Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Lost Evangeline – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

    Walker Books Australia November 2025 ISBN13:9781529525892 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 As it arrives hard on the heels of the 25th anniversary of Because of Winn-Dixie [one of my all time favourite books!] it is a special treat to review a new Kate book. It arrived yesterday, much to my delight, and, of course, I…

  • Hotel Balzaar – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Júlia Sardà.

    Walker Books Australia October 2024 ISBN13:9781529523782 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 One thing is always certain. A book by Kate DiCamillo will always be captivating. After the first Norendy tale, readers knew they could look forward to more of the magic realism of this series and it has come with another glorious story about stories.…

  • Ferris – Kate DiCamillo

    Walker Books Australia April 2024 ISBN13:9781760659240 Australia RRP:$19.99 New Zealand RRP:$24.99 I got the ARC of this a week or so ago (27/2 today) and, of course, binged it in one night because – well, it’s Kate and it’s just marvellous, as one would expect. I mean – have you ever read one of Kate’s…

  • The Puppets of Spelhorst – Kate DiCamillo

    Walker Books Australia October 2023 ISBN13:9781529512854 Australia RRP:$24.99 New Zealand RRP:$27.99 Kate DiCamillo never disappoints and this is no exception. I’d been keenly anticipating it since I first got wind of this new series a while back and so was thrilled to receive the ARC which, of course, I promptly devoured in one gulp. Kate…

  • Because of Winn-Dixie – Kate diCamillo

    Walker Books Australia February 2022 ISBN13:9781536214352 Imprint: Candlewick Press Australia RRP:$14.99 New Zealand RRP:$17.99 Awards Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Book Award Arkansas Charlie May Simon Award Bank Street College Josette Frank Award for Fiction California Young Reader Medal Children’s Librarians of Dover, NH Cochecho Readers’ Award Delaware Library Association Blue Hen Award Florida Sunshine State…

  • The Beatryce Prophecy – Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall.

    Walker Books Australia October 2021 ISBN: 9781529500899Imprint: WalkerAustralian RRP: $24.99New Zealand RRP: $27.99 It goes without saying that anything Kate writes is superlative, but what I love especially is her ability to create narratives that are so completely different to those by anyone else, as well as her own creative diversity. From the chivalrous Desperaux to the amazing Ulysses,…

  • A postscript to my review of Beverly, Right Here

    If you read my review of Kate diCamillo’s latest novel Beverly, Right Here you will know how excited it made me that my girl was reading it. She has kept on going all these past weeks and today I came home from school to this. My heart is full!

  • Beverly, Right Here – Kate diCamillo

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781406391633 Imprint: Walker September 2019 Australian RRP: $19.99 New Zealand RRP: $22.99 Without a doubt this is the happiest review I’ve ever written. Not just because it’s another fabulous book from this much-loved author, nor just that it continues the story of Raymie, Louisiana and Beverly but for a far more personal reason. My review copy…

  • Animal Crackers

        Now that the pile of review novels is finally getting to a stage that could be described as semi-tamed, it’s time to get stuck into plethora picture books. So here are some animal-focused ones to get into – because we all know that our little readers just love a great animal story and…

  • Raymie Nightingale – Kate DiCamillo

    Walker Books ISBN: 9781406373189 Imprint: Walker May 1, 2017 Australian RRP: $14.99 New Zealand RRP: $16.99   I know that most folks will already know Raymie Nightingale but this paperback edition has been my ‘waiting for child pick up’ read for a few weeks so it did take me a while to get through in the short snatches. It…