Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • What You Need to be Warm – Neil Gaiman

    Bloomsbury October 2023 ISBN 9781526660619 Imprint Bloomsbury Children’s Books RRP: $19.99 This morning (Sunday 10/12/23) The Kid and I went to the city by train to an event, and as we crossed over the Brisbane river and I looked back to the Coronation Drive/Riverside expressway I noticed something. In some places, there are gaps between…

  • 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,…

  • Downtown Sewertown – Tull Suwannakit

    Ford St Publishing March 2023 ISBN: 978192296250 RRP: $17.99 What to do when your home is destroyed? There is nothing, except to take what belongings you can,and try to find a new place to live. The woodland creatures are forced to flee when their homes and woods are flattened for new urban housing. They try…

  • Queenie in Seven Moves – Zanni Louise

    Walker Books Australia February 2023 ISBN13:9781760655662 Australia RRP:$16.99 New Zealand RRP:$18.99 So this is another that took some time to reach me but when it did I was immediately picking it up to read. Firstly, because of that gorgeous cover art but secondly because it’s Zanni Louise. Not only is she a fine writer, but…

  • Cardboard Cowboys – Brian Conaghan

    Bloomsbury May 2021 ISBN: 9781526628602 Imprint: Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing RRP: $12.99 12 year old Lenny is deeply unhappy. For many kids, their first year in high school is full of wonder and adventure with new experiences and friendships, but for Lenny it represents misery and isolation, as he relentlessly bullied and fat-shamed by other kids…

  • Help Around the House – Morris Gleitzman

    Penguin Random House 9780143793236 September 3, 2018 Penguin   RRP $16.99 Classic Morris Gleitzman! And pure unadulterated joy! In these parlous times when politicians behave without regard for those they are sworn to represent this could not be more timely or indeed, pointed. Ludo is a helper. A year after losing his mother his desire…

  • The Boy with Two Lives – Abbas Kazerooni

    ISBN:9781743314838 Publisher:Allen & Unwin Imprint:A & U Children Pub Date:September 2015 RRP: $15.99   Many of you will resource units of work/inquiry examining the lives of inspirational people through biographies and memoirs. This book and the previous memoir are perfect, timely and contemporary for readers from Middle Primary upwards. This second instalment in Kazerooni’s powerful…