Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • When the Mountain Wakes – Matt Shanks

    Affirm Press Simon & Schuster August 2025 Somewhere, towards the beginning of time, a mountain rose from the ocean and came to rest above the clouds.Life sang a lullaby, and the mountain slept for many millions of years.Until one day, when the world became too silent for sleep  If you have a Sophisticated Picture Books…

  • Where the River Runs Free – Vikki Conley. Jedda Robaard.

    Windy Hollow Books July 2025 ISBN: 9781922998217 AUD$29.95, NZD$34.99 This spring weather is just glorious and a perfect time for a family walk out in the beauty and calm of nature. Why not follow the example of this family as they take an adventurous walk along the local river.  What might they see? A frog?…

  • Keeper of the Octopus – Neridah McMullin

    Walker Books Australia ISBN13:9781760659479 Australia RRP:$17.99 New Zealand RRP:$19.99 As I’ve said before, I have a fascination with octopuses with their superior intelligence and facility for extraordinary physical feats. And when you combine that with Neridah McMullin’s ability to weave a narrative of magical realism that has echoes of traditional folktales and lore, you get…

  • Sid and the Very Hard to Find Squid – James O’Hanlon

    Publisher: CSIRO Publishing June 2025 | $ 26.99ISBN: 9781486319664 To finish off this deep dive into our oceans and marine life is another fabulous title from CSIRO for which all your critter lovers will go wild. Sid, like many kiddos, loves animals of all kinds and is always on the look-out for them. He thoroughly…

  • Ningaloo

    For those of us who have loved Tim Winton’s Blueback since it was first released in 1997 [can you believe that?? eek!], the Ningaloo reef and the continuing struggle to preserve it has always been an issue of real concern. Even The Kid has taken interest since first seeing the film version of Blueback a…

  • Curious Kai Asks Why? – Sarah Pye. Sandra Severgnini.

    September 2025ISBN: 978-1-7640657-0-2 (paperback)ISBN: 978-1-7640657-1-9 (ebook) Last year I had the great pleasure of meeting and making friends with both these Sunshine Coast based creators. A more dynamic and engaging pair of personalities you would find hard to meet. Since then I’ve reviewed books from them, followed their adventures (most recently, Sarah’s trip to Galapagos…

  • Cloud. Wind. Wave. Atlas -Sarah Zambello. Susy Zanella.

    Thames & Hudson 2024/2025 ISBN: 9781760764500/ISBN: 9781760764524/ISBN: 9781760764517 RRP: $34.99 I have often mentioned that Small Person Me was a bit of a non-fiction nerdy kid and as such I had a passing interest in all sorts of topics. Most usually from my brother’s ‘general’ non-fiction books though I did have some of my own that were specific…

  • Into the Bewilderness – Gus Gordon

    Hardie Grant July 2025 ISBN:9781761211287 Price:AU$24.99, NZ$27.99 Publisher:Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Where to start with this piece of magnificence, I ask myself? I know! I’ll start with this anecdote. A week or so ago, the estimable Gus Gordon was going to be at Quick Brown Fox in Grange and I had determined I would go.…

  • Earth Speak – Sean McCann. Illustrated by Jade Goodwin

    Boodjar Wangkiny Allen & Unwin ISBN:9781761181238 Imprint:A & U Children RRP: $26.99 I have been eagerly awaiting this one, having seen sneak peeks of Jade’s gorgeous illustrations in the interim. It is just as beautiful as it promised. As so many of us shake our heads over recent ignorant and ill-informed comments about Welcome to…

  • Plantabulous!

    New South Books From Albatros Books/Media are two absolutely delightful new titles. Both about plants, both non-fiction, both exquisitely designed but providing lower-middle primary kiddos with information about plants from two different angles. How Plants Talk – Helena Haraštová. Illustrated by Linh Dao 9788000068114 / 1 August 2023 AUD$24.99, NZD$29.99 Your Smalls will be fascinated to see…