Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Triangle – Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

    Walker Australia ISBN: 9781406376678 Imprint: Walker March 14, 2017 Australian RRP: $24.99 New Zealand RRP: $27.99 You know when you see these two names that you are going to laugh a lot over what appears a deceptively simple picture book. Meet Triangle who lives in a triangular house with a triangular door amongst lots of other triangle shapes.  One…

  • Rose Ravensthorpe Investigates: Black Cats and Butlers – Janine Beacham

    Rose Ravensthorpe Investigates: Black Cats and Butlers – Janine Beacham MAR 28, 2017 | 9781510201286 | RRP $14.99 Hachette Au. Imprint: Little Brown Books for Children This has been one of my favourite reads of the past few weeks. Described as “The Clockwork Sparrow meets Downton Abbey”  it is really energetic and engaging novel. Rose is meant to be a properly…

  • Harry Kruize, Born to Lose – Paul Collins

        Ford St Publishing March 2017 ISBN 9781925272628 RRP $17.95 No doubt about it, Paul’s on a winner with this one! Harry Kruize is an average sort of boy but has an over-abundance of woes and worries. In fact, his self-esteem could hardly be any lower nor his anxiety any less. It’s not that…

  • Peggy and Me – Miranda Hart

    Hachette Australia ISBN: 9781444769135 Publication date: 11 Oct 2016 Page count: Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton   Many readers will be familiar with Miranda Hart’s work as a comedic actress; appearances in Absolutely Fabulous, Smack the Pony and of course, Call the Midwife and her own self-titled sitcom Miranda. She had long been more a cat person than a…

  • Artie and the Grime Wave – Written and illustrated by Richard Roxburgh

    ISBN: 9781760292140 Publisher: Allen & Unwin Imprint: A & U Children October 2016 RRP $16.99 Ok so Richard Roxburgh is a talented actor and director in both theatre and screen and of course the star of Rake. Now he’s added writing and illustrating to his portfolio in a very successful way. I mean to say,…

  • Crazy Characters & Daft Deeds

      I’ve chosen to review these two books on the same post as to me they are similar in many ways all of which will appeal to their audience.  Both Colin Thompson and A.F. Harrold have a singular and individualised way of providing satirical humour for a pint-sized readership. They also both employ that  every…

  • Q&A with Michael Wagner!!

    Hi Michael and welcome to Just So Stories! Let’s jump right in here and start with So Wrong! You mentioned that as reluctant readers as kids you and Wayne Bright, your illustrator, wanted to create a book that would entice children to read. Tell us about its inception and inspiration please. So Wrong started with…

  • The Famishing Vanishing Mahoosive Mammoth – Hollie Hughes/Leigh Hodgkinson

    Allen & Unwin Australia ISBN: 9781408862780 Publisher: Bloomsbury Imprint: Bloomsbury Child Pub Date: August 2016 RRP $14.99 This hilarious rhyming book is just pure good fun for little readers. The huge hairy mammoth has a ‘ridiculously large appetite’ and his great friend the Bug is beginning to despair of ever finding the snack that will…

  • The Great Dragon Bake Off – Nicola O’Byrne

    Allen & Unwin Australia ISBN: 9781408839560 Publisher :Bloomsbury Imprint: Bloomsbury Child Pub Date: August 2016 RRP $14.99   With the surfeit of cookery shows most children will have seen at least part of one if not actually The Great British Bake Off. And they may well also be familiar with Jamie Oliver. Now they can…

  • Archie Green and the Alchemist’s Curse – D. D. Everest

    Allen & Unwin Australia ISBN: 9780571307418 Publisher: Faber Imprint: Faber Children Pb Pub Date: August 2016 $14.99   Move over Harry, you have a rival for my affections! Somehow or other I missed the first book in this fabulous series (that will need to be redressed ASAP) but no matter, I was able to pick…