Young Adult
Title: ‘Welcome to Consent’Author: Yumi Stynes and Dr Melissa Kang Publisher: Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Age Range: 10+ years old Themes: Personal boundaries, sex, interpreting signals, speaking up and being firm, guarding…
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Title: ‘The Surprising Power Of A Good Dumpling’Author: Wai ChimPublisher: Allen & Unwin (2019)Awards: Shortlisted Best Young Adult Literature, Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2020 AU; Shortlisted Readings Young Adult Book Prize 2020…
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Jazzy has been reviewing for me for several years now and I always love seeing her emails pop into my inbox as her reviews are thoughtful and insightful and it’s so nice…
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Another fab review from Jazzy! Jazzy is one of the most sophisticated young readers I know and I really value her insights on the latest book she’s been reading. Today she’s reviewing…
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Title: Looking for AlibrandiAuthor: Melina MarchettaPublisher: Penguin Australia (published 1992)Age Range: Young adult, AdultsThemes: Feeling Like an Outsider, Pressure, Immigration, Family Ties, Community and Tradition, Cultural Differences and Racism, Self-discovery Sophie Fu…
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Title: Untwisted: the story of my lifeAuthor + Illustrator: Paul Jennings Publisher: Allen and Unwin Age Range: YA – Adult Themes: Themes: autobiography, memoir, non fiction, writing, children’s writer, teaching, speech pathology,…
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This bestselling novel by John Green was published in 2012 and has since been made into successful movie. There is something truly remarkable about the pull of ‘The Fault in our Stars’,…
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Book Boy Jr has *almost* inspired me to read a book about running with this review…almost. Actually I am hooked on the idea of this book and think it would be perfect…
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‘Small Spaces’ has been in my pile of TBR books on my bedside table for some time now. I’ve heard so many great things about it and everytime I think ‘oh that…
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Jazzy today reviews a novel that I devoured and adored, ‘It Sounded Better in my Head’ by Nina Kenwood. This is a beautifully gentle coming-of-age story about friendships, self-image and first love…
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Title: ‘White Bird’ Author: R. J. Palacio Publisher: Penguin Books Australia Age Range: middle grade*, YA Themes: bravery, kindness, courage, World War II, survival, family, found family, friends. Inspired by her blockbuster phenomenon…
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Title: ‘Monuments’ Author: Will Kostakis Publisher: Hachette Age Range: young adult Themes: fantasy, adventure, Greek mythology, contemporary fiction, sexuality, friendship, family, grief, coming of age Greek Australian, Indigenous, romance, diversity, humour. Teachers’…
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‘Sometimes rain made me want to cry, like there was something deep inside of me – the sadness flower that opened up when rainy days came, and blossomed inside of me until…
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Jazzy is one of the most sophisticated young readers I know and she always stretches herself to read outside of her comfort zone. Her latest book has been, in her own words,…
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It’s a question yelled into cyberspace regularly, and to be honest even as a teacher-librarian I’ve struggled with this question. Where does a reader go when they feel like they’ve read the…
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A daring escape. A school lockdown. A thrillingchase. What would you risk to save a life? Title: ‘Detention’Author: Tristan BancksPublisher: Penguin Random HouseAge Range: middle gradeThemes: refugees, immigration, asylum seekers, displaced persons,…
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Once again Jazzy of ‘Jazzy’s Bookshelf’ has beat me to reading and reviewing a book which has been sitting on my bedside table for quite some time. Anyways…for a YA novel it’s…
READ MOREThere are some young adult (YA) novels that seem to take the world by storm, and ‘Dry’ is one of them and it is currently being adapted for film. Neil Shusterman is…
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The Children’s Book Council of Australia 2019 Book of the Year Shortlist was announced this week and of course it has ruffled some feathers and made some book creators weep with joy…
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Multiple-award-winning author Meg McKinlay’s latest middle grade novel places the reader at that tricky intersection where logic and science meet magic and hope, a place where many of us find ourselves when…
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