Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Our History: A House Divided – Clare Hallifax

    Walker Books Australia August 2025 ISBN13:9781760658991 Australia RRP:$16.99 New Zealand RRP:$18.99 What a terrific book to pair with your upper primary studies on our goverment systems, not to mention your Civics and Citizenship units for secondary students. In the mid-70s I hadn’t yet experienced living in Canberra, and was yet to discover its unique character,…

  • Gloam – Jack MacKay

    Bloomsbury September 2025 Imprint: Oneworld ISBN: 9780861549528 RRP: $16.99 Sometimes a debut novel comes along that completely blows you away, and this would be one of those. I’m not a fan of horror, but I don’t mind a bit of creepy – this was actually quite a lot of creepy! and an enormously good read.…

  • The Adventures of Pongo and Stink – Lisa Nicol. Illustrated by Karen Blair.

    Penguin Australia October 2025 I can absolutely guarantee you that your kiddos will be rolling about as happily as pigs in mud when they get their hands on this one – and it would make a super serial read-aloud for your younger readers. Pongo and Stink are fully fed up with living in a dark…

  • Keeper of the Octopus – Neridah McMullin

    Walker Books Australia ISBN13:9781760659479 Australia RRP:$17.99 New Zealand RRP:$19.99 As I’ve said before, I have a fascination with octopuses with their superior intelligence and facility for extraordinary physical feats. And when you combine that with Neridah McMullin’s ability to weave a narrative of magical realism that has echoes of traditional folktales and lore, you get…

  • Family Secrets: The Girl and the Ghost #2 – Jacqueline Harvey.

    Penguin Australia October 2025 Officially, my blog break doesn’t finish until the weekend but how can I resist posting this one immediately, after gobbling it up over two nights! I was very excited to be back in France with Jet, Louis and Gabriel in another adventure. There is an exciting opening event as the Mona…

  • Awash – Marg Gibbs/Sandra Severgnini

    Picture Book – full colourPublished – M J Gibbs, 2025Illustrated by – Sandra Severgnini$28.00 Ages – 3-7 yearsTeachers Notes available from the author – m.j.gibbs@bigpond.com It’s always a pleasure to review for ‘local’ creators. Author Marg Gibbs as well as illustrator Sandra Severgnini, I have been fortunate to meet. Both are Sunshine Coast/Hinterland based which…

  • Find Me on the Coast – Jess McGeachin

    Hachette Australia July 2025 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books | 9780734423634 | RRP $29.99 ‘Let’s walk down a winding path to where the sand meets the sea’ We certainly love our proximity to the ocean, whether here at home – a five minute walk away or when we take a little trip up the coast, an hour’s drive away.…

  • The Legend of Jessie Hickman – Mark Greenwood/Frané Lessac

    NLA 9781922507853/1 October 2025/AUD$24.99, NZD$29.99 If you believe in legends … I would venture to say that not many people know about Jessie Hickman. In fact, despite my long interest in Australian bushrangers, I probably wouldn’t either except for the fact of having spent a reasonable amount of time in the proximity of Jessie’s one-time…

  • You Choose… MEGA: Prehistoric Peril – George Ivanoff.

    Penguin Australia Last year was the 10th anniversary of the You Choose series and this year, the legion of fans has been treated to this MEGA new title [which was on that same slow camel train recently] and naturally, it was immediately top of the pile for me. And this time, my first attempt at…

  • A Little Bit of Positivity: Potatoes, Peppers an Pineapples to Make Your Day – Jason Cox

    Scholastic UK September 2025 ISBN 9781761725036 RRP: $19.99 What a dear little book this is! If you are looking for a cute little gift book for almost any age really, you won’t go wrong with this one. And it’s the perfect size to pop into a Xmas stocking or for a Secret Santa gift. It’s…