1. Tell us something hardly anyone knows about you.
I wrote love songs for Boy George when I was in Primary School – and sent them to him.
2. What is your nickname?
My name is so short – I don’t really have one.
3. What is your greatest fear?
Moths. When I was a child, that giant moth at the end of the original Dr Dolittle movie really freaked me out.
4. Describe your writing style in ten words.
Frequently forgetting that an idea is not an actual story.
5. Tell us five positive words that describe you as a reviewer and writer.
Curious, creative, snacky, welcoming, cheerful.
6. What book character would you be, and why?
Rosie from Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon. She lives in New York, sings Jazz, is an expert pancake maker and has a friend who is an oboe playing crocodile.
7. If you could time travel, what year would you go to and why?
1980, when a now quite famous Australian children’s author used to babysit my sister and me. I would ask them if I could be their co-author.
8. What would your ten-year-old self say to you now?
Did Boy George ever write back to you?
9. Who is your greatest influence?
All the women in my family. My mum, sister, daughter and grand-daughter.
10. What/who made you start reviewing and writing?
I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. Over the years I have written poems, stories, songs, blogs, letters, articles, and now reviews. One of my first published stories for children was on Kids’ Book Review back in 2015, so this feels like a lovely full circle moment to now be writing reviews for KBR.
11. What is your favourite word and why?
Serendipity. Five-syllable words are always so lovely to say.
12. If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Still Life with Teapot by Brigid Lowry. This little book about writing, ageing and making soup always makes me feel less weird.
ABOUT JO
Jo Staker is a librarian living and working in Western Sydney. In 2025, she was the inaugural winner of the CBCA NSW Margaret Hamilton Creators’ Residency. Jo has won and shortlisted in creative writing competitions, as well as being published online and in The School Magazine. She loves all things creative and will absolutely write in the too-good-to-write-in notebooks.
See all of Jo's reviews by using the label Reviews by Jo.
