Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Watch Out for Muddy Puddles – Ben Faulks/Ben Cort

    Allen & Unwin ISBN :9781408867204 Publisher: Bloomsbury Imprint: Bloomsbury Child Pub Date: October 2016 RRP $14.99 Being Aussie I was not familiar with Ben Faulks’ name but UK readers will recognise it from his very popular television presence. This is his first picture book and is colourfully illustrated by Ben Cort, who also did the…

  • Beck – Mal Peet, with Meg Rossoff

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781406331127 18 Aug 2016 $24.99   Vale Mal Peet.  What a privilege to review this novel from Carnegie Medal winner, Mal Peet post-humously.  It is powerful, it is harrowing, it is positive and you would need to have a heart of stone to not be moved by the narrative. Ignatious Beck (hereafter…

  • Wormwood Mire: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue – Judith Rossell

    Harper Collins ISBN: 9780733333019 ISBN 10: 073333301X Imprint: ABC Books – AU On Sale: 10/24/2016 Pages: 288 List Price: 22.99 AUD Warning: This review will be chockers with fulsome praise and expressions of delight. From the point I took this book from its package two days ago I was in love with it. We know that you can indeed judge a…

  • Artie and the Grime Wave – Written and illustrated by Richard Roxburgh

    ISBN: 9781760292140 Publisher: Allen & Unwin Imprint: A & U Children October 2016 RRP $16.99 Ok so Richard Roxburgh is a talented actor and director in both theatre and screen and of course the star of Rake. Now he’s added writing and illustrating to his portfolio in a very successful way. I mean to say,…

  • The Eagle of Rome: A Lottie Lipton Adventure – Dan Metcalf

    Allen & Unwin Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN:9781472927583 Imprint: A&C Black Children’S September 2016 RRP $12.99 I have some little girls who will be most excited when this hits the shelves after the holidays. They loved the first one I brought along to the library so the rest of the series is on our ‘to buy’ list…

  • Fright Club – Ethan Long

    Bloomsbury Publishing Australia Published: 01-09-2016 ISBN: 9781681190433 Imprint: Bloomsbury USA Childrens RRP: $9.99   – This is one of the cutest board books I’ve seen for ages. Forget about sweet and pretty – this one is just in time for Halloween and a fun story for little people. The local Fright Club led by Vladimir…

  • Crazy Characters & Daft Deeds

      I’ve chosen to review these two books on the same post as to me they are similar in many ways all of which will appeal to their audience.  Both Colin Thompson and A.F. Harrold have a singular and individualised way of providing satirical humour for a pint-sized readership. They also both employ that  every…

  • Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track – Harmony Jones

    Bloomsbury Publishing Australia Published: 01-07-2016 ISBN: 9781408868546 Imprint: Bloomsbury Childrens RRP: $14.99 If you have girls who are pop fans and are looking for a little innocent romance along with an engaging story, this will be a very popular addition to your collection. It’s light and frothy and a bit bubble-gummy but perfect for tweens…

  • The Giant’s Necklace – Michael Morpurgo. Illustrated by Briony May Smith

    Walker Books Australia ISBN: 9781406357127 Imprint: WALKER HARDBACK Australian RRP: $19.99 New Zealand RRP: $22.99 Coming hot on the heels of my review of Michael’s ‘Such Stuff’ is this absolutely beautiful short story/novella which is both poignant and thrilling.  And of course, now I also want to know the ‘prompt’ for this particular story. A family is on their…

  • Spark – Adam Wallace/Andrew Plant

    Ford St Publishing ISBN: 9781925272406 (HC) 9781925272413 (PB) Publication date: October 2016 (HC) March 2017 (PB) Price: AUD $24.95 “Adam Wallace was 11 years old when the Ash Wednesday bushfires threatened his home. Forced to leave with his grandmother, no car and a budgie in a cage, it was only a wind change that saved…