Geek It! Literature Spotlight: Andy Griffiths’ Just series

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Suz in Literature, Spotlight // 0 Comments

Meet Andy Griffiths — a natural storyteller for young kids.

Andy Griffiths has been entertaining readers of all ages for more than a decade now. Let’s go back in time to the series that launched his career, and that is none other than the ‘Just!’ series. With fan-favourite novels including Just Kidding!, Just Crazy! and Just Disgusting!, Andy Griffiths’ stories are a must-read in every kid’s childhood.

For those who don’t know, the Just! series revolve around young Andy who self-proclaims to be the world’s greatest, most annoying, and craziest prankster.

When Andy isn’t trying to impress his crush, Lisa, he is engaged in silly stunts such as escaping an overflowing sealed shower and dressing up as his sister at a school dance.

Once you start reading, it is impossible to go back as readers will embark on many crazy shenanigans with Andy. And luckily for Andy, he seems to get away with everything — well, almost everything.

These Just! short stories may seem absurd at times, but surprisingly, the storytelling is believable, and quite amusing. In addition to this, Griffiths’ fast-paced narrative style keeps the story alive and flowing in a manner that will not bore readers at all.

One of the wacky things about Andy Griffiths’ Just! series is his collaboration with Australian artist Terry Denton. On every page, you will see Denton’s unique illustrations accompanying the narrative such as talking page numbers, cartoons, jokes and flipping comics that does or doesn’t relate to the story.

This joint collaboration between Griffiths and Denton is a great example of Australian youth literature. Their ambition is not to create a complex work of literature, but rather, they are passionate about creating stories in the hopes of entertaining and motivating children to read in a fun and imaginative way. Both Griffiths and Denton’s chemistry is highly compatible — they both know what kids want in a good book, and in return, it is no wonder why kids adore the books.