Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Best Idea Yet: Willa and Woof # 8 – Jacqueline Harvey

    Penguin Australia October 2024 ISBN: 9781761343575 Imprint: Puffin $12.99 Jacqueline Harvey continues to smash this series for younger readers with another exciting adventure from the ever-intrepid and resourceful Willa. Along with Tae and Woof, Willa has been officially helping at the Sunset Views retirement village next door. And the elderly residents are now also even more involved…

  • The 113th Assistant Librarian – Stuart Wilson

    Penguin Australia October 2024 ISBN: 9781761342257 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $19.99 When you get an ARC all wrapped up pretty just like a birthday present, you can be pretty sure it’s going to be an exciting surprise inside and so it was. I mean to say, how could they possibly go wrong sending me something called this with a…

  • Yarn Quest series – Brooke Scobie. Illustrated by Jade Goodwin

    Penguin July 2024 RRP: $12.99 Yarn Quest 1: The Search for the Story Realm ISBN: 9781761345227 So This is an exciting new series that has evolved from a highly-successful First Nations led children’s podcast, incorporating stories written by the Awesome Black team. Author Brooke Scobie is, herself, a queer, auDHD, First Nations author, and this has…

  • The Outside – Larry Blair and Jeremy Goring

    Cheating death, chasing waves and growing up in one of Australia’s most notorious crime families Penguin Books ISBN: 9781761345005 Imprint: Penguin RRP: $36.99 This isn’t really a review – but a recommendation. A few weeks ago the lovely Dot Tonkin from Penguin gave this one a book talk and on the strength of that, plus the fact that…

  • The Dog who Danced on the Moon – John Boyne. Illustrated by Ashling Lindsay.

    Penguin Australia July 2024 ISBN: 9780241529515 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 This a rather charming rhyming story with a special leaning towards bedtime, exploring aspirations and determination in a warm and inspirational way. Jeremy’s dreams of space exploration are scoffed at by his peers, and even his teachers, but that doesn’t stop his absorbing as much information about…

  • Taronga Presents series – Kristin Darrell. Illustrations by Laura Wood.

    Penguin Australia September 2024 Brand spanking new this week comes this terrific new series for junior readers who are the animal lovers in your crowd. Having raised mini-Attenborough for half her life and watched her obsession with all creatures great and small (quite literally – at one time she had 34 pets including all the…

  • Real Stories with Random Writers

    A few weeks ago I had the absolute pleasure of being invited to be the first librarian on this hugely popular and terrific podcast with friends, Jacqueline Harvey, R. A. Spratt and Tim Harris. It was loads of fun and I’m very lucky. Check it out here and have a laugh with us.

  • Listen, Hippo! – Gabriel Evans

    Penguin Australia April 2024 ISBN: 9781761341700 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $24.99 This utterly delightful book completely reminded me of Forrest Gump: For Forrest, the only thing that was going to help was running. For Billy, he just wants Hippo to listen. Hippo is the most willing and helpul friend one could have. But sometimes we don’t want razzamatazz…

  • Dragon Folding – Christopher Cheng. Illustrated by Lucia Masciullo.

    Penguin Australia September 2024 ISBN: 9781761340949 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $24.99 Grief is hard. And most of us know, in one way or another, some losses are harder to bear than others. I know that well, as does author Christopher Cheng. In a beautiful new book from this illustrious author, comes a narrative that explores the depths of…

  • Kevin Saves the Show – Jacqueline Harvey. Illustrated by Kate Isobel Scott.

    Penguin Australia August 2024 ISBN: 9781761048968 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $17.99 Just in time to kick off the animals PB extravaganza, everyone’s newest favourite sheep is back and as one would expect is front and centre in the spotlight. Our jumbuck is the host of a karaoke singing competition, rocking his new purple ‘do’ and looking sharp as…