Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

Christmas Time! Aussie Baby’s First Words- Tom Jellett

Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761181900 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $12.99 There’s a whole series of these: Dinner Time! Bath Time! Bed Time!, just perfect for the Smallest in your circle and, of course, a perfect stocking stuffer for a newborn human. This cutie little board book has got some Xmas vocab…

December 17, 2025
Dreaming: Welcome to our Country- Adam Goodes/Ellie Laing. Illustrated by David Hardy.

Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761065095 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children To be honest, I know this series doesn’t need any talking up. The previous books and the enthusiasm with which they’ve been received speaks for them far more eloquently than I can. But just in case you’ve been incommunicado for some time, let…

November 27, 2025
Picture Book Month bonus: Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping – Craig Silvey

Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761181597 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $26.99 Teaching resource Activity sheet It’s hysterical, hilarious, heart-warming, happy-making, high-spirited, hopeful and heroic – and that’s just the H’s!! …that was my comment to Craig Silvey last night, after having read about 2/3 the day before. Last night I went to…

November 24, 2025
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…

November 6, 2025
Animals on Country: Let’s look after the animals with Uncle Kuu – Victor Steffensen. Illustrated by Sandra Steffensen.

Allen & Unwin September 2025 ISBN:9781761181566 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $24.99 Teaching notes available The continuing upswell in First Nations titles is so pleasing and, let’s face it, not before time. As a minority fringe continues to attempt to cause as much division as it can, and certainly global ugliness is on…

November 1, 2025
Murder in the Cathedral (Phryne Fisher #23)- Kerry Greenwood

November 2025 ISBN:9781760879341 Publisher:Allen & Unwin Imprint:Allen & Unwin RRP: $34.99 Like hundreds – nay, thousands of others, I was completely devastated to learn of Kerry Greenwood’s death back in March. Just this past week my FB memories told me that 11 years ago I was relishing another Phyrne Fisher title, and I would think…

October 30, 2025
Happy Anniversary Tashi!! Tashi 30th Anniversary Edition – Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg, Kim Gamble

Allen & Unwin July 2025 ISBN:9781761181450 Publisher: &U Children’s Imprint: A & U Children Thirty years and over 100 millions of sales on, Tashi is every bit as entertaining, clever, funny and brave as he ever was. I can still recall how enchanted I was on first meeting him, and knowing that the kiddos in…

August 21, 2025
Yildaan: Our Dreaming Track – Uncle Bud Marshall with Yandaarra. Artwork by Hannah Smith and Elaine Carmady.

Allen & Unwin April 2025 ISBN:9781761181382 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $29.99 From Gumbaynggirr Country comes this stunning book featuring art, photographs, memories, anecdotes and Dreaming stories of the beautiful Nambucca Heads in northern NSW. Giinagay, welcome, I’m Uncle Bud. I’m a Gumbaynggirr man, an Aboriginal Elder from Nambucca Heads. This is my Country.I want…

July 8, 2025
Volcano – Claire Saxby. Jess Racklyeft.

Allen & Unwin April 2025 ISBN:9781761180644 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $26.99 I think we all know from their previous collaborations that the pairing of these two creators is always going to be a stunning result. And this one certainly is that. Kiddos love volcanoes. They love hearing about them, watching films of…

June 6, 2025
Earth Speak – Sean McCann. Illustrated by Jade Goodwin

Boodjar Wangkiny Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781761181238 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $26.99 I have been eagerly awaiting this one, having seen sneak peeks of Jade’s gorgeous illustrations in the interim. It is just as beautiful as it promised. As so many of us shake our heads over recent ignorant and ill-informed comments about Welcome to…

June 1, 2025