Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • I wrote a book! and taking a little blog break to write more…

    Last year I was lucky enough to be asked to write a little book about The Roulettes for an American publisher [The Creative Company] of educational and children’s titles. This is to be part of a series called High Flyers, featuring aerobatic teams from around the world. It was quite challenging due to aspects like…

  • Yildaan: Our Dreaming Track – Uncle Bud Marshall with Yandaarra. Artwork by Hannah Smith and Elaine Carmady.

    Allen & Unwin April 2025 ISBN:9781761181382 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $29.99 From Gumbaynggirr Country comes this stunning book featuring art, photographs, memories, anecdotes and Dreaming stories of the beautiful Nambucca Heads in northern NSW. Giinagay, welcome, I’m Uncle Bud. I’m a Gumbaynggirr man, an Aboriginal Elder from Nambucca Heads. This is my Country.I want…

  • Fast Fish – Gregg Dreise

    Magabala Books Hachette April 2025 | 9781922777751 | RRP $27.99 Have you ever seen a Gregg Dreise book less than spectacular? Yeah, nor me – and this one is another must-have resource for your collection. Gregg’s take on creating new and vibrant narratives based on old Dreaming tales is always both impressive and a fun learning journey for Smalls.…

  • Nan and Me series – Natasha Weribone

    Nan, Why Don’t I Look Like You? – Book 1 Nan & Me Series Paperback ISBN:  978-1-7640638-0-7 Hardcopy ISBN: 978-1-7640638-7-6 Digital online ISBN: 978-1-7640638-5-2 Nan, Where Did We Come From? – Book 2 Nan & Me Series Paperback ISBN: 978-1-7640638-1-4 Hardcopy ISBN: 978-1-7640638-8-3 Digital online ISBN: 978-1-7640638-6-9 It gives me tremendous pleasure to start off this year’s NAIDOC reviews with these two titles…

  • Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo – Phillipa Leathley

    Harper Collins Australia January 2025 While it took me a while to get to this on the review shelf, and then it’s taken me a few weeks to get the review written, it only took me two sessions to actually read this completely enthralling and wildly different fantasy. Meticulous – Metty – Jones, like most…

  • The Poisoned King: Impossible Creatures #2 – Katherine Rundell

    Bloomsbury ISBN 9781408897454 (p/b) Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $18.99 (P/b) $29.99 (H/b) $15.19 ebook editions I have raved over Impossible Creatures since I first ate it up greedily and, trust me, I am not the only one. Evidence of that is in the fact that it was the Children’s Book of the Year in…

  • Ava Spark: Hello, I’m here! – Alex Field. Illustrated by Joanna Bartel.

    New Frontier Publishing May 2025 ISBN : 978-1-923145-92-4 PRICE : $16.99 Meeting Ava Spark will be something quite different for most of your readers, I think. While they may already be aware or even familiar with some methods of communication, especially AUSLAN/sign language, which many schools are incorporating into their programs, not so many will be aware…

  • Short Stories -Silvia Borando

    Scribble April 2025 9781761381560 Author/Illustrator: Silvia BorandoTranslator: Felicita SalaAUD$27.99 | £12.99 | US$18.95 A favourite literacy activity with older kiddos for some years now, has been six-word stories. Know them? If not, do some sleuthing. This book takes that premise and turns it into another fun read, plus a delightful springboard for some quick creative…

  • No More Room in the Bed! – Deborah Abela. Illustrated by Marina Verola.

    Simon & Schuster Here’s a fresh new title to add to your store of those well-loved cumulative narratives that Smalls always enjoy – not to mention, they are SO useful for us when teaching our younger students about expressive language. It was a dark and stormy night [yes! that was intentional] when the boy asked…

  • Peculiar Parents- Stephanie Owen Reeder. Illustrated by Ingrid Bartkowiak.

    National Library of Australia 9781922507822 / 1 July 2025 / AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 One thing is a given. A book from Stephanie Owen Reeder will always be exceptional and I, for one, have been very much looking forward to this one. And just wait till you see it! On a gloomy weekend such as this one (as I write this)…