Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Catalpa: Escape to Freedom – Mike and Joy Lefroy

    Fremantle Press March 2026 ISBN: 9781760996673 $29.99 I love learning some history of which I’ve been unaware and when it’s told in such an engaging way as this, as well as similar books, from Fremantle Press, it’s even better. I knew about the Fenians, though admittedly not a lot, just that they were the revolutionaries determined…

  • My Country – Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

    Fremantle Press January 2026 ISBN: 9781760996260 $19.99 GST This great favourite of many which has been in its original format and a board book, is now in a sweet-sized smaller hardback edition, just perfect for little hands who are beginning to enjoy their books. This is exactly the right size for toddlers especially to hold, turn the…

  • Beach Buddies – Helen Milroy

    A First Nations picture book of Australian sea creatures Fremantle Press June 2026 ISBN: 9781760997052 RRP: AU$19.99/NZ$24.00/US$14.95 Pre-order now from your usual suppliers This is just the cutest introduction to marine animals ever – and your little readers will love it. Who could resist that puffed-up blowfish on the cover for a start? As I am…

  • One Day Soon – Cristy Burne

    Fremantle Press May 2026 ISBN: 9781760995614 RRP: $17.99 Preorder now This is another verse novel that has given me cause to reconsider my initial lukewarm thoughts about this genre. In fact, so utterly absorbing is this one, that I binge read it in one evening. I don’t know anyone personally with MND but a friend did…

  • If I Could Eat the Stars and Other Poems – Chosen by Rebecca. M. Newman & Sally Murphy. Illustrated by Briony Stewart.

    Publisher: Fremantle Press April 2026 ISBN: 9781760996482 RRP: $17.99 It is no secret that I love a great poetry book and, remarkably, after not having had one for review for quite some time, suddenly I have two stunning ones! The first is this absolute little cracker from Fremantle Press and a stellar cast of contributors. Here’s just…

  • For Little Jarjums

    Two delightful little board books for your Smallest of Smalls from Fremantle Press today. SO cute!!! Kep Barna: Water Creatures [#2 Noongar First Words series} – Jayden Boundry/Tyrown Waigana February 2026 ISBN: 9781760995591 RRP: AU$16.99/NZ$21.00/US$12.95 Once again your Smalls can learn some new words in Noongar accompanied by their English counterparts, this time of a variety…

  • Fremantle Press extravaganza!!

    Coming up for its 50th anniversary Fremantle Press may be small but it sure is mighty! SO many fabulous books across all genres have come from this outstanding independent publishing house. It has always been a pleasure to review their titles but I was super excited yesterday (11/02) to get several parcels from them, loaded…

  • The Midnight Chew -Sally Morgan. Karen Blair.

    Fremantle Press October 2025 ISBN 9781760995096 RRP: AU $24.99/ NZ$30/ US $17.95 A happy-go-lucky sort of doggo book from Sally Morgan with definite echoes of Hairy Maclary and his gang, as Skippy Gillespie slips out of his yard in the dead of night to go rummage in the rubbish for his bone. Boofa Boy Jones…

  • A New World Rises: Tales of a LEGO® Future – Jackson Harvey & Alex Towler with Cristy Burne.

    Fremantle Press August 2025 ISBN: 9781760994167 RRP: AU $44.99/NZ$50.00/US$34.95 Like millions of others, I’ve had my fair share of LEGO® in my life, starting with my girls, then grandies and certainly, numerous times in my libraries with LEGO® free-range activities and clubs both construction and stop motion film. I have run competitions for Book Week (recreate…

  • Ningaloo

    For those of us who have loved Tim Winton’s Blueback since it was first released in 1997 [can you believe that?? eek!], the Ningaloo reef and the continuing struggle to preserve it has always been an issue of real concern. Even The Kid has taken interest since first seeing the film version of Blueback a…