. I love that the artwork – and I’m not familiar with this visual artist’s work – is so striking and…

  • Animals on Country: Let’s look after the animals with Uncle Kuu – Victor Steffensen. Illustrated by Sandra Steffensen.

    Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761181566 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $24.99 Teaching notes available The continuing upswell in First Nations titles is so pleasing and, let’s face it, not before time. As a minority fringe continues to attempt to cause as much division as it can, and certainly global ugliness is on…

  • Where the River Runs Free – Vikki Conley. Jedda Robaard.

    Windy Hollow Books July 2025 ISBN: 9781922998217 AUD$29.95, NZD$34.99 This spring weather is just glorious and a perfect time for a family walk out in the beauty and calm of nature. Why not follow the example of this family as they take an adventurous walk along the local river.  What might they see? A frog?…

  • A Box Full of Murders – Janice Hallett

    Penguin Australia June 2025 ISBN: 9780241636183 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 It was actually quite serendipitous that as friend, Zanni Louise, mentioned she was enjoying a Janice Hallett murder-mystery – an author whose work I didn’t know – I replied by saying, I had just got a review copy of her first kids’ book, also a murder mystery. And…

  • Dropbear – Philip Bunting

    Walker Books AustraliaOctober 2025 ISBN13:9781760657796 Australia RRP:$25.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 You know it’s true. We’ve all done it. We’ve all talked about the vicious dropbears of Australia – particularly, of course, to our more gullible overseas friends. *Grin* Apparently, it’s not just humans that spread these wild rumours. In this bush outing from the talented…

  • The World of Maxime – Lucile de Pesloüan. Illustrations by Jacques Goldstyn, translated by Helen Mixter

    New South Books Greystone Books June 2025 ISBN: 9781778400544 RRP: AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 To complete this trio of feline titles today, comes this charming book which I would describe as an extended picture book – or perhaps an illustrated novella. No need to be pedantic. It’s an illustrated story with elements of graphix/comics and pitched squarely…

  • Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish – Judith Rossell

    Harper Collins Australia September 2025 ISBN: 9780733343865 ISBN 10: 0733343864 Imprint: ABC Books AU RRP: $15.99 Continuing the impromptu ‘cat’ theme is this deliciously funny new title from Judith Rossell, which will be perfect for your newly independent readers. These are two cats that are the very epitome of their species. They are self-indulgent, wilful, cheeky, devious, greedy…