Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe


  • Colour Me – Ezekiel Kwaymullina & Moira Court

    Fremantle Press August 2026 ISBN: 9781760996666 RRP: $19.99 ‘There’s a book for that!’ – teaching your Smalls about diversity and inclusion? teaching your smalls about figurative language like similes? teaching your Smalls about verbs? teaching your Smalls about animals? teaching your Smalls about cross-cultural perspectives? teaching your Smalls that some books are just like a poem…

  • 2026 Father’s Day Special: Some Dads: 15th Anniversary Edition – Nick Bland

    Scholastic Australia July 2026 ISBN: 9781761723841 RRP: $19.99 First of all let me say, I love EVERY Nick Bland book without exception. They are both clever and always well-executed. And this long-time favourite must have been shared a gazillion times in libraries, classrooms and homes for the past 15 years. It is both fun and…

  • The Cats of Australia – Jodie Stewart

    Harper Collins Australia May 2026 This is one I’ve dipped in and out of, which was easy to do with distinctly different chapters like a mini-essay, and I have to say it’s been just a delight over the past few weeks to do so. Although I’ve happily owned both dogs and cats (not to mention…

  • Find Me in the Forest – Jess McGeachin

    Hachette Australia July 2026 Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books ISBN: 9780734423849 RRP $29.99 If you thought Jess’ Find Me on the Coast was beautiful, just wait till you see this one! Of course, The Kid and I love both the coast and the forests – we live beside the sea but spend time bushwalking through forest…

  • World’s Most … Extreme, Deadly, Freaky – Australian Geographic

    Hardie Grant Australia April 2026 Series: Australian Geographic World’s Most Publisher: Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Price:AU$19.99, NZ$22.99 You already know, just by looking at them, that your kiddos are going to go nuts for them. And they are exactly the sort of books that I would keep close to hand for break time browsing –…

  • Wombat Waiting – Katherine Applegate

    Harper Collins Australia Imprint: Harper Collins UK May 2026 ISBN: 9780008814144 RRP: $17.99 I’ve been following this book’s journey via Katherine’s socials with great interest, knowing full well that it would be another of her totally captivating and heart-warming animal-centric narratives. And that it is. Wombat is a street dog and always has been. She’s…

  • Freddie Jones: The Mystery of the Ghostly Garden – Kate Foster

    Walker Books Australia May 2026 ISBN13:9781760659943 Australia RRP:$17.99 New Zealand RRP:$19.99 I am really loving this new series from Kate Foster, who writes not only entertaining narratives but ones that give us all a much clearer insight into neuro-diversity. Freddie is such a likeable character and his self-awareness, especially using the literary device of first-person…

  • Gimme Some Space (Book #2 Marvellous Submarine) – Clayton Zane Comber & Conor McCammon

    Harper Collins Australia Imprint: Angus & Robertson February 2026 ISBN: 9781460766811 RRP: $17.99 Clayton and Conor continue with their new insanely bonkers series, this time blasting off into space in the retro-fitted submarine now doubling as a spaceship. Twins, Billy and Poppy, plus their assorted menagerie (using the term loosely) of helpers determine to track down…

  • Gross Things Animals Eat – Dr Claire Stevens. Adele K. Thomas

    Yucky, icky and utterly hilarious, take a deep dive into the bizarre and disgusting world of animal facts with vet Dr Claire and her cute dog Frankie! Harper Collins Australia March 2026 Although I didn’t know her name, I’m sure many others will know of or have seen Dr Claire Stevens, vet/presenter/author who has turned…

  • Feathers of Farwood and the Gripps Curse – Jayne McIntyre

    Riveted Press Distributed by Simon & Schuster March 2026 ISBN13: 9781764256704 RRP: $AU22.99 / NZ$ 26.99 I could have actually written this review 3 months ago because I was lucky enough to be able to write teaching notes for this absolutely gorgeous book back in December. I was thrilled when Jayne contacted me and I…