Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Weirdosaurus – Philip Bunting

    Pre-history’s Most Peculiar Creatures Hardie Grant Australia September 2025 ISBN:9781761214 Price:AU$29.99, NZ$34.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Here are some words from the publisher and the author to describe this hilarious but extremely informative book: playful, humour, witty jokes, funny anecdotes, and fabulous facts. But as it’s Philip Bunting, you would have worked that out without…

  • Picture Book Month Bonus: Rory Sparkes and the Elephant in the Room – Hugh Bonneville

    Bloomsbury Australia October 2025 ISBN 9781526685957 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $17.99 Most people would know that I’m very wary of books by ‘celebrity’ authors but I am always willing to take a punt when a) I know that it is the person themselves that has written it (or that their collaborator/ghost writer is clearly…

  • Being Indy – Zoe Gaetjens. Illustrated by Estee Sarsfield

    Westwords October 2025 RRP $29.95 ISBN: 9781923044517 This is another intriguing and very different title from Westwords, and another that can be described as a fable. This a timeless narrative about one’s internal desire to fit in and be accepted, and the lengths to which some will go to do so. I love these opening…

  • Omnibird: an Avian Investigator’s Handbook – Giselle Clarkson

    Walker Books Australia Imprint: Gecko Press October 2025 ISBN13:9798765670514 Australia RRP:$37.99 New Zealand RRP:$44.99 Have you seen a bird today? Probably, unless you’re reading this in bed. Did you truly look at the bird? To open your ornithological eyes and ears, meet the Omnibird. An Omnibird contains the essential birdiness of every bird—it was born…

  • No One is Home – Mikolaj Pa. Illustrated by Gosia Herbs.

    translated by Scotia Gilroy New South Books Publisher: Greystone Kids September 2025 9781778402180 AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 Last year I reviewed No 5. Bubblegum St from this same pair of creators in a week of ‘happy-ness’ reviews. This one seemed a perfect fit for today’s slightly bonkers books, and I love it just as much as I…

  • A Hatful of Dreams – Bob Graham

    Walker Books Australia September 2025 ISBN13:9781529525861 Australia RRP:$27.99 New Zealand RRP:$29.99 When, I ask you, have you ever been disappointed by a Bob Graham book? Never is my answer and this new one is every bit as charming, heartfelt and warm as so many of his others. In a street full of tired, empty houses…

  • Sundays Under the Lemon Tree – Julia Busuttil Nishimura. Myo Yim.

    Scribble Books November 2025 9781761381485 RRP: $24.99 I readily put up my hand to admit I didn’t know of the author as either a writer or a cook, despite – it would seem – several published cookbooks, and a great success with them. This first picture book outing is such a delightful combination of family…

  • Dogs With Jobs – Max Hamilton

    Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781761181016 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:Albert Street Books RRP: $19.99 There have been a few books for younger readers which feature assistance dogs of various types, but this one is quite a comprehensive overview. And I certainly learned about a couple of examples, of which I was previously unaware. I haven’t been to the…

  • 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…

  • When the Mountain Wakes – Matt Shanks

    Affirm Press Simon & Schuster August 2025 Somewhere, towards the beginning of time, a mountain rose from the ocean and came to rest above the clouds.Life sang a lullaby, and the mountain slept for many millions of years.Until one day, when the world became too silent for sleep  If you have a Sophisticated Picture Books…