Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Good Young Men – Gary Lonesborough

    Allen & Unwin March 2026 ISBN:9781761182174 Publisher:A&U Children’s Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $22.99 Once again Gary brings his own upbringing as a young gay Koori in a regional setting [from the same part of the country as my family] as well as his professional experience working with Aboriginal youth in a skewed justice system,…

  • My Country – Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

    Fremantle Press January 2026 ISBN: 9781760996260 $19.99 GST This great favourite of many which has been in its original format and a board book, is now in a sweet-sized smaller hardback edition, just perfect for little hands who are beginning to enjoy their books. This is exactly the right size for toddlers especially to hold, turn the…

  • The Only Branch on the Family Tree – Sherryl Clark

    UQP April 2025 ISBN: 9780702268915 RRP: $14.99 With perfect timing, coinciding with this thread of my Mother’s Day reviews, Sherryl Clark’s beautiful new MG book arrived yesterday. At the same time, it has once again re-affirmed that I actually DO enjoy verse novels – certainly, those that have come my way in the past twelve…

  • The Truck Cat: National Simultaneous Storytime 2025- Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell

    Hardie Grant Australia November 2024 ISBN:9781761212291 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99Page Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing At a time when the world is in turmoil, much of it due to ignorance, intolerance and bigotry, there could not be a more timely choice for a book that will bring children right across the country together, in a glorious celebration and…

  • The First Summer of Callie McGee – A. L. Tait

    Scholastic August 2023 ISBN: 9781760260163ISBN-10: 1760260169  A L Tait makes an impressive departure from her usual historical/fantasywriting, with this thoroughly engaging contemporary middle-grade novel. Calliope-Jean Maree McGee is about to start high school. It’s not the selective high school that her mother wanted her to attend, and that’s just fine by this tween who is keen to…

  • The Midnight Panther – Poonam Mistry

    Allen & Unwin January 2023 ISBN:9781787418929 Publisher:Bonnier Imprint:Templar RRP: $24.99 I think this is the most visually stunning book I’ve seen in a long time. In fact, it is breathtakingly beautiful, and demands close scrutiny of the intricate and rich illustrations. A beautiful fable of identity and self-belief, the little panther is insecure in a…

  • The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue – Jodie McLeod/Eloise Short

    On KBR today Confidence can be a frail commodity for many of us, but, perhaps, particularly for little people. And, as a result, it is easy to imbue a particular object with special qualities that make us feel braver, stronger and smarter – whether professional golfer with a lucky tee or a toddler with a…

  • The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue – Jodie McCleod/Eloise Short

    Wollemi Press July 2023 ISBN: 9780646874708 RRP: $26.99 Confidence can be a frail commodity for many of us, but, perhaps, particularly for little people. And, as a result, it is easy to imbue a particular object with special qualities that make us feel braver, stronger and smarter – whether professional golfer with a lucky tee…

  • The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart – Samera Kamaleddine

    Harper Collins Australia May 2023 For many tweens the transition from child to teen is a tumultuous time, and Evie Hart is one such who is struggling to feel secure and grounded as so much impacts on her life. Her much-loved stepfather, Lee, is moving out and it’s not just the awful jolt of her…

  • Scorpion Falls – Martin Chatterton

    Ford St Publishing August 2022 ISBN: 978781922696090 RRP: $18.99 Honestly, my first thought as I really got underway with this new offering from Martin Chatterton was: the Stranger Things fans are going to LOVE this!  Lo and behold when I visited Martin’s website before beginning to write this review, he makes the same comment. Always…