Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Howzat Pat series #1 and #2 – Pat Cummins & Dave Hartley. Illustrated by Serena Geddes

    Harper Collins Australia October 2024 I admit that I’m not quite the cricket fan I once was [though, of course, I went to see the Bradman Collection when we were in Adelaide a fortnight ago!] but it was still pretty exciting, and also a lot of fun to write teaching notes for these two titles,…

  • Jy Goes for Gold (Kimberley Kickers, #1) – Carl Merrison/Hakea Hustler. Illustrated by Samantha Campbell

    Harper Collins Australia September 2024 It was a strange bit of serendipity when two days after posting my Q&A with Carl Merrison, in which he mentioned this new series, I was asked to write teaching notes for this first one [despite the fact that “you are a NRL girl” haha!]. It’s not like I know…

  • Father’s Day 2024

    Happy Father’s day to all the dads, grandpas, uncles, significant/lighthouse males as well as the mums pulling double-duty as both parents. What Do You Call Your Dad? – Ashleigh Barton/Martina Heiduczek Harper Collins Australia July 2024 I’ve now reviewed several of Ashleigh’s books and also had, quite recently, the pleasure of meeting her at the…

  • Hitler’s Daughter 25th Anniversary – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 When I took this out of the parcel I was aghast – at the fact of it being 25 years since I first read this, one of Jackie’s most loved MG books. I sent her a message saying so and she replied that she found it hard to believe as…

  • Aisle Nine – Ian X. Cho

    Harper Collins Australia September 2024 Your fans of Stranger Things, Good Omens and Wednesday, any horror x comedy x side-serve of romance, are absolutely going to love this one. When I was asked to write the teaching notes I was not quite sure after reading the summary but honestly, reading it was a whole lot…

  • Billie’s Buzz – Alison Brown

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 To finish off this week’s little theme of mini-beasts comes this enchanting book from Alison Brown showcasing the extraordinary talents of bees! Take a bow, bees of the world bee-cause we know you are the absolute superstars of the insect world. When Billie sees a poster for the upcoming Pet…

  • It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li! – Nicole Chen

    Harper Collins Australia This was a delightful read and has lots of layers to explore for any astute reader. I have to say I’m not personally a fan of boba[bubble] tea but was willing to try it when The Kid was keen to. As it turned out, neither of us really went for it. But,…

  • Happy All Over – Emma Quay

    Harper Collins Australia April 2024 RRP: $24.99 I’ve had such a backlog of PBs stacked up (two boxes)and not because I didn’t want to read and review them, simply because there have been many MG and YA novels pushing their way into my bedtime reading schedule. My mission over the next few weeks is to…

  • Something Special – Emily Rodda

    Harper Collins Australia July 2024 Forty years ago, Emily Rodda’s first book was published by Allen & Unwin, and subsequentlywon the CBCA Younger Readers Award in 1985. Following that auspicious beginning, Emily has continued to delight and engage readers over her remarkable four decade long career, and to mark this occasion, Harper Collins has released…

  • The Crayons Love Our Planet – Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers

    Harper Collins Australia March 2024 The crayons are funny and make an impact on kiddos every time they pop up in a new adventure. It is remarkable how utterly imbued each one is with a distinctive personality. In this most recent story, the Crayons are showcasing the wonders of the world in all its amazing…