Our latest blog posts

Fictional bookshops in children's books that we'd love to visit in real life

by Emily Gale

To celebrate National Bookshop Day on Saturday 8 August, here are some fictional bookshops for children to visit in their imagination.

Flourish and Blott’s in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

They bought Harry’s school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and

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What we're reading: Eliza Henry-Jones, Eka Kurniawan and Sally Morgan

Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving.

Ann Le Lievre is reading In the Quiet by Eliza Henry-Jones

In the Quiet by Eliza Henry-Jones is a radiant Australian debut – full to the brim of beautifully-drawn characters, against the backdrop of a semi-rural Aussie landscape. The plot centres around a family of three teenagers, their father and their close friends…

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A collection of some of our favourite Readings moments

Here are just a few of our favourite memories from over the years at Readings.

The time when Mark Rubbo was just starting out.

new

(current) shop in Carlton.

The time when everyone wanted a copy of the new Harry Potter.

The time our staff dressed up as Where’s Wally.

And the time they all wore their most striking jumper.

And… the time they all wore stripes.

That time we hosted a movie night in a laneway (featuring Graphic Novels!

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A mid-festival update from MIFF 2015

Here’s our mid-festival update from this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival. Staff share what their thoughts on what they’ve seen so far, and tell us what they’re still looking forward to. (You can find the full program here).

Nina Kenwood’s favourite film (so far) has been The Wolfpack

To date, I’ve seen four films at MIFF, and I’ve adored them all.

I watched three documentaries: Do I Sound Gay?, The Cult of JT Leroy and The Wolfpack.

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Join us to celebrate National Bookshop Day this Saturday

This Saturday 8 August is National Bookshop Day – an annual celebration of bookshops across the country. And we’d love you to come by one of our five shops and join in the fun.

If you’re a coffee lover as well as book lover, you’re in luck…

On the day, we’ll be offering 10% off all full-priced books to any customer who presents a coffee cup from Market Lane Coffee that features a special Oslo Davis bike illustration (see image…

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The best showcase of Australian children's book authors and illustrators

by Emily Gale

Introducing one of the most exciting Australian children’s books of the year – The Hush Treasure Book – which showcases our finest children’s book illustrators and authors.

Readings is thrilled to be hosting an event to celebrate the Hush Music Foundation’s latest creative endeavour – a treasury of funny and moving illustrated stories by some of Australia’s finest children’s book authors and artists, published by Allen and Unwin. This free event will be held at our Hawthorn store on Saturday…

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Mark's Say, August 2015

by Mark Rubbo

The Australia Council was formed in 1967 by then Prime Minister Harold Holt and it was given statutory authority by the Whitlam government in 1975. Modelled on the successful Canada Council, it took on many of its features including arms-length funding to organisations and artists decided by groups of peers. Over its life it has periodically suffered attacks from many sectors in the community; unsuccessful applicants accuse it of being cliquey, commentators such as Andrew Bolt have accused it of…

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Australian YA: the quiet achiever

by Emily Gale

Professionally, you’d have to be a little short of Earth logic to give your heart away to young adult (YA) fiction in this country. The challenges come from all sides.

You’re up against industry snobbery, for a start, despite the fact that children’ and YA books as a category is that rare beast: a print publishing and bookselling growth area. Martin Amis skimmed us a casual slur in 2011, summing up many people’s inside-thoughts: ‘If I had a serious…

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