Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Lucky’s Star – Mark Greenwood. Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo.

    CSIRO Publishing June 2025 Last ‘sky’ book for the day and I have to be honest. I’d not even heard of the Murchison’s Meteorite, but it’s not really a topic that would often grab my attention, and to be fair at the time of the event, I was only just starting high school – so…

  • CSIRO Publishing line up!

    I seem to have collected a few so here’s the round-up of all I have left for this year – every single one of utmost excellence as we know we will get from this publishing house, and all of them with subject matter that will engage, fascinate and inform kiddos. Every Rock has a Story:…

  • Bear to the Rescue – Romane Cristescu and Nic Gill. Illustrated by Sylvia Morris.

    Hardback | October 2025 | $ 26.99ISBN: 9781486314904 Publisher: CSIRO Publishing With splendid synchronicity, I had both Dogs with Jobs and this charming new CSIRO Publishing title to review and schedule together! Huzzah! I love it when a plan comes together – even by happenstance. And doubly fortuitous because Bear is one of the Dogs…

  • Our World Full of Wonder – Jevita Nilson/Jess Racklyeft

    Publisher: CSIRO Publishing November 2024 ISBN: 9781486318155 $ 24.99 Sometimes, despite all my good intentions, some books just linger for months tucked away in one of the several tubs/boxes I have for review books. I do have regular re-shuffles, and there are those books that just don’t make the cut for me, and so are…

  • Sid and the Very Hard to Find Squid – James O’Hanlon

    Publisher: CSIRO Publishing June 2025 | $ 26.99ISBN: 9781486319664 To finish off this deep dive into our oceans and marine life is another fabulous title from CSIRO for which all your critter lovers will go wild. Sid, like many kiddos, loves animals of all kinds and is always on the look-out for them. He thoroughly…

  • This Bird: noticing our urban birds – Astred Hicks. With Holly Parsons.

    CSIRO Publishing August 2025 ISBN: 9781486318452  RRP: $26.99 It’s another wonderful title from CSIRO and yes! more birds! I talked a little about our backyard birds in a previous post but we also have our birds along the shore within a minutes’ walk. The regulars are: Australian and Little Pied Cormorants, welcome swallows, pelicans, oyster…

  • The Great Dawn Choir – Sarah Speedie. Illustrated by Cindy Lane

    CSIRO Publishing August 2025 ISBN: 9781486318339 RRP: $26.99 We may not live in the ‘bush’ as I’ve heard some proudly describe their location [while at the same time moaning about the lack of facilities, phone signal and more] but that doesn’t mean in the slightest that we do not have our fair share of wildlife,…

  • 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…

  • 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…