Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe


  • O.M.G. Oh My G.O.A.T! (G.O.A.T. #3) Kate & Jol Temple

    Scholastic Australia November 2025 ISBN: 9781761642357 ISBN-10: 1761642359 RRP: $19.99 The G.O.A.T. series has had me cackling since the first because a) it really is absurdly funny and b) Mr Surfer is known colloquially as the G.O.A.T. surf coach – I could add, that’s in his own lunchbox, but no, it’s true as far as I can…

  • The Long Shoe – Bob Mortimer

    Simon & Schuster Australia I have always loved Bob Mortimer on WILTY, which I admit is the only place I’ve seen his comedy. I didn’t realise he was also a writer until I spotted this one in a publicity email and immediately was keen to read it. I mean, anyone who can spin the outrageous…

  • Spud and Snowball and the Fancy Fish – Judith Rossell

    Harper Collins Australia September 2025 Continuing the impromptu ‘cat’ theme is this deliciously funny new title from Judith Rossell, which will be perfect for your newly independent readers. These are two cats that are the very epitome of their species. They are self-indulgent, wilful, cheeky, devious, greedy and utterly hilarious in their conniving antics. One…

  • Don’t Trust Fish – Neil Sharpson. Dan Santat.

    Penguin Australia April 2025 What happens when you blend non-fiction with narrative with absurdist humour? In this instance, you get Don’t Trust Fish – which is a book that will make all kiddos and adults alike laugh out loud because of the sheer anarchic ridiculousness of it all. It is SO my kind of book!…

  • Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas: 10th Anniversary – Aaron Blabey

    Scholastic Australia September 2025 ISBN: 9781761528903 RRP: $19.99 This has long been one of my favourite read-alouds and, certainly, my favourite Aaron Blabey book. I have such great memories of sharing it the year it came out with The Kid, in that first year she was living with me [and we so often needed to…

  • Because it’s Book Week…

    There are not so many days I miss being full-time in my libraries but, yes, Book Week with the insane preparations and the fun of dressing up [at one of my schools a different costume every day of the week!] has been one in the last couple of years. But honestly, this year I’ve been…

  • It’s a Sean E. Avery Special

    These two books have been languishing in the PBs’ tubs for way too long. But news of Sean’s recent visit to Canberra [so jelly of all my friends there who got to see him] has guilted me into attending to them pronto. And after all, Sean is a thoroughly nice guy it seems. When I…

  • 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…

  • Mr Duckins’ Chickens: Paw Prints series – Mick Elliott

    Walker Books June 2025 ISBN13:9781760659080 Australia RRP:$12.99 New Zealand RRP:$14.99 It’s a new series for your little newly independent readers who are ready to flap their reading wings a little more. At around 60 pages long and highly entertaining, it would also be a great ploy to introduce some of your more hesitant or reluctant…

  • The Marvellous Submarine -Zane Clayton Comber (The Marvellous Submarine, #1) Clayton Zane Comber. Connor McCammon

    Harper Collins Australia April 2025 This hails the start of a new series, co-written and illustrated by this pair from Kiama [one of my favourite places in the country] which will completely hook your young readers, particularly those who have been languishing for more Treehouse-like books. It is completely absurd and crazy and all the…