# Just! > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Just! > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Just!.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just! > Source revision: 1341648728 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Series of short story collections This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Just!" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Just! Just Tricking! Just Annoying! Just Stupid! Just Crazy! Just Three for Free! Just Disgusting! Just Shocking! Just Macbeth! Just Doomed! Author Andy Griffiths Illustrator Terry Denton Cover artist Terry Denton Country Australia Language English Genre Children's, comedy short story collection Publisher Pan Macmillan Published 1997 – 2012 Media type Print (paperback) **Just!** is a series of [short story](/source/Short_story) collections by Australian [children's author](/source/Children's_author) [Andy Griffiths](/source/Andy_Griffiths_(author)), illustrated by [Terry Denton](/source/Terry_Denton) and based on the author's early life.[1] It has been described as a portrayal of the antics of a "notorious mischiefmaker" who plans various pranks and schemes to, among other things, dodge doing a chore or going to school.[2] The series, whose first book was released in Australia in 1997 as *[Just Tricking!](/source/Just_Tricking!)* and later in North America as *Just Kidding*, consists of nine books. The Canadian [animated series](/source/Animated_series) *[What's with Andy?](/source/What's_with_Andy%3F)*, which ran on [Teletoon](/source/Teletoon) from 2001 to 2007, was loosely based on this book series. ## Background Griffiths began writing when he was in the fifth grade when he purchased a typewriter at a second-hand stall at school and created his own magazine, which he sold there for less than five cents. In high school he began writing for the school's magazine. At university he studied English and American literature, wrote songs for his own rock band, and studied to become a teacher. He began publishing the humorous books that were the precursors to the *Just!* series during his teaching career.[3] Author of the *"Just!"* series, Andy Griffiths ## Style Mark Macleod notes that much of the stories in *Just Tricking* deal with the day-to-day lives of the target audience, school-aged children, such as avoiding going to school, and the subsequent battle between parent and child and ultimately, who wins in such a scenario.[4] ## Reception Andrew McMichael from Western Kentucky University writes: “The idea is to appeal to their sense of the absurd and crazy, and to push (but not cross) the boundaries of what their parents might consider socially acceptable. The books seem to take the socially accepted norms that kids are forced into in their early years and twist them.”[5] Mark Macleod writes in *The interdisciplinary Press* that *Just Tricking*, the first book in the series, is “fiction for a generation whose favourite response to any lack of resolution is the shrug, ‘whatever’”. Macleod also claims that the first-person tense of the book and the naming of the main character Andy blurs the line between fiction and autobiography.[4] Thus Macleod describes this character as ‘living in the elusive space between the creator and the text’. ## Details of the series ### *[Just Tricking!](/source/Just_Tricking!)* Alternative Titles: *Just Joking!* and *Just Kidding!* Released: 1997 This book begins by asking to take the "Tricking Test" to find out if the book is suitable, scoring one point for each 'yes' answer. Humorously, whether you scored 0 or 5, it says you will love this book.[6] ### *[Just Annoying!](/source/Just_Annoying!)* Released: 1998 A *[Publishers Weekly](/source/Publishers_Weekly)* review stated that "Denton's scribbled pen illustrations fill up the margins on every page, with jokes, bizarre flip book animations and other absurdities".[7] ### *[Just Stupid!](/source/Just_Stupid!)* Released: 1999 ***Just Stupid!*** contains various silly short stories about things such as repairing snail shells, riding baby prams, and nonsensical [dreams](/source/Dream).[8] The book received a [BILBY Award](/source/BILBY_Award) in the Younger Readers category in 2000.[9] ### *[Just Crazy!](/source/Just_Crazy!)* Alternative Title: *Just Wacky!* Released: 2000 Similar to the first title in the series, *Just Tricking!*, this book asks readers to take the "Crazy Test", asking questions like, "do you look in the mirror and see a crazy maniac staring back at you?" and "do you sometimes get the urge to take your clothes off and cover yourself in mud?"[10] ### *Just Three for Free!* Released: 2000 This book contains three stories: Playing Dead, In The Shower With Andy, and Runaway Pram. ### *[Just Disgusting!](/source/Just_Disgusting!)* Released: 2002 The test for this book asks if readers pick their nose, wear the same undies two days in a row and wee in swimming pools, among other disgusting things.[11] ### *[Just Shocking!](/source/Just_Shocking!)* Released: 2007 Following a short break in releases in the series, this book asks if "you wish you could drive around in a monster truck crushing everybody and everything that gets in your way" and if watching videos of people getting involved in accidents is funny.[12] ### *[Just Macbeth!](/source/Just_Macbeth!)* Released: 2009 [Bell Shakespeare](/source/Bell_Shakespeare) commissioned Griffiths in 2005 to adapt *[Macbeth](/source/Macbeth)* by [William Shakespeare](/source/William_Shakespeare) to a younger audience and this book was the result. Bell Shakespeare then produced it for the stage in various performances across Australia.[13][14] ### *Just Doomed!* Released: 2012 The "Doomed Test" asks if you have ever broken a mirror, walked under a ladder or opened an umbrella inside, among other superstitious things. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["FAQ"](http://www.andygriffiths.com.au/faq/). 8 August 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Andy Griffiths' Just Series*](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/AndyGriffithsJustSeries). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Bangor Daily News*](https://books.google.com/books?id=EKVJAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Just%21%22+andy+griffiths&pg=PA160&article_id=1376,696200). Bangor Daily News. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) Yumpu.com. ["Negotiating Childhoods - Inter-Disciplinary.Net"](https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/6119328/negotiating-childhoods-inter-disciplinarynet). *yumpu.com*. Retrieved 2022-05-15. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:2_5-0)** [*Park City Daily News*](https://books.google.com/books?id=JzUqAAAAIBAJ&dq=%22Just%21%22+andy+griffiths&pg=PA23). Park City Daily News. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Just Tricking! - Pan Macmillan AU"](https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9780330361415). *Pan Macmillan Australia*. Retrieved 2022-05-18. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Just Annoying! by Andy Griffiths"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780439424714). *www.publishersweekly.com*. Retrieved 2022-07-13. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Griffiths, Andy (1999). [*Just Stupid!*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ErYWvAoiZ-kC). Pan. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-330-36148-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-330-36148-4). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** [Bilby Burrow of Fame](http://cbca.blob.core.windows.net/media/QLD/lists/Burrow%20of%20fame.pdf) cbca.blob.core 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Just Crazy! (Just Series Book 4) by Andy Griffiths"](https://www.bigw.com.au/product/just-crazy-just-series-book-4-by-andy-griffiths/p/3461488). *BIG W*. Retrieved 2022-05-24. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [*Just Disgusting!*](https://www.booktopia.com.au/just-disgusting--andy-griffiths/book/9780330363686.html). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:4_12-0)** [*Just Shocking!*](https://www.booktopia.com.au/just-shocking--andy-griffiths/book/9780330423533.html). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Just Macbeth! | Bell Shakespeare"](https://www.australianstage.com.au/200809251907/reviews/melbourne/just-macbeth-%7C-bell-shakespeare.html). *www.australianstage.com.au*. Retrieved 2022-05-25. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-:5_14-0)** ["On 'Just Macbeth!', by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton"](https://www.griffithreview.com/reading-australia-just-macbeth-andy-griffiths-terry-denton/). *Griffith Review*. 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2022-05-25. - [Children's literature portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Children%27s_literature) v t e Works by Andy Griffiths Short story collections Bad books The Bad Book (2004) The Very Bad Book (2010) The Super Bad Book (TBA) Bum trilogy The Day My Bum Went Psycho (2001) Zombie Bums from Uranus (2003) Bumageddon: The Final Pongflict (2005) Cat 'n' Cow series The Cat on the Mat Is Flat (2006) The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow! (2008) Just! series Just Tricking! (1997) Just Annoying! (1998) Just Stupid! (1999) Just Three for Free! (2000) Just Crazy! (2000) Just Disgusting! (2002) Just Shocking! (2007) Just Macbeth! (July 2009) Just Doomed! (April 2012) Miscellaneous Killer Koalas from Outer Space (2011) Novels Schooling Around series Treasure Fever! (2008) Pencil of Doom! (2008) Mascot Madness! (2009) Robot Riot! (2009) The Treehouse series The 13-Storey Treehouse (2011) The 26-Storey Treehouse (2012) The 39-Storey Treehouse (2013) The 52-Storey Treehouse (2014) The 65-Storey Treehouse (2015) The 78-Storey Treehouse (2016) The 91-Storey Treehouse (2017) The 104-Storey Treehouse (2018) The 117-Storey Treehouse (2019) The 130-Storey Treehouse (2020) The 143-Storey Treehouse (2021) Miscellaneous Fast Food and No Play Make Jack a Fat Boy (2006) What Bumosaur Is That? (2007) What Body Part is That? (2011) Stinky Stories Plays Just Macbeth! (2007) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Just!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just!) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just!?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.