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Lost Evangeline – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
Walker Books Australia November 2025 ISBN13:9781529525892 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 As it arrives hard on the heels of the 25th anniversary of Because of Winn-Dixie [one of my all time favourite books!] it is a special treat to review a new Kate book. It arrived yesterday, much to my delight, and, of course, I…
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The Peach King – Inga Simpson. Illustrated by Tannya Harricks.
Hachette Australia September 2025 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books 9780734418517 | RRP $24.99 This is a striking book by all standards. Whether we were personally involved with the tragic infernos of 2019/2020 Black Summer, or not, it was still a disaster that concerned us all. I was on high alert at my cousin’s place in the Blue Mountains…
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Miss Understood- Kathryn Apel & Beau Wylie
Scholastic Australia May 2025 Yes, it has taken far too long to get to this one but it’s worth it – and if you haven’t grabbed it, you should! It’s been way too long since I had a fractured fairytale to share and it’s also been way too long between really excellent, perfectly on point…
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The Ickabog: The bestselling fairytale, now illustrated by Ben Mantle – J. K. Rowling
Hachette Australia Imprint: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Sep 2025 | 9781510202795 | RRP $22.99 Remember when The Ickabog first came out during the gloom of covid days and all of us HP fans were SO excited! My kiddos were so hyper that I never got my hands on it to read it – though I did admire…
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Halloween Bonus! Q&A with Jack Mackay
Recently I reviewed the amazingly great Gloam, debut novel of Jack Mackay [honestly, READ it! – it is SO good!] and am thrilled, as well as grateful, for this generous response to my Q&A. Perfect Halloween timing!!! Jack, welcome to Just So Stories! I am so grateful to you for sharing some time with my…
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Down the Plot Hole – Annaleise Byrd
Walker Books April 2025 ISBN13:9781760659059 Australia RRP:$16.99 New Zealand RRP:$18.99 Annaleise Byrd’s second fractured fairytale is as highly amusing as the first. Basil and Terry resume their reading schedule, continuing on with Grimms’ Fairytales, though Basil is very uncertain about the whole idea of going back into fairytale with all its uncertainties – and dangers!…
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Junkyard Fairies:#1 Dig Deep – Edwina Wyatt. Illustrated by Lauren O’Hara
Walker Books Australia October 2024 ISBN13:9781760657048 Australia RRP:$19.99 New Zealand RRP:$24.99 Even without the addition of the adorable little fairy house [thank you so much Walker Books!🍄] , I would have loved this delightful new take on fairies for a contemporary audience. It’s rather like a mash-up of Enid Blyton with Bottersnikes & Gumbles and…
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Hotel Balzaar – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Júlia Sardà.
Walker Books Australia October 2024 ISBN13:9781529523782 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 One thing is always certain. A book by Kate DiCamillo will always be captivating. After the first Norendy tale, readers knew they could look forward to more of the magic realism of this series and it has come with another glorious story about stories.…
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Puppet – David Almond. Illustrated by Lizzy Stewart.
Walker Books Australia ISBN13:9781406391619 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 David Almond‘s Skellig is a book that has always stood out among the thousands I’ve read over the past 60 odd years. The magical realism, the sheer beauty of the characters and their actions, and the undeniable urgency to turn the page all make for just…
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