Our Teen Advisory Board have been busy reading and letting us know what they’re loving; below, you can read June recommendations from five of our fantastic 2021 board members. You can also browse the favourite books by favourite authors collection – compiled by the entire board – here.

Teen Advisory Board Member Tahlia Malojer is reading Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk, and Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu.

Imagine a world where looks are the primary focus of society, where you are transformed from Ugly to Pretty at a certain age. That’s protagonist Tally’s world and the world where Westerfeld’s Uglies takes place. Throughout the course of her journey, Tally discovers what truly holds meaning in life. This is a must read that takes today’s fixation on appearance to a whole new level.

The Other Side of Perfect is a young adult novel about a Japanese-American ballerina who breaks her leg dancing, meaning she is unable to do pointe anymore and pursue her dream of dancing professionally. Throughout the novel, she reflects on her experiences and realises how racist the the ballet community can be, whilst also learning how to find meaning in life without dance. I absolutely loved this novel! It was humorous, lighthearted, diverse, and just simply beautiful!

Calling all feminist readers — Moxie is for you. This highly interesting novel tells the story of a girl whose mother’s feminist influence (her mother spent her own teen years as an active Riot Grrrl) help her to become enlightened to the sexism within her own school in the present day. Mathieu targets prevalent sexist policies and actions in schools, whilst showing how a simple zine can create change.

Teen Advisory Board Member David Dodson is reading Yolk by Mary H.K Choi, and Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden.

Raw, poignant, and completely unforgettable, Yolk charts the relationship between two estranged sisters, Jayne and June, brought together when June is diagnosed with cancer. Choi’s writing is complex and lyrical, perfectly capturing the intricacies of the protagonists’ struggles with love, self-worth, mental illness, and racism. It feels very New York, very millennial, and very current.

Heart-warming and tender, Anything But Fine is a touching rendition of the closeted-athlete-meets-out-outcast trope, breathing fresh air into the narrative with well-drawn, diverse characters. The writing is accessible and easy to follow, but nevertheless skilfully explores the struggles of self-discovery, racism and homophobia.

Teen Advisory Board Member Chloe Atkinson is reading It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams, and If Not Us by Mark Smith.

It’s Not You, It’s Me is an amazing book, which tells the story of how a women gets transported back in time, from Melbourne, 2020 into the life of a sixteen year-old in 1980s LA, and how they’re connected by a typewriter. The book asks the question of, if you could be transported back to when you were born, would you change the sequence of events that happened during that time, which in turn, change the future? It really makes one question the ethics of time-travel, and how you could change your present, through altering the past.

If Not Us brings to light how people living in coastal and rural areas see and feel the toll that climate change is having on the Earth, firsthand. The way in which Mark Smith connects the Australian value of supporting one another with climate activism is very inspiring. As Hesse experienced in the novel, standing up for a cause, especially one that puts you at odds with your local community, takes courage and bravery, and is often nerve-racking. But through making a stand, Hesse inspires others and creates his own little community, who support him wholeheartedly. Smith’s novel will help educate young people on not only the importance of climate change, but, more importantly, how they can get out there and stand up for what they feel is right. It also shows how no matter what, they’ll have a community behind them, that supports them every step of the way, and helps to amplify their voices to make them heard, right around the world. If Not Us shows young people that it’s okay to be nervous and scared for what challenges activism, or life in general, may bring, but that as long as you’re doing what you believe in, then you can make anything possible.