This month we follow three resilient French girls on a cycling road trip, dive into Zana Fraillon’s thought-provoking new novel, and take a fresh look at modern 80s Kiwi classic, The Changeover.

(Find our best recommendations for kids’ books this month here.)

LOVEOZYA PICKS

Following on from the success of her first YA novel, The Bone Sparrow, Zana Fraillon has crafted another story that explores the strength and resilience of children. The Ones that Disappeared follows three children, Esra, Miran and Isa, who tend plants in a dark and airless basement as prisoners of the Snakeskin gang. There is hope when a fire allows the kids to escape, and they fight for their freedom in this thrilling adventure. For ages 12 and up.

You can read our full review here.

Debut author Victoria Carless brings us The Dream Walker – a coming-of-age story that is heavily realistic and dreamily surreal at the same time. 16-year-old Lucy Hart plans and dreams of leaving the small Queensland fishing town of Digger’s Landing with her two best friends. But life turns out not to be that simple or easy as Lucy struggles with grief over the death of her mother, the departure of her friend Tom, ongoing bullying, and the surfacing of secrets and strange dreams. For ages 14 and up.

My Lovely Frankie, by award-winning novelist Judith Clarke, explores the clash of faith and first love in 1950s Australia. The story is told in the dual voice of an elderly man reminiscing and of his 16-year-old self. Tom enters St Finbar’s seminary and is captivated by the gregarious Frankie. The two boys form a strong bond, but Tom feels alone in his romantic feelings. This is a sensitive and reflective read with strong characterisation, for ages 14 and up.

INTERNATIONAL YA PICKS

Piglettes by Clémentine Beauvais is one of those still-too-rare beasts – a French YA novel that is translated into English. Mireille, Astrid and Hakima are named in their school’s annual ‘Pig Pageant’, a humiliating Facebook competition for the ugliest girl. Instead of wallowing, the three teenage girls hit the roads on their bikes, heading for Paris for the Bastille Day celebrations. Each girl is motivated by a personal quest. Readings Kids bookseller Dani Solomon loved Piglettes. She described it as ‘a less boy-obsessed, slightly quirkier and French Louise Rennison, for today’s generation’. For ages 12 and up.

You can read Dani’s full review here.

Scandinavian crime isn’t just for adults. October is the Coldest Month takes teen readers to rural Sweden. Vega Gillberg’s oldest brother Jakob is missing and the police want to speak to him. Jakob is implicated in a terrible crime, but what the police don’t know is that Vega was there too. This is a gritty page-turning thriller with an active teen female protagonist. It’s full of twists, feuds and secrets. For ages 13 and up.

There are a host of Sarah Dessen fans at Readings so everyone is pleased with the arrival of Once and for All. Louna is only 17 but after an early loss, she doesn’t believe in love. It’s ironic then that the family business is wedding planning, and Louana finds herself dealing with plenty of panicked brides and badly-behaving guests on a regular basis. When one bride’s brother, charming lady-magnet Ambrose, shows up, her cynicism and resolve is tested. For ages 12 and up.

A school shooting is the grim setting for the This is Where it Ends, a multi-perspective story by Marieke Nijkamp that covers 54 minutes in a high school under siege. Four different teenagers at Opportunity High give a minute-by-minute account of an attack by the town outcast, Tyler. Each have a connection with the gunman, and the story builds with brutal action and flashbacks. For ages 14 and up.

CLASSIC OF THE MONTH

St Kilda children’s book buyer Kim Gruschow revisited The Changeover by New Zealand’s iconic author Margaret Mahy this month, and found herself enchanted all over by this ‘powerful story of transformation, and of magic that feels instinctive and natural.’ Laura Chant must draw on all her reserves to save her brother Jacko, who has been branded by evil and is undergoing a terrifying transformation. Kim quite rightfully calls it ‘a supernatural romance and coming-of-age novel that was published long before sparkling vampires hit the shelves’.

You can read Kim’s full review here.

It’s a great time to read this modern supernatural classic as the thankfully Kiwi-led movie is due for release later this year. For ages 12 and up.

RECENT NEWS & BLOG POSTS OF NOTE

This month saw the Carngie medal awarded to Ruth Sepetys for her WWII drama Salt to the Sea, while Melbourne’s own Zana Fraillon’s The Bone Sparrow took home a special Amnesty CILIP Honour. Read about both prize-winning books here.

We celebrated NAIDOC Week with some book recommendations including YA titles Grace Beside Me and Songs That Sounds Like Blood.

Angie Thomas’s debut novel The Hate U Give has moved many Readings staff this year. We let you know why it’s one if the best YA books of 2017 here.

If you missed this year’s much-loved biennial youth literature conference, Reading Matters, don’t worry! Our digital content coordinator Bronte Coates has put together an excellent summary of what she learned over the two days here.

YA EVENTS IN JUNE

Meet rockstar authors Will Kostakis, Melissa Keil and Michael Pryor, along with editor/agent Danielle Binks at our special LoveOzYA celebration on Thursday 20 July at Readings Hawthorn. The panel will discuss the importance of the LoveOzYA movement and the Begin, End, Begin (a #loveozya anthology).

This panel is suitable for teen readers, as well as their teachers, librarians and parents. It’s free, but please book here.

And join us for the launch of Cally Black’s Ampersand-Prize-winning sci-fi novel, In the Dark Spaces, on Friday 28 July at Readings St Kilda.

This event is free, no booking required.

READINGS YA BOOK PRIZE SHORTLIST

Last month we announced the inaugural Readings Young Adult Book Prize shortlist, and we’re still excited about these new Australian authors and books.

For an easy way to decide which of the six shortlisted book to read, check out our handy multiple-choice quiz. And if you’ve already read one or more of the shortlist, then you can learn what’s next for each of the shortlisted authors.

You can even purchase the whole bundle ($99.99, ).

Leanne Hall