Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe


  • Bowerbird Brood – Aura Parker.

    Scholastic Australia November 2024 ISBN: 9781761521621 RRP: $19.99 I am a protector. Always watching, guarding … and shielding. Bowerbird’s nest is full. These fine eggs, whole and smooth … the perfect three! But will they hatch? We all fell in love with Bowerbird Blues, and now here is the mate, making a perfect pair. Aura…

  • A Flock of Beautiful Bird Books

    Woodslane Publishing So this parcel of absolutely stunning bird books arrived just as I’d finished this years Bird Count, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they are any less appreciated. These are all not only sensationally and vibrantly beautiful but packed with pithy facts and information about our most iconic birds. Your kiddos who are…

  • Jonty Gentoo: The Adventures of a Penguin- Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler

    Scholastic Australia September 2024 Pesto is the biggest penguin the Melbourne aquarium has ever had — and he’s just a chick As the news about Pesto, the ‘chunky monkey’ penguin chick hits our news reports [first shared with me by The Kid] it’s perfect timing to write up my review for this new collaboration between…

  • Tweet – Morris Gleitzman

    Penguin Australia April 2024 This arrived last Friday (22/3), and on Sunday I took it with me when we went up the coast for two days of R&R to celebrate The Kid’s birthday. I read 240ish pages the first evening with only a break to head out for the birthday celebration dinner. I was a…

  • Feather [The Twitchers series] – M. G. Leonard

    Walker Australia February 2024 Imprint:Walker Books ISBN13:9781529506112 Australia RRP:$18.99 New Zealand RRP:$21.99 I have loved this series – I guess, firstly, because I’m a bird nerd – but also because the whole friendship aspect, and the teamwork of this bunch of kids working together, each to their own strengths, has been a joy. Although I…

  • Bowerbird Blues – Aura Parker

    Publisher:SCHOLASTIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD December 2023 ISBN : 9781760269609RRP: $19.99 Oh, how I love the sky….And moving throughThe marvellous BLUE What a sensational choice this is for this year’s NSS title!  Aura has created a book that is a magnificent combination of her talents as writer, illustrator and designer, and one which speaks volumes on…

  • 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…

  • Hope is the Thing – Johanna Bell & Erica Wagner

    Allen & Unwin January 2023 ISBN:9781761180026 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $24.99 This is another visually stunning picture book which has a deeply meaningful text but also truly superb artwork, which would be so perfect to utilise as inspiration in a learning environment. Taking its cue from one of Emily Dickinson’s most well-known…

  • Endangered Animal Tales 3: Rusty The Rainbow Bird – Aleesah Darlison/Mel Matthews

    My review for Aleesah’s newest book in this fab series is now live on Kids Book Review – why not check it out!

  • Backyard Birdies – Andy Geppert

    Hachette JUL 28, 2021 | 9780734420695 | RRP $19.99 Imprint: Lothian Books Well, you know, I’m a secret bird geek. I love spotting them. I take part in the annual backyard bird survey every year and, even going way way back to my first year of teaching, had my class keeping tally of the birds they saw in the…