Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • The Sisterhood of Ravensbrück: Lynne Olsen

    How an intrepid band of Frenchwomen resisted the Nazis in Hitler’s all-female concentration camp Scribe Publications July 2025 ISBN (13):9781761381461 RRP:$36.99 My confession here is that I’ve had this for ages, well and truly long before its release date, and it’s been on my bedside table as I dip in and out of it, book-cheating…

  • Anna’s War – DJ Taylor

    Riveted Press Simon & Schuster July 2025 Aside from, of course, Anne Frank’s diary I knew very little about life for the Dutch during the war. I did glean some from Tulips for Breakfast when I read and reviewed it. But this astonishing debut novel from DJ Taylor has certainly opened my eyes to even…

  • The Year We Escaped – Suzanne Leal

    Harper Collins Australia June 2025 Suzanne Leal’s Running with Ivan was a book that took me to a very different part of the Second World War, and it was a privilege to write the teaching notes for it. I was lucky enough to be asked to write them for this new book as well. And…

  • The Whisperer’s War – Jackie French

    Harper Collins Australia As always, Jackie’s historical fiction is perfection. I was aware of this one in progress and, in fact, had had some (email) conversation with the author about this period, and in particular Edward known as David, the Duke of Windsor. My anecdote was that my Father Bear had met him en route…

  • Resist: a story of D-Day – Alaz Gratz

    Scholastic Australia April 2025 Imprint: Scholastic Inc ISBN: 9781761649172 RRP: $12.99 If anyone is confused and feels like they have seen this, or heard of it, some years ago, here’s what author Alan Gratz explains: The physical paperback version of Resist was something I wrote as an exclusive giveaway for Scholastic’s Book Clubs in 2019. Scholastic gave…

  • All the Beautiful Things – Katrina Nannestad

    Harper Collins October 2024 RRP: $22.99 It goes without saying that Katrina Nannestad’s books are going to fly off the shelves. She just produces one amazing narrative after another. When I was asked to write notes for this new one, I was naturally delighted. I found the book not only completely engrossing but quite emotional…

  • One by One They Disappear – Mike Lucas

    Penguin Australia May 2024 Honestly, before you put this on your shelves for your kiddos, you need to read it first. Because once they get their hands on it and the word spreads, you will never get a look in! I was hooked from the very start and this is a whole package; supernatural, folktales,…

  • Alias Anna: a true story of outwitting the Nazis – Susan Hood {with Greg Dawson}

    Harper Collins Australia August 2023  Sydney Taylor Book Award 2023 Middle Grade Notable  Jewish Book Council Award Middle Grade Finalist  Nerdy Book Club 2022 Best Novel-In-Verse Book  New York Public Library 2022 Best Book For Kids  Chicago Public Library Best Informational Books For Younger Readers Of 2022 I think it’s fair to say I’ve read…

  • Running with Ivan – Suzanne Leal

    Harper Collins Australia February 2023 Leo is not in a good space. After his mother died, it seemed that his grief would never ease and now, two years later, his father has re-married, and he has a whole new family and home to which to adjust. Julia, his stepmother is just fine, and he really…

  • Tulips for Breakfast – Catherine Bauer

    Ford St Publishing October 2022 ISBN 9781922696199 RRP: $19.99 As always, I am grateful to have the opportunity to review a book that provides young people with a perspective of one the darkest times in human history, particularly in order to endeavour that such atrocities will never be repeated. In this novel’s dedication Catherine Bauer…