Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Feathered Philosophy…

    It was quite a curious thing that on Friday, I chose two books from my review shelf to share with a Year 1 class I was taking, and they both complemented each other so perfectly. One I chose because I knew how well it is always received, the other because the title made me giggle.…

  • My Family Kitchen- Tommy Pham

    Penguin Australia July 2023 ISBN: 9781761340888 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $32.99 Ok, I freely admit it. I’m one of those tragics who loves looking at beautiful cookbooks without necessarily making any of the dishes – but there are exceptions to that. This is truly a very beautiful cookbook with loads of colour pages, with, also, full page colour photographs…

  • Being Jimmy Baxter – Fiona Lloyd

    Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781760148515 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 This is often a very funny book. This is often a very moving book. I ate it up in one sitting because Jimmy’s story is one that demands to be read. Jimmy is not so good with school stuff, and he has a kind of innocence in his thinking…

  • For the Tiny Humans

    Find Spot: an Australian Adventure Penguin Australia July 2023 ISBN: 9780241618127 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $14.99 Your littlest people will love this colourful new board book with a fresh Spot adventure, especially as it’s set in Australia. Mum, Dad and Spot are camping and as they explore billabong and surrounds, they encounter some lovely Australian wildlife like…

  • Scar Town – Tristan Bancks

    Penguin Australia August 2023 ISBN: 9780143791812 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 I’ve been a fan of Tristan’s work since back in the Mac Slater days, especially after attending one of his presentations on making book trailers (can’t even remember which event that was, it was so long ago!) and I’ve particularly loved his ‘crime/thriller’ books – like a…

  • Hamlet is Not OK – R. A. Spratt

    Penguin Australia July 2023 ISBN: 9780143779278 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $16.99 No one will be surprised to hear that after reading a couple of chapters before I went to sleep last night, I gobbled the rest up in one sitting today – and loved every single word! It’s not Friday Barnes, nor Nanny Piggins but Spratt’s sass and sarcasm,…

  • Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy [40th Anniversary] – Lynley Dodd

    Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781776957019 Imprint: Picture Puffin RRP: $16,99 The real problem with these anniversary editions of our favourite books is that it always makes me feel incredibly old 😫 but, of course, at the same they always bring back so many happy memories of read-alouds for my own girls and grandies, as well as the many…

  • Khawaja – Words by Paul Kelly. Illustrations by Avinash Weerasekera

    Penguin Australia July 2023 ISBN: 9781761340611 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $19.99 I’d be pretty certain that when Uzzy was growing up and dreaming of being a Test cricketer, he didn’t ever imagine he’d be the subject of either a song or a children’s book, but here he is – one of our most inspirational players in a long…

  • Greetings….. from Redcliffe

    I’ve recently paired two lovely and complementary picture books with some classes of little people, particularly Preppies, and both were a huge hit. It seemed fitting then that I should review them at the same time. Emma Memma: How Are You? – Emma Memma Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781761341083 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $19.99 The first Emma Memma book was…

  • Willa and Woof #5: Let the Games Begin! – Jacqueline Harvey

    Penguin Australia July 2023 ISBN: 9781761048920 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $12.99 Adorable Willa is back in a new adventure which will again resonate with her young fans. Willa is very excited, though incredibly nervous, about her upcoming very first ‘real’ gymnastics competition. Her anxiety is not helped by her nemesis Evie’s constant jibes and taunts. Along with her team,…