Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • The Daredevil Princess and the Fire Dragon: #3 – Belinda Murrell. Illustrated by Rebecca Crane.

    Penguin Australia Princess Tillie and Honeyblossom are back in another exciting mystery/adventure, this time with a very large, very pink and very grumpy dragon with which to deal. Yet again, there is trouble in the Queendom when suddenly all the water begins to dry up – wells, fountains, animal troughs, the castle moat, all have…

  • Ivy Newt series

    New South Books Ivy Newt and the Storm WitchDerek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Broll Apr 2023 | Scallywag Press | 9781915252180 | AUD$18.99, NZD$21.99 Ivy Newt and the Time ThiefDerek Keilty, illustrated by Magda Broll Sep 2023 | Scallywag Press | 9781915252333 | AUD$18.99, NZD$21.99 Yes, quite right – both of these were released last…

  • Jeff Giraffe – The Great Escape – Amelia McInerney. Illustrated by Alexandra Colombo.

    Larrikin House March 2024 ISBN: 9781922804655 (Hardcover) $24.99 One of our big pleasures during our Canberra visit late last year, was meeting up with Amelia for the first time F2F. She is just as vivacious and entertaining as her books, which I have always loved. For kiddos who love the concept of Madagascar,and the idea of zoo…

  • The Last Bookwanderer: Pages & Co #6 – Anna James. Illustrations by Marco Guadolupi.

    Harper Collins Australia March 2024 Synchronicity has been a theme in my life the last few weeks and reading this was no exception. I started reading it two nights ago, the same day I started listening to David Mitchell’s Unruly on audio in the car. I’d enjoyed one of the early chapters in which DM,…

  • Losing the Plot – Annaleise Byrd

    Walker Books Australia March 2024 ISBN13:9781760656409 Australia RRP:$16.99 New Zealand RRP:$18.99 It certainly gives me great pleasure to review this debut middle-grade novel from local (and indeed, almost neighbour) Annaleise Byrd. Your readers of such titles as Pages & Co and Inkspell, in which literature and real life mix and meld, will love this new…

  • The Daredevil Princess and the Goblin King [#2] – Belinda Murrell. Illustrated by Rebecca Crane.

    Penguin Random House February 2024 After a slight hiccup in delivery, here is #2 in Belinda’s fun new series for your younger readers. Those kiddos who are now so proud of being able to read ‘chapter books’, all of whom will relish the humour and adventure in these stories. Princess Tillie, now constantly accompanied by…

  • The Peak: Spy Academy #1 – Jack Heath

    Scholastic Australia February 2024 ISBN: 9781761290473 ISBN-10: 1761290479 Series: Spy Academy RRP: $17.99 Way back in 2005, I went to the ASLA Conference in Canberra. What a fun three days that was: made new friends, fancy-pants dinner at Parliament House, late-night escapade to the casino, my first visit to Jackie French, and listening to the hottest new author…

  • Time Travelling with a Tortoise – Ross Welford

    Harper Collins Australia January 2024 I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of Ross Welford’s books that I have read. These adventures are chockful of adventure, humour, heart and a sense of the absurd, and every time I’ve pushed one into a reader’s hands they have come back for more. That, for me, says it…

  • Like a Charm – Elle McNicoll

    Walker Books Australia January 2024 ISBN13:9781913311278 Australia RRP:$17.99 New Zealand RRP:$19.99 Imprint: Knights of The first Elle McNicoll book I read was A Kind of Spark which I enthusiastically reviewed back in November. I was super happy to get this one fall into my lap, so to speak, and gobbled it up just as quickly.…

  • Juniper’s Christmas – Eoin Colfer.

    Harper Collins Australia November 2023 It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Eoin (well, me at least) but this one was definitely worth a wait. I absolutely think it’s one of the most original Christmas MG novels I’ve ever read, and I loved every word of it. It encapsulates so much about contemporary life,…