Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Friday Barnes #5 The Plot Thickens – R. A. Spratt

    9780857989932 August 1, 2016 Random House Australia Children’s   RRP $15.99 I have some readers who have been driving us mad in the library waiting and waiting on a new Friday Barnes fix – and here it is! Friday’s at her best solving mysteries, uncovering truth, being a complete dork and antagonising people in this…

  • Mulga’s Magical Musical Creatures – Mulga

    Hachette Australia ISBN: 9780734416711 Publication date: 27 Sep 2016 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books RRP $19.99   What a joyous riotous romp through the creative process of a musician! A dream of all kinds of animals playing every type of instruments inspires a musician to write a new performance piece.   There is so much to genuinely like about…

  • The Book That Made Me – Edited by Judith Ridge

    ISBN: 9781922244888 Imprint: WALKER BOOKS AUST Release Date: September 1, 2016 Australian RRP: $19.99 New Zealand RRP: $22.99 Although the publishers suggest an age range of 14 up I feel that it is going to be adults who will enjoy this most. Judith Ridge has compiled a wonderful collection of anecdotes from thirty-two of Australia’s leading storytellers.  Each describes the…

  • Snow White: a graphic novel – Matt Phelan

      Walker Books Australia ISBN: 9780763672331 Imprint: CWP HARDBACK Australian RRP: $27.99 New Zealand RRP: $29.99 Traditional fairytales continue as such a rich source for adaptations, retellings and reworkings that one is often amazed that anyone can come up with a new approach. Acclaimed graphic novel creator Matt Phelan has proven that it is very possible to revitalise such…

  • Grandparents are the Bomb!

      Random House Australia Of course I can be a little smug since Small so often tells me  lovingly that I am ‘the best Gran in the whole world’. This little person and I have always had such a close bond and that was made even closer when Mummy became so critically ill and K…

  • The Adventures of Alfie Onion – Vivian French: illustrated by Matra Kissi

          Walker Books   Imprint: WALKER PAPERBACK   ISBN: 9781406363104 Published: 05 May 2016 Price: $14.99   Fractured fairytales are a popular writing task in many schools. In the past week the secondary girls in my ‘home’ school are writing them and in one of the local primaries in which I did a supply…

  • Meet…series – new titles

      This fabulous series of biographies of outstanding Australians in a picture book format for younger readers continues with these terrific two new titles. Meet… Nellie Melba – Janeen Brian/Claire Murphy ISBN: 9780143780298 Published: 01/08/2016 Imprint: Random House Australia Children’s   RRP $24.99 Our first international classical singing sensation and the toast of world audiences as well as…

  • Woot! An arvo with Nick Falk & Tony Flowers

    Megan’s fabulous themed cupcakes – Hostess with the Mostest! What a blast! Lots of laughing from kids and grown ups alike. So much fun to catch up with Megan Daley  in her delightful library, the amazing Zoe Bechara from Random House Australia and the lovely Louise Brooks!

  • Amped! Carving it up with DC Green – a blog Q&A that’s choka!

    Ohmigosh! Q&A with the wonderful DC Green – grommet, writer, entertainer, cat-herder, friend, guy with panache…………..and all round Good Guy. Tell us about the young DC – what were you like as a kid, what did you like doing, where you grew up, how naughty you were? Young DC would be devastated to learn that…

  • Little People, Big Dreams series

      Walker Books A new series to me – and the first two that I’ve seen fit the “Mighty Girl” criteria perfectly. Easy to read biographies with simple text, interesting illustrations plus facts and photos at the end of each these are eminently suited to young readers from as young as six upwards. Amelia Earhart…