Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Picture Book Month Bonus: Start with a Teapot: an unexpected guide to the art of drawing – Enric Lax

    Walker Books Australia Imprint: Gecko Press ISBN13:9798765670491 Australia RRP:$29.99 New Zealand RRP:$34.99 Invariably, when I’m with a class and we are about to draw, there is always the one – or more – who say ‘But I can’t draw…’ or ‘I’m terrible at drawing…’. I always tell them that I’m not an artist but I…

  • Between – Anna Walker

    Scribe Publications Imprint: Scribble September 2025 ISBN: 9781761381591AUD$27.99 (Hardback) Anna Walker has created a book that is a pure symphony of thoughts, that swirl around like gossamer on a breeze. I only wish I could give you some idea of how utterly beautiful and soothing it is. It is almost a meditation in print and…

  • Family Secrets: The Girl and the Ghost #2 – Jacqueline Harvey.

    Penguin Australia October 2025 Officially, my blog break doesn’t finish until the weekend but how can I resist posting this one immediately, after gobbling it up over two nights! I was very excited to be back in France with Jet, Louis and Gabriel in another adventure. There is an exciting opening event as the Mona…

  • What is a Dot? -Johanna Bell. Illustrated by Amelia Luscombe.

    Thames & Hudson April 2025 ISBN: 9781760764814 RRP: $26.99 What is a dot when a dot is not? Is it a swish? A sweep? Or a swirl? Is it a scurry? A wave? Or a pearl? I was SO keen to see this because I’m such a huge fan of Hervé Tullet and his always imaginative,…

  • Dot! Scribble! Go! – Hervé Tullet

    Allen & Unwin September 2024 ISBN:9781761181214 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $24.99 I’ve been in love with Hervé‘s work since I first discovered it, well over a decade ago, and so many of his books have been front and centre not only in my library classes but at home, especially with The Kid.…

  • Creativity: your daily gift – Meredith Gaston Masnata

    Hardie Grant November 2023 ISBN: 9781743799154ISBN-10: 1743799152 RRP: $29.99 If you have come thus far, and not yet discovered Meredith Gaston Masnata‘s glorious books, do yourself a favour and rush to your nearest bookstore. I first discovered them a few years back when I was revamping our very tired, very boring, very neglected non-fiction collection and we were…

  • Our Australian HeART anthology – Just Write for Kids and Friends

     Daisy Lane Publishing & Just Write For Kids Australia ISBN: 9780645842722 RRP: $32.99 Contributors include: Bridget Acreman . Suzanne Barton . Melanie Corrigan . Kim de Haan . Michèle Dodd . Alisha Dyer . Naomi Eccles-Smith . Hannah Friend . Daniela Glyntzos . Imogen Hartland . Jacqui Hewlett . Carla Hoffenberg . Jennifer Horn . Lorraine &…

  • The Bird Art of William T. Cooper – Wendy Cooper

    National Library of Australia October 2023 ISBN:9781922507600 RRP: $64.99 So the lovely field guide to neighourhood birds which I reviewed during the past week, is compact and just the right size for a backpack or even a large pocker – as is befitting for its purpose. This magnificent book is of the big, bold and…

  • Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth – Anna Feinberg

    Allen & Unwin July 2023 ISBN:9781760296988 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $17.99 It’s been quite some time since I’ve read a book from Anna, so I was well pleased to receive this one to review (thank you lovely A&U peeps!) and it is absolutely beautiful. There is a lot going on in this…

  • Tap! Tap! Tap! – Herve Tullet

    Allen & Unwin May 2023 ISBN:9781761180231 RRP: $36.75 Hervé Tullet is absolutely one of my favourite creators for little peeps, and I have many fond memories of sharing Mix it Up and Press Here with The Kid when she was younger. [Fun fact: did you know that Press Here was on the NYT bestseller list…