Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • The Enigma Game – Elizabeth Wein

    Allen & Unwin August 2020 ISBN: 9781526601650 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $14.99 Elizabeth Wein continues her stellar historical novel series with another look at a fascinating aspect of World War II, this time weaving a wonderful tale around the famous Enigma code. This exciting story revolves around three very diverse main characters: Louisa, orphan…

  • The Wild Way Home – Sophie Kirtley

    Bloomsbury Australia 15th September 2020 ISBN: 9781526616289 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books This is one impressive debut novel with an unusual and interesting time-slip which will take readers into a rarely explored world of the past. Charlie Merriam and his parents have been eagerly awaiting the birth of little Dara and when the baby arrives just…

  • The Unadoptables

    Hana Tooke Penguin Australia July 2020 ISBN: 9780241453612 Imprint: Puffin RRP $16.99 There is something about stories set in Holland that I find particularly appealing. Perhaps it is just the vicarious sight-seeing but for some reason they are always engaging and often quirky. This one is no exception. Combining adventure and mystery, family life, loyalty and very…

  • The Mummy Smugglers of Crumblin Castle – Pamela Rushby

    Walker Books Australia July 2020 Illustrated by Nelle May Pierce ISBN: 9781760651930Imprint: Walker Books AustraliaAustralian RRP: $17.99New Zealand RRP: $19.99 When I mentioned that I was reading this Pamela Rushby commented that she had written the sort of book she would have liked to read when she was eleven. She’s also written the sort of book that I would…

  • The Key to Finding Jack – Ewa Jozefkowicz

    Harper Collins Australia May 2020 ISBN: 9781800240421 ISBN 10: 1800240422 Imprint: Head Of Zeus – Zehpyr – GB $14.99 Perfect for your middle primary to lower secondary kiddos this new adventure/mystery is just a great read with lots of excitement but also loads of great messages about the importance of connections with family and friends, self-belief, empathy and…

  • League of Llamas [#3 and #4] – Aleesah Darlison

    Penguin Random House Australia July 2020 Aleesah Darlison continues her hilarious new series with these two new episodes in the adventures of Phillipe, Lloyd and Elloise, those daring LOL agents who are afraid of nothing – well almost nothing. Kids love the antics of rather hapless Philippe and Lloyd who are generally getting themselves into…

  • Alice-Miranda in the Outback – Jacqueline Harvey

      Penguin Australia June 2020 ISBN: 9781760891039 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 Once again Jacqueline Harvey has produced an adventure for Alice-Miranda which will both excite and fascinate her legion devoted fans. I love that each new book in this series continues to grab these readers some of whom might be considered to have ‘out-grown’ the diminutive main character!…

  • Nightshade – Anthony Horowitz

      Walker Books Australia April 2020 ISBN: 9781406395877 Imprint: Walker Australian RRP: $16.99 New Zealand RRP: $18.99 Coming hard on the heels of the 20th anniversary of Alex Rider’s first adventure – Stormbreaker – is even more high-octane heart-pumping tension as Alex plunges deep into a mysterious organisation known as Nightshade. Once again Alex is an unwilling recruit into…

  • The Lost Tide Warriors – Catherine Doyle

    Bloomsbury September 2019 ISBN: 9781408896907 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books Series: The Storm Keeper Trilogy   The first in this trilogy The Storm Keeper’s Island was a fantastic read and this sequel equally stacks up in the page-turning excitement department. Fionn Boyle is now six months into his acknowledged role as the new Storm Keeper of…

  • The Ghost of Howler’s Beach (The Butter O’Bryan Mysteries #1)  – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia February 2020 ISBN: 9781460757727 ISBN 10: 1460757726 List Price: 16.99 AUD   To most folks Butter O’Bryan would seem a lucky boy.  In a time when many people are destitute and homeless he lives in a large and comfortable house, known as the Very Small Castle, he has three eccentric but loving aunts –  known…