Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody – Patrick Ness. Illustrated by Tim Miller.

    Walker Books September 2024 ISBN13:9781529517958 Australia RRP:$16.99 New Zealand RRP:$18.99 I absolutely love Patrick Ness’ writing. The Chaos Walking trilogy is my all-time favourite YA read. And A Monster Calls is one of the most beautiful, powerful and poignant explorations of pain and grief ever, and breaks me every time I read it. In fact,…

  • Dragon Folding – Christopher Cheng. Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo.

    Penguin Australia September 2024 ISBN: 9781761340949 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $24.99 Grief is hard. And most of us know, in one way or another, some losses are harder to bear than others. I know that well, as does author Christopher Cheng. In a beautiful new book from this illustrious author, comes a narrative that explores the depths of…

  • Alex: Through My Eyes – Australian Disaster Zones – Rosanne Hawke, edited by Lynn White

    Allen & Unwin August 2023 ISBN:9781760877002 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $18.99 While we all have the readers who relish the humour, the fantasy and the historical fiction, we equally have those kiddos who want the contemporary realistic fiction which demands thoughtful reflection, inspires resilience and develops a sense of empathy. All of…

  • Being Jimmy Baxter – Fiona Lloyd

    Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781760148515 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 This is often a very funny book. This is often a very moving book. I ate it up in one sitting because Jimmy’s story is one that demands to be read. Jimmy is not so good with school stuff, and he has a kind of innocence in his thinking…

  • The Bravest Word – Kate Foster

    Walker Books Australia May 2022 ISBN13:9781760654719 Australia RRP:$18.99 New Zealand RRP:$20.99 Message: Half of all the mental health conditions we experience at some point in our lives will have started by age 141  Message: Over 75% of mental health problems occur before the age of 25. 3 Message: One in seven young people aged 4 to 17…

  • All Four Quarters of the Moon – Shirley Marr

    Penguin Australia July 2022 ISBN: 9781760899554 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 On the last day of her old life, Peijing makes moon cakes with Ah Ma for the Autumn Festival. The following Peijing and her family, Ba Ba, Ma Ma, little sister Biju and Ah Ma, move to Australia and their new lives begin. Moving house is always…

  • My Dream Time – Ash Barty

    Harper Collins Australia November 2022 ISBN: 9781460762820 ISBN 10: 1460762827 Imprint: HarperSports AU List Price: 49.99 AUD Like many others, I am a huge admirer of Ash -though I am no fan of tennis per se. This vibrant young woman has completely captivated the nation with her unfailing professionalism, humility, grace and low-key humour. She has become a stand-out…

  • The Silence that Binds Us – Joanna Ho

    Harper Collins Australia October 2022 ISBN: 9780063059344 ISBN 10: 0063059347 Imprint: HarperCollins US List Price: 34.99 AUD Many of us fell in love with Joanna Ho’s exquisite writing with Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and Eyes That Speak to the Stars. Now it becomes apparent that her talent is not confined to lyrical picture books. This, her first…

  • The Year We Fell from Space – Amy Sarig King

    Text Publishing November 2019 ISBN:9781922268853 AU Price:$16.99 NZ Price:$21.00 Divorce is difficult for many families but when coupled with the topic of depression – a mental health issue that continues to be frequently misunderstood – arguably even more so, particularly in this instance when it is parental depression. Realistic and at times very emotional this…

  • The Storm Keeper’s Island – Catherine Doyle

    Bloomsbury Australia August 2018 ISBN: 9781408896884 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP :$14.99 What a simply sparkling debut novel! It did take me two nights rather than my usual one (but I confess a little tiredness even after a week of holidays) but it was simply page-turning and thoroughly engrossing. Fionn Boyle and his older sister…