Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • The Drought Kangaroo – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia October 2025 A new Jackie French is always a moment for celebration. When I’m invited to write supporting notes for one, I’m even more excited. This new one follows on from The Fire Wombat and The Turtle and the Flood in the sense that it continues to tell a story based on…

  • Dropbear – Philip Bunting

    Walker Books AustraliaOctober 2025 ISBN13:9781760657796 Australia RRP:$25.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 You know it’s true. We’ve all done it. We’ve all talked about the vicious dropbears of Australia – particularly, of course, to our more gullible overseas friends. *Grin* Apparently, it’s not just humans that spread these wild rumours. In this bush outing from the talented…

  • What’s Next Shane? – Maree Coote

    Walker Books Australia Imprint: Melbourne Style Books ISBN13:9780645910605 Australia RRP:$29.99 New Zealand RRP:$34.99 You might remember that just a couple of weeks ago I shared reviews of two different cockatoo books [Sonia definitely remembers! she’s still battling her backyard vandal]. And just like the birds themselves being everywhere, seemingly at one time, along comes another…

  • Cassowary Dad – Beverley McWilliams. Illustrated by Julian Teh.

    CSIRO Publishing February 2025 ISBN: 9781486317578  $26.99 To kick off the week of birds [yes intentional!], and so close to Fathers Day, what better choice than our own Queenslander and largest of the cassowary species – the Southern Cassowary, daddy extraordinaire! You know it’s top shelf when it comes from the CSIRO, and Beverley McWilliams…

  • Quoll – Christopher Cheng. Illustrated by Cindy Lane

    Walker Books Australia July 2025 ISBN13:9781760655679 Australia RRP:$26.99 New Zealand RRP:$28.99 You know before you even open the book that it’s going to be magnificent when the Christopher Cheng name is on the cover. And with quolls excitingly in the news in the last few months, this is a very timely and most excellent new…

  • Peculiar Parents- Stephanie Owen Reeder. Illustrated by Ingrid Bartkowiak.

    National Library of Australia 9781922507822 / 1 July 2025 / AUD$29.99, NZD$34.99 One thing is a given. A book from Stephanie Owen Reeder will always be exceptional and I, for one, have been very much looking forward to this one. And just wait till you see it! On a gloomy weekend such as this one (as I write this)…

  • Roobee Roo x Two

    Hachette Australia Imprint; Lothian Children’s Books Roobee Roo: My Big Bedtime Book Jul 1, 2025 | 9780734422354 | RRP $14.99 Roobee Roo: My Magic ABC Pouch Jul 1, 2025 | 9780734422323 | RRP $14.99 It’s two more cuties in this adorable series from Nico and Candy Robertson [aren’t we lucky they decided to come live in the best country in the world?]. With…

  • Hatch – Heidi Cooper Smith

    CSIRO Publishing Hardback | April 2025 | $ 26.99ISBN: 9781486318278 This gorgeous narrative non-fiction book makes me think of my Year 1s, 30 years ago as we had the fun of watching chickens hatch, and frogspawn develop, investigating how life begins for many creatures. I know there are many ELC and Prep classes that still…

  • Rakali of the Riverbank – Stephanie Owen-Reeder. Illustrated by Rachel Gregg.

    CSIRO PublishingJuly 2025 ISBN: 9781486317547 RRP: $26.99 I’m well aware there are some people who are not fans of any kind of rodentia [inconceivable!] – honestly, I’m not sure why because not only do The Kid and I love them, but we find them absolutely fascinating creatures. I am yet to see a rakali for…

  • Wombat Dreaming- Caz Goodwin. Illustrations by Zoë Bennett.

    Affirm Press May 2025 Dist: Simon & Schuster Imprint: Affirm Kids ISBN13: 9781923046603 As it happens just yesterday, [as I write this 24/05] at my twice-weekly Senior Sisters exercise class we finished off our hour with 15 minutes of yoga. I hasten to point that it was only standing yoga, as we all have made…