Just So Stories

Random Reviews and Ramblings from Redcliffe

  • Cock-a-doodle-doo! – Pamela Allen

    Penguin Australia August 2025 ISBN: 9781761354908 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $24.99 Or as Penguin have titled it on their website: Cock-a-Doodle-Doooo! What a living treasure is Pamela Allen! Now in her 91st year and still giving children such enormous pleasure. This is another of Pamela’s deceptively simple but so cleverly done narratives that will have your Smalls in…

  • In Plain Sight: Friday Barnes #13 – R. A. Spratt

    Penguin Australia June 2025 ISBN: 9781761349713 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 It was quite synchronistic to get #13 Friday Barnes arriving on Friday 13th, I thought! And, needless to say, I promptly gobbled it up over two nights with much snickering and snort laughing [No R. A. Spratt is ever read without the snaughling!]. The Friday romp continues with…

  • Alexander’s Outing – Pamela Allen

    Penguin Australia ISBN: 9781761355134 Imprint: Puffin Format: Board Book RRP: $14.99 Who hasn’t shared the love with Alexander at some point, (or many even!) over the past 30 – THIRTY!! – years? And for those of us who are Sydney girls, it has always had a special place in our reading canon. My last outing with Alexander was about…

  • Koala Koala – John Williamson. Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley.

    Penguin Australia April 2025 ISBN: 9781761344244 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $19.99 Koala, Koala – we love youSo soft in the fork of your tree . . .Koala, Koala – where will you goIf we take your gum trees away? I’ve mentioned my association with John along with koalas previously on this blog. While my fond memory is about Goodbye…

  • Goodnight Glow Worms – Aura Parker

    Penguin Australia May 2025 ISBN: 9781761354915 Imprint: Puffin Format: Board Book RRP: $14.99 The adorable glow worms, such a huge hit on their first appearance (2020), are now in a sweet board book format for your Smallest bugs in rugs. Goodnight, Glow Worms shining bright,Time to dim your Glow Worm light.Glow Worms gleaming, beaming round,Can’t switch off and can’t…

  • Harry and Gran Bake a Cake – Fiona McIntosh. Sara Acton.

    Penguin Australia March 2025 ISBN: 9781761346941 Imprint: Puffin $19.99 I have my own happy memories of cooking with not just my Mummy but also my Fairy Godmother, Aunty Shirl, and my own Gran. Then when my grandies came along, it was my turn to cook with them. My eldest grandson was mad keen on Gabriel Gate’s cooking…

  • Emma Memma: Twirly Tuesday

    Penguin Australia February 2025 ISBN: 9781761341779 Imprint: Puffin Format: Board Book RRP: $14.99 Honestly, every Emma Memma book is just pure joyfulness! I defy anyone, no matter how staid and grumpy, to ignore Emma’s natural exuberance and zest. You only had to see her in her former role as Yellow Wiggle pouring sunshine and happiness over Grey Wiggle, Simon…

  • The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks – Katie Kirby

    Penguin Books Australia ISBN: 9780241679166 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $16.99 Somehow or other, I have completely missed Lottie Brooks until now but I’m glad we have met. I found this quite hilarious and can easily see why this series has been so popular with tweens. It’s reminiscent of the likes of Wimpy Kid or Tom Weekly but more…

  • Meerkat Mayhem – Mem Fox and Judy Horacek

    Penguin Australia November 2024 ISBN: 9780143777687 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $19.99 You will find numerous posts here referencing Mem Fox, going back almost the entire decade of the blog’s existence, including an insightful Q&A posted back in 2019. My joy in Mem’s work and her presence goes back many years. Possum Magic was a book I bought to share…

  • Goodnight, Joeys- Renée Treml

    Penguin Australia December 2024 ISBN: 9781761349096 Imprint: Puffin RRP: $14.99 All infant marsupials are called joeys and this sweet little board book takes your own little joey on a soothing bedtime visit to a whole range of different little Aussie bubs. From koalas to numbats, and from tree kangaroos to wombats – each little group has its…