Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Friday Barnes 7: Bitter Enemies – Rachel Spratt

    Penguin Random House 9780143784197 July 31, 2017 Random House Australia Children’s RRP $15.99   Beginning of term at Highcrest Academy has never been so dreary and desolate. Melanie and Ian are both depressed and missing their quirky best friend Friday, who has been whisked off to Switzerland to be with her family and attend Europe’s…

  • The Cherry Pie Princess – Vivian French

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781406368970 May 1, 2017 Australian RRP: $14.99 Vivian French has put her skills of lively and fun storytelling to work in this new book which stirs up lots of elements from favourite fairy tales. Readers will find a cranky king, a hysterical queen, seven princesses (six nasty and one not), a mean governess, dwarves,…

  • Exchange of Heart – Darren Groth

    Penguin Random House 9780143781578 July 31, 2017 Random House Australia Children’s $19.99 If you were impressed with Groth’s 2014 novel Are You Seeing Me? you will be likewise taken with his new one and his ability to blend heartbreak and humour into one splendid story. Munro Maddux has taken a desperate step in his grief…

  • Laugh-out-loud Awesome Jokes for Kids – Rob Elliott

    ISBN: 9780062497963 ISBN 10: 0062497960 Imprint: HarperCollins  14/02/2017 List Price: 3.99 AUD   Just a quickie as there’s not a great deal to say about a joke book except – well it’s full of jokes which your kids will love and will, no doubt, drive you completely bonkers! Rob Elliott’s other collection have been best-sellers…

  • The World’s Worst Children #2 – David Walliams/illustrated by Tony Ross

    Harper-Collins Australia June 2017 ISBN: 9780008259679 ISBN 10: 0008259674 Imprint: HarperCollins – GB RRP  $22.99 AUD One thing is an absolute given in our library. David Walliams’ books are rarely re-shelved. They are snatched up from the returns trolley with the speed of a striking mongoose or tussled over in the actual returns line up. Walliams has a…

  • The Adventures of Miss Petitfour –    Anne Michaels. With illustrations by Emma Block

    Allen & Unwin ISBN: 9781408868058 Imprint: Bloomsbury Childrens May 2017-05-20 RRP $14.99 The second delicious instalment of Miss Petitfour’s adventures has arrived and is every bit as delightful as the first. Who could possibly resist this unique individual and her ‘furry rope’ of cats? With first an introduction to Miss P and her numerous feline…

  • 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…