Young adult
Q&A with Clare Strahan
byClare Strahan is one of six authors shortlisted for the 2019 Readings Young Adult Book Prize for her coming-of-age novel, The Learning Curves of Vanessa Partridge. In this interview, she shares details of her writing process and the origins of her funny, warm novel about love, sex, friendship, family, and finding your voice.
Congratulations on writing this amazing YA novel! Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to write The Learning Curves of Vanessa Partridge?
…
A spotlight on Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu
byMaking Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
No stupid rumour is going to derail my study. I am on fire, a learning machine. And mostly I’m totally able to concentrate on the work at hand. And I hardly ever think of Teddy Taualai at all.
– Poppy Nwosu, Making Friends with Alice Dyson
Here’s what the judges said…
‘Alice Dyson’s number one priority…
In praise of trying
by Poppy NwosuPoppy Nwosu is one of six authors shortlisted for the 2019 Readings Young Adult Book Prize for her teen romance and coming-of-age novel Making Friends with Alice Dyson. In this guest post, she shares her insights on trying new things, both in life and in young adult fiction.
In a world where irony rules, the bravery of trying new things should be celebrated – regardless of how things work out
As a writer of young adult novels, I’m always…
Five YA fantasy books that explore diverse mythologies
In advance of our event next week with bestselling YA fantasy author Julie Kagawa and local legend Rebecca Lim, we highlight some of the best recent YA releases that draw on mythologies from around the world.
Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
A naive and mysterious fox spirit and a highly-trained assassin come together in this epic fantasy adventure set in an alternate Japan. Spirited and mischievous human-kitsune girl Yumeko has been raised by monks in the Silent…
A spotlight on Stone Girl by Eleni Hale
byStone Girl by Eleni Hale is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
The homes have taught me some important life lessons: need no one, rely on no one, trust no one. Cry inside. Feel but don’t show. If you think you need someone to talk to about deep stuff? Don’t. Sort it out alone. Mask up and survive.
– Eleni Hale, Stone Girl
Here’s what the judges said…
‘When 12-year-old Sophie…
The Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals Winners 2019
byThe winners of the 2019 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals have been announced. The Carnegie Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.
The winners will each receive £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice, a specially commissioned golden medal and a…
Alison Evans’ top five LGBTQIA+ young adult novels
by Alison EvansAlison Evans is one of six authors shortlisted for the 2019 Readings Young Adult Book Prize for their queer zombie apocalypse novel, Highway Bodies. In this guest post, they share their top five favourite queer young adult novels.
The Orphancorp trilogy by Marlee Jane Ward
Mirii Mahoney grew up in an industrial orphanage – an orphancorp. The first book in the series, Welcome to Orphancorp, takes place during the last week of Mirii’s stay. Mirii has to survive…
A spotlight on What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillame
byWhat I Like About Me is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
‘You’re probably wondering if Anna’s plan to talk me up and draw me into conversation with Sebastian Lee was more successful than her plan to get me into a hot new bikini. Well, I hope you don’t mind spoilers (personally, I’m torn on them: sometimes they can enhance my enjoyment, and other times they make me really, really mad),…
The best YA books, news & events for June
There is an exciting array of YA books coming out this month: a smart psychological thriller, a chilling look at VR technology, dystopian fiction with an ecological bent, heartfelt contemporary stories and a young adult edition of the bestselling The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Find our June picks for kids’ books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods by Emily Barr
Artemis has always lived in the Clearing, a small settlement with…
A spotlight on Highway Bodies by Alison Evans
byHighway Bodies is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Young Adult Book Prize.
A zombie spills out, musta bin leanin on the door. She screams, jumps forward, an the zombie’s reachin for us, fingernails cracked an bloody. It opens its mouth but no noise comes out. It used to be an old person, it’s wearin a dressin-gown; green, lacy pattern on the sleeves an collar.
– Alison Evans, Highway Bodies
Here’s what the judges said…
…
Healthy and complicated friendships in YA fiction
Friends are everything when you’re a teen. Finding and maintaining loyal and supportive friendships can be a lifesaver, and dealing with untrustworthy or manipulative friends can cause heartbreak.
Here are some recommended YA books that take a look at the complicated world of teenage friendships.
IT’S COMPLICATED
Love Lie Repeat by Catherine Greer
Annie, Ash and Ruby are a trio of best friends – beautiful, popular and talented girls who live on Sydney’s privileged north shore. The three girls pride…
The Readings Young Adult Book Prize shortlist 2019
We are delighted to announce the 2019 shortlist for the Readings Young Adult Book Prize. Now in its third year, the prize was created to recognise and celebrate new voices in Australian Young Adult literature, and considers the first and second books of YA authors across Australia.
The six shortlisted books for this year are:
Highway Bodies by Alison Evans
What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Stone Girl by Eleni Hale
Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy…
Ten YA award-winners to add to your reading pile
When you’re in the mood for an inspiring and thought-provoking YA book, sometimes there’s no better bet than looking at a few awards lists to decide what to read next.
Here are some highly recommended award-winners to sink your teeth into.
Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
Adib Khorram’s first novel took out the William C. Morris Award – awarded by the Young Adult Library Services Association in the US for a debut. Darius the Great Is…
Recommended YA books for May
This month we’re pumped about Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff’s newest heart-pumping sci-fi, a thoughtful look at an Indigenous student facing a challenging situation, heartfelt Aussie contemporary YA, a swashbuckling historical tale and a new graphic novel from Readings favourite Mariko Tamaki.
Find our May picks for kids’ books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
Aurora Rising (The Aurora Cycle 1) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Aurora Academy star graduate Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the perfect…
The YABBA shortlists 2019
The Young Australians Best Book Awards (YABBA) were established in 1985 by a group of Victorians keen to see children engage in reading Australian books. Their goal is to have children recommend, read, rate and reward their favourite Australian books.
During Term 1 each year, Victorian children are asked to recommend their favourite Australian books by nominating four Australian titles. All nominations are collated and the 10 books with the most nominations in each of the award categories are the…
Applications are open for our Teen Advisory Board
Readings is looking for teenage readers to join our Teen Advisory Board for 2019–2020.
Applications are now open for the 2019–2020 Readings Teen Advisory Board!
The Readings Teen Advisory Board is a volunteer group of teenagers that meets at the Readings head office once a month to chat about recent and forthcoming young adult books, write blog posts and short reviews, learn about careers in the book industry, and provide feedback to Readings staff members on a range of subjects.
…
A monthly update from our Teen Advisory Board
This month we were fortunate to be visited by Bec Kavanagh; writer, reviewer, young adult fiction specialist at Readings Kids and former schools manager with the Stella Prize.
As befitting her diverse range of capabilities, Bec shared with the Teen Advisory Board members her remarkable career. She touched on starting the A Thousand Words festival in 2009, which celebrated and encouraged the reading and writing of young adult fiction, as well as her work with speakers agency Booked Out, and…
The ABIA Book shortlists 2019
The Australian Book Industry Awards Academy has announced the ABIA Book shortlists for 2019.
Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators, narrators, and publishers.
General fiction book of the year
Scrublands by Chris Hammer
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
The Nowhere Child by Christian White
The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Literary fiction book of the year
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak
Shell by…
YA books, events & news for April
This month we’re excited about a wonderful guide for resilient teens, surreal and quirky stories, hard-hitting contemporary fiction and a cross-cultural coming-of-age story.
Find our April picks for kids books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
Good Selfie: Tips & Tools for Teens to Nail Life by Turia Pitt & Freda Chiu
Motivational speaker, athlete and burns survivor Turia Pitt has written a guide for teens filled with answers to the questions students ask her the most on her…
A monthly update from our Teen Advisory Board
This month we had a visit from Lisa Riley, children’s publisher at Penguin Random House. Lisa is a very passionate bookworm who works on a diverse array of books, from board books for the youngest babies through to fiction and non-fiction for young adults, like our Teen Advisory Board members. She told our members all about the variety of her job: from checking the finest details of a manuscript, to the big picture ideas, to helping a book and its…
The CBCA Book of the Year Awards shortlists 2019
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its Book of the Year Awards shortlists for 2019. Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators, editors and publishers!
Here are the shortlists for each category.
Older Readers (for ages 13-18 years)
Between Us by Clare Atkins
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Changing Gear by Scot Gardner
The Bogan Mondrian by Steven Herrick
The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot
Younger Readers (for ages 8-12…
Fostering empathy in kids and teens
We need empathy more than ever in our current world, and we think books are one of the best tools for understanding another person’s perspective.
We highly recommend you read our original deep dive into children’s books that teach empathy for detailed recommendations based on age groups, but we’ve also taken a fresh look at some recent and favourite books that encourage empathy in babies, kids and teens.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BABIES (AGES 0 AND UP)
YA books, events & news for March
There’s a fantastic array of YA fiction available this month, from contemporary Aussie rom-coms to murderous fantasy adventures to free verse and jazz.
Find our March picks for kids books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume
Written as a diary, this witty debut novel from former Buzzfeed journalist and editor Jenna Guillaume takes place over one transformative summer holiday, as sixteen-year-old Maisie Martin faces her unrequited crush on her childhood best…
The Inky Awards longlists 2019
The Centre for Youth Literature has just announced the two longlists for the Inky Awards.
The Inky Awards recognise high-quality young adult literature. There are two awards: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky Award for an international book. The shortlist is selected by young adults, and the winners are voted for online by the teen readers of the Inside a Dog website.
The Gold Inky Longlist (Australian books)
The longlist for the Gold Inky…
The YA Book Prize shortlist 2019
The 2019 shortlist for the YA Book Prize has been revealed.
Launched in 2014, the YA Book Prize celebrates great YA books written by authors living in the UK or Ireland, and aims to get more teenagers and young adults reading.
Goodbye Perfect by Sara Barnard
Clean by Juno Dawson
Big Bones by Laura Dockrill
I Am Thunder by Muhammad Khan
The Surface Breaks by Louise O'Neill
I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman
White Rabbit, Red Wolf by…
A monthly update from our Teen Advisory Board
It was great to get back into the swing of things with the Teen Advisory Board this month.
First up, the teens chatted about their impressions of the debut YA fantasy novel Four Dead Queens. Most of our members enjoyed the mystery and fantasy aspects of the story – they praised the captivating writing and the intriguing way the narrative would shift between different points of view – but felt a little dissatisfied with the ending. However, they’re excited…
Books about activism for teens
In a world where teens walk out of schools to protest climate change and lead the call for gun reform, it’s not surprising that there’s a thread of activism running through many recent fiction and non-fiction titles for teens. Here are some of our favourite books for politically engaged teens.
Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan
Best friends Jasmine and Chelsea attend a progressive high school that prides itself on a curriculum that emphasises social justice. But…
Australian books to get excited about in the first half of 2019
Here is a round-up previewing some of the most exciting local releases for the first half of 2019!
FICTION
A Season on Earth by Gerald Murnane (February)
Small Blessings by Emily Brewin (February)
The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion (February)
The Year of the Beast by Steven Carroll (February)
Zebra: And Other Stories by Debra Adelaide (February)
After the Party by Cassie Hamer (February)
Islands by Peggy Frew (March)
Exploded View by Carrie Tiffany (March)
The War Artist by Simon…
YA books, events & news for February
February is shaping up to be a fantastic month for YA, with much-anticipated second books from Angie Thomas, Karen McManus and Alison Evans all hitting our shelves, as well as some intriguing new fantasy titles.
Find our February picks for kids books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Brianna is 16 and an aspiring rapper, hoping to follow in the footsteps of her famous rapper dad, who dies as a victim of…
What our Teen Advisory Board have been reading over summer
With the summer holidays behind us and the new year raring to go, our Teen Advisory Board have been very busy reflecting on the past year and looking forward to some new and forthcoming novels. Find out what they’ve been reading below.
Grace
Best book read in 2018
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I was in awe of the authors’ creativity in portraying a story entirely through letters. It was…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell & Allison Colpoys
Brawl of the Wild (The Adventures of Dog Man Book 6) by Dav Pilkey
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus
Real Pigeons Eat Danger by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 1) by Jessica Townsend
The Ice Monster by David Walliams
Real Pigeons Fight Crime by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Brawl of the Wild (The Adventures of Dog Man Book 6) by Dav Pilkey
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
This Cruel Design (This Mortal Coil Book 2) by Emily Suvada
This Mortal Coil (Book 1) by Emily…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Brawl of the Wild (The Adventures of Dog Man Book 6) by Dav Pilkey
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 1) by Jessica Townsend
Real Pigeons Fight Crime (Book 1) by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Brawl of the Wild (The Adventures of Dog Man Book 6) by Dav Pilkey
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Real Pigeons Fight Crime (Book 1) by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen…
Exciting YA books to look out for in 2019
Late last year we attended the Centre for Youth Literature’s YA Showcase for 2019. At this annual event, a host of different publishers share the most exciting new releases for teen readers coming out in 2019.
Here are some of the biggest and buzziest books from the night.
Homegrown rom-coms & coming-of-age tales
Making Friends with Alice Dyson by Poppy Nwosu – Studious Alice and ‘bad boy’ Teddy are thrown together by unlikely circumstances in this sweet and witty rom-com…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
The Tales of Mr Walker by Jess Black & Sara Acton
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
A Winter’s Promise (The Mirror Visitor Book 1) by Christelle Dabos (translated by Hildegarde Serle)
Real Pigeons Fight Crime (Book 1) by Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood
…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Where’s Santa Claus? by Ingela Peterson Arrhenius
Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester
101 Weird Words (and Three Fakes) by David Astle
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 1) by Jessica Townsend
The Tales of Mr Walker by Jess Black & Sara Acton
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester
…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks & Quinton Winter
Stories for Kids Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks &…
Our 2018 Christmas Gift Guide: What to buy for hard-to-buy-for children
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be compiling a host of gift guides to help you with your Christmas shopping. Here is a list of suggestions for the tricky young people in your life.
THEY DON’T LIKE READING
Kids who won’t read
Hilda and the Hidden People – Based on the Hilda series of graphic novels and backed up by the new Netflix series, this novelisation sees Hilda encounter trolls and elves, and fight against a move to the city…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Night Walk by Alison Binks
Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester
A Winter’s Promise (The Mirror Visitor…
The best young adult books of 2018
Every year our staff vote for their favourite books, albums, films and TV shows of the past 12 months. Here are our top 10 young adult books of the year, voted for by Readings’ staff, and displayed in no particular order.
(You can find all our best picks for books, CDs & DVDs of 2018 here.)
Between Us by Clare Atkins
Between Us is an extraordinary and utterly heartbreaking work of fiction that eloquently critiques Australia’s current immigration policies…
Our 2018 Christmas Gift Guide: What to buy your children
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be compiling a host of gift guides to help you with your Christmas shopping.
GIFT IDEAS FOR AGES 0-2
For very little babies, you can’t go wrong with a soft, squishy cloth book. The Wee Gallery cloth books are among some of the classiest, and Friendly Faces in the Forest and Friendly Faces at the Farm are adorable.
Flashcards with high-contrast illustrations are also a great choice for babies, and the Baby Zoo and…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Bonnie and Ben Rhyme Again by Mem Fox & Judy Horacek
The Ice Monster by David Walliams & Tony Ross
Wakestone Hall (Stella Montgomery Book 3) by Judith Rossell
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor Book 2) by Jessica Townsend
The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book 13) by Jeff Kinney
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass Book 7) by Sarah J. Maas
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
Wakestone Hall (Stella Montgomery Book 3) by Judith Rossell
YA books, events & news for November
We go to strange new worlds in this month’s YA offerings: into the skies, other dimensions, famous cemeteries and places between life and death.
Find our November picks for kids books here.
YA BOOK OF THE MONTH
A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Dabos (translated by Hildegarde Serle)
The world has been affected by the cataclysmic Rupture, and now exists as a collection of floating Arks, each overseen by an immortal being and housing families that specialise in a distinct…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
My Two Blankets (bilingual editions) by Irena Kobald & Freya Blackwood (translated by the ASRC)
Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass Book 7) by Sarah J. Maas
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Wakestone Hall (Stella Montgomery Book 3) by Judith Rossell
Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks & Quinton Winter
The Bad Guys Episode 8: Superbad by Aaron Blabey
…
A monthly update from our Teen Advisory Board
This month we had a visit from debut author Katya De Becerra, whose supernatural thriller What the Woods Keep was released in October.
Katya gave us a fascinating rendition of her relentless determination to get her book published. She approached over 70 literary agents before she found a US agent to represent her work. The agent then had to submit to over 30 publishers before finding a US publisher, Imprint, to publish her novel. Katya was born in Russia but…
Our children's & YA top 10 bestsellers of the week
Tales from the Inner City by Shaun Tan
The Bad Guys Episode 8: Superbad by Aaron Blabey
All the Ways to be Smart by Allison Colpoys & Davina Bell
Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters (The Questioneers Book 1) by Andrea Beaty & David Roberts
Pig the Grub by Aaron Blabey
Stories for Boys Who Dare to be Different by Ben Brooks & Quinton Winter
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli & Francesca Cavallo
Recommended reads to get your book club reading YA
If you suspect your book club has fallen into a reading rut, you should consider picking a YA book one month! Contemporary YA fiction is plot- and character-driven, responsive to the current political and social climate, has an eye on inclusion and representation, and tends to cross-pollinate genres in a very satisfying way. Here are some top recent YA picks for your book club.
Far From the Tree by Robin Benway
After sixteen-year-old Grace gives up her baby up for…
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