Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Spooky Season from Five Mile

    Five Mile October 2024 Tilly’s New Broom – Mary Anastasiou/Giorgia Clerico 9781923091542 RRP: $24.99 I think we’ve all been there. When you need a new ride but nothing seems to be right [thank goodness for my friend who was selling Black Betty just in time for me to hand-me-down Scarlett O’Cara to The Kid a…

  • George the Wizard: Let Your Magic Shine! – Tony Armstrong. Illustrated by Emma Sjaan Beukers.

    Hachette Australia Imprint: Lothian September 2024 | 9780734422163 | RRP $24.99 Tony Armstrong is arguably the hottest First Nations entertainer/actor/celebrity of recent times – he certainly dazzled at the 2024 Logies despite missing out on the Gold and has had a varied, but highly successful career, from football to breakfast TV to Extra-ordinary Things to a forthcoming new…

  • My Dad Thinks He’s a Scream – Katrina Germein. Illustrated by Tom Jellett.

    Walker Books Australia September 2024 ISBN13:9781760655075 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 While it may have taken it’s time to reach me, it’s here right in time to witch you all a spooktacular Halloween week! I love me a good pun – and a whole book of them? – I love that even more. This is…

  • The Big Book of Rights – Dannika Patterson/Amanda Letcher

    Children’s Week 2024 This week the Story Bridge and other significant structures of Brisbane, were lit up with dazzling turquoise, the colours of Children’s Rights Queensland, marking a week of events, activities and actions to celebrate Children’s Week 2024. Tomorrow, 27th October, as the week draws to a close, there will be a launch of…

  • Hester Hitchins and the Falling Stars – Catherine Norton

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 Don’t think it’s taken me all this time to read this one because it didn’t at all. After The Fortune Maker this was high up in the reading order. It’s just a sad fact that it’s taken me this long to get to writing the review. But it is another…

  • Father of the Lost Boys for Younger Readers: The Mecak Ajang Alaak Story – Yuot A. Alaak

    Fremantle Press June 2024 ISBN: 9781760993900 RRP: $17.99 When I was commissioned to write the teaching notes for this, I confess I only knew a smidgin about the Sudanese ‘lost boys’, and, in fact, the whole Sudan situation – despite the fact that we have many Sudanese immigrants here in SE Qld. Their story was certainly…

  • Are We There Yet? 20th Anniversary edition – Alison Lester

    Penguin Australia October 2024 Hands up if you’ve also forgotten how many times in the past 20 years you’ve shared this one? I know it was a focal point of my literature-based unit with Year 3s often and on many occasions, aside from all the times I’ve just read it to Smalls. And it never…

  • 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…

  • Hazel’s Treehouse – Zanni Louise. Illustrated by Judy Watson

    Walker Books November 2024 ISBN13:9781760657222 Australia RRP:$19.99 New Zealand RRP:$22.99 I have followed Zanni’s progress with this one for ages and have eagerly anticipated its arrival. When it was delivered yesterday, wrapped like the cutie it is in brown paper, tied up with string, I couldn’t wait to read it! And I can confirm, it…