Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces – Tim Harris

    Penguin Australia 1 March 2022 ISBN: 9781761044557 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $14.99 It seems incredible – or should I say remarkable – that is already four years since I had the pleasure of sipping Himalayan tea with the delicious Mr Bambuckle – sorry, I mean, sipping delicious Himalayan tea with Mr Bambuckle! And now everyone’s favourite teacher (up there…

  • Specky Magee- Felice Arena, Gary Lyons

    Penguin Australia 1st March 2022 ISBN: 9780143777168 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 Seriously, these anniversaries always give me such a jolt – “Whaddya mean 20 years of Specky?” she says with disbelief as she opens the parcel. Yep, face it, you have been doing this job a long time! I’m the first to admit (much to the disgust of…

  • The PM’s Daughter – Meredith Costain

    Penguin Australia March 2022 ISBN: 9781761046704 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 I’m well aware that many things just pass me by – especially when it comes to TV. To be fair, though The Kid is a teen, she would be way too engrossed with her horror movies to watch a show on the ABC but it appears that this…

  • The Beatryce Prophecy – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

    Walker Books Australia October 2021 ISBN: 9781529500899Imprint: WalkerAustralian RRP: $24.99New Zealand RRP: $27.99 It goes without saying that anything Kate writes is superlative, but what I love especially is her ability to create narratives that are so completely different to those by anyone else, as well as her own creative diversity. From the chivalrous Desperaux to the amazing Ulysses,…

  • Shadowghast – Thomas Taylor

    Walker Books Australia September 2021 ISBN: 9781406386301Imprint: WalkerAustralian RRP: $17.99New Zealand RRP: $19.99 It’s back to Eerie-on-Sea for another cracking and creepy mystery. In this new adventure a seriously spooky magician arrives in town, accompanied by henchmen, and purports to be Herbie’s long-lost aunt. She seems to enthrall the boy but his friend and ally, Violet, is far from…

  • Pony – R. J. Palacio

    My review of this utterly fabulous book is now live at Kids Book Review – check it out and make sure you get a copy – you won’t be sorry!

  • Banjo Tully – Justin D’Ath

    Ford St Publishing September 2021 ISBN: 9781925804904 RRP: $17.95 It was a hair salon day and as usual, I took a book with me – one I’d only unpacked from its box this morning – although I have some others still half-read, because I always love Justin’s writing. And this was no exception – I…

  • The What on Earth Institute of Wonder – Lisa Nichol

    You can read my review of the The What on Earth Institute of Wonder now at Kids Book Review!!

  • Dragon Skin – Karen Foxlee

    Allen & Unwin September 2021 ISBN:9781760526108 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $19.99 One wouldn’t normally associate the outback mining town of Mt Isa with magic or dragons but Karen Foxlee’s newest novel for middle school readers makes this eminently plausible. How to save a dragon:1) Assemble equipment. Water, Weet-Bix, sugar, syringe, sticky tape, scissors.2) Believe…

  • Sofa Surfer – Malcolm Duffy

    Harper Collins Australia May 2021 ISBN: 9781786697684 ISBN 10: 1786697688 Imprint: Head Of Zeus – Zehpyr GB RRP $16.99 On any given night in Australia 116,427 Australians are homeless. 27,680 of these are young people aged 12-24 years. Most of the homeless youth aged 12–18 years in 2016 were living in ‘severely’ crowded dwellings (61%) or in supported accommodation for…