Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Time Travelling with a Tortoise – Ross Welford

    Harper Collins Australia January 2024 I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of Ross Welford’s books that I have read. These adventures are chockful of adventure, humour, heart and a sense of the absurd, and every time I’ve pushed one into a reader’s hands they have come back for more. That, for me, says it…

  • The Boy Who Slept Through Christmas – Matt Lucas. Illustrated by Forrest Burdett.

    Harper Collins Australia October 2023 To be completely honest, when I first got this one I thought – uggh, another “celebrity” book – so many, most disappointing IMO. But with Xmas coming up, I was determined to give it a go to add to my rather scanty list of new festive releases, and to be…

  • Juniper’s Christmas – Eoin Colfer.

    Harper Collins Australia November 2023 It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Eoin (well, me at least) but this one was definitely worth a wait. I absolutely think it’s one of the most original Christmas MG novels I’ve ever read, and I loved every word of it. It encapsulates so much about contemporary life,…

  • Picture Book Month Bonus # 6: Kip of the Mountain – Emma Gourlay

    Harper Collins Australia October 2023 I really think the first adjective that comes to mind to describe this debut novel is ‘astonishing’, in all aspects. The setting is Cape Town, and, truthfully, I struggle to think of any kids’ books I’ve read with this location – although Nick Earls’ book New Boy certainly references South…

  • Silver Linings – Katrina Nannestad

    Harper Collins Australia I cannot begin to tell you how impatiently I have waited to post this review. When I was invited to write teaching notes for a new Katrina Nannestad book, I was absolutely thrilled. Then, when I read the manuscript for this beautiful, funny, poignant, life-affirming narrative, I realised how easy it would…

  • Beginnings and Endings – Jedda Robaard

    Harper Collins Australia August 2023 A couple of years ago, I had the great pleasure of being invited, in my role of teacher-librarian, to deliver a session for the SCBWI Bibliotherapy Symposium. Of course, providing books with specific purpose has been a natural part of my role for children, teachers and parents over the past…

  • Ruby and the Pen – David Lawrence. Illustrated by Cherie Dignam.

    EK Books August 2023 ISBN: 9781922539380 RRP: $16.99 I’m fairly sure that at one time or another, we’ve all wished we had a magic wand to just ‘swish and flick’ to remove any obstacles, problems or annoyances. Somehow, I’d never pictured it as a magic pen though! 12-year-old Ruby is an inveterate cartoon-sketching kid, who…

  • It’s Not Summer Without You – Jenny Han

    Book 2 in the Summer I Turned Pretty Series April 2023 Twelve years after its initial release, the second in Jenny Han’s Summer trilogy is the third of her books to be adapted for the screen, and little wonder as these have been some of the hottest books in the secondary library/young adult stakes. Belly…

  • Picasso and the Greatest Show on Earth – Anna Feinberg

    Allen & Unwin July 2023 ISBN:9781760296988 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $17.99 It’s been quite some time since I’ve read a book from Anna, so I was well pleased to receive this one to review (thank you lovely A&U peeps!) and it is absolutely beautiful. There is a lot going on in this…

  • Scout and the Rescue Dogs – Dianne Wolfer. With Illustrations by Tony Flowers.

    Walker Books June 2023 ISBN13: 9781760655860 Australia RRP: $15.99 New Zealand RRP: $17.99 Dianne Wolfer’s books are always so full of heart I find, there is a ‘feel good’ thread to them that is warming and reassuring. This new title is certainly no exception. Scout has been struggling to fit in at her new boarding…