Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • 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…

  • Koala Koala – John Williamson. Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley.

    Penguin Australia April 2025 Koala, Koala – we love youSo soft in the fork of your tree . . .Koala, Koala – where will you goIf we take your gum trees away? I’ve mentioned my association with John along with koalas previously on this blog. While my fond memory is about Goodbye Blinky Bill, Koala…

  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Extinct Animals – Sami Bayly

    Hachette Australia September 2024  9780734421395 | RRP $32.99 Watch this interview with Sami from The Morning Show to hear more about this latest book. It seems almost incredible to realise that Sami Bayly is not yet 30 ! [maybe that’s me because I’m so senior citizen now], given her amazing catalogue of titles thus far. This is…

  • The One and Only Family – Katherine Applegate

    Harper Collins Australia All good things must come to an end so they say [and of course, as a Buddhist, I do know that everything is impermanent], but I am, along with many others I have no doubt, sad to say goodbye to Ivan and his friends, and now family. It has given me such…

  • Fabulous Frogs – Katrina Germein. Illustrated by Suzanne Houghton

    CSIRO Publishing October 2024 | $ 24.99ISBN: 9781486317875  Some readers might recall another froggy book I reviewed recently where I also shared our personal love of our amphibian friends. So, quite naturally, I was delighted to be able to review this one especially when these two outstanding creators have paired up. As you would expect,…

  • Tracks in the Mist: #4 The Adamson Adventures – Sandra Bennett

    Rosella Ridge Books June 2024 ISBN: 9780648938240 RRP: $18.00 Sandra Bennett This is the first of this series I’ve read but I definitely enjoyed it, and think your readers would as well, especially those who like a combination of adventure, mystery and family. Although I hadn’t read any of the previous episodes, it wasn’t too…

  • The One and Only Ruby – Katherine Applegate

    Harper Collins Australia June 2023 We first fell in love with Ivan and his friends over ten years ago (yes! I know!!), and I still defy anyone to read the gentle gorilla’s story with dry eyes. Then, the amazing Katherine Applegate followed up with The One and Only Bob, and again we were both amused…

  • The Golden Swift – Lev Grossman

    Bloomsbury July 2022 ISBN 9781526647634 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $14.99 A couple of years back I enthusiastically endorsed The Silver Arrow and I am very pleased to say that this second instalment is equally as enchanting for your middle school readers. A year after they first encounter The Silver Arrow and begin their mission…

  • A Whale of the Wild – Rosanne Parry

    Harper Collins Australia January 2022 ISBN: 9780062995933 ISBN 10: 0062995936 Imprint: HarperCollins US RRP: $16.99 This is just a magical read – the lyrical text almost flows like the water Vega and her family inhabit – and was certainly for me last night, a really intriguing but also restful way to read myself ready to sleep. That’s not…

  • 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!