Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Mabo Day

    Bringing this year’s Reconciliation Week to a close with the reminder that today is Mabo Day. Eddie Mabo, the man behind Mabo Day Overturning terra nullius Eddie Koiki Mabo

  • Desert Tracks -Marly Wells & Linda Wells

    Magabala Books May 2025 978-1-922777-66-9 RRP. $22.99 What an absolutely sensational book this is! Easy to see why it won the Daisy Utemorrah Award! And I’m going to say right now, this is one you not only need for your collection, but need to actively promote to your staff, especially those of you looking to…

  • Country Tells Us When… Written and Illustrated by Tsheena Cooper, Mary Dann, Dalisa Pigram-Ross and Sheree Ford.

    ILF Community Publishing  March 2023 ISBN:   9781922592460ISBN 10:   1922592463 9781922592484 (Karajarri), 9781922592477 (Mangala) RRP: $26.99 Community: Rubibi (Broome), WA Language: Yawuru The Yawuru people are the traditional owners of the lands and waters in and around Rubibi (the town of Broome). As more and more First Nations seasonal calendars are being shared with students, what a wonderful…

  • Earth Speak – Sean McCann. Illustrated by Jade Goodwin

    Boodjar Wangkiny Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781761181238 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $26.99 I have been eagerly awaiting this one, having seen sneak peeks of Jade’s gorgeous illustrations in the interim. It is just as beautiful as it promised. As so many of us shake our heads over recent ignorant and ill-informed comments about Welcome to…

  • Tiwi in Paris – Glen Farmer Illortaminni

    Thames & Hudson July 2025 ISBN: 9781760764944 RRP: $26.99 The ‘fish out of water’ theme can work in various ways in literature – amusing, poignant, sorrowful, hilarious – it all depends on context doesn’t it? This one, to me, is the ‘innocent abroad’. For many of us who are unaccustomed to travel, the challenge of going…

  • ILF – Reading Opens Doors

    Community Publishing Potential publishing projects go through a proposal process which must meet our vision and strategy. Each is different. They can involve working with translators, linguists, authors, illustrators, editors and artists. We listen to the needs and wants of each Community and collaborate throughout the entire process to ensure Community leadership and authenticity. Community members…

  • Blak ANZAC Day

    You are correct. I did say the blog was having a break until after ANZAC Day but when Big Sky Publishing sent me these which arrived today (16th) how could I not read and review them to mark ANZAC 2025. You might already have them or not but be well advised to do so, if…

  • Tubowgule – a Sydney Opera House History – Melissa-Jane Fogarty. Illustrated by Dylan Finney.

    Hachette Australia Imprint: Lothian Books March 2025 9780734423351 | RRP $24.99 I’m old enough to have walked on Bennelong Point before the Opera House was built, and then walk around the construction site as the sails rose ever higher [not much WHS in those days, no fencing around the site!] picking up bits of broken white tile.…

  • Young Dark Emu: a Truer History – Bruce Pascoe

    Imprint: Magabala Books Hachette Books February 2025 ISBN: 9781922777508 RRP: $29.99 Eleven years ago this month, I had the great pleasure of reading and reviewing Dark Emu – Blackseeds: Accident or Agriculture? for Magabala and in that review, I commented on how much new information I gleaned from this detailed and knowledge-based account from a…

  • Kicking off April…

    I’m hoping lots of people are already planning for this year’s NAIDOC week – I’ll be sharing as many new resources and ideas as possible over the next couple of months. I’ve already got my new t-shirt! How about you?? Meanwhile stand by for a week of new First Nations titles coming up. These are…