Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Our Birds: Ŋilimurruŋgu Wäyin Malanynha – Siena Stubbs  

    Magabala Books       Published:Apr 2018       ISBN:9781925360981 RRP: $17.99 Young Yolgnu woman Siena Stubbs was just twelve years old when her interest in photography began. At first taking pictures with her iPad she later began more serious photography after the gift of a camera.   It wasn’t long at all before her beautiful work found…

  • Alfred’s War – Rachel Bin Salleh/Samantha Fry

    Magabala Books April 2018 ISBN: 9781925360608 RRP $19.99 The Australian War Memorial archives suggest that between 1 000 and 1 300 Indigenous men and women served during World War 1 (just as an unknown number had volunteered for the Boer War earlier in the century) despite not even being accorded as citizens of their own…

  • Benny Bungarra’s Big Bush Clean-up – Sally Morgan/Ambelin Kwaymullina

    Magabala Books Author:Sally Morgan Illustrator:Ambelin Kwaymullina Published:Jun 2018 ISBN:9781925360882 RRP: $16.99 What a great way to kick off NAIDOC week! This is a terrific new book which mixes animals and vivid colours into a powerful message for little people about caring for our environment and our animals’ habitats. Benny Bungarra is very busy as one…

  • Welcome to NAIDOC 2018

    I wish to acknowledge the custodians of this land, the Gubbi Gubbi people of the Ningi Ningi nation and their Elders past and present. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.  Aboriginal people began boycotting Australia Day before the 1920’s but…

  • Other Worlds 1: Perfect World – George Ivanoff

      Penguin Random House 9780143786191 February 26, 2018 Random House Australia Children’s   RRP: $14.99 George Ivanoff has well established his cred for providing exciting adventurous narratives for the middle school crowd. In Other Worlds and this particular first instalment he’s also giving them what I would describe as a taste of dystopian for younger…

  • Tom Weekly 6:  My Life and other Failed Experiments – Tristan Bancks. Illustrated by Gus Gordon

    Penguin Random House 9780143781615 July 2, 2018 Random House Australia Children’s RRP: $14.99 So my read last night was the new hilarious instalment in Tom Weekly’s adventures and it didn’t disappoint. Fortunately alone in my bedroom there’s no one to witness my snorts of laughter! Where to start? Well I just loved Nanna Nancy’s stealthy…

  • The Chocolate Factory Ghost – David O’Connell

    Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408887066 ISBN-10: 1408887061 Series: The Dundoodle Mysteries Published: 1st May 2018 Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing RRP; $12.99 Archie McBudge has lucky underpants. He knows he does because he and his mum have just discovered that Archie has inherited a huge mansion, a famous sweets factory and more from his Great-Uncle Archibald. What makes this even more astonishing is that…

  • Finch – Penny Matthews

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781760650759 Release Date: August 1, 2018 Australian RRP: $16.99 Even in holiday mode it’s a big ask for me to read a book in one sitting but this one is a corker! At once a coming-of-age story and a beautiful reflection on accepting differences its country setting along with an environmental theme provides a strong…

  • Down by the sea…

    It may be winter but living near the sea does have its advantages especially when you are in Queensland so my mood today is for those things that are of the ocean. Tropical Terry – Jarvis Walker Books ISBN: 9781406376425 Imprint: Walker Release Date: July 1, 2018 Australian RRP: $24.99 Terry is a very plain little fish who lives…

  • Pippa’s Island 4: Camp Castaway – Belinda Murrell

    Penguin Random House ISBN 9780143783725 April 2, 2018 Imprint: Random House Australia Children’s RRP: $14.99   I may have had to wait a while for my review copy to arrive but it was completely worth it. If ever a ‘sea change’ from dull dreary winter normality was needed it was now and this was just…