Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Circles of Life – Gregg Dreise

    Penguin Australia March 2024 Alphabet Song / Rap – Aboriginal Style by Gregg Dreise – YouTube Together Forever By Gregg Dreise (featuring Ed Owen-Jones) Stop Motion Lollies & Pens Animation. – YouTube My Culture and Me by Gregg Dreise – YouTube Kookoo Kookaburra Song Gregg Dreise – YouTube I Open the Door Promo ILF –…

  • Mr McGee and his Hat – Pamela Allen

    Pamela Allen on Mr McGee and turning 90: ‘I’ve always known what I’m doing is good’ Penguin Australia RRP: $24.99 In just the last week I was remembering the furore over Mr McGee’s little penis that was barely visible in Mr McGee and the Biting Flea, and chatting about it to someone. The book was…

  • The Daredevil Princess and the Grumpy Giant – Belinda Murrell. Illustrated by Rebecca Crane

    Penguin Australia July 2024 There’s absolutely no doubt about it – Belinda Murrell has certainly hit the sweet spot s with this new series. Unicorns, goblins, and dragons have all delighted her fans so far, and now a seriously annoyed sleep-deprived giant will once again engage Smalls in the adventures of Princess Tillie and Honey…

  • 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,…

  • Eleanor Jones Can[‘t] Keep a Secret – Amy Doak

    Penguin Australia I absolutely adored the first Eleanor Jones book and as soon as this one arrived a few days ago, everything else got pushed aside while I binge-read it (which effectively means I’m now book-cheating on 3 different books 😳). I regret nothing! This is every bit as fabulous as the earlier book. It’s…

  • Emma Memma Little Library

    Penguin Australia Here’s some more delightful Emma Memma joy and this is for your tiniest Smalls. For us, that means little Daisy now a few months old and just adorable! It’s a little slipcase with teeny-sized concept board books just perfect for teeny-sized hands. Includes books– Numbers- Colours- Animals- Auslan and each is just like…

  • Camp Chaos: Willa and Woof # 7 – Jacqueline Harvey. Illustrations by A. Yi

    Penguin Australia June 2024 Each new Willa and Woof adventure makes me think “Oh this is the best yet!” but, somehow, they just keep coming – and getting better! I really LOVE this one. It makes me, as an adult, think of all the camps I’ve taken kiddos on, both school and with Brownies (later…

  • This is My Book – Tim Harris & Heidi McKinnon

    Penguin Australia May 2024 What a cracking combination of creators!! Tim has such a flair for comic writing and Heidi’s illustrations, while appearing relatively simple, are always so full of character and expression. The vibrant contrast of colours between pages is inspired! I just LOVE this book and your kiddos will gobble it up as…

  • Where is the Green Sheep? Celebration Book [20th Anniversary] – Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

    Penguin Australia April 2024 Twenty years ago this was a brand new sparkling book that was a huge hit in my library lessons. Now it’s an iconic staple of our Oz Kids Lit picture book canon, still sparkling, and still a huge hit with little readers. As soon as it was available I had my…

  • Countdown to Yesterday – Shirley Marr

    Penguin Australia January 2024 I love Shirley Marr’s description of herself ‘as having a Western Mind and an Eastern Heart‘, and the success of her books for middle grade readers that explore the experiences of children living in this mix of cultures is self-evident. Her narratives not only speak to the children of Asian heritage…