Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Slug Life- Moesha Kellaway

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 Book #0 Rocket Bird Books ISBN: 9781915395092 ISBN 10: 1915395097 Imprint: HarperCollins GB RRP: $24.99 ‘Bug’ books, that is books about mini-beasts seem to be very on trend this year and I, for one, am greatly enjoying that. Having had The Kid raising tiny critters such as stick insects in her zoo days,…

  • Goodnight, Joeys- Renée Treml

    Penguin Australia December 2024 ISBN: 9781761349096 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $14.99 All infant marsupials are called joeys and this sweet little board book takes your own little joey on a soothing bedtime visit to a whole range of different little Aussie bubs. From koalas to numbats, and from tree kangaroos to wombats – each little group has its…

  • Picture Book Month extra!!! Taronga Big Book of Animals – Taronga Conservation Society Australia

    Penguin Australia October 2024 ISBN: 9781761347467 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $39.99 Meet the Four Artists Behind Taronga Zoo’s Big Book of Animals In case you missed my recent reviews of Kristin Darrell’s new junior fiction series featuring all the excitement of Taronga Zoo, you should really pick them up now and pair them with this extraordinarily beautiful encyclopedia…

  • The Truck Cat: National Simultaneous Storytime 2025- Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell

    Hardie Grant Australia November 2024 ISBN:9781761212291 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99Page Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing At a time when the world is in turmoil, much of it due to ignorance, intolerance and bigotry, there could not be a more timely choice for a book that will bring children right across the country together, in a glorious celebration and…

  • Dog Beach – Julie Murphy. Illustrated by Annie White

    New South Books NLA Publishing November 2024 9781922507709/ AUD$24.99, NZD$29.99 What a happy and full-of-warmth book this is! We know to expect entertaining animal stories from Julie Murphy, and we also know we can count on some information as well. This one does not disappoint. With some lovely rhyming descriptors of the many and varied dogs…

  • Picture Book Month extra!! Cobweb – Michael Morpurgo

    Harper Collins Australia ISBN: 9780008352141 ISBN 10: 0008352143 Imprint: HarperCollins GB RRP: $19.99 Once again Michael Morpurgo demonstrates exactly why he is a master of middle grade historical fiction, even at the venerable age of 80+. If you have read his memoir Such Stuff: a Storymaker’s Inspiration, you will already be aware that most, if not all, of…

  • Too Scared to Sleep – Shaun Micallef. Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley.

    Hardie Grant Australia September 2024 Imprint: Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing ISBN:9781761213090 Price: AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 And I’ve saved the best till last for this Halloween. Now, I’ll be truthful. Most times, when I see a ‘celebrity’ name on a new book cover, I inwardly cringe because frankly, there are some celebrities who should just stick to…

  • For the Wild! More Taronga Presents… with Kristin Darell. Illustrations by Laura Wood.

    Penguin Australia November 2024 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $14.99 Back in September I reviewed the first two books in this delighful new series Poo at the Zoo and Party Animals, and now it’s such a joy to present the next two. I’m absolutely loving this series for its cleverly disguised information, the very realistic look at…

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Extinct Animals – Sami Bayly

    Hachette Australia September 2024  9780734421395 | RRP $32.99 Watch this interview with Sami from The Morning Show to hear more about this latest book. It seems almost incredible to realise that Sami Bayly is not yet 30 ! [maybe that’s me because I’m so senior citizen now], given her amazing catalogue of titles thus far. This is…

  • Brainy about Bears – Owen Davey

    Walker Books September 2024 Imprint: Flying Eye Books ISBN13:9781838741617 Australia RRP:$29.99 New Zealand RRP:$32.99 Oh how I LOVE Owen Davey’s books! Sadly, I don’t always get sent all of them 😦 and I wish I had , because my nerdy inner child just adores his retro style and his fascinating facts. There are now about…