The Readings Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is a volunteer group of teenagers that meets once a month to learn about careers in the book industry, chat about recent and forthcoming young adult books, interview authors, write blog posts and short reviews, and provide feedback to Readings staff members and publishing industry professionals on a range of subjects.

The Teen Advisory Board are also given the opportunity to judge the Gab Williams Prize for young adult books and attend an in-person work experience day at a publishing house. Select books will be provided free of charge to the board throughout the year and posted out to individual members.

Applications for the Teen Advisory Board are now open!

We’re currently looking for a new intake of teenagers to join our Teen Advisory Board, meeting once a month starting in April 2026 and running until early 2027. 

The board will be run online via Zoom, and we welcome applications from teenagers aged 14–18 residing within Victoria. We are an equal opportunity bookshop and aim to nurture an inclusive environment for our teen volunteers. We encourage applications from, including but not limited to, First Nations people, those with a disability, and LGBTQIA+ applicants. 

Meetings will take place online from 5pm–6.30pm on the third Wednesday of every month, beginning Wednesday 15 April 2026. There will be opportunities for occasional meetups in person in Melbourne. 

How to apply

To apply, please tell us how you would benefit from participating, the types of books you like to read, why you love bookshops and how you found out about this opportunity. 

Your application should be a single-page document of up to 500 words, in either Word or PDF format, addressing the above points and including your name, age, contact details, and postal address (for book deliveries).

Please ensure that you are available on the third Wednesday (5pm–6.30pm) of each month to attend meetings on Zoom. Note that participants will be primarily sent new and forthcoming Young Adult fiction, so if you have very specific literary tastes, it may not appeal to you. We are looking for teens who are open to reading widely. 

Send your application to [email protected] by 5pm, Monday 30 March 2026.
All applicants will be notified if their application has been successful or not.

Testimonials from past board members…

Being a part of the Readings Teen Advisory Board for 2025 was the most wonderful experience that allowed me to delve into the world of books and publishing and learn more about a future career in the industry. Not only did I learn so much along the way, but I made special friendships, met inspiring role models and got to read so many good books. The highlight was certainly the opportunity to judge the Gab Williams Prize alongside my peers. Thank you to Angela for organising such an amazing initiative for young people.

– Camryn, 2025-26

It has been a truly wonderful experience to meet other passionate readers – many of whom have become good friends of mine! – each month to share our love of a wide range of books, as well as our interest in publishing as a potential future pathway. The Readings Teen Advisory Board offers the incredible opportunity to meet with such remarkable, skilled professionals working across the industry, who shared unique and valuable advice from their backgrounds in writing, illustrating, editing, teaching, marketing, and so much more. It was also fantastic to write blog posts for the Readings website, receive books ranging across all genres of Australian literature, and to judge the Gab Williams Prize. Thank you, Angela and Readings, for making this so special!

– Annalisa, 2025-26

Being a member of the Teen Advisory Board for Readings was a wholly unique experience of fellowship and intellectual gathering. I really looked forward to those monthly meetings. The books we read, the authors we spoke to, the people we met, the titles we shared, the blogs we wrote – they all hold a special place in my heart. I won't soon forget the 2026 Teen Advisory Board.

– Freddie, 2025-26

I'm forever grateful to have been a part of the Readings board. Such a beautiful experience which reignited my love for reading. Judging and reviewing books helped me to find my new favourite piece, a book I then got to discuss with the author. I feel so lucky to have received the opportunity to meet with other book lovers my age and discuss our thoughts and views on our favourite literature every month. It is an amazing experience, I am truly keen to see what the next members do with their time on the board. 

– Esther-Joy 2025-26

The Teen Advisory Board was the most enriching and inspiring experience, being a part of it was an absolute joy and privilege.  Over the course of a year, the board met a myriad of different people in the publishing industry, including authors, editors, agents, illustrators, and booksellers - their expertise and passion for books opened our eyes to so many possibilities for our future endeavours.  I am grateful for Angela and Readings for creating a place where young avid readers can belong, meet like-minded individuals, and discuss our favourite thing in the world - books. From judging the Gab Williams prize, meeting passionate individuals who understand the love for reading, writing blog posts for the website, hosting events, and now having work experience from Readings, it truly was an experience of a lifetime, one that I will cherish forever.

– Alicia Vu, 2024-25

The Readings Teen Advisory Board has been, to put it simply, marvellous - opportunities like this one come rarely! I'm so grateful to have been involved in a group of such well-read, intelligent and worldly individuals, hearing from experienced and knowledgeable professionals of the book industry, and exploring some fantastic new Australian YA fiction. We've all made some lovely friendships along the way; it's such an affirming and wonderful feeling to work closely with teens who share your passion for reading. 

– Ione, 2023-24

Inspiring, fullfilling and with so much passion, the Teen Advisory Board made the world of books incredibly real. Walking into a bookshop now, I can see the effort it takes to get one book on the shelf! The TAB was a deep-dive into publishing and editing, into careers that take you across the world and to book festivals, publishing houses and to people who are just as appreciative of the written word! I am grateful for the TAB for being such a central part of my year, as it served as the best space to learn, share and talk much about books!

– Alina, 2023-24

Being a part of the Readings Teen Advisory Board has been absolutely incredible. I have been able to broaden my knowledge of the Australian (and international) book industry and had the chance to meet and learn from amazing people who work in the world of literature. It is an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything.

– Zach, 2019-20

I believe that being on the Readings Teen Advisory Board has helped me find out more about not only potential careers in the literature industry, but also helped me broaden my horizons and gain a greater insight into all the effort put into making our favourite books available to us.

– Ulysses, 2018-19

Below, you can see some of the books that our board members have recommended, or you can read their contributions to The Readings Blog here!