Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Christmas Goodies

    Zola and the Christmas Lights – Melina Marchetta/Deb Hudson Penguin Australia October 2022 For the entirety of the delightful What Zola did On… series, Melina Marchetta consistently delivered such beautiful and meaningful messages to young readers around diversity, community, empathy, friendship and family, all without once becoming preachy or tedious. It truly was joyful to…

  • The Curiosities – Zana Fraillon/Phil Lesnie

    Hachette SEP 29, 2021 | 9780734417848 | RRP $26.99 Imprint: Lothian Books This is a sophisticated book in all senses so my inclination is that it is more suitable for sharing with older children, with whom one would be able to fully explore and unpack the subtleties both written and visual. Indeed, the teachers’ resources file is full of…

  • The What on Earth Institute of Wonder – Lisa Nichol

    You can read my review of the The What on Earth Institute of Wonder now at Kids Book Review!!

  • What Zola Did on Sunday – Melina Marchetta

    Penguin September 2021 ISBN: 9781760895228 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $12.99 This series has just been pure joy from the very first word with each new story building on the warmth, friendship and community of Zola’s neighbourhood. Now that we have finished the entire week with Zola I feel quite sad but I’m hopeful that Melina might take Zola and…

  • What Zola did on Wednesday – Melina Marchetta

    Penguin Australia September 2020 ISBN: 9781760895174 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $12.99 I don’t know about you but I am getting incredibly fond of Zola and her neighbourhood. This little series is just truly delightful and I know that little readers must love being able to make connections with their own family, friends, schools and communities. Boomerang St has been…

  • The Pony Question – Jackie Merchant

    Walker Books July 2020 ISBN: 9781760651640Imprint: Walker Books Australia Australian RRP: $16.99New Zealand RRP: $18.99 I’m not really a horse-y person and now that the Kid is no longer riding neither is she so horse-themed books are a little bit of uncharted territory for me. However many years ago Ruby Ferguson’s Jill’s Gymkana (#1 Jill’s Ponies) was a very…

  • What Zola did on Tuesday – Melina Marchetta

    Penguin Australia August 2020 ISBN: 9781760895167 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $12.99 I reviewed the first in this joyful series a little while back and now we have the delight of the second instalment which is just as gorgeous! Zola and her cousin over the back fence, Alessandro, would love to get to meet their new neighbours – more playmates!…

  • What Zola did on Monday – Melina Marchetta. Illustrated by Deb Hudson

    Penguin Australia June 2020 ISBN: 9781760895150 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $12.99 This is certainly a departure from Looking for Alibrandi and Melina’s other novels for YA but what an absolute joy it is! From start to finish it ticks every box I love! Zola lives with her mum and Nonna Rosa in a little house in the suburbs, with…

  • How to Grow a Family Tree – Eliza Henry Jones

    Harper Collins Australia March 2020 ISBN: 9781460754955 ISBN 10: 1460754956 Imprint: HarperCollins – AU List Price: 22.99 AUD Seventeen year old Stella knows exactly how to help people – after all, she’s read self-help books all her life. Her friends and family often are the beneficiaries of the wealth of her accumulated wisdom.  Best friends Clem, Zin and Lara…

  • Evie and Pog (series)– Tania McCartney

    Harper Collins Australia January 2020 I’ve said before that Tania McCartney is uber-talented (as well as being one of the very nicest humans I know) and I for one am tremendously excited about this new series pitched at newly independent readers. It’s just fabulous to see a few new series to add to these collections!…